The Nor-West Jets Division 2 team turned on their most dominant performance of the season so far, with a demolition of Holroyd-Parramatta in the Elimination Final at Henson Park on Sunday. Searching for their first victory over the Goannas since the old Saints days of the 90s, the Jets started the game kicking to the carpark end of the historic ground, and wasted no time in scoring as full forward Luke Ayling put on a masterclass, pulling goals out of impossible angles on his way to a bag of 10, in a best on ground performance, while Lachlan Eldridge opened the account with a huge 60m effort. The Jets put on 6 goals to 1 in a fine display of running football. Brendan Cameron and Chris Ahearn , the latter playing his last game before departing for PNG to start in a medical drama, were keeping Parramatta under the pump in the middle, feeding off the delicious ruckwork of Mr Sunday Paul Webster and Andrew Travers.
Parramatta had the use of the slight breeze advantage in the 2nd and took it by the horns, putting tremendous pressure on the Jets defence and slamming on 4 crucial goals to bring the game within 2 straight kicks, but the Jets regained composure, shutting down the Goannas in time-on and working hard for 4 goals themselves, to take a 35 point lead to the sheds.
Coach Bull and his assistant Hillier could smell Goanna blood at half-time, and they urged their charges to do the same, as Nor-West tore out of the sheds with a 5 goal to nil effort in the vital third term. Captains Pascoe and Wenselowski led by example, the former turning the screws on his enigmatic opponent, while the latter pirouetting his way to a bloody nose and case of air sickness. Local polo ace and face of Levi’s Denim Marty Ingham showed the crowd his full bag of tricks as he racked up possessions with ease, while team hard nut Owen Butcher strangled the life out of Parramatta with his pace and vicious tackling. Trent Hurst left his defender for dead up front, while Josh James enjoyed the shadows of the western wing while helping himself to 3 for the day. With a 69 point gap at the last break, and with the Goannas having use of what breeze there was in the 4th quarter, the Jets steeled themselves for a last term onslaught.
However, this was not to be Parramatta’s year, as the Jets could face animal abuse charges with an 8 goal to nil destruction of the Goannas in a scintillating 4th stanza. Jarod Thomson and Eldridge led the charge in the middle, but he was supported by an entire team playing cohesive, unselfish running footy, with Nor-West doing as they pleased on the way to a 118 point win.
23.13-151 to 5.4-34.
Goals- L. Ayling 10, J. James 3, T. Hurst 2, L. Eldridge 2, O. Butcher 1, B. Cameron 1, A. Travers 1, P. Webster 1, J. Thomson 1, C. Wenselowski 1.
Best- M. Ingham, C. Ahearn, L. Ayling, L. Eldridge, P. Webster, B. Cain.
The Jets look set to welcome back several more top-line players, with the likes of Jake Berry, Mick Yee, Pete Kyle, Mick Gray, midfield bison Johno Dowl, Chris Graf, Josh Howe and James Moynihan all up for selection, however, with no passengers in the Elimination Final, the coaching panel have some tough decisions before meeting competition heavyweights UTS Bats next Saturday in the preliminary final. UTS will be out to atone for their loss to Southern Power in the Qualifying Final, but the Jets will relish the under-dog tag against the 2nd placed Bats. The Preliminary Final is at Gipps Road Oval, Greystanes Road (Off Gt Western Hwy) Greystanes next Saturday at 3pm, come down and support the local footy team as they close in on their September dream.
Last Modified on 27/11/2010 17:08
