IT WAS good to see that both North and Currie were able to field a full side of 15 players each on Saturday without having to call on top ups from Grassy.
Loki Bell was back for Currie and Max Sainsbury dusted off his old boots to play his first game in quite a while. Glenn Aldridge played for North, also for the first time in quite a while.
Currie won the toss and elected to kick to the tennis court end and were quick to get the ball forward for a strong mark by Tom Graham, but his kicking let him down and the goal umpire only raised one flag. North rebounded from the kickout to see Keenan Fanning mark up forward and he did not miss.
From the bounce Currie worked the ball round to see Jak Youd drift forward, but he to missed what he should have got. North worked it forward again to see Luke Graham mark, played on and dribbled one through for their second. David Vellekoop lined up for a shot and missed but then got a 50 metre penalty for some reason and this time he did not miss.
Young Mathew Button got into a fair bit of the play and kicked a nice goal along the ground from the boundary.
Justin Summers scored a nice goal from the boundary when he grabbed the ball from a throw in and snapped it out of the pack to see it go through just before the siren to see North 32 points up at quarter time.
The second quarter saw Currie start well with a quick goal from Josh Bellchambers. Justin Summers got a free and handballed it off to his brother Jeramy who slotted through a quick reply.
Play was getting tight with both sides working well at times to get the ball forward but unable to convert. Youd copped a heavy knock which saw him leave the ground with the blood rule.
Max Sainsbury took the resulting free and then awarded a 50 meter penalty to kick an easy goal. Sainsbury was in the action again when Currie got the ball out of the center to him, and kicked a big goal from the 40 meter line to see them reduce the margin to 21 points at half time.
The third quarter saw teams once again going in hard for the ball with players getting frustrated at times with how the play was going. Vellekoop had a chance to get North their first goal of the quarter, but he had his points boots on and another goal went begging.
Tom Graham took a strong mark forward for Currie and kicked a nice goal. There was still a bit of heat in the game which saw Fanning get a free and then a 50 for an easy goal. Play out of the center went North’s way and a tackle ended up in a bit of a brawl.
Jeramy Summers got a free and a 50 for an easy goal on the siren to see them 27 points up at three quarter time.
Currie started the last quarter well with some nice play to Joel Williams, who had moved forward, and he did not miss. Vellekoop replied for North when he took a pack mark in the square and found his goal kicking boots for an easy goal. North replied with another through Alex Goldsmith who kicked it off the ground and it went through for a major.
Justin Summers was giving North plenty of drive round the ground and from the center. He took a big run out of the center and through to Vellekoop, who was playing his best game this season and kicked his third. Bailey Rainbow was a real workhorse for North in their back line, while Dale Ellis was also giving North plenty of drive round the ground. Josh Bellchambers worked hard for Currie along with Dylan Beecroft and Jak Youd. Max Sainsbury was enjoying his game as he kicked his third for the game. Some clever short passing saw the ball end up with Youd, who was able to convert for Currie. Clint Stretton took a nice one handed mark and went back and slotted it through to see Currie end up going down to North by 21 points.
If Currie had been able to match North in the first quarter, the score line might have been a lot closer, however this was still an entertaining game – apart from the two reports. Next week North and Grassy do battle again. The last time they met things got a bit heated, so it will be interesting to see how both sides attack in this round.