Matt Walsh left the field on the shoulders of teammates after kicking his 100th goal of the year on saturday at Port Douglas. The Saints full-forward started the day needing nine to break the milestone for the fourth time in AFL Cairns competition. It took less than two quarters to achieve it, notching the ton in clinical fashion despite the nervous energy created by the side. "When I marked it, I saw the boys in defence all run up and wait behind me. The pressure was on then, I thought I had to kick it,"Walsh said. And he made no mistake, potting it from 35m on a slight angle. "I was getting lots of ball and it felt good off the boot; I was kicking them straight," he said. "It was a good day out and good to get it before half-time." Saints player-coach Brenton Powell said the achievement had given the whole side a boost. "It's fantastic for a guy like him, who has been such a big part of the club," he said. "After he kicked it the whole team got into it and gave him a pat on the back." Thanks to Walsh's first-half brilliance, Saints were never troubled. They took an 11-goal lead to the main break and went on to win 29.10 (188) to 9.13 (67). Walsh bagged a neat dozen to sit on 103 for the season. He said breaking the league record of 128, set by fellow Saint Ken Rainsford in 1999, was not the priority. "I know how special booting 100 is, so I'd like NIck Gill (69 goals) try and get there," Walsh said.
Last Modified on 25/09/2012 10:49