Nomads knocked off
Nomads skipper Weston Whitby booted another five goals for his side against Inverell.
The undefeated run is over for the New England Nomads.
It took 13 rounds, but the Nomads were finally toppled and it was by the Inverell Saints, the side many believe are their biggest opposition in their bid for a third straight premiership.
The Saints edged out the Nomads 86-83 in Inverell.
“It’s all done,” Nomads player-coach Zac Economou said of the dream of an undefeated season.
“It’s going to be a bit of a monkey off our back to be honest.”
Economou said it was a lacklustre performance by his side.
“We didn’t play good football on the weekend and the boys know that,” he said.
“We didn’t take our opportunities and we were lazy.”
The Nomads started the match on top and led 23-12 after the first quarter.
Wayward kicking was the most obvious reason for the Nomads first loss of the season.
They kicked a whopping 17 behinds, compared to just eight for the Saints.
Five goals in the second quarter saw the Saints take the lead and they never relinquished it.
They took a 10 point lead into the final quarter and the Nomads were unable to reel them in.
Skipper Weston Whitby was again in fine form for the Nomads and booted five goals.
Isaiah Graham and Matt Folpp were the other multiple goal scorers, while Economou said Tom Hunt and Matt Foley were also solid.
Economou expects more good than bad to come from the loss.
“It’s become hard to motivate the boys when you’re winning convincingly every week,” he said. “I think it’s going to be a good thing for the club.
“It showed the boys what happens if we become complacent.”
The two sides will undoubtedly meet again in the major semi-final in a few weeks time. “We know now we have to play good footy to beat them. I’m confident we will be able to turn it around,” Economou said.
The Nomads travel to Gunnedah this weekend to take on the Bulldogs.
Not for reproduction except by permission of the Armidale Express
Round 13 2014
| Saints def. Nomads | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | B | P | G | B | P | ||
| Q1 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 23 | |
| HT | 7 | 3 | 45 | 5 | 7 | 37 | |
| Q3 | 10 | 5 | 65 | 7 | 13 | 55 | |
| FT | 13 | 8 | 86 | 11 | 17 | 83 | |
Team:
- C. Ballagh,
- C. Barker,
- C. Bender,
- V. Chakalisa,
- Z. Economou,
- M. Foley,
- M. Folpp,
- H. Freund,
- J. Frost,
- C. Graham,
- I. Graham,
- T. Granleese,
- T. Hunt,
- S. Maseko,
- Z. Old,
- D. Richards,
- M. Spencer,
- O. Temoso,
- A. Walsh,
- W. Whitby,
- M. Woodward.
Goalscorers:
- W. Whitby (5),
- I. Graham (3),
- M. Folpp (2),
- D. Richards.
Award winners:
- T. Hunt (Players' Player),
- J. Freund (Coach's),
- M. Foley (President's),
- T. Granleese (Captain's),
- W. Whitby (Gleeson's).
