Wanderers on track to nail down third place
WANDERERS V TIWI BOMBERS BEST 6.2 7.7 12.9 17.14 1.3 3.5 4.9 5.11 GOALS UMPIRES WANDERERS’ wish to snatch pole position behind flag favourites St Mary’s and Nightcliff entering the finals remains on track.
Dean Rioli’s men yesterday inflicted Tiwi Bombers’ 15th defeat in 17 matches – the latest by 75 points – this NTFL season as they bid to displace Southern Districts from third spot.
The Eagles did their damage with a six-goal-to-one opening quarter, finding too much space and capitalising on a gale-force wind that later violently switched directions.
The only blight on the result, for Rioli, was how some of his players went “kick chasing” in the second term, which the Bombers won by three points.
Wanderers bounced back to again dominate in a rain-affected second half, kicking 10 goals to two and briefly threatening to post a triple-digit victory.
“It was scrappy. We wanted to work on a few things and that was probably hard in these conditions and we flirted with our opportunities a bit too much,” Rioli said.
“At the end of the day, a 75point win (is a good result). I’m happy the boys were able to grind it out, but the second quarter was the only disappointing part of the game.
“They came out and gave it their all and were better than us, but we just got a bit excited after the first quarter and were probably a little selfish in terms of going away from team things.”
The Eagles’ fleet-footed brigade, particularly Simon Bates, Leslie Maroney and Davin Ferreira, ran rampant early.
And once Braedon McLean, Brodie Martin, Myles Warmington and Justin Smart joined in the party there was no coming back for Tiwi.
All four of rangy import Warmington’s majors came in the second-half avalanche.
Wanderers will be even stronger in a week’s time against Palmerston, with captain Jarred Erlandson, Neil Vea Vea, Josh Wilson, Liam Patrick and possibly Marlon Motlop due back then.
Some Bombers didn’t arrive in Darwin from the Tiwi Islands until 50 minutes before the game as the saga surrounding their five-figure debt to AFLNT dragged on.
The club’s extraordinary pre-match statement that AFLNT may owe it money and that Territory football boss Michael Solomon should resign overshadowed the contest.
Defender Jason Puruntatameri was outstanding for the Bombers, who also had contributors in Dylan Kerr, Tom McDonagh and ruckman Matt Dussin.