Sharks withstand war after Magpies bring the heat in SFL Round 2
Dodges Ferry remains undefeated in the SFL this season, but the victory over last year’s easy beats was anything but easy this time round. WATCH THE REPLAYS >>
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ABBOTSFIELD Park is the SFL’s charity bank no more.
Dodges Ferry left Claremont’s home ground, but the Sharks had to scrap and fight for every minute of the day to down the Magpies by 22 points, 13.11 (89) to 8.9 (57).
Last season the Magpies gift wrapped the four points every time before the ball was even bounced, but that is the case no more.
In a hotly game of contested football, the Pies, coming home with the wind and the momentum, closed to almost single figures before the Sharks steadied and kicked the last two goals – including one in the last passage of the game — to make the result look more comfortable than what it was.
Sharks coach David Hunt was not taking the win for granted.
“That was a war,” Hunt said.
“It was a tough physical game and to Claremont’s credit, they through absolutely everything at us. It was a great battle.”
WATCH MATCH REPLAY - Claremont v Dodges Ferry
The Magpies physicality especially in that last term rattled the Sharks before the visitors rattled and regained momentum against the strong wind.
“I made it very clear before the game are a six-goal better team at home and with the additions in the off-season, they are very tough and we were glad to get away with the win.
“We’ll take the win and a lot of lessons from today — that if you are not clean and don’t win enough contested footy, you are going to be on the back foot.”
Last season’s leading goal kicker, big Shark Campbell Hooker, showed he will be in the running again with five majors in the fairly low scoring affair, while first game Emmett McShane impressed with two goals and some serious forward pressure and Jack Siggins was a rock in the backline.
The Sharks are now two wins from two starts this season, while Lindisfarne is the same after smashing Sorell at Pembroke Park by 70 points as did reigning premier Cygnet that thrashed New Norfolk at Boyer by 91 points.
WATCH SFLW MATCH REPLAY - Claremont v Brighton
PREVIEW: Claremont v Brighton
DODGES Ferry regained eight senior players for its clash with Claremont at Abbotsfield Park on Saturday after they missed the opening round of the SFL season with Covid-19, but four more are out with the virus including star Ben McGuinness.
The Sharks regained key onballer John Bullock, tall forward Ben Richmond, half-back Joe Manix, and vice-captain and full-back Jake Murphy for the match, which will be live-streamed on themercury.com.au from 2pm.
Sharks forward Cam Hooker says team selection has become a bit of a mystery for coaches.
“We had some big senior boys out last week and that hurt is a fair bit, but we get some of them back this week and lose Benny McGuinness, Nathan Griffiths _ a couple more bigger names,” he said.
“It has been another unpredictable week of Covid and it’s difficult for coaches to select their teams, but every club is in the same boat so we’ve got to play the best we can with the 22 we put on the park.”
Claremont opened its season without senior coach Nathan Brown, who missed last week with Covid, which put the coaching duties on Marty Allison, also in his first game back at the club.
The Magpies named an unchanged side to the one that lost to Huonville by 141 points with Brown back I the coach’s box.
Dodges Ferry opened its account with a win over Hobart, with Hooker kicking 1.5 in the 45-point victory.
“It wasn’t one of my best games so I’ve done a fair few practice shots this week and I’m hoping to be better this week,” Hooker said.
“It was good to get the cobwebs out and I played a fair bit of midfield time with our lack of numbers through there.
“The boys who came up, or played their first senior games, stood up really well so it looks promising having the depth we have.”
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Dodges Ferry is second on the ladder after game one and Hooker believes the Sharks can sink their teeth into most teams this season.
“We will be there abouts when it comes to the end of the year,” he said.
“Early on in the year, taking four points home, no matter how you get them, is important especially with how tight the competition is going to be this year.
“If you can scrap four points at this time of year it will go a long way to getting you deep into the finals.”
In other games, New Norfolk takes on Cygnet at Boyer, Sorell is at home to Lindisfarne and Hobart plays Brighton at the TCA ground at 4.30pm.
