North Adelaide halts downward spiral with 57-point win over Tigers

NORTH Adelaide finally put the brakes on its downward spiral and halted a four-game losing streak with a 57-point win over Glenelg on Monday.

9/06/2014 SANFL: Glenelg v North Adelaide at Glenelg. Corey Grove celebrates a goal.Pic Mark Brake

NORTH Adelaide finally put the brakes on its downward spiral and halted a four-game losing streak with a 57-point win over Glenelg on Monday.

The Roosters were challenged in the first half but turned it on with seven goals to one in the third term to break the game open and keep their top five chances alive.

Glenelg’s Clint Alleway booted five goals against his old side but the Tigers had only two other goal kickers for the day as the loss consigned them to remain on the bottom of the ladder.

Tigers coach Nick Stevens held his assistant coaches behind closed doors for an extended period after the game before calling the players into a meeting room to discuss the loss which leaves them at 2-7.

While North Adelaide ran out comprehensive winners, they still made some basic skill errors at times and are yet to convince that they deserve to play finals this year.

But after the game coach Ken McGregor said it was a much better feeling than copping four losses on the trot.

“We were more consistent and kept going for longer,” McGregor said.

“They (Glenelg) played some pretty good footy in the first half and we amped it up in the second half and played for four quarters.

“It's a step in the right direction, there are still some areas I thought we weren't quite where we want to be and we'll try to work on those.

“But it's a lot better than the last month and it will be a big test next Sunday against West (Adelaide).”

Jay Shannon had 23 disposals and four clearances to be awarded the inaugural Dean Higgins Medal as the most courageous player on the ground, while McGregor praised Alan Obst who returned from injury to kick four goals and Joe Anderson also did a tagging job on Glenelg midfielder Sam Lonergan and laid a staggering 13 tackles.

“He's (Obst) very important to us, he straightens us up and gives us that competitive nature around centre-half-forward,” McGregor said.

The Tigers made the early running as Alleway booted the first three goals of the game — two from out-bodying his opponent in the ruck and the other by marking on the lead.

The Roosters wasted a couple of early chances and it took them 20 minutes to respond through Toby Schulz before Leigh Ryswyk's goal just before quarter time kept the visitors in touch.

Matthew Snook, Hayden Jolly and Andrew Bradley were responsible for getting Glenelg moving in the middle and Jolly's forward 50 entry hit Alleway on the chest for his fourth goal to start the second quarter.

But North Adelaide was able to absorb the early pressure and get some run going off half back through Ben Williams and Cohen Thiele.

Schulz got his second goal and Alan Obst chimed in with two for the quarter and suddenly the Roosters had their noses in front at half time.

The Tigers landed an early blow after the break when Alleway got his fifth goal but it was all North Adelaide after that.

Former Brisbane Lion Jesse O'Brien worked overtime to move the footy forward and won crucial clearances as Patrick Boles and Matthew Campbell combined for four goals to help the visitors kick 30 points clear.

It threatened to get ugly for Glenelg in the final term when North kicked two goals in the first five minutes and although Lonergan pegged two back for the Bays, the Roosters were never threatened.