CROCS TOPPLE BUFFS
Lead changes repeatedly in final quarter
TO quote previously undersiege Southern Districts coach, Shannon Rusca – a week is a long time in footy.
After a memorable fourth quarter, the Crocodiles recorded a thrilling 16.8 (104) to 11.11 (77) victory over the Darwin Buffaloes in the NTFL Premier League’s elimination final.
Written off by many after a 105-point thrashing to St Mary’s and a flat upset loss to Tiwi, the Crocs silenced their critics after a seesawing final quarter.
“We were coming in shaky so it’s a relief, and we knew we had the right cattle coming back for us to produce on the big stage,” Rusca said. “You’ve got to keep the belief ... a week’s a long time in footy.”
The game looked all over after Districts’ Brad Vallance booted a cracking goal from 55m out to give his team a 17point lead early in the final term.
But the next 20 minutes were stunning, with the Buffs kicking three quick goals – to Joe Collinson, Ryan O’Sullivan and Jarrod Stokes – to give the double-blues a two-point lead.
The lead then changed five times, before Crocs forward Will Farrer (three goals) took charge.
Earlier, the Buffaloes held a two-point lead after a tense first quarter, both teams kicking one goal each.
Districts dominated the second quarter, with the former AFL representative Ed Barlow notching up a stack of possessions at halfback.
Crocs youngsters Clint Gallio and Jake Roe-Duggan were also highly impressive.
Kristian Papertalk then made a strong impression, sprinting clear from the halfback flank to set up Barlow for a goal, before kicking one himself.
That gave the Crocs a 17point lead at halftime, with Districts young defenders Zach and Sam Smith denying several attacking raids. With big guns Barlow, Papertalk, Rosier and Mark Jamar firing – before Jamar left the game with a suspected hamstring injury in the second quarter – the Crocs rediscovered their mojo yesterday.
Just when the Buffs looked gone in the third quarter, they sprung to life.
Ben Archard kicked two goals in quick succession, both beautifully assisted by Chris Williams, before a classy crumbing effort and touch from Williams led to a goal to Micheal Hagan.
That meant Districts had just an 11-point lead at the final break after dominating for most of the game, before that memorable final quarter.
“It was a good comeback. (In the first half) we didn’t play to our strengths and we let them dictate the footy,” Hagan said.
“It was there to win for us – it was going goal-for-goal, but we ran out of legs at the end of the game.”