by Murray Silby
A brave and undermanned NT Thunder has gone down in Round 3 of the NEAFL to Sydney University by 15 points at TIO Stadium in Darwin on Saturday night, 12.11 (83) to 14.14 (98).
It was Thunder’s first loss of the season and came after losing two players in the first half to injury.
Returning hometown hero Joe Anderson’s first Thunder game since representing the NT under 18s was short lived after suffering concussion in the first quarter with the 29-year-old former Carlton player taking no further part in the game.
Meanwhile, tough onballer Jarred Erlandson was unable to play out the game after suffering a suspected broken hand and concussion from a knock early in the second term.
Thunder coach Andrew Hodges said the injuries had dealt his side a blow.
“We started really well and to go two down made it a bit tougher,” he said, “but disappointing for those two guys, you know Joe playing his first game back for the club.”
The injuries left the home side two players and a whole lot of rotations down for the best part of three quarters against a team that’s known as one of the NEAFL’s strongest and fittest running machines.
“We just had to manufacture some rotations for the boys and some guys were playing in some positions they wouldn’t normally, but credit to them they fought on,” Hodges said.
Despite that though, there were signs of life in the final term as Thunder gave itself the opportunity to score an unlikely victory.
It didn’t look so promising after the Students’ Matthew Wilson kicked the first goal of the final quarter to put the visitors up by 21 points, but the next two went Thunder’s way to close the margin to just nine points.
One included a Darren Ewing special from the Maurice Rioli stand boundary at the Michael Long Learning Centre end and the other was a set shot by Ross Tungatalum.
But when Sydney University’s Jack Dimery goaled from a tight angle up the other end after 22 minutes it felt a lot like the sealer it turned out to be.
“We thought we might be able to sneak back into it and steal one for the club, but to Sydney Uni’s credit they fought really well and credit to them,” Hodges explained.
It had all started so well for Thunder back in the opening few minutes.
After 10 minutes it had three goals on the board, was leading by 13 points and three of its liveliest forwards – Ross Tungatalum, Dion Munkara and Adam Sambono – had each contributed a major.
By quarter time though, the margin was nine points and the students were starting to show why their running, high possession game has been so successful in recent years.
A three goals to two second quarter pushed the visitors’ deficit at quarter time into a one-point lead at half-time, including an elegant goal on the run by the Students’ NT-produced on baller Shaun Edwards, whose influence on the game was growing.
The lack of rotations available to Thunder seemed to be starting to show in the third quarter with Sydney University opening the term as though it would blow Thunder away.
It kicked the first three goals thanks to Monty Krochmal, Wilson and Jake Derickx to push the lead out from a single point at half-time to 20 points after 10 minutes.
But Thunder wasn’t to be denied and some quick clearances out of the centre resulted in quick goals.
It alternated majors with Sydney University for the next eight minutes through a string of four goals before Sambono and Chris Williams put back-to-back goals together for the home side.
Within eight points after 19 minutes, it looked as though Thunder had weathered the storm and had put itself within striking distance for the final quarter, but a Krochmal goal in the 21st minute gave the Students a 15-point buffer, which is the margin it remained at three-quarter-time.
“All in all everyone dug deep and tried to stay in the contest and for the most part did that, but at the end of the day we lost the game and there’s a lot of things we need to work on,” Hodges admitted.
Thunder captain Shannon Rioli said it was a tough game given the loss of Anderson and Erlandson.
“We started really well and then losing two rotations and two quality players in Joe Anderson and Jarred Erlandson hurt us in our rotations towards the back end of the game,” he said.
“They got on top of us with their run and carry and it’s not great, it happens in footy, but unfortunately we didn’t respond the way we wanted to because we were a bit under the pump.
“I thought everyone tried pretty hard. Considering we had two down on the bench I thought everyone played their role really well.”
NT Thunder 4.4, 6.7, 10.8, 12.11 (83)
Sydney University 3.1, 6.8, 12.11, 14.14 (98)
GOALS: NT Thunder – Darren Ewing 3, Adam Sambono 3, Ross Tungatalum 2, Braedon McLean, Dion Munkara, Patrick White, Chris Williams.
Sydney University – Jack Hiscox, Monty Krochmal, Lewis Stevenson, Matthew Wilson 2, Damien Bonney, Jake Derickx, Jack Dimery, Shaun Edwards, Mitchell Thompson, Tom Young.
BEST: NT Thunder – Chris Williams, Cameron Ilett, Jack Monigatti, Braedon McLean, Jarrod Stokes.
Sydney University – Tom Young, Damien Bonney, Shaun Edwards, Sam Fong, Matthew Wilson.