Cairns Saints withstood an impressive North Cairns display to win their Easter Monday battle at Griffiths Park yesterday. But with both teams missing key men, it was hardly a clear-cut indication of how the teams will stack up this season.
Saints were without big names such as Nick Gill and last-start best player Dean Hislop, while Norths missed six-goal hero Rex Liddy and Adam Mueller. But Saints managed best, finishing comfortable winners despite Norths causing some panic in a hard-fought third quarter. Their 16.16 (112) to 12.12 (84) win came on the back of six goals from club mainstay Matt Walsh, while Dan Liriges had an outing to remember in the ruck.
For Norths, Brendan Tennick played a captain’s knock up forward, with newcomer Tom Clough and Kane Richter again outstanding in the midfield. It was two quick goals from Tennick in the second quarter – one a brilliant set shot from the pocket and another while spinning out of a tackle after smothering a kick-in – that pumped the visitors up.
And when the Tigers kicked the next two after the main break, the margin was back to eight points. But thanks to the combined efforts of speedy duo Sam Harkin and Alex Macqueen in setting up a wealth of chances, Saints steadied. The telling blow for Norths was dealt when Walsh kicked another on the counterattack to stretch the lead to 25 points at the last change.
Norths ruckman Adam Coates had his head in his hands after that goal because moments earlier he had spilt a mark to keep his team in the match. Despite trailing by four goals at the last break, the Tigers did not drop their heads, and a Richter goal to open the final term gave them hope. But when Jarrod Searle goaled, it all but killed off the Tigers’ last assault.
Harkin said it was good to get the points, given how many players were unavailable.
"It was another new-look team for us. It’s good to see we’ve got some good depth there," he said.
Read more at http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2012/04/10/213875_local-sport-news.html
Courtesy of The Cairns Post.
Last Modified on 10/04/2012 10:10