SANFL 2006 ROUND 19: WOODVILLE-WEST
TORRENS v NORTH ADELAIDE
Pressure hurts North
By JEFF CRAWFORD
WOODVILLE West Torrens has firmed as clear premiership favourites after
its 58-point demolition of
For the second time this season, Ron Fuller's hard-hitting side has
dismantled the Roosters' running game and made them look second rate.
The home side's dominance was such that the game was virtually over in
20 minutes, the Eagles registering the first five goals and the Roosters
failing to really challenge for the remainder of the game.
Both Hayden Skipworth and Ian Perrie were late inclusions for their respective sides,
after being named in the Crows' extended squad, with the Eagles' utility the
far more valuable of the two.
Skipworth was clearly best on ground and
finished with six goals, while Perrie was rarely
sighted and ended up sitting on the bench.
The Eagles comprehensively flogged the Roosters in every facet of the
game, from skill level to physical toughness and intimidation.
The Roosters were certainly put under plenty of pressure, but even when
they were in the clear they managed to make a meal out of most opportunities.
Onballers Skipworth,
Tim Inkster, Justin Cicollela and Chris Knights were
far superior to their sluggish Rooster counterparts, although ruckman Paul
Lindsay had a fairly even tussle with former teammate
Brett O'Hara and steadily improving Ben Hudson.
North's potentially dangerous forward line of Daniel Hargraves, Nick
Gill and Clint Alleway was completely shut down by an
efficient Eagles defence led by Joe Pedler, while at
the other end of the ground the Eagles had plenty of targets to choose from.
Only inaccuracy in front of goal stopped the likes of Mark Passador
and former Rooster Adam Grocke killing North off well
before three-quarter time.
The Eagles are now cruising towards the finals with the belief that North can't stand the heat, and whether or not they finish
minor premiers they will be there in the last game of the season.
They should easily account for
While there's no doubt the Roosters are capable of playing a much
higher standard of football than this, coach Andrew Jarman
would have to be concerned at the way his team was reduced to a poorly skilled
rabble by sheer physical pressure only four games from the finals.
North faces a tough challenge against resurgent Glenelg at the Bay this
Saturday.
SCORES: Woodville-West
BEST: Eagles - Skipworth,
GOALS: Eagles - Skipworth
6, Passador, Rugolo 3, Grocke, Westbrook, Inkster 2, Knights, Fairclough,
Shattock; North
- M.Campbell 3, Ladhams,
Howard 2, Hargraves, Alleway, Younie,
Koops, Hudson, Perrie.