North Adelaide avoids SANFL wooden spoon with 13-point win over the Eagles
North Adelaide showed its fighting spirit to finally lift itself off the bottom of the SANFL ladder with a final-round win over the Eagles, consigning West Adelaide to the wooden spoon.
North Adelaide’s passion and spirit were on show against the Eagles at Prospect Oval on Saturday in a season where both clubs proved that fortunes can take a big hit in the space of a year.
The courageous 10.10 (70) to 8.9 (57) victory saw the Roosters take until Saturday’s game to get off the bottom of the ladder and hand the wooden spoon to West Adelaide.
North had winners all over the ground in the second half and left in no doubt that it wanted a big response after caving into South Adelaide the week before. Jarred Allmond was among the stars for the Roosters with three goals and plenty of effectives touches but he had plenty of mates in the battle.
Roosters’ coach Josh Carr said his side kept persisting, not only against the Eagles, but for most of the season after being docked four premiership points - courtesy of the 19th man saga last year.
“That was a really good response from the South game and what we were expecting,’’ Carr said.
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“At times during the year we have had some good games but maybe the pressure from last year caught up a bit. But that’s life and we just had to deal with the cards we had. We have a good young crop and I think we saw a few of those (today).’’
For the Eagles it was a nearly year after winning seven of their past 12 games but falling at key times when finals were within their grasp.
Coach Sam Lonergan said his side just couldn’t find rhythm and didn’t make the most of opportunities, especially in the second quarter where it kicked 3.6 to 1.2.
“Our first half where we were beaten in contested possession was concerning,’’ Lonergan said.
“And we didn’t want to finish the season with a loss. There have been a few ups and downs but we just couldn’t produce the season we needed. We have a lot of promising juniors which is a plus but overall we have to bridge the gap between our best and worst.’’
For the Eagles it was just the second time in 20 years where they had missed the finals, the previous was in 2008 when they finished sixth.
The match also marked the retirement of Eagles premiership player Scott Lewis after 204 league games at West Adelaide, Glenelg and the Eagles.
SCOREBOARD
NORTH ADELAIDE 3.1 4.3 8.8 10.10 (70)
EAGLES 2.0 5.6 6.6 8.9 (57)
BEST
North Adelaide: Allmond, Laurie, Tropiano, Smith, Barns, Harvey, Craig.
Eagles: J. Hayes, Lewis, Poole, Boyd, lee, Goldsworthy.
GOALS
North Adelaide: .Laurie 4, Allmond 3, Barns 2, McInerney
Eagles: N. Hayes 2, Rowe, J. Hayes, Nason, Boyd, Lewis, Poole
UMPIRES
Beyer, Bryce, Bowen