Inconsistency costs Thunder against Southport – Round 13

01.07.18 10:35

By Murray Silby

NT Thunder has pushed the NEAFL ladder leader Southport in their Round 13 clash at TIO Stadium in Darwin, but eventually succumbed by 27 points, 11.8 (74) to 14.17 (101).

Prolonged lapses of form during matches has cost Thunder this season, while showing it can match it with the best at other times and it was a similar story on Saturday night.

The home side opened the scoring within 50 seconds of the first quarter getting underway and it was the ever-reliable Darren Ewing who scored from 45 metres out alongside the outer boundary line.

The Sharks proceeded to kick the next four goals however, to take a 22-point lead after 16 minutes.

Ewing chipped in with two more for the term, split by an Andrew Boston major for the Sharks and Thunder had pulled the margin back to 18 points at quarter-time.

Thunder really stepped up the tempo in the second quarter though and after 12 minutes had taken a one-point lead thanks to goals from Jarrod Stokes, Abraham Ankers and Beau Schwarze.

Then came a series of lead changes – five in all – as the two teams duked it out for supremacy, but Thunder closed the quarter out with three successive goals to Cameron Ilett, Matt Campbell and Hugo Drogemuller to give it a 13-point lead at the long break.

Seven goals to two in the term had given the home side the momentum of the match and an outstanding opportunity to change the momentum of its inconsistent season and as the third quarter got underway it seemed as though that would continue.

The first 10 minutes of the third term was almost entirely played in Thunder’s forward 50, but after that period of play, all it had to show for its effort and several shots on goal was four behinds and an out on the full.

Soon enough Southport got its own chances and took them.

It went on a run of five unanswered goals, for a 29-point turnaround and a 16-point lead at three-quarter-time.

Thunder was held goalless for the quarter and although the deficit wasn’t large, the momentum had again swung back towards the Sharks.

In the final quarter, Dylan Mutu with his first and Mitch Johnson with his third put the game beyond Thunder’s reach, which could only kick its first of the term in the 31st minute, through backman Sam Dyke.

The victory lifted the Sharks to the top of the ladder, equal on points with Sydney University with a record of eight wins and three losses, but a superior percentage to the Students.

Thunder, meanwhile, has the three wins and eight losses and is second last, three wins outside the top six.

Coach Andrew Hodges was left disappointed that an inconsistent effort had allowed the Sharks to secure the win.

“It was a tale of two halves I suppose,” he said. “We probably played the brand of footy in that second quarter that we wanted to play and in that last half it probably was nowhere near where it needed to be, so we’ve got to be better than that and put in a four quarter effort.

“We’ve just got to concentrate for longer. I thought in that second quarter our effort was really good and we continued to stay engaged. We probably got a little bit selfish in that third quarter when things weren’t going our way.”

A positive from the match was Thunder’s impressive second quarter, which Hodges said has to be sustained for longer.

“We know that our best footy is good enough to match it with any side,” he suggested. “It’s just that we don’t do it for long enough.

“That’s been a really strong focus of ours, especially over the last month, if not for the whole season, so we’re showing some improvement, but we’ve just got to be better.”

SCORES

NT THUNDER: 3.1, 10.2, 10.6, 11.8 (74)

SOUTHPORT: 5.7, 7.7, 12.10, 14.17 (101)

GOALS: NT Thunder – Darren Ewing 3, Abraham Ankers, Matt Campbell, Hugo Drogemuller, Sam Dyke, Cameron Ilett, Ben Rioli, Jarrod Stokes, Beau Swarze

Southport – Josh Baxter, Mitch Johnson 3, Wade Hancock, Michael Manteit 2, Andrew Boston, Josh Clayton, Dylan Mutu, Tom Wilkinson.

BEST: NT Thunder – Joe Anderson, Sam Smith, Cameron Ilett, Ben Rioli, Kaine Riley, Matt Campbell, Jack Monigatti.

Southport – Ryan Davis, Michael Manteit, Josh Clayton, Tyler Roos, Andrew Boston, Josh Baxter, Mitch Johnson.