June 04, 2007
From Ballarat Courier
THE emotion shown by coach Gerard FitzGerald demonstrated just how much defeating Victorian Football League reigning premier Sandringham meant to North Ballarat at AUSTAR Arena on Saturday.
FitzGerald rushed to his players - addressing and embracing them.
THE emotion shown by coach Gerard FitzGerald demonstrated just how much defeating Victorian Football League reigning premier Sandringham meant to North Ballarat at AUSTAR Arena on Saturday.
FitzGerald rushed to his players - addressing and embracing them.
And then with misty eyes, stood back and applauded his young outfit as it left the ground.
FitzGerald said the 35-point win over the previously unbeaten Sandringham meant the competition held no fears for the Selkirk Roosters.
"This has opened up the year (for us)."
Up until the 18.15 (123) to Sandringham 13.10 (88) triumph, seventh-placed North Ballarat had struggled against teams at the business end of the ladder with losses to Geelong (top), Coburg (fourth) and Northern Bullants (sixth).
The Roosters now have had victories over fifth-placed Port Melbourne as well as Sandringham and have the opportunity to enhance this record against Williamstown on Sunday.
"That's the challenge ahead now," FitzGerald said.
"To ensure we play to the same level of intensity against Williamstown, which I rate right up with Sandringham."
FitzGerald said North Ballarat had lived up to the theme of the week, "remember the effort".
He said he had reinforced the need for every player to give all they had.
Almost without exception, the Roosters did just that and were duly rewarded in an intense, no-nonsense confrontation.
FitzGerald said the efforts of youngster Ben Taylor, playing just his second game, and Leigh Ryall, playing his first senior match in 12 months, to play the roles required of them typified the team performance.
North Ballarat signalled early that Sandringham was going to have to be at its best to deny the Roosters.
Having all the answers, North Ballarat's confidence grew - particularly after responding to the Zebras' charge at the start of the second quarter.
Sandringham kicked two goals to lead by 10 points and then Dean Chester responded with three goals in a mesmerising two minutes to give the Roosters four unanswered majors and the self-belief this was their day.
Three goals in four minutes to kick off the third quarter gave North Ballarat what looked to be a match-winning 32-point lead but when the Zebras twice edged within 15 points in the last term there was plenty of nervous energy in the North Ballarat camp.
This evaporated though after ruckman Tristan Cartledge made the most of a 50m penalty to sink Sandringham's hopes of an unlikely comeback.
