Suns Vs The Saints at Metricon 2nd August, 2014 The game started out very much on the Gold Coast terms with the first two scores being one of each type and both to the Suns. Lenny, Ray, Savage and Gwilt stood tall and kept the defensive zone working, causing several turn overs but with only one inside 50 in the first five minutes. By halfway through the first term it really was two different styles of play on display. The Suns were going around the wings using Lynchs height as a target while we travelled the corridor when we could get clean possession. Prestia showed the need for keeping the ball in view when the ball rolled to the boundary line in their forward pocket and Billings turned his back on it but the ball sat on the line and didnt roll out so Prestias awareness gave the Suns a shot on goal thankfully hitting the wood work. A poor marking attempt by Delaney nearly led to another goal but thankfully poor disposals and then a turn over saved the score board attendant any work. Farren Ray and Gwilt being able to play a kick behind the ball kept us in it possession wise, finally leading to a Riewoldt free kick but no cigar. As the shadows lengthened in the quarter we saw more of the ball in our forward fifty but only two minor scores resulting. Some heated feeling at the interchange gates was allowed to play itself out while the game continued and was only two kicks out of a shot at goals for the Suns marked at the very last line by Jimmy Gwilt. Delaney to Riewoldt to Montagna to Hayes to a turn over back to Armitage and a beautiful kick hit Billings with a low flat hard stab pass, who in turn put our first major on the board. Farren Ray was playing in the backline, the centre, the wings and the half forward line. He was all over the place in the first quarter and one of his many gut runs led to a Lenny Mark on the fifty to a beautiful Man in front mark by Sean Dempster bringing only a behind. The ball turned its way back towards the Suns inside fifty with an easy overhead marked dropped by Dempster followed immediately by a dropped mark on the last line of defence by Dunstan who turned the ball over giving the Suns their 7th uncontested mark inside fifty. Thankfully the siren brought an end to a quarter that neither team would have been remarkably pleased with. Stanley had one touch and kicked inside fifty to an uncontested Suns mark. 8 points in favour of the Suns. Our ball magnets were the usual suspects, Ray, Armitage and Hayes. The second term started with a shift in dynamics with the Suns heading straight up the corridor to Lynch as Gwilt ran under an easily delivered ball to an uncontested Lynch and converted easily. The centre clearance went to the Suns who made an absolute mess of possessions but we did nothing to prevent them scoring their second goal inside a minute. School boy errors made our problems glaringly obvious with kicks over our heads to opposition marks, unnecessary fifties Thankfully Ray marshalling the troops around the half back line brought about a blunder by the Suns trying to run and carry. That free went via Hayes to Stanley with a beautiful outside fifty kick to slot his first major for the game. Hayes brought up his twelfth possession 10 minutes into the second with a free from the centre bounce but to no avail with another turn over and end to end a shot at goal bringing up a behind for the Suns. Im rarely one to criticise umpires but I hope the second half shows they will consistently apply the high tackle free when players duck the head. We really looked to be struggling with our marking inside fifty and the turn overs are costing us dearly. Riscetelli tried to disguise a very obvious holding the ball and we were rewarded with a free but Rooeys kicked travelled the distance but didnt bend back and ticked over a minor score. The pressure we applied as the Suns tried to bring the ball out led to what I can only describe as one of the most embarrassing attempt at something I cant describe by Schneider who tried to toe poke a kick in the direction of a running Gwilt but it travelled no more than 2 metres and was an immediate turnover. Thanks to Rooey and Savage standing tall in defence we brought the ball back inside fifty where Armitage forced a free from a throw and converted it nicely bringing it back to a 15 point deficit. Bruce made his way into the match later in the term and took a beautiful contested one on one mark at the fifty. His kick had endeavour but not distance and a turn over resulted. Thanks to some hard work by Weller left an easy gather for Armitage who put it in the teeth of goals and Bruce swallowed it nicely and reduced the margin again. Then came what looks like being the course of the game. The after goal punch up. The Suns may have legs but the older harder more senior bodies of the Saints are worth backing in the fights every time and being smart enough not to get sucked in too much Rooey let the mouth run free before Bruce came in to fly the flag for his Captain. It became a very tough game in the Suns forward fifty now that Delaney found some mongrel and it made a difference. The scoring was drying up for the Suns. Curren drew an easy free kick from again a school boy error by throwing yourself on the ball as your opponent heads for the pill making sure he lands on your back. Unfortunately Curren only put a behind on the board. Half time left us 7 points in arrears but with momentum in our favour.
Posted on: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 12:12:59 +0000
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