Post by happybadger on Aug 25, 2018 13:37:44 GMT
by Andrew Johns
Special to the ASRL Telegraph
After the final hooter sounded at the Etihad Stadium yesterday, there was a quiet smile on the Rochdale Raptors' touchline, as the Raptors ran off 32-12 winners over the feisty Darwin Dragons in the ASRL Elimination Final.
Actually, there were two - an "I told you so!" smirk from the Rochdale owner, Zienna's arms crossed...and a "I expected this...it's about freakin' time!" wan smile from Happy Badger.
The first half was the titanic struggle that everybody expected, and yet, it wasn't. I had expected a similar first half that Rochdale had against Adelaide last week, where there would be free flowing attack and counter from both sides. But both Dragons and Raptors elected to play the take-no-prisoners smashmouth defence that only purists seem to love...
...to be fair, Happy Badger isn't exactly a purist, but he is a bloody-minded defensive coach, and the grin on his face as his side trooped to the sheds at the halftime hooter was enough to light up Old Trafford nearby, as the first half ended 12-2, Raptors. Darwin didn't play bad defence at all, not one bit, but the Raptors' counter was a little bit better than the Dragons'.
The second half was more of the free flowing attack and counter that I had expected, but, like last week, the Raptors' first half pounding had quite the effect on their opponents, and despite the Dragons' best efforts, pulling to within 12-6 six minutes into the second half, the Raptors took the game out of Darwin's reach, twenty minutes later leading 32-6.
Happy Badger was concerned about a knock to Jorge Taufua, though, and off he was sent to a hyperbaric chamber for some rushed physio - he'll fly down to Australia for the semifinal against Gold Coast Crusade if he improves enough in time. As he got three Dally M points yesterday, Taufua was upset that he wasn't flying down with the rest of his team...but he was happy that he was sent immediately off to the hyperbaric chamber to try to get in fit condition to play, and the nurses told me he was smiling as he fell asleep...
Special to the ASRL Telegraph
After the final hooter sounded at the Etihad Stadium yesterday, there was a quiet smile on the Rochdale Raptors' touchline, as the Raptors ran off 32-12 winners over the feisty Darwin Dragons in the ASRL Elimination Final.
Actually, there were two - an "I told you so!" smirk from the Rochdale owner, Zienna's arms crossed...and a "I expected this...it's about freakin' time!" wan smile from Happy Badger.
The first half was the titanic struggle that everybody expected, and yet, it wasn't. I had expected a similar first half that Rochdale