Sturt v Glenelg Round 18 match report
A bag of four from Josh Patullo, who received stitches after a nasty head knock, has inspired Sturt to a 12-point victory over Glenelg.
Sturt has booked an elimination final rendezvous with inner city rival Norwood next Saturday after holding off a fast-finishing, Liam McBean-less Glenelg by 12 points.
Inspired by four goals to Josh Patullo, who was stitched up after being stretchered off for a head knock midway through the second quarter, the Double Blues resisted a last minute Tiger surge.
Glenelg drew within five points after a Luke Reynolds hanger and goal in the final quarter before the home team held their nerve and kicked clear, led by 36 possession-winner Sam Colquhoun.
It was an opening quarter of goal-of-the-day contenders, with Jake Sutcliffe, Danyle Pearce and Patullo all landing majors from either outside or just inside 50.
Then big man Tom Read ripped one out of the ruck like Gary Ablett circa 1989 to snap Sturt’s third.
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Glenelg’s only goal came through a laser-like Luke Partington pass to Todd Slade who converted.
The second quarter was marked by that knock to Patullo and a sublime snap to Brad Agnew, getting just enough purchase on the ball before being slung to the ground.
The lively Josh Hone then rivalled Reade’s effort for the day’s best, getting his boot to a marking spillage.
A stalemate opened the first 15 minutes of the third, as both teams traded a series of behinds.
Then Mark Evans nailed his first which drew a guttural roar from Sturt supporters, beginning to believe in an upset.
Sturt should have buried the visitors, though, kicking an errant 2.7 for the quarter.
But the minor premiers were not done with just yet, responding with a trio of majors through Marlon Motlop, Bailey’s second and that screamer from Reynolds.
But a cool conversion from the backline maestro, Fraser Evans and then a beauty from Sutcliffe in the goal square, snuffed out any chance of a last-minute Tigers steal.
Sturt coach Nathan Grima admitted to some stressful moments in the box.
“There’s a fair bit riding on it, first time senior coach, taking on a proud club with some recent history (of success) and expectation you play finals,” Grima said.
“We feel we’re as good a chance as anyone (in the finals). I see finals as a whole new season.”
Tigers coach Mark Stone was happy his team never quit the contest, despite having to take backman Max Proud off for some lower leg “awareness”.
“We had to shift the team around a fair. I liked the spirit within the group. We pushed right to the end and had opportunities maybe to pinch it,” Stone said.
“We knew we were facing a team that was desperate to keep their finals alive.”
SCOREBOARD
STURT: 5.0 6.3 8.10 11.11 (77)
GLENELG: 1.3 3.5 4.8 9.11 (65)
GOALS — Sturt: Patullo 4, Sutcliffe 2, M. Evans, F. Evans, Pearce, Hone, Read 1. Glenelg: Bailey 3, Reynolds 2, Slade, Scharenberg, Motlop, Agnew 1.
BEST – Sturt: Colquhoun, F. Evans, Crocker, Pearce, Patullo. Glenelg: Agnew, Partington, Gould, Curran, Motlop, Bailey.
UMPIRES: Schramm, Philp, Crosby.
CROWD: 3422 at Peter Motley Oval.