by Murray Silby
Collingwood has inflicted NT Thunder’s first loss at home, a sizzling four goals-to-none third term setting up a 16-point victory, 6.8 (44) to 4.4 (28) in Round 8 of the VFL W.
The Magpies showed no signs of missing the cold of Melbourne and warmed to the Top End heat, controlling the second half of the match.
Thunder opened the game well with two goals in the first term to Jasmyn Hewett and Renee Forth.
Hewett’s came after just two minutes, but Collngwood’s Emma Grant answered quickly a couple of minutes later after the ball got over the back of a pack and behind the Thunder defenders for her to run into an open goal.
It took much longer for the third goal to come with Forth scoring after 15 minutes to give Thunder a four-point lead at quarter time.
It took even longer for both teams’ next goals to come with neither managing a major in the second term.
Thunder had its opportunities, but never got the better of a swirling breeze and put three reasonable chances – to Jasmyn Hewett, Sally Riley and Eloise Jones – out on the full.
Those chances would prove vital with the quarter dominated by stoppages as each team’s defence took control.
In what was proving to be an even contest, Thunder’s lead was cut to two points at half-time.
The third term was a different story though as the Magpies took their chances with the wind and seized control of the game.
As the momentum swung, it was one more than others who forced the contest in Collingwood’s favour.
Magpies forward Sophie Alexander kicked her first of three goals for the term after two minutes with a long-range shot from 45 metres.
Her second and third efforts followed at the 12 and 13 minute marks, split by a Hillary Grubb goal after seven minutes.
When Thunder was kicking with the breeze in the second term it hardly seemed a factor, but when the tables were turned in the third, the Magpies players made the most of it and the home side found it almost impossible to get the ball beyond its half-forward line.
In a quarter Collingwood had managed to transform its two-point deficit into a 22-point and seemingly matching-winning lead at three-quarter-time.
Alexander’s exploits continued in the fourth quarter and she effectively snuffed out Thunder’s hopes with an amazing 50 metre effort from the boundary against the breeze that bounced through for a goal.
Thunder managed the final two goals of the game to 17-year-old debutant Nicki Gore and Emma Swanson, but Collingwood’s desperation and Alexander’s goal-scoring prowess meant the result had already been decided.
Thunder coach Tim Weatherald was left lamenting some skill errors, such as dropped marks and missed goals that cost his side dearly.
“I think in the end we probably had as many inside 50s as they did,” he said.
“That ability to kick a goal when you need to and their skills were definitely better than ours and I’m sure our girls will be disappointed when they look back and think of those goals they missed or that mark they dropped, which is probably what hurt us the most.”
Weatherald said he was impressed by the skills and pressure Collingwood demonstrated in the match.
“They’re the best team I’ve seen this year,” he suggested. “I think of the seven games we’ve played, their cleanliness around the ball, their tackling pressure, I’m pretty confident our girls will be as sore as they’ve been from that constant pressure and the tackling.
“Their skill level, they just used the ball better than us and were cleaner than us throughout the afternoon.”
RESULT
NT Thunder 2.1, 2.1, 2.2, 4.4 (28)
Collingwood 1.3, 1.5, 5.6, 6.8 (44)
GOALS: NT Thunder – Renee Forth, Nicki Gore, Jasmyn Hewett, Emma Swanson.
Collingwood – Sophie Alexander 4, Emma Grant, Hillary Grubb.
BEST: NT Thunder – Courtney Cramey, Rhiannon Metcalfe, Renee Forth, Lateesha Jeffrey, Emma Swanson, Jenna McCormick, Jasmyn Hewett.
Collingwood – Sophie Anderson, Sarah D’Arcy, Chloe Molloy, Hillary Grubb, Kristy Stratton, Cecilia McIntosh, Emma Grant.