Tasmania has resurrected its 2005 VFL season after mauling the insipid North Ballarat Roosters by 63 points at Bellerive Oval, 22.11 to 12.8.
Leading at every change, the Devils won the match in the second quarter with their hardness, committment, dedication and skill, kicking 8 goals to 2 and leaving their "opponents" in their wake.
The Devils sit in 10th spot, behind their opponents and 8th place Williamstown by only 1 game. The positives far outweighed any negatives yesterday. With Luke Shackleton playing a sweeping role down back and gathering 27 possessions in the process, and Nathan Grima and Nathan Street nullifying dangerous goalscorers Saunders and Whyman respectively, the Roosters had no response to the mauling that they received.
Such was the dominance of the Devils. Roosters coach Gavin Crosisca tried to nullify Shackleton by putting the outplayed ex-Carlton tagger Anthony Franchina (who was savaged by Callinan) onto Shackleton, without much success. The Roosters main goalscorers (Saunders and Whyman) kicked five goals when the match was well and truly over.
The win has come at a cost though, with Daniel Archer out for the season with a ligament tear, and Andrew Triffett out to a broken jaw.
The Devils take on bottom side Geelong on Sunday away, knowing that a win could put them into the eight.
Final Scores
TASMANIA 6.2 14.5 18.9 22.11 (143)
NORTH BALLARAT 1.3 3.5 7.7 12.8 (80)
Goals: Tasmania: Beams 7 Hall 3 Henley 2 Archer 2 Ronaldson 2 M Geappen Setchell Britton Wager Plapp B Geappen. Nth Ballarat: Saunders 4 Whyman 3 J McMahon Porter Searl Hutchinson Chester.
Best: Tasmania: Street Shackleton Beams Setchell Grima Stephens. Nth Ballarat: Saunders Sharkey Field McCorkell Moloney J McMahon.
Reports: A Clark (Nth Ballarat) reported for rough play on K Hall in the second quarter.
At Bellerive Oval.
Last Modified on 04/07/2005 16:45