FootyGoss :: SANFL

Road trip successful for North Adelaide

North Adelaide has come away from their road trip to Canberra with a resounding 89-point victory over Queanbeyan in their first hit-out of the year on Saturday.

The Roosters unveiled several exciting recruits, including former Peel Thunder onballer Rory O’Brien, Melbourne Demon Daniel Ward, ex-Panther Rhys Archard, forward Daniel Steward and ruckman Michael Burford, whom they hope will allow them to take the next step after losing last season’s SANFL Grand Final to Central District.

Queanbeyan battled manfully on the back of starting their preseason just seven weeks ago compared to North Adelaide’s solid season lead-up. The Rooster’s superior game style and stronger fitness showed from the start, allowing coach Andrew Jarman to be more experimental with his side, in particular moving defender Andrew McIntyre up forward and pacy wingman Leigh Ryswyk down back to great effect.

The inclusion of several Sydney Swans-listed players was not enough for the Queanbeyan Tigers to resist North’s onslaught, despite being without 10 players from their grand final line-up.

North Adelaide also took the luxury of utilising the Australian Institute of Sport for their recovery session on Sunday, before a tour of the facility as well as Parliament House and the Australian War Museum. 

North Adelaide returned to Adelaide with a confidence-boosting win 21.17 (143) to Queanbeyan 8.6 (54).

The Advertiser/www.nafc.com.au/www.rocketrooster.com