West Adelaide building something special after dismantling North Adelaide
THERE’S something seriously building at West Adelaide — and anyone who doubts it was not at City Mazda Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
THERE’S something seriously building at West Adelaide and anyone who doubts it was not at City Mazda Stadium yesterday afternoon.
A Bloods team featuring three 18-year-olds kicked 17 goals to four after quarter time to maul and undermanned North Adelaide with an imposing display of pressure and attacking football.
Westies lost their last four games of 2014 — two of them by more than 10 goals — to finish ninth, and few could have predicted how quickly Mark Mickan would rebuild the side.
But not everyone realised just how talented teenage trio Will Snelling, Hugh Haysman and Aaron Francis were.
Haysman and Snelling both had more than 20 disposals on Saturday, while Francis was impressive down back.
At the other end of the football journey is 30-year-old former Crows favourite Jason Porplyzia, who is fit and firing, as evidenced by his 27 disposal, two goal game yesterday.
And, in between, are a group of hardened SANFL players, nine of whom played in Westies’ 2012 grand final side.
Players such as Jon Beech, Aaron Fielke, Shannon Green, Taite Silverlock, Chris Schmidt, Daniel Caire and James Ezard are all fit this year and it’s given Mickan some serious luxuries.
Yesterday he played Travis Tuck (three goals) as a semi-permanent forward, while Porplyzia was also rotated through there when it suited.
“I thought after quarter time we got our game going,’’ Mickan said.
“The even contribution really pleased me. We probably had 21 contributors.
“We feel like we’re a team of workers and that means every one needs to contribute.”
Mickan’s side has retained the defensive qualities so heavily emphasised by his predecessor Andrew Collins but it is now the highest scoring team in the league and playing attractive football.
“The pressure we applied after quarter time I thought was pleasing and we were able to score from turnovers and prevent the opposition from scoring,’’ Mickan said.
Things aren’t so bright at Prospect, with Ken McGregor’s injury ravaged side poor after quarter time.
The Roosters had at least seven first choice players missing but McGregor said that didn’t excuse the lack of effort and careless ball use in the second half.
“We’re realistic of where we’re at at the moment and the boys understand that I can take us being beaten by talent,’’ McGregor said.
“But there’s various parts of our games over the last two weeks where we’ve beaten by effort and that’s just not good enough.”
The Rooster started with plenty of intent and broke even around the stoppages in the first term.
The pace of Leigh Ryswyk and Marlon Motlop caused some problems and North led by a goal at the opening break.
But West’s work rate simply overwhelmed North after the break, the Bloods forcing turnovers at will and moving the ball quickly into a dangerous forward line.
West Adelaide 2.3 7.4 13.7 19.12 (126)
North Adelaide 3.3 4.4 5.6 7.6 (48)
BEST — West: Porplyzia, Beech, Schiller, Green, Snelling, Haysman, Stevens, Silverlock. North: Obst, Wanganeen, Spina, Motlop.
GOALS — West: Tuck, Nelson, Beech 3, Green, Porplyzia, Stevens 2, Helbig, Schiller, Keough, Hill. North: Obst 3, Spina, McMahon, De Leonardis, Wanganeen.
UMPIRES — Hosking, Haussen, Cook
INJURIES — Nil
CROWD — 1588