Dominant Saints

IT was perhaps the greatest Mothers’ Day gift you could’ve asked for if you’re a supporter of the Saints, with the club’s senior team absolutely demolishing the visiting Roos on the weekend. The Saints controlled the flow of the game for the full four quarters, running out winners 17.12 (114) to Corowa Rutherglen’s 6.5 (41) in front of a screaming home crowd. While the game started off on relative parity, the Saints broke it open in the second term, booting five goals to two to open up a 34-point advantage as the teams headed into the rooms. Corowa’s kicks were far from precise, and Myrtleford made sure to capitalise on their opponents’ sloppy skills, making the Roos pay on the scoreboard for every turnover. The Saints were happy to chip the ball around and switch when needed, overworking the Roos’ defensive structure and allowing low-risk kicks to find their target in perfect positions. The pain kept coming for Corowa through the second half, as Myrtleford’s midfield continued to exert their influence both in the centre of the ground and forward. It was clear the midfield battle was won by the Saints, who almost doubled the Roos’ inside 50 count (60-32). Coach Craig Millar said he expected a closer contest, based on other results this season. “We probably didn’t expect the outcome of the game to pan out the way it did, to be honest, but I was really proud of a really disciplined four-quarter effort,’ he said. “Their form had been better than their results had outlined, so we knew we were in for a tough challenge, but I was really pleased with how it went. “They’ve been a high-possession team, and we thought if we were a chance of turning the ball over it was going to come from our pressure, so we put a real focus on that in the pregame and at training during the week. “We ran at 75 per cent disposal efficiency which has been a season high for us, so when we had it in our hands we looked after it, and that’s an important part of the modern game.” Big man Riley Smith was best on ground for the Saints in a dual ruck/forward role, finishing with three goals, 12 hitouts and 10 score involvements. Smith’s partner in crime at the bounce, Toby Cossor, dominated stoppages with 46 hitouts for the match and five score involvements. Tom Cappellari led all comers with 35 disposals and nine inside 50s, while Jaxon East (32 disposals, 15 contested possessions) and Matt Munro (21 disposals, five tackles) made their presence known across the ground. “Toby was outstanding, he spent 60 per cent of the time in the ruck and Riley spent the other 40 per cent and rested forward. “They both take a really good contested mark, and they’re both huge in stature, so they do create some headaches. “I think the biggest asset of both of them is they’re both fantastic runners, they run all day.” In other results, the reserves sit on top of the table after a 9.14 (68) to 4.6 (30) win, having only dropped a single game from their first five rounds. While the thirds dropped their fifth straight game on the weekend, 8.6 (54) to 10.8 (68), the depth of the program and determination is on display. The Saints will look ahead to this weekend and a juicy match-up with the always-fearsome Albury Tigers. Both senior squads sit at 3-2 from the season, with Albury fresh off a 28-point win over Lavington, who mauled Myrtleford by almost six goals back on Easter Sunday. “They’re a pretty good side, a very good side and they’re starting to hit some really good form, so it’s going to be a really big challenge for us,” Millar said. “I think if we can play our way for long enough, it’ll keep us competitive. “We’ll just have to take our chances when they’re afforded to us.” Football action begins at McNamara Reserve with the thirds from 10am, with reserves at 12pm and the seniors from 2pm.

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