Roosters stay alive in race for SANFL flag after beating Panthers in elimination final
NORTH Adelaide bounced back to its best form to conquer South Adelaide in the elimination final and keep its title hopes alive in an absorbing contest at Adelaide Oval.
NORTH Adelaide won the battle of the final quarter nerves to conquer South Adelaide by 20 points in the elimination final at Adelaide Oval on Sunday and stay alive in the race for the premiership.
The Roosters went into the contest as the underdog, but were able to reproduced the form which enabled them to climb to the top of the ladder mid season.
Superior composure in crucial moments in the final quarter proved decisive, as did the Panthers inability to handle the occasion.
“It was a great game of finals football,” Roosters coach Josh Carr said. “We showed our best football is up there with the best in the competition.
“The challenge is about consistency, but we have ticked off the first week of finals.”
The Roosters’ intent was obvious from the outset with plenty of pushing and shoving of opponents. Captain Max Thring, back in action after being sidelined due to a calf injury, made his presence known to Panthers star Joel Cross immediately after the players walked to position.
But it was the Panthers who seized the early momentum and they led by 14 points just eight minutes into the contest after youngster Nathan Kreuger went back with the flight of the ball to mark, and then nail the set shot.
It took the Roosters 10 minutes to register a score and after 12 minutes the inside 50 count was 9-3 in favour of a Panthers outfit using the ball effectively.
As the quarter lengthened so too did the impact of the Roosters’ pressure and they were able to create turnover ball.
The tackling pressure of the Roosters had a significant impact in the second term as they took complete control.
Roosters forward Mitch Harvey banged home two goals within the opening two minutes and when he had a third after eight minutes his side has surged to an 11-point advantage.
The Roosters got in the face of the opposition and a rattled Panthers failed to respond. Too often the Panthers stood back and allowed an opponent to swoop to secure possession and they struggled to slow the growing confidence in the Roosters’ movement.
Confronted with a 24-point deficit, the Panthers finally found some answers.
Panthers’ co-captain Keegan Brooksby kicked the final goal of the first half and then his teammates rammed home the first four goals of the third quarter to regain the lead.
However, the Panthers panicked in the final term and the Roosters pounced.
“They played better, they pressured us, hunted us and we failed in critical moments,” Panthers coach Jarrad Wright said. “It is a disappointing way to finish off the year after having such a good growth year.”
SCOREBOARD
NORTH ADELAIDE 1.3 7.4 8.6 14.6 (90)
SOUTH ADELAIDE 3.3 4.5 9.9 10.10 (70)
BEST - North: Smith, Spina, Tropiano, Clisby, Thring, Harvey. South: Brooksby, Cross, Fields, Heaslip, Liddle, Szust.
GOALS - North: Harvey 4, Spina, Hender 2, McInerney, Barns, Olekalns, Ramsey, Young, Thring. South: Haren, Cross, Overall 2, Rankine, Brooksby, Kreuger, Fields.
UMPIRES - Hundertmark, Broadbent, Medlin.