Encouraging signs for Nomads
By Rebecca Lally (Armidale Express, 07/07/2008)
The New England Nomads met with the top of the table Tamworth Kangaroos in their round 11 Tamworth Australian Football League clash in Armidale on Saturday.
The Nomads are still feeling the sting of university holidays.
The depleted team went down 17-10-112 to 13-13-91.
Coach Brendan Meehan told The Express that despite the loss the team played very well.
“We played the top team yesterday,” he said.
“We were eight goals down at three-quarter time and we only lost by twenty points, it was a good finish for the game.
“We’ve hopefully shown that if we can get the team to continue we should start to play at full strength for the rest of the season.”
The first half of the match was hard fought and by halftime only a handful of goals had been scored.
The third quarter had the Roos taking the lead with a further five goals and four behinds.
“A bit of accuracy in our kicking might have helped us stay that little bit closer and given us a real chance in that last quarter,” Meehan said.
Standout players for the game include Matthew Maxwell and Weston Whitby, who both booted four goals.
Anthony Reid and Kenneth Clayton were also singled out as being amongst the Nomads’ best players.
Meehan praised his side’s fighting spirit in trying circumstances.
“Yesterday was very pleasing, the boys just didn’t give up,” he said.
“They kept fighting right through to the end.”
Clinton Ballagh was taken to hospital after the match due to a blow to the stomach.
The team is still waiting to see if he will be fit to play next week.
Always one of New England’s staunchest competitors, his absence would be a real blow to the Nomads ahead of a showdown with the defending premiers.
“Next week, we play Inverell at Inverell so it’s another hard game and, yeah, we’ll be a bit down in numbers,” Meehan said.
Hopes are high that, after next week’s game and the following bye, the team will be back to full strength for the remaining three games before the finals commence in September.
Not for reproduction except by permission of the Armidale Express
July 8th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Agood effort against the Kangaroos Nomads. All the best for a quick recovery Clinton. Go Nomads.