SANFL 2006 ROUND 16: PORT
ADELAIDE v NORTH ADELAIDE
Wounded Magpies
By ERIC WELTNER
CRUNCH time awaits Port Magpies next Sunday at the Bay Oval after
crashing to consecutive heavy home defeats, the latest against top-ranked
A growing injury list is of particular concern to coach Tim Ginever as the Magpies attempt to defend fourth position
against in-form Glenelg.
Port's problems on Saturday began before the opening bounce, when it
lost Power-listed runner Adam Kingsley to a calf strain during the warmup.
A promising start during a first term shootout with the Roosters soon
turned sour when key forward Clive Waterhouse limped off with a hamstring
injury.
In a sad indictment on the rest of Port's forward line, Waterhouse
remained Port's only multiple goalkicker.
Medical staff at Alberton will also need to assess star on-baller Jeremy Clayton (knee), consistent wingman Shayne Biacsi (upper leg) and tall recruit Shane Morrison (thumb)
for next weekend's crucial clash.
Ginever said on Tuesday Waterhouse, Biacsi and Morrison would not play this week, Kingsley
would be tested at the Power training sessions, but Clayton was certain to
play, having trained on Monday.
He'll play. He just jarred his knee, Ginever
said.
Ginever admitted the injury list was a
worry after Saturday.
I was close to pulling my boots on, (the injury list) was that long,
he said. The Magpies were not hitting panic buttons in the absence of
Waterhouse for this week's game against Glenelg, and Ginever
was confident his team could cover him.
We won some games without Waterhouse either playing or kicking goals
earlier in the year, he said.
We'll still have 21 blokes out there, that's the main thing.
The return of Crow-listed Ivan Maric was a
welcome boost to the rucking stocks on Saturday, with the Magpies winning their
share of the clearances.
However from late in the first stanza, when Port was in front, the
Roosters ran riot, adding two goals to quarter-time and a further six to the
long break without reply, to effectively seal the contest.
After the game, Ginever said: I reckon we
had enough of it, especially early, to make a game of it, but lamented his
charges' poor foot skills.
We turned it over round about half forward and they're (North) the
best at running it out.
SCORES:
BEST: North Ladhams, Ivens,
Gill, Ryswyk, Younie, Bamford; Port Harry,
King, Slattery,
GOALS: North Hargraves, Gill 5, Younie, Bamford 2, Ladhams, Campbell, Perrie, Ryswyk, Howard, Alleway, O'Hara,
Walker; Port Waterhouse 3, Harry, Poulton, Meiklejohn, Ah Chee, J.Clayton, Slattery, Davis,
Baird.