North Launceston had too much firepower for an undermanned Burnie as it belted the Dockers to the tune of 127 points in a one-sided State League encounter at UTas Stadium on Saturday.
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The Northern Bombers made it five straight wins ahead of a much-anticipated TSL grand final rematch against Glenorchy next week recording a 20.31 (151) to 3.6 (24) victory in a game that started in torrential rain but was mostley played in sunshine.
They led by 24 points at quarter time after only managing 3.7 with the breeze in heavy rain. Five goals to two in the second extended the margin to 49 points at the main break.
North then piled seven goals to nil in the third quarter to one to blow out the margin out to 111 at the final change with three goals to one in the final term making it 127 at the final siren.
The Bombers dominated all over the ground against a young, inexperienced Burnie outfit with 51 shots on goal to nine for the game and the match statistics telling the story.
They won the hit-outs 47-22, made more lop-sided after Burnie ruckman Tyrone Morrison left the field in the third quarter with an injury joining and coach Clint Proctor sidelined early with an Achilles injury.
The Bombers’ engine room controlled the clearances 41-16 with Alex Lee doing well in the ruck feeding a dominant midfield led by captain Taylor Whitford, Brad Cox-Goodyer, Mark Walsh and coach Tom Couch which gave their forwards silver platter service with a massive 82-25 advantage for the inside 50 count.
Couch and Whitford could have raffled the three votes for best on ground but the Bombers had a host of good contributors.
A solid back six of Connor Young, Jay Lockhart, Jay Foon, Arion Richter-Salter, Jock White and Kaliem Baker is gelling well and they had plenty of options inside 50 with Zach Burt, Tom Bennett, Bart McCulloch, Connor Pearton and Couch finding goals.
“I was rapt with the effort and probably the happiest I’ve been after a game,” Couch said.
“I thought the boys put in a real effort for four quarters and didn’t worry about the rain and wind and got on with the job – we kicked 31 points but I’m not worried about that in that breeze.”
Whitford was exceptional finishing with three goals as did McCulloch with two each to Cox-Goodyer, Bennett, Couch and Pearton.
Burnie missed the experience leadership of Proctor, Morrison and the suspended Nick McKenna and James Dowling but showed plenty of endeavour and a willingness to take the game on through the middle with Rudy Barrett, Harry and Nick Walters and Blair Rubock, among its better contributors.
