TASMANIA succumbed to a much cleaner NEAFL in what was an old-fashioned war of attrition at Bellerive Oval on Saturday.
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Only 13 goals were converted in ideal conditions as both representitive teams went hard at the contest with NEAFL too good overall – winning 8.7 (55) to 5.8 (38).
North Launceston forward Bart McCulloch overcome mid-week injury concerns to get Tasmania off to a positive start within three minutes.
However, from there, NEAFL began to take control.
The game’s only multiple goal-kicker and ex-Gold Coast Sun Andrew Boston snapped his first of three a minute later, before a 17-minute period of missed chances and congested football. NEAFL’s Tim Barrett broke the drought to give the visitors a five-point advantage at quarter time.
The match opened up in the second term and it was John Blair’s charges that did the damage with three goals in quick succession.
Former Collingwood forward Jack Anthony presented well and checksided one through, Boston manufactured something out of nothing with the goal of the match and Damien Bonney nailed one to extend the margin out to a game-high 24 points.
Lefroy medalist Jay Lockhart began to get more involved off half back and drove the ball forward, which appeared to lift the hosts.
Clarence’s Trent Standen bounced through Tasmania’s first since the opening minutes of the match on the cusp of half time with Anthony Taylor’s men trailing 2.5 (17) to 5.4 (34) at the main break.
Tasmania structured up smaller moving forward with Jaye Bowden heading forward and Bryce Walsh made it back-to-back goals for The Map.
Boston added a third to his name just before Brad Cox-Goodyer sold some candy and converted a brilliant running goal to draw Tasmania within 10 points.
Only for Canberra’s Jordan Harper to snag an opportunistic goal from a stoppage in the square on the stroke of three-quarter time.
McCulloch missed a realistic chance 35 metres out from a free kick as three-time TSL best and fairest Jaye Bowden again got Tasmania back to with 10 points at the nine-minute mark of the last.
Former Sydney forward Xavier Richards steadied the ship and sealed the deal 21 minutes into the finals stanza.
The ledger between the two sides is now all square after four encounters.
NEAFL captain Gavin Grose was outstanding in defence with vice-captain Jordan Harper (33 disposals, seven clearances, one goal) and Jordan Keras (30 disposals, 14 tackles, eight clearances) leading the midfield charge.
Walsh was a late replacement for ex-Hawthorn draftee Zac Webster in Tasmania’s team, which featured five individual goal-kickers.
North Launceston coach Tom Couch showed his class with 23 disposals, six tackles and six inside-50 entries, Lockhart (20 disposals and nine rebounds) was dangerous off half back and skipper Brayden Webb (19 touches, seven tackles and six clearances) toiled hard.
Overall NEAFL had plus 61 possessions, 30 more marks, 14 extra tackles and 12 more inside-50s.
Blair said his side’s cleanliness was what won them the match.
“It was obviously a pretty dour contest as both sides were hard at it physically and locked down the opposition pretty well,” he said post match.
“I felt we were able to use the ball a bit better at times and hurt them on the rebound and got the results on the board. Grose was just a tower of strength and probably never got beaten in a contest all day.
“Not only did he win his one-on-ones he was able to give third man support to contests elsewhere.”
Taylor said he was disappointed in the result but could not fault his 23-man squad’s effort.
He also agreed with Couch’s statement last week that Tasmanian players need more exposure to greater intensity football.
“When you put that much effort into something and don’t come away with the result you want it’s disappointing,” Taylor said.
“If it’s one thing you ask from a group of footballers, it’s that they come off having given their all and put everything into the cause… [and] the boys did that today and I’m certainly proud to have been a part of it.
“It was a tight game on the scoreboard but they did get the ball out and on their terms at certain times and I reckon that was probably the difference in the game.
“We had our opportunities but we just lacked a little bit of score board pressure.”
Taylor praised Couch and the team’s defensive unit.
“As a collective the backline were good all day. They were undersized, there’s no doubt about that and they certainly had us for height and mobility in the air,” he said.
“It was just one of those games where you needed a good even contribution across the board… it was a good collective effort without coming away with the win.”