by Kyle Champion
It was another well-fought win by NT Thunder after beating the Southern Saints by 14 points in Darwin.
Thunder was challenged early by the visitors, but they couldn’t handle the hot conditions in the second half. The final score saw NT Thunder 7.4.46 defeat Southern Saints 4.8.32.
Some bad news hit NT Thunder early as key ruck, Jasmyn Hewett was forced to withdraw from the game due to an ankle injury. Charlie Deegan would step in as an emergency while Anne Hatchard took control of the ruck responsibilities. AFLW Crows’ star Danielle Ponter made her debut for Thunder taking up a position at half-back.
The Saints come out from the gate with extreme pressure and purpose. Their tall timber in Tara Bohanna and Caitlin Grieser were threatening early but failed to capitalise on their opportunities.
Thunder, on the other hand, made no mistake up forward as Jordann Hickey kicked the first goal of the game. Hatchard and Morgan Johnston were everywhere in the midfield and Tayla Thorn continued her fine form down back.
However, their opposition was still winning plenty of the ball. St Kilda star Alison Drennan was a ball magnet as her clearance work eventually found Deanna Jolliffe up forward. Jolliffe kicked truly as the Saints stunned Thunder to end the quarter with a three-point lead.
Ebony Miller took over ruck responsibilities in the second term as Thunder came out with intent.
A quick clearance had Katelyn Rosenzweig put Thunder in front with a kick off the deck but Rosenzweig was not done. An uncontested mark in the goal square had her slot her second major of the day.
The Saints needed a quick response and they got it through Bohanna who edged the margin back. Pinpoint kicking was the Saints strategy, as uncontested possession denied Thunder their style of play. Greiser was next to strike by a late blitz from the Saints to end the quarter. The Saints maintained the advantage, but Thunder was not going away.
The premiership quarter saw AFLW premiership player Hannah Martin continue the dominance she’d shown in the second term.
Martin had covered the ground well all day but still managed to raise the bar with extreme pressure and clearance work.
The Saints backline were proving to be an obstacle but Ponter pushed forward and made an immediate impact. A free kick on the boundary line saw Ponter snap a goal around the corner to stem the flow. More class by Ponter continued as she set up Irish star Ailish Considine for another NT goal.
The tide had turned as Thunder began to take control of the contest. Hack kicks by the Saints were getting picked off by NT defence as the heat began to hit the visitors.
The final quarter saw Thunder suffocate the Southern Saints as NT-born talent proved to find an extra gear. Kylie Duggan, Kristy Irvine, and Machaelia Roberts all dug hard for the final minutes. Ponter popped up again up forward to kick her second after a lace-out pass from Amy Chittick hit her on the chest.
Gwynne Medallist Janet Baird was next to bring the pain as a free shot at goal had the hometown heroes on a role. The skill of the south began to deteriorate while the northerners thrived in the heat. A late goal by Jacqueline Vogt saw the Saints get a late sniff but missed chances at goal early proved to be their downfall.
Martin was one of the stars in the game but admits Thunder had a quiet start.
“We started off really quiet in the first term,” she said. “We were really loose around the contest and that’s what we needed to tighten up. I was happy with how we responded in the second half. We were more competitive, and we played for each other which is why we got the result.”
The heat may have been a factor for the Saints, but Martin and Thunder shook off the heat from the opening bounce.
“From the start of the game we said that wasn’t a factor for us,” Martin said. “I think the Saints were affected by the heat at halftime. They seemed to play more defensive late than they did early on.”
Head coach Heidi Thompson was one of a few Thunder debutants and was very pleased with the result.
“Like many of the girls out there I was on debut as coach,” Thompson said. “I felt the pressure definitely, but I knew the girls were going to play for each other and that’s all I could ask for. If they stuck to their structures and trusted the process, then they would get the result.”
Although happy with the outcome, Thompson believes there is room for improvement despite the progress made from last week.
“Today our fundamentals were excellent, our ground balls were top notch which is an area we focused on after Round 1. They (Thunder) could have been a bit more composed. Our composure got tested in the third quarter, but they really responded in the fourth quarter. They slowed the play down a little bit and started to win the 45’s,” she said.
Next week Thunder has the bye before travelling to Melbourne to play Collingwood in Round 4.
NT THUNDER: 1.0 I 3.1 I 5.3 I 7.4 (46)
SOUTHERN SAINTS: 1.3 I 3.4 I 3.5 I 4.8 (32)
GOALS
NT Thunder: D. Ponter 2, K. Rosenzweig 2, J. Baird, J. Hickey, A. Considine
Southern Saints: Jolliffe, T. Bohanna, C. Greiser, J. Vogt
BEST
NT Thunder: H. Martin, A. Hatchard, M. Roberts, L. Roberts, K. Streader, K. Irvine
Southern Saints: C.Phillips, R.Neaves, O.Vesely, J. Kelly, D. Jolliffe, E.Keaney