Glenorchy tough it out in Heritage Match

Glenorchy celebrated its heritage night in style on Saturday, grinding out a 41-point win against North Hobart at KGV Oval, writes TSL Digital Reporter Hamish Spence. 

Glenorchy, holding a ‘Heritage Night’ function to celebrate the club’s centenary, were challenged at some points by historic rival North Hobart, but led for virtually all of the match to leave 11.11 (77) to 5.6 (36) winners in front of a large KGV crowd.

Glenorchy wore the green and gold jumper of New Town Football Club, who later merged and relocated as the Glenorchy District Football Club, and started well to enter quarter time with a 24 point lead.

This was thanks to two early goals from Aiden Grace and Callen Daly, and some long bombs on 50 late in the first from Grace, Harrison Gunther and Brayden Webb.

Glenorchy looked to continue their momentum with another goal to Grace early in the second quarter. North Hobart were able to fight back though, kicking four of the next five goals to trail by 15 points at half-time. All their four goals came from four individual goal-kickers; Thomas Reeves, Jonty Barwick, Oliver Di Venuto and Christopher Ransom.

Scoring dried up in the second half, with the contest turning into a tight arm wrestle. Only three more goals were kicked for the game, which all went to Glenorchy. Jaye Bowden kicked the lone goal in the third quarter. In the fourth, Grace scored his fifth to put the game beyond doubt and Sam Reeves goaled on the siren to confirm the 41-point triumph.

Aiden Grace starred on the night for Glenorchy, following up his four goals from last week with a handful of five.

He looked dangerous anytime the ball entered forward 50, especially in the first half where he kicked four of his five goals; while also competing brilliantly in the air to take some great grabs.

Grace could’ve had an even greater influence, however, if it wasn’t for a few wayward set shots.

Harrison Gunther was a pillar down back for Glenorchy. He took some big contested and intercept marks and was important in repelling North Hobart when they had the ascendancy in the match, restricting the marks they took inside forward 50.

Nathan McCulloch’s experience and poise was evident for North Hobart in the middle. He won lots of contested ball and applied heaps of pressure. He was pivotal to keeping North Hobart in the game and was a key part of their comeback in the second quarter, while Thomas Reeves looked lively up forward, continuing his good form from last week to look ‘on’ whenever the ball came near him.

The Magpies did leave the match with a couple of injury concerns, though.

Returning Glenorchy star Daniel Joseph suffered a corky on the side of his knee in the second quarter. The RACT Insurance Player of the Year copped a knock to his knee in a marking contest and didn’t return to the ground for the rest of match.

Sam Rundle suffered a tweak, meaning he played a deeper role and reduced minutes in the second half.

Glenorchy Coach Paul Kennedy was pleased with the win on such a big night for the club.

“You only get one centenary, you get one opportunity, you want to do it properly.

“Can’t be anything but pleased with that, on such an important day for the club.”

He praised the style of footy his team played in the first quarter.

“The football we played in the first quarter was exceptional. Both in the way we applied pressure and the way we capitalized on that pressure, moved the ball and opened the ground up. That’s our footy.”

He felt they wasted a few opportunities early in the second quarter and let North Hobart get back into the game after they put some numbers back behind the ball.

“We dropped off a bit, just in the way we were going to counter that.”

He noted that the second half wasn’t a spectacle, but felt that two grinding wins a row was good for the team.

“You have to fight it for four quarters, which is good in terms of building your match fitness.”

North Hobart coach Richard “Bear” Robinson was pleased with his team’s effort and felt that the experience of playing in a big game would be good for the team.

“We’re getting close.”

“A lot of work to do, but we feel that we’re on the right track.”

Robinson looked at some missed opportunities in the first quarter and a lack of set shot opportunities as areas for improvement.

“Tonight we nearly had equal inside 50’s, but Glenorchy probably had 15-16 marks inside 50 while we had five.”

Robinson said his senior players stepping up and the team’s ball use was the reason for the teams second quarter comeback.

“Our ball use inside 50 was really good.”

After three forced changes due to injury, no one came up sore from the match.

“There shouldn’t be any changes next week through injury.”

Glenorchy: 5.2, 7.5, 8.10, 11.11 (77)

North Hobart: 1.2, 5.2, 5.3, 5.6 (36)

Goals:

Glenorchy: A. Grace (5), C. Daly, H. Gunther, B. Webb, J. Bowden, S. Reeves, B. Kamaric

North Hobart: B. Tilbury, J. Barwick, T. Reeves, C. Ransom, O. Di Venuto

Best:

Glenorchy : R. Mott, C. Duffy, A. Grace, B. Kamaric, C. Daly, J. Arnold

North Hobart : J. Charlton, S. Darley, N. McCulloch, O. Di Venuto, B. Tilbury, T. Reeves

Up Next:

North Hobart host Launceston at North Hobart Oval at 2:00pm on Saturday.

Glenorchy head to Blundstone Arena to face Clarence at 2:00pm on Saturday.