SFL Teams Round 2
New Norfolk v Cygnet Boyer
New Norfolk
B: J Fisher-Cooley J Farrow R Heron
HB: W Banks Z Kelly J Banks-Smith
C: R Thomason J Hills T Bailey
HF: R Higgins B Lovell J Poulson
F: Jye Bearman C Triffett J Clifford
Foll: J Daley Jake Bearman B Triffett
Inter: B Chaplin C Morgan B Butler Ba Chaplin
Emerg: S Webb J Foster A Minchin CRansley
In: J Banks-Smith C Morgan
Out: S Webb, J Foster
Cygnet
B: L. Ford N. Duggan E. Cowen
HB: J. Lister J. Behrens J. Poke
C: B. Livingston L. Watt J. Tammens
HF: T. Cowen J. Zeitzen P. Kelly
F: T. Boscott J. Direen J. Dance
R: J. Brereton J. Webb L Carmichael
Int: C. Rawnsley R. Scotland R. Jennings R Clark
Emerg: M. Bastick R. Clark B. Penney
In: J Poke D Bantick
Out: B. Halton P. O’Neill
Claremont vs Dodges Ferry, Abbotsfield Park
Claremont
B: B Lockley B Lang R Bosworth
HB: L Green B Fewkes M Siely
C: H Bielleman M Allison J Harris
HF: B Jones B Bester J Adams
F: J Williams C Curtain J Crossin
R: Z Evans-Fenton L Adams B Lockley
Inter: B Braunack L Plummer K Murtagh Rogers A Baynton
Emerg: J Bradshaw A Bennett
In: M Siely, C Curtain, L Adams
Out: J Masters, N Woodham, C Bennett
Dodges Ferry
B: J McDermott J Murphy L Murphy
HB: J Manix J Siggins J Young
C: D Lewis R Hooker S Youl
HF: J Dunn M. Young J Dolliver
F: J Wilson C Hooker S. Kennedy
R: T. Cannan J Bullock B. Richmond
Int: C Chatterton B. Jackson S.Blackley A.Richards
Emerg: L. Edwards P. Broad E. Mcshane
In: B. Richmond J. Bullock J. Murphy S. Kennedy J. Manix
Out: B. McGuinness N. Griffith J. Booth N. Fuller L. Edwards
Sorell vs Lindisfarne, Pembroke Park
Sorell
B: A. Jones J. Handley T. Castle
HB: B. Carter S. Ackroyd N. Baker
C: J. Wylie C. Harris J. Young
HF: T. Bennett C. Murfet J. Perkins
FF: E. Idstrom J. Smith M.S awford
R: M. Bevis L. Nichols M. Johnson (c)
Inter: R. Batchelor C. Riley J. Bailey J. Klok
Emerg: W. Petigrew L. Dance L. Butterworth
NEW: J. Handley, S. Ackroyd, C. Harris, T. Bennett, J. Smith, M. Sawford, C. Riley, J. Bailey
Lindisfarne
B M Hutchinson, N Cranfield, K Miller
HB D Johns, A Webster, D Bailey
C T Jaynes, R Martin, A Gaul
HF D Blazely, J Harris, Teg Westbury
F J Briggs, M Cassidy, J Green
R M Phillips , J Gleeson, S Adams
Inter: A OMeara, Trey Westbury, B Westbury, J Mitchell
Emerg: J Kent J McPherson, T Jackson
In: M Phillips, J Green, J Harris, D Bailey
Hobart vs Brighton, TCA Ground
Hobart
B: J Quinn, J Gridley, J Pulford
HB: B Daniels, D Monks, A Gilmour
C: K Phillips, B Goninon, L Kreune
HF: A Murfitt, R Fehlberg, T Spriggs
F: D Huxley, B Joseph, B Johnstone
R: C Meadows, R Stocks, B Dart
Inter: A Wiggins, L Freeman, E Monks, M Hale
Emerg: Nil
In: K Phillips, C Meadows
Out: A Henderson, L Andrews
Brighton
B: A. Morrison J. Clark J. Nus
HB: B. Wilton B. Oates A. Collis
C: R Best B. Hayden A. Waller
HF: J Best J. Read L. Arbuckle
F: J. Young M. Lamb M. Alberry
R: R. Bailey D. Gardner S. Lewis-Johnson
Inter: A. Wilson, J. Roberts, J. Whitney, S. Deverell,
Emerg: M. Howlett, D. Robottom, C. Donaghy, H. Zantuck
In: A. Wilson
Out: D Backhouse
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