ANOTHER week, another 100-point win for the Bute Roosters in the Adelaide Plains Football League as its 22.18 (150) to 7.4 (46) win at Angle Vale moved its record to 5-0 – equalling its most wins in a season in five years.
After a competitive first quarter that saw Bute take a three-point lead into the first break, the Roosters kicked into another gear defensively, only allowing one point scored over the next two quarters.
In the meantime, the visitors piled on another 11 goals and 9 behinds, and while the hosts were able to double their total score in the final term, Bute ran rampant with another eight goals itself.
Angle Vale coach Troy Treverton said the Yorke Peninsula Football League side had brought an exciting style of play with it.
“I think Bute was really impressive with its run and carry,” he said.
“Their fast handball game is as good as any in the APFL and can really hurt you, and they really work for each other off the football as well, so defensively they’re hard to score against.
“We had two significant injuries in our backline in the second quarter and then two more early in the third, so for almost a half of football we had no bench against a quality side – and it showed.”
United remain in the finals hunt after a 15.10 (100) to 8.8 (56) win at Hamley Bridge, running over the Bombers in the final term after heading into three-quarter-time with an 18-point lead.
Tigers coach Craig Dawe said, after being jumped early the previous week, the main focus was a hot start, and his side delivered with a 41-7 opening period.
“Our sole focus was to start well and we did that early,” he said.
“Offensively I was little worried without our two leading goal kickers who were late withdrawals Saturday morning, but we found other avenues to goal which was pleasing.
“The bye this week has come at a good time for us – we’re 3-3, have a few sore boys, and the likelihood of regaining eight after the bye will be huge for this group as we take on Mallala and Bute in our last two games.”
In the round’s most highly anticipated matchup, Two Wells, which was the heavy premiership favourites three weeks into the season before losing its past two matches in upsets to United and Bute, rebounded emphatically after its bye with a 17.19 (121) to 7.9 (51) at Virginia.
The Roosters looked like the same wrecking crew that put up 170 points in round one, with player-coach Matt Camplin and stud forward Ned Seccafien kicking four goals apiece in a game that was never competitive.
After leading 10.9 (69) to 2.3 (15) at halftime, the second half was just more of the same as Virginia got an important taste of what things will be like at the pointy end of the year as both sides remained in the top-three following the result.