Glenelg soar back into SANFL finals contention with big win over South
GLENELG roared back into finals contention as forwards Terry Milera and Liam McBean enjoyed days out at the Bay on Saturday.
GLENELG roared back into finals contention as forwards Terry Milera and Liam McBean enjoyed days out at the Bay on Saturday.
The former AFL-listed players kicked 10 goals between them – double South Adelaide’s total – as the Tigers thumped the Panthers by 55 points to snap a three-game losing streak and jump back into the top five.
In a match crucial to both teams finals hopes, Glenelg – chasing its first finals spot since 2011 – won every quarter, capitalising on superior skills and greater efficiency.
Its nine-goal win came despite losing the inside-50 count 59-43 and having the same number of scoring shots as South. The Tigers booted an accurate 16.7 to the Panthers’ woeful 5.18.
“Our team defence across the whole ground was fantastic and that pressure meant we were able to force them into mistakes and capitalise ourselves,’’ said Tigers coach Matthew Lokan.
“In contrast we kicked the ball at 72 per cent efficiency, which we haven’t done for five or six weeks.’’ While the free-falling Panthers, who have now lost six of their past seven games after starting the season 5-1, were wasteful with the ball, Milera and McBean made the most of their opportunities to prove difference-makers in front of the sticks.
Former St Kilda forward Milera kicked six goals without a miss while ex-Richmond tall McBean booted four straight.
They capitalised on some excellent service from former Melbourne midfielder Dom Barry (22 disposals, two goals), who is pushing his claims for another shot at the AFL, captain Andrew Bradley (27 disposals) and onballers Matthew Snook and Lachie Earl, who combined for 53 possessions.
It all started in the ruck where Warrick McGinty was superb, finishing with 25 disposals and seven marks.
“We built this up as a finals game and it was great for the guys to be able to respond in the right manner after what had been a tough three weeks,’’ Lokan said.
“It was a very even performance with everyone getting over 10 disposals which is something we have been trying to get – an ability to spread the load.’’
The emphatic win was just Glenelg’s second in its past 10 clashes against South.
Panthers coach Garry Hocking lamented his side’s poor skills and wastefulness.
“We missed goals which didn’t enable us to put any scoreboard pressure on them,’’ he said.
“Poor goalkicking is poor footy. We’re still playing some good footy but it’s too patchy and when we get an opportunity to hurt the opposition we’re not.
“When you win the inside-50 count and have the same amount of scoring shots you are doing something right but our goalkicking is costing us, so we’ve got some work to do.’’
SCOREBOARD
GLENELG 5.2 9.2 13.4 16.7 (103)
SOUTH 1.4 2.10 3.12 5.18 (48)
BEST – Glenelg: T. Milera, McGinty, Bradley, Barry, McBean, Snook, Curran, Earl. South: Fields, Rose, Gotch, Liddle, Davis.
GOALS – Glenelg: T. Milera 6, McBean 4, Barry 2, Proud, Vitkunas, Chalmers, I. Milera. South: Davis 3, Szust, Fields.
INJURIES - South: Haren (shin).
UMPIRES – S. Galletly, R. Hundertmark, M. Schramm.