By JO HARRISON
PLAYING their best footy for the grand-final the New England Nomads comprehensively defeated the Inverell Saints 179 to 36 in an emphatic display of quality football leaving no doubt that the Nomads deserve back to back premierships and are a cut above their opponents in the 2013 Tamworth AFL season.
A large crowd was on hand at Bellevue Oval in Armidale on Saturday unaware that they were going to witness some of the best AFL the region has seen.
Fielding their strongest side all season the Nomads hit their marks early in the first quarter with Inverell left floundering and unable to match the precision and fitness of the Armidale side.
The first two quarters raced by with the Nomads firing-off goals with ease. It was evident early that the game was going to be a one sided affair however the crowd never looked bored and were in awe of the home side.
The half-time break did little to help the cause for the Saints who looked more and more frustrated with silly penalties, back chatting to the referee and a red card for a Saints runner.
The scorecard was looking increasingly desperate for the Saints who in the last quarter were just trying to eke out some credibility but to no avail. At the full time siren there must have been relief for the Saints that the massacre was over but for the Nomads sheer jubilation.
Player coach Tom Granleese was proud of his sides performance saying they had played their best game all season in the grand final.
“We didn’t put our full strength team on the park until the finals and I think the results speak for themselves,” Granleese said.
“We picked up some fantastic first year players and were able to retain some of our good players which has made us very strong this season.”
The Nomads strengths all season have been their skill and run and carry, setting them apart from other sides in the competition.
“We worked really hard during the pre-season with our fitness so you can just tell that with the run and spread of the play,” he said.
Historically the Nomads have always had tough games with the Inverell Saints who play a very physical game.
“We always have had tough games with Inverell but when they start to get frustrated we know that we are on top,” Granleese said.
“I really enjoy it when they get a bit frustrated as we generally have a great time on the field, like today.
“I am really proud of the boys, they have been fantastic with their commitment to training and all the hard work has paid off us.”
