SANFL 2006 ROUND 12: NORWOOD v WOODVILLE-WEST TORRENS

Ugly but we'll take it - Fuller

By PETER ARGENT

THREATENING to blow the game open on a number of occasions, Woodville-West Torrens could not throw that killer punch until the last term against Norwood last Friday.

The 21-point win at Coopers Stadium didn't reflect the ebbs and flows of the match.

After a seven-goal opening term, when the match was there for the taking, the Eagles didn't finish off their opponents.

Kept goal-less in the third term, they needed a lift.

Four quick goals in the first 10 minutes of the final term, including a contender for the goal of the year from Luke Jarrad, deep in the Coopers Hill pocket from the wrong side of his body, sealed the result.

The Eagles then took the foot of the pedal again and conceded a few goals later in the final term.

“In the second term we had 19 entries into the forward 50 and only managed to kick two goals,'' coach Ron Fuller said.

“We haven't been as fluent as I would have liked, but we set ourselves to win all four games in June and we had done that.

“This sets us up for the second half of the season, after a week's rest.

“We won ugly, but we won.''

Paul Lindsay was a critical component in the victory, dominating at each ruck contest and collecting a whopping 48 hit outs.

This gave his small players plenty of opportunities.

Tim Inkster continued his vote-getting stellar season, being instrumental in setting up a number of goals and kicking a couple himself, while strong marking forward Adam Grocke (three goals) put in his best effort in Eagles colours.

Battle-weary veteran Steven Hall was stoic in defence, while Peter Fiacchi had his usual positive impact on the game.

Mark Passador was well-held, but kicked three including an important long bomb early in the last term.

Defender Joe Pedler will forever remember the evening as well - as after pushing forward and taking a strong contested mark in the final term, he slotted through his first goal in this his 90th SANFL league appearance.

After the week's rest, the Eagles have what could be classed as a season-defining game against their old nemesis, Central District in round 14.

SCORES: Woodville-West Torrens 7.1 9.4 9.9 14.13 (97) defeated Norwood 4.2 6.5 8.9 11.10 (76).

BEST: Eagles - P.Lindsay, Inkster, P.Fiacchi, Hall, Grocke, McKenzie, Colville, Cicolella; Norwood - Hughes, Thomas, Culpitt, Bown, Duigan, Borlace.

GOALS: Eagles - Passador, Grocke 3, Cicolella, Inkster 2, Colville, Vandeleur, Jarrad, Pedler; Norwood - Cockshell 2, Borlace, Gallagher, Bartemucci, Culpitt, Bown, Carslake, Campbell, Sandery, Vassal.