Nomads taste first away win
Story- Dave MacLellan, Photos- Mel Gadsby
The New England Nomads have come away from the long Gunnedah road trip with four premiership points after a 21 point win. Facing a Bulldogs side that has improved significantly since 2007, the Nomads had to fight hard to hold out the strong finishing Dogs. Given last weeks forfeit by the Muswellbrook Cats, this also proved to be the Nomads first on-field victory.
The first quarter was some of the Nomads most scintillating football of the season thus far. From the start all players were ferocious in their attack on the loose ball, clinical in their disposals and physical in defence. Weston Whitby was unstoppable in the first quarter, in which many of his ten goal haul was scored. At quarter time, the Nomads held the cards with a 6-3-39 to 0-1-1 lead. The second quarter was similar to the first with a ten goal lead going into half time.
Complacency decimated the Nomads in the second half as they seemingly lacked accountability and hunger to replicate the first half romp. Ill discipline in the centre of the small ground allowed the Bulldogs deep penetration into the Nomads defences and gave the bulldogs a scent of an unlikely victory. With a chance of victory evolving before their eyes, the Gunnedah crowd erupted into cacophonies of cat cries. The Nomads performed woefully in the second half, yet managed to keep the Bulldogs at bay, the end result being a 14-13-97 to 11-10-76 win.
Next week sees the New England Nomads host old foes the Tamworth Swans at Bellevue Oval at 2pm. The game will be part of the New England Nomads 10th Anniversary Celebrations culminating in a celebratory ball at the Wicklow Hotel. The weekend also sees the Australian Football League celebrating 150 years of the game. The Nomads will be enthusiastically welcoming Heath Grundy and Jesse White of the Sydney Swans as visitors to the game and ball.
