An ankle injury to brilliant small man Maurice Rioli Jr ...
https://www.ntnews.com.au/news/nightcliffs-surge-towards-another-ntfl-finals-campaign-gets-a-boost-with-a-tough-win-over-st-marys/news-story/72ff558db5b73870b707fe61ce5232b1
Nightcliff’s surge towards another NTFL finals campaign gets a boost with a tough win over St Mary’sDECEMBER 15, 2018
NIGHTCLIFF’S search for an elusive Premier League flag took another leap forward last night when it beat a brave St Mary’s side by 37 points.
Blake Grewar and 150-gamer Cameron Ilett were dominant players in the 12.9 (81) to 6.8 (44) win that lifted Nightcliff to nine wins from 11 matches, level on points with reigning premier Southern Districts but 14 percentage points away from top spot.
Nightcliff applied two types of pressure to St Mary’s in the first half and both of them came up trumps — physical and perceived.
The Saints players were forced into hurried kicks or handballs when in possession and knew they had to play one-touch football when the ball was in dispute.
Any fumble or half hearted tackle was dealt with severely by the hard working Tigers, who put their bodies on the line and booted four goals in the first term and another three in the second to lead by an even four goals at half time.
Ilett in his milestone game was inspirational, copping some heavy treatment from his former teammates in the process.
Another good contributor in the game setting first half was Grewar, resplendent in his lime green boots and possessed with quick hands and long kicking that found teammates in space on several occasions.
Only three consecutive misses late in the second quarter, another by Ilett early in the third quarter and late in the last spoiled the Tigers’ all-round performance.
Goals from Jack Musgrove and an unlikely source in defender Jack Long gave St Mary’s some hope in the all-important third quarter.
The odds may have been stacked against them in the first three quarters, including an ankle injury to brilliant small man Maurice Rioli Jr that robbed them of much needed drive around the packs, but the courage and pride of the 32-time NTFL premier remained intact.
Nathaniel Paredes and Ben Rioli led from the front with hard running and strong bodywork at the contests and Raphael Clarke was tough and reliable across half back.
Nightcliff’s scoring options meant they always went forward with confidence, Matt Bricknell and Trent Melville booting six goals between them and Grewar providing a third option.
Goals by the courageous Phillip Wills, Grewar and Bricknell put the seal on a performance that may have set Nightcliff up for a serious tilt at their first senior flag since 1965.
NIGHTCLIFF 4.1 7.5 9.6 12.9 (81)
ST MARY’S 3.1 3.5 5.8 6.8 (44)
BEST — Nightcliff: B Grewar C Ilett P Wills M Bricknell S Wilson. St Mary’s: N Paredes B Rioli B Taylor R Clarke T Saunders.
GOALS — Nightcliff: M Bricknell 4 B Grewar 2 T Melville 2 S Wilson 2 P Wills H Williams. St Mary’s: J Musgrove 2 Brayden Rioli J Long M Liddy N Paredes.
Umpires: L Kendrick, B Morcom, L Hutt
