Sturt dominates in ruck and during the middle of the game in 44-point home win over Glenelg

A TEN-GOAL onslaught during the middle two quarters of the game propelled Sturt to a 44-point victory over Glenelg at Unley Oval yesterday.

Glenelg's Neil Vea Vea battles Sturt's Jack Stephens on Saturday. Picture: AAP/Matt Loxton.

A TEN-GOAL onslaught during the middle two quarters of the game propelled Sturt to a 44-point victory over Glenelg at Unley Oval yesterday.

The Tigers kicked the opening three goals and led by that margin at the first break after defending well to keep the hosts goalless.

Glenelg’s Matt Snook gets tackled by Sturt’s Henry Carey on Saturday. Picture: AAP/Matt Loxton.

But any sign of an upset quickly disappeared after quarter-time. Sturt emerged from the break looking more like the two-time reigning premier, cutting Glenelg open through the middle and dominating in the ruck to pour on seven majors during the second term then another three in the third.

By three-quarter time, the Double Blues were seven goals ahead and the Tigers were without a major since the 23rd-minute mark of the first term.

Glenelg managed five goals in the last quarter but so did Sturt.

“It’s good to win a couple in a row and get back to winning at home,” Double Blues coach Marty Mattner said.

“Our first quarter wasn’t great but I think we didn’t quite get our structures right, especially into the breeze, but the last three quarters were really good.”

Sturt finished with a whopping 57-22 hit-out discrepancy as Tom Read (18 disposals, 37 hit-outs, six inside 50s) and Jack Osborn (12 touches, 18 hit-outs, two goals) dominated Tigers ruckman Neil Vea Vea (six possessions, 16 hit-outs).

Glenelg coach Mark Stone. Picture AAP/Matt Loxton.

The Double Blues’ twin towers ensured their side not only usually got first use of the ball but also won the aerial battle, as it held a 118-96 mark advantage. The biggest worry for Glenelg would be that once Sturt going, the Tigers could do little to stop it.

Defensive structures seemed to break down and the early work it did to restrict the Double Blues came undone quickly.

Glenelg was not much better with the ball, struggling to get the ball inside 50 during the Double Blues’ 10-goal mid-match run and often turning it over when it did with an errant pass or poor option.

“We were beaten by a really good team who were too good for us in a number of facets,” Tigers coach Mark Stone said.

“I thought we started well and executed our plan really well ... but as a football team, our ability to sustain our concentration, our structure and effort is one of the areas that we really are lacking.”

SCOREBOARD

STURT 0.2 7.6 10.7 15.11 (101)

GLENELG 3.2 3.3 3.7 8.9 (57)

BEST – Sturt: Battersby, Read, Osborn, M. Evans, McAdam, Thiele, Colquhoun.

Glenelg: Curran, Proud, Close, Reynolds.

GOALS – Sturt: M. Evans 4, McAdam 3, Osborn, Hone, Battersby 2; Thiele, F. Evans.

Glenelg: Milera 3, Scott 2; Close, Reynolds, Koster.

INJURIES – Nil

UMPIRES – Harris, Crosby, Philp.

At Unley Oval