Rick Drewer

IN perfect conditions for playing football,

hosted Nuriootpa Rover, and courtesy of a classic clearance from the opening ball-up, Nuri's Jackson Baldwin burst away and opened the goal scoring within the first 40 seconds.
This inspirational start seemed to inspire the Tigers who appeared harder and cleaner with the ball than their 2019 grand-finalist opponent, playing its first game after a bye in round one.
Ryder Eberhard potted the Panthers much-needed first goal, before Alex Reincke scored a second, providing a brief one-point lead half-way through the opening term, despite the overall dominance of the visitors.
With goals to Beau Shinnick and a late one from James Bentley, the Tigers deserved its 12 point lead at quarter-time.
Angaston began to steady the ship in the second term, which proved to be an arm wrestle, reducing the deficit by one-point at half-time.
James Bentley brought up his third goal for the Tigers, while the Panthers’ Steve Summerton's left-foot snap goal provided the highlight of the very even term.
The signs were beginning to flash with Summerton, big men Marc Borholm and Scott Lewis, together with Ben Antonie and Jay Shannon all putting their collective hands up to help the cause.
Inevitably, what was hinted at in the latter part of the second term manifested itself in the third.
The influence of ‘Mr Everywhere’ Summerton, and Borholm, was overwhelming for the Tigers, who looked anything but the fast-moving, confident ball-handling side of the first half.
Angaston added 4.2 for the third term, five points more than its total first-half effort, and held Nuri to a solitary goal.
In what was proving to be a high-quality game, with good skills on display by both hand and foot, and some excellent flowing football, particularly from the Panthers, the final term promised to be an entertaining battle.
Alas, it proved to be a lacklustre, anti-climactic affair, with the Tigers managing but one scoring shot for the entire term, while last season’s runner-up finished full of running, demonstrating why it will again be challenging for the flag this year, adding another 4.2, to be convincing winners by a score of 13.10 (88) to 9.7 (61).