North Adelaide beats Norwood by 19 points for SANFL premiership and an unlikely slice of history
THE response of North Adelaide to some dark days has been incredible, capped by a brilliant grand final triumph when it conquered Norwood by 19 points at Adelaide Oval.
- Live blog recap: How the game was won
- Gallery: 2018 SANFL Grand Final in pictures
- Analysis: Roosters create their own legend
IF EVER there was an unlikely premiership this had to be it.
North Adelaide finished last season with the wooden spoon, no team below the Roosters on the ladder. Their first round performance against Central District at Elizabeth Oval was a shocker, insipid and lacking of any passion.
There was also the trauma of popular trainer Vaughan Taylor dying in the doorway of the visitors changeroom just minutes after that game.
Questions were being asked of coach Josh Carr in his third season in the role. There was even a changing of leadership with Mitch Clisby standing down as captain after 2017 and Max Thring taking on the responsibility.
Then there was the 19-man controversy and being forced to endure a tribunal hearing on Monday night before their preliminary final win, and place in the season finale, was upheld.
But the manner the Roosters have responded has been nothing short of stunning, capped by the brilliant grand final victory over red-hot favourite Norwood at Adelaide Oval on Sunday for their first flag since 1991. They had to win by 19 points didn’t they.
The Roosters are only the second team to secure the SANFL crown from fifth spot and just the second club to claim the title after finishing bottom the previous season.
Not only has Carr answered his critics, not that he felt compelled to do so, but he has done it in style with a game plan built on tremendous pressure and a want to take the game on with and an aggressive attacking mindset.
The Redlegs were the best team for most of the season, the Roosters were the best team on the day which counts.
They set the tone from the outset. Key forward Mitch Harvey goalled with a floater after just 40 seconds. Alex Barns and Boyd Woodcock, who surely has emerged a strong contender to be drafted on his mature finals campaign, added majors inside the first seven minutes.
The Redlegs were dominating territory, having 11 more trips inside their attacking 50 for the first quarter and plenty more scoring shots.
However, the Roosters were efficient going into attack and led where it counted, on the scoreboard.
The two teams traded blows in the middle quarters with 12 points the biggest margin. The Roosters would get two goals clear, only for the Mitch Grigg-inspired Redlegs find an answer.
The Redlegs lost Mitch Wilkins for the second half due to concussion, but they went goal for goal with the Roosters in an absorbing battle in front of the biggest SANFL crowd since 1998.
When Lewis Hender kicked an incredible goal four minutes into the final quarter, followed quickly by a Barns major, the Roosters had a 17-point buffer and the confidence to get the job done.
Grigg was a super hero for the Redlegs and he dragged the Redlegs to within 12 points.
This Roosters club has been through plenty though and they refused to be denied in a contest yielding an amazing 34 goals.
SCOREBOARD
NORTH ADELAIDE 5.0 9.4 14.7 19.10 (124)
NORWOOD 3.7 7.11 12.14 15.15 (105)
BEST — North: Schwarz, Barns, Castree, Tropiano, Woodcock, Harvey. Norwood: Grigg, Johnston, Fuller, Nunn, Wilson.
GOALS — North: Barns 4, Woodcock, McInerney, Harvey 3, Hender 2, Young, Ramsey, Sweet, Wilkie. Norwood: Grigg 6, Phillips, Wilson 2, Dawe, Fuller, Smart, Shenton, Bampton.
INJURIES — Norwood: Wilkins (concussion)
UMPIRES — Bowen, Medlin, Harris
CROWD — 40,355 at Adelaide Oval
JACK OATEY MEDAL — Mitch Grigg (Norwood)