Warriors take scrappy battle against Magpies
PALMERSTON V WARATAH BEST 3.1 5.4 8.5 8.7 3.5 6.8 9.10 11.12 GOALS UMPIRES IN a scrappy and at times uninspiring game, Waratah kept up their bright start to the NTFL premiership season with an 11.12 (78) to 8.7 (55) win over Palmerston at TIO Stadium last night.
The first quarter had numerous lead changes as the combatants — both tellingly missing some key players — struggled to gain ascendancy.
Palmerston were the first goal-scorers courtesy of youngster Rodney Baird picking up a loose ball and snap- ping truly and after booting four behinds to start the game, Waratah finally kicked their first major courtesy of a classy left-foot effort from Matthew Blake.
The teams then traded goals with the red and whites taking a four-point lead into quarter time.
In a dour game, it was fitting that the highlight of the first half was when Magpies senior player Matthew Dennis booted a beautiful 40m kick — but in the opposite direction.
From that clanger, Ben Les Tipiloura kicked a soccer goal for the Warriors. With Waratah finally gathering some momentum, Jack Fallon soon after followed up with a nice 40m for the hosts to take a significant 22-point lead.
But the Magpies regathered themselves to score two consecutive goals, Waratah taking a 6.8 (44) to 5.4 (34) lead into the main break.
The second of those goals Palmerston almost robbed themselves of, after Ezekiel Frank and Sam Autio bumped into each other 25m out, but the ball was eventually squared to Keidan Holt-Tubbs who didn’t miss. Both re-energised teams came out firing early in the third quarter and the crowd finally had something to marvel at with impressive goals to each outfit.
Cameron Spence — impressive for Waratah all night — boomed a long kick forward and Fallon was on the spot to kick a major.
Palmerston responded with three goals of their own, one a beautiful snapped goal to Douglas Wren to take a onepoint lead.
But goals to Fallon and Timothy Noakes gave Tahs an 11-point lead at three-quarter time.
It was fitting that Fallon — one of the victors’ best — booted another 40m goal to give his team a match-winning 16point lead midway through the final term.
It was a spiteful end to the game when Palmerston’s Sean Lucas was the victim of a high tackle before requiring assistance from the field.
The Magpies’ final-quarter woes continued just like last week against Nightcliff, kicking just two behinds as Waratah eased to the finishing line.