ANY fears Noosa coach Wayne Fletcher may have had about a slow start by his Tigers on Saturday were quickly put to rest with a cracking opening term against Coolangatta at Weyba Road.
By Terry Wilson
The Tigers were out of the blocks quicker than Usain Bolt, opening with 7.5 to 1.0 and effectively shutting the travelling Blues out of the game.
Last year’s champions went on to win by 22.18 (150) to 11.11 (77).
Keeping in mind Noosa’s demise at the hands of Surfers Paradise the weekend after the Easter break, Fletcher was concerned of another slow start after a weekend off.
“After our last break for Easter we came out slowly from the blocks,” he said. “Surfers got the jump on us and it cost the game.”
There were no such problems this time – and Fletcher was even more impressed with the way his Tigers finished the game off after slack periods during the second and third quarters.
The Tigers had a hugely successful attacking formation where twin towers Dayne Frew and Danny Brewster caused torment to the Blues defence, adding to the pain inflicted by smart goalsneak rover Travis Mills.
Frew kicked five goals from centre half-forward, Brewster matched that haul at full-forward and Mills, after 15 goals from his last three matches, added another four.
Brewster’s third five-goal haul for the season took him to 24 for the year, Mills now has 21 and Frew 15.
Sandgate’s Josh Walker (31) leads the goalkicking race from Mark Skuse (Wilston-Grange) on 29 and Nathan Sullivan (Burleigh) on 28.
Yet it was two defenders who headed Noosa’s best. Skipper Adam Bovalino was superb at half-back and Adam Eady had what Fletcher said was his best game of the season, also across the half-back line.
Coolangatta tried valiantly and coach Neil Mackay was happy the way they responded after getting smashed in the opening term.
“We were outsmarted, outmarked and outrun, that was the story of the game,” he said.
“In the first quarter we actually won the stoppages but we just gave it back to them. Then their run and spread hurt us.
“But at last the boys played smarter after that to counter the way they were setting up. They realised they had to change their style and at least they did that.
“That showed the boys are coachable and that they are learning.”
Best for the beaten Blues were Ben Dovey on the ball, wingman Sam Carins and ruckman Brad Platt, who is into only his second year in Aussie rules.
