Woodville-West Torrens and SANFL investigating extra player on field after North Adelaide pulls off miracle to defeat Eagles and book a berth in grand final
NORTH Adelaide has come back from 47 points down to defeat Woodville-West Torrens in a pulsating preliminary final at Adelaide Oval. But the Eagles and league are investigating the result after claims the Roosters fielded 19 men in the last term.
WOODVILLE-West Torrens is seeking legal advice after North Adelaide had 19 men on the field for the first five minutes of the final quarter in the preliminary final at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.
The Roosters scored 1.2 for that period and won the game by five points in a drama-packed encounter.
The Eagles hierarchy was having discussions at Woodville Oval on Sunday night to determine what action to take, while the SANFL was also meeting to investigate the issue.
It follows one of those games which had to be seen to be believed.
The Roosters were down and out six minutes into the third quarter when they trailed by 47 points and were devoid of answers to an on-song Eagles outfit totally in control.
But this Roosters outfit has been full of surprises this season after climbing from bottom of the ladder last year to now be just one win from their first premiership since 1991.
Whatever button Roosters coach Josh Carr pushed to get a reaction from his players was obviously the right one as they went to work in emphatic fashion. They bagged nine of the next 10 goals to build a 22-pont lead in stunning fashion.
The Roosters were then forced to withstand a barnstorming finish from the Eagles, who nailed the final three goals.
“Bloody oath,” was Carr’s response when asked if he still believed his side could triumph from such a hefty deficit.
“I just wanted some momentum,” Carr said. “I know what this group is like when it gets momentum.
“We can kick goals quickly and I did not lose belief. But we had to get close enough.
“Our ability to win the inside ball in the second half enabled us to get going.”
The Eagles were switched on early, as evidenced by the stats. It took the Roosters seven minutes to have an entry inside their 50 or take a mark.
Outmuscled by the Eagles, the Roosters were rattled by the opposition pressure and were not handling the occasion.
Two late goals helped the Eagles to a 16-point lead at quarter-time and that ballooned to 46 just 10 minutes into the second term.
The Eagles, with Jared Petrenko having a heavy influence, were moving the ball with authority and finding strong-marking Jack Hayes deep in attack.
When Hayes bagged another two goals inside three minutes of the third quarter and Sam Rowland added another three minutes later it was seemingly how far the Eagles.
And the Roosters were dealt a further blow when Alex Spina left the game with a shoulder injury.
But the Eagles did not another goal until six minutes into the final term. The Roosters, who had stood back and watched the Eagles control the game, lifted the intensity and charged into the contest to go on the attack.
The Roosters smashed the Eagles at the stoppages and with a flood of possession, they constantly surged forward with conviction in its movement.
Defender Callum Wilkie got heavily involved for the Roosters, Tom Schwarz was busy and youngster Boyd Woodcock continued his impressive finals form.
The confidence of the Roosters grew rapidly and they fed off the tremendous moment with a fierce hunger for the contest. Then there were those nervous moments before their spot in the decider was confirmed.
SCOREBOARD
NORTH ADELAIDE 1.3 2.5 7.6 15.10 (100)
EAGLES 4.1 7.4 10.8 14.11 (95)
BEST – North: Wilkie, Schwarz, Allmond, Tropiano, Woodcock, Clisby. Eagles: J. Hayes, Petrenko, Hall, Lewis, Thompson.
GOALS – North: Woodcock, Young, Ramsey 3, Harvey 2, McInerney, Hender, Schwarz, Olekalns. Eagles: J. Hayes 6, Hall 2, Petrenko,Haylock, Rowland, Lukosius, Poole, Goldsworthy.
INJURIES – North: Thring (calf), Spina (shoulder).
REPORTS – Sharrad (Eagles).
UMPIRES – J. Broadbent, T. Medlin, M. Harris.
CROWD – 7419 at Adelaide Oval.