South Coast AFL 1st April 2005

Bomaderry     21-10 (136)

Nowra             7- 4 (46)

 

 

Tigers do the business

 

 

Story: ALEX ARNOLD

Photograph: ROBERT CRAWFORD

 

 

DESPITE a final quarter hiding from the Bomaderry Tigers, the Nowra Blues showed they would be more than competitive this South Coast AFL season with a solid performance at West Street Oval on Saturday.

However the game was overshadowed with two serious injuries to Blues' players Dave Simms and David Walsh.

Simms' was taken to Wollongong hospital and had three plates inserted into a shattered hip socket.

Ironically Simms was wearing the same jersey, number 44, that Blues' coach Russell Jones wore when he broke his neck last year.

The incident took place midway through the second quarter and the game was delayed for more than half an hour.

Half-time was called early and the third and fourth quarters extended to 25 minutes each.

The second serious injury occurred at the start of the fourth quarter when

Damien Walsh suffered a middle ear fracture after a knock to the head.

He was also taken to hospital.

The game was played in bright sunshine and still conditions and the first 10 minutes of the first quarter were an even affair.

Running towards the clubhouse in the first stanza, Nowra was competing well in middle and took the lead with a couple of minor scores.

However, the taller Tigers' outfit turned it on in the latter part of the first quarter, with Christian Mills and Dave Rowland dominating the forward pocket on the end of good supply from Mishka Rayner.

After a promising start the Blues suddenly found themselves six goals down at quarter time.

Nowra got a goal back through Gary Woodall early in the second and it was the only major score before Simms' injury.

At half-time the Tigers held a 33-point lead.

In the extended third quarter the Blues put in an inspired performance.

Jake Hardy, who is one of four players to join the Blues after the collapse of the Ulladulla Swans, was among Nowra's best as they kicked six goals to Bomaderry's five to be within striking distance of an unlikely win at three-quarter time.

However Nowra's enthusiasm was well and truly crushed in the final quarter as the premiers showed why they are again the team to beat this year, kicking 10-3 and keeping Nowra scoreless.

Despite the final quarter whitewash Nowra coach Russell Jones was delighted with his team's performance

"We started well enough and even though they slammed some goals on us in the first quarter I thought our endeavour was brilliant," he said.

"It was the first game where our full side was together and I think we needed some time early to understand how a quality opposition plays.

"Once we got a grasp of that we knew we had to manage things quicker.

"Most of their blokes were 18 inches taller so we had to come up with some tactics that appealed to us.

"We were quicker over the ground and started to set up quicker, and really got into it with some clean delivery.

"At three quarter-time we were pumped, but unfortunately they had some fresh guys in the middle in the fourth and we weren't as quick coming out of the centre.

"A couple of our guys doubled up and the long quarters saw fatigue catch up with us."

Jones said the arrival at the club of Hardy, the Thompson brothers and former Norwood junior Tyson Marks is a big plus for his side.

All four were planning to turn out for Ulladulla this year.

"Overall I'm as proud as punch of the boys and the camaraderie is there," Jones said.

"We improved throughout the game last week and have improved on top of that again."

Tigers' coach Marty Kick said credit was due to both sides for the way they played after the sickening accident to Simms.

"Both sides played free-running games which is reflected ion the scoreboard," he said.

"Credit to Nowra.  They are rebuilding and the game was played in great spirit.

"We mixed up some of the positions to give us an idea of how we are going.

"There are no real set positions these days, and we gave our players a decent run.

"We are a tall side and we still have some talls to come back. 

"It is difficult to pick a side at the moment because of the numbers, but I'm not complaining, a lot of that is due to the committee's hard work and support.

"We got something out of the game and I think Nowra did too.

"They'll shake a few sides."

 

 

 

Bomaderry       6.4      6.5      11.7    21.10

Nowra             0.2      1.2      7.4     7.4

 

Goals

Bomaderry - B Tyrell 3, M Ganderton 3, M Hickmott 3, T Craig 2, G Wallace 2, M Rayner 2, D Rowlands 2, C Mills, A Lee, B Graham, A Ellis

Nowra - G Woodall 4, C Thompson 2 S Weller,

Best

Bomaderry - D Gration, M Ganderton, D Wallace, A Hannam, A Lee

Nowra - J Hardy, C Thompson, G Midson, D Jones-Southern, G Woodall

 

 

In other games on Saturday, Northern Districts 17-12 (114) had a big win over Kiama 6-6 (42), while Camden 10-14 (72) surprised Port Kembla 8-4 (52).

 

Reserve grade

With Albatross having the bye in first grade the Demons attention was focussed on their reserve grade game with the Bay and Basin at the Bay and Basin Leisure Centre.

In a tough game Albatross kept the Bombers scoreless in the middle quarters to run out convincing winners 20-6 (126) to 7-6 (48).

In positive signs for the Demon's depth Craig Godfrey made a great comeback to the club kicking six goals, while rover Mark Bicknell booted home five, one of which was from a spectacular length of the field run.

Others to shine for the Demons were Morgan Brown and Craig Godfrey.

The Basin fought hard throughout the game and kicked four goals in the final quarter to end the game on a positive note.

Meanwhile the Bomaderry Tigers reserves kept the pressure on for first grade positions with a 106-0 thrashing of Nowra.

Mark McCann grabbed three goals for the Tigers, while ruckman Brenan Roby, Dave Webb, Dave Murray and Luke Crater all bagged doubles for the visitors.

In the other reserves game Port Kembla 11-7 (73) accounted for Camden 7-4 (46).