Australian Football

Match Report

The final match for the weekend sends us over to the seaside city of Glenelg and to the Stratarama Stadium for the top of the table stoush between the Tigers and the Double Blues. This was the only other return clash for the year thus far, back in the opening round of this season it was the Blues with a 31-point win that kick-started their undefeated run up to this point. Perhaps lingering memories of the Elimination Final defeat last year was what spurred them on, Sturt restricting the Bays to two behinds in the second term as they added three goals and never looked back too much, not allowing the Tigers much room at Unley. Since that match, the Tigers haven't dropped any further points, even managing to evade the grip of the Crows' talons with their two-point victory last week. The Blues' unbeaten run has been challenged over the last four rounds, especially the last two weeks with narrow victories over South and Westies. With more than 7000 fans fronting up, this was the much anticipated battle many SA footy-heads have been waiting for... or so we thought. We now come to yet another spoiler alert... the Blues of the last eight rounds didn't turn up today and the Tigers had set up an ambush. The Tigers went absolutely bonzo, running out to a 44-point lead deep into time-on with their tally of 7.4 to the Blues' three behinds. Sturt did find a goal before the first change, reducing the gap to 37 points. The pain wasn't over by a long shot though, the Tigers continuing to rip the Blues defence to ribbons and adding a further 7.1 to 2.3 and taking their already big lead out to 65 points by the long break. No doubt by this time, the Sturt faithful would have been wondering what happened to their mob. The Tigers were just undeniable and at this point of the year, Sturt's claims to the flag looked like they were just thrown out the window. And it still wasn't over on the scoreboard, with yet another seven goal quarter of football for the Tigers in the third term. In addition to five minor scores and keeping the visitors to just one goal of their own, the gap was now out to 106 points at three quarter-time. Job done, message sent, the Tigers relaxed it in the final term. A single point was chipped off that lead in the end with a 2.2 to 2.3 last quarter as Glenelg romped away to a 105-point victory. Matthew Allen was the absolute king of Tiger-land this day, with 26 disposals, 12 marks and booting six goals. The Blues named James Battersby as their best, with 29 disposals, nine clearances and five tackles.