Clarence holds off hard-charging Demons in perfect warm-up for TSL finals

North Hobart threw everything but the kitchen sink at Clarence — but the Roos had one trick up their sleeve that the Dees weren’t expecting.

Round 13 TSL game between Clarence v North Hobart from Richmond Oval. North Hobart's Jack McCulloch and Clarence's Wade Wall compete in the ruck. Picture: Zak Simmonds

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A NAIL-BITER against the fired-up Demons at Richmond Oval was exactly the warm-up for post-season action that Clarence coach Jeromey Webberley wanted ahead of the Roos’ TSL semi-final two against North Launceston at UTAS Stadium on Saturday.

North Hobart was primed to send retiring senior coach Richard Robinson out with a win and it took everything Clarence could muster to ensure that did not happen.

After Clarence got away to a flyer with two goals by Chris Nield and another by Josh Green early in the first, there was barely a goal between them all day.

Clarence's Sam Green marks in front of North Hobart's Julian Dobosz. Picture: Zak Simmonds

It was a tough, physical contest on a wet and slippery track, with the occasional “spot fire” that the field umpires quickly broke up.

The fairytale finish did not eventuate for North Hobart as the Roos won 9.12 (66) to 8.7 (55), while “fly-in” full-forward Julian Dodosz (2.5) could have punished Clarence if his radar had been pinpoint.

Webberley, who made the masterstroke move of fullback Jason Bailey to full-forward in the second half where he kicked two crucial goals, knew the Roos had made a great escape.

“North Hobart was on top in the first half and they missed some opportunities to put us to the sword,” Webberley said.

“At stages in the second quarter we started to even it up, and in the second half I thought we controlled the game.

“Once it started to rain our players adapted well and we had some outstanding individual performances.”

Defender Baker Smith stamped his authority on the game by clunking almost everything that came his way in defence and Nield followed two goals in the first half with some almighty defensive pressure in the second.

Clarence's Chris Nield. Picture: Zak Simmonds

“At half-time I was a bit concerned, I didn’t think we were up for the fight as much as they were and to come out and show that grit and grind out a win was impressive,” Webberley said.

“We haven’t won for a month.

“We’ve had opportunities that we’ve let slip and we haven’t played our best footy of late.

“But in the second half we got our brand up and going.

“It has been there for periods in games but it hasn’t been there for four quarters like it was today so now we move on to next week and a formidable opponent.”