SANFL 2006 ROUND 22: CENTRAL
DISTRICT v NORTH ADELAIDE
Roosters run hot to finals
By STEVE BARRETT
WITH the finals just around the corner,
After succumbing to Woodville-West Torrens by 58 points in round 18,
the Roosters have re-emerged as a prime force with three successive wins
against potential major round protagonists Glenelg (by four points), South
Adelaide (39) and Central District (two).
Saturday's victory over the Bulldogs at
Entering the clash, the Roosters had a 14-4 overall record this season,
but just 1-3 against last year's grand finalists Central and the Eagles, the
average losing margin in those defeats around 68 points.
Victory, and a hard-fought finals-type victory at that, has
enhanced North's premiership legitimacy.
Anything less than a Grand Final appearance from here on
for the Roosters must be categorised as a disappointment.
At the end of a low-scoring yet high-quality and entertaining first
half arm wrestle on the weekend, North held sway by four points, after scores
were locked away at quarter-time.
The Roosters emerged from the main interval full of purpose, run and
dash, booting five goals without reply before time-on - ex-Adelaide Crows
players Chris Ladhams and Darryl Wintle
particularly destructive inside 50 en
route to a 23-point three-quarter-time advantage.
Central converted a set shot early in the fourth before North slammed
on three unanswered goals in ten minutes - courtesy of Ladhams
twice and Wintle
to open up a seemingly impregnable 37-point buffer at the 17-minute
mark.
The Roosters appeared to visibly relax after setting up a 37-point lead
17 minutes into the fourth, which allowed the Doggies to pounce.
Central kicked the final six goals of the match from the 19-minute mark
onwards, the last coming at the 31-minute mark.
It was Central's 14th goal and its third in as
many minutes, which sliced North's lead to just two points.
Under siege, the Roosters managed to cling on grimly for the next
minute and claim a tense yet morale-raising victory.
Wintle, Ladhams
and Heath Younie outshone their illustrious Bulldog
midfield counterparts around the ground, while simultaneously getting the job
done on the scoreboard.
The resilient support of seasoned campaigners Daniel Ebert, Lukey Ivens, Dean Howard and
Scott Bamford was priceless.
Crows-listed ruckman Ben Hudson played easily his best game since
returning from long-term injury and was clearly the most dominant big man afield.
An AFL finals recall for
The Roosters tackle Port Adelaide in the second leg of an Adelaide Oval
double-header on Saturday.
North looks like finishing second regardless of the result, but a win
could wreck the Magpies hopes of earning the double chance.
SCORES:
BEST: North - Hudson, Ladhams, Wintle, Younie, Ebert; Central
- O'Sullivan, Graham, Slade, Thomas.
GOALS: North - Ladhams
5, Wintle, Younie 3,
Hargraves, Bamford, Campbell; Central - L. Westhoff,