Page 74 - AFL QUEENSLAND 2012 YEAR IN REVIEW

NSW/ACT Coach Chris Rourke tried mixing things up in the third term and his charges worked hard on the ball, but there was little they could do. The Northerners were in a brutal mood and slammed on another 8-goals for the quarter to take the score to 22.14 (146) to 6.5 (41)
Dragicevic and Brabazon showed some spark for NSW/ACT in the final term but QLD/NT were on a ruthless goal spree with Baxter bagging three for the quarter and Illet two, bringing their match total to 6-goals apiece ahead of Clouston with five.
Spackman, Carse, Wilson and Gilliland all contributed to the final quarter nine goal haul and the only relief to the Sky Blues was the final siren.
If there’s a positive Southerners can take away from the match, it’s the fighting spirit of the NSW/ACT side. As they game drew on and the score line blew out, heads stayed up and the team continued to try desperately to make something happen.
“The NSW/ACT side never took a backward step,” agreed Cotter.
“They played the game right out but just fell down in their execution.”
Asked to name his team’s best players Cotter was momentarily and uncharacteristically lost for words.
“I don’t think anyone played a bad game and as you think about the match and think about the playing group you can say we had 22 contributors,” he said.
“Ryan Davey was a standout, Scotty Clouston was terrific, Cameron Ilett was terrific, Steve Wrigley was terrific ... Danny wise, Fraser Thurlow, Wayde Mills, Daniel Dzufer ... it just goes on and on.”
While Coach Cotter says he’s happy with the win, he’s thinking long term and big picture.
“It was a step in the right direction but we’ve got South Australia next year,” he said.
“I said to the boys that it’s really important they all recover well; do ice baths, do everything right today after the game.
“Then they can go back to their respective clubs and show everyone there what state footballers look like in terms of attitude and preparation so the whole competition buys into state footy.”
70
2012 Year in Review