High-flying Roosters show they can do it the hard way

NORTH Adelaide coach Josh Carr hailed his team’s resilience after it held off a strong challenge from a desperate Glenelg to move back to the top of the SANFL ladder.

Glenelg's Ian Milera out runs North's Tanner Smith at Glenelg Oval. Picture: Tom Huntley

NORTH Adelaide coach Josh Carr hailed his team’s resilience after it held off a strong challenge from a desperate Glenelg to move back to the top of the SANFL ladder.

In its first match since thumping Port Adelaide by 79 points at Alberton, the Roosters — the SANFL’s biggest surprise packet this season — showed they could also win ugly.

They had to scrap in a tough, physical Queen’s Birthday clash at the Bay before triumphing by 10 points in a match that turned into a dogfight.

The win was North’s seventh from nine outings this season after it won just nine games in the previous three years.

“I thought Glenelg was switched on early and its pressure was really good all game so I thought we showed a lot of resilience to hold on to win,’’ said coach Josh Carr.

“It was a real battle so we didn’t have to play the prettiest of football, we just had to find a way to win and we did.

“I think that showed the maturity of the group, while some of our recruits have made a big difference as well.’’

Glenelg displayed plenty of aggression and led by a point at half-time before falling behind by 20 in the third quarter.

But the home side came again and drew to within three points entering time-on in the final term following three consecutive goals from former Rooster Nick Amato, who bagged four for the game.

However Carr’s outfit steadied with a late goal to the impressive Alex Spina to seal the deal and clinch the John Sandland Cup — presented to the winning team in Queen’s Birthday clashes between the two big rivals.

North midfielder Aidan Tropiano won the Dean Higgins Medal, which was awarded to the most courageous player.

Glenelg, which has fallen to ninth with just three wins, fought all day but lacked the Roosters’ class under pressure.

“In the end our guys who can use the ball with their class made a big difference,’’ Carr noted.

Tropiano, captain Max Thring in his 100th game, Spina, Jarred Allmond, three-goal forward Keenan Ramsey and defender Mitchell Clisby, who kept danger man and the league’s leading goalkicker Terry Milera scoreless, were North’s best.

Amato, and defenders Max Proud and Chris Curran were strong for the Bays while teenager Brad Close was one of its better ball users.

Tigers coach Mark Stone was locked in a team meeting with his players after the game and unavailable for comment.

NORTH 3.3 5.5 9.8 12.10 (82)

GLENELG 2.3 5.6 7.6 11.6 (72)

BEST — North: Tropiano, Thring, Spina, Ramsey, Clisby, Allmond, Smith. Glenelg: Amato, Proud, Curran, Close, Snook, Scharenberg.

GOALS — North: Spina, Ramsey 3, Hender 2, Tropiano, McDonough, Schwarz, Harvey. Glenelg: Amato 4, Scott, I. Milera 2, Motlop, Close, Schott.

INJURIES: — Close (Glenelg) knee.

REPORT — McGinty (Glenelg) for rough conduct against Spina (North) by field umpire Morgan in first term.

UMPIRES — J. Broadbent, A. Crosby, S. Morgan.

CROWD — 2083 at Glenelg Oval.