Sparkle returns to Green Machine
THEY have been building for weeks and now the rest of the NTFL has been warned – the Saints are on the march.
With a full-strength team, the Green Machine is a force to be reckoned with – and it will not give up its premiership flag without a fight.
Rick Nolan’s outfit was at its brilliant best in its 21.11 (137) to 8.8 (56) thrashing of the Darwin Buffaloes at TIO Stadium last night.
The game was as good as over at halftime when the reigning champions held a 41point lead.
Peter MacFarlane – in just his second game back from retirement – had four majors by the main break, and seven by full-time.
“I’m really happy with that win. I had a feeling we were building towards that,” Saints coach Nolan said.
“We trained during the week.”
The service MacFarlane received from Jack Geary, Nick Mende and Nate Paredes from the midfield was first-class.
Combine that with the speedy Anthony Wilson on the half-forward flank, who ignited a stack of Green Machine attacking raids, and imposing former AFL player Shaun Edwards, who was reliable across the ground, and Saints were far too good.
Buffaloes’ ill-discipline just before half-time summed up their night.
Firstly, Saints’ Jack Musgrove was taken high, then given a 50m free kick for having the ball thrown at his head, which he scored from.
A minute later, MacFarlane earned another free from a high challenge behind from his really well DARWIN V ST MARY’S BEST 1.2 4.2 6.5 8.8 5.4 10.7 16.9 21.11 GOALS UMPIRES opposite Joe Anderson, and he made no mistake to give his team a healthy half-time lead.
“The effort was there. We’re trying,” Buffaloes playingcoach Matt Campbell said.
“But at some stage trying and playing perfect footy has got to change.
“The thing we take out of it is, we’re not there with the strong sides yet.
“But every side has got players out and anything can happen after Christmas.”
One of Saints’ highlights was a brilliant goal to MacFarlane after accurate long kicks from Edwards, Jaryd Cachia and Shannon Rioli in the second term, which opened up a 32-point lead.
Paredes’ snap from the forward pocket in the same period, which led to a goal, was also a beauty.
There were also moments of brute force in defence, with Michael Coombes and Paredes coming up with stinging bumps on Buffs’ Nyaburu Kelly and Lucas Hibberd, respectively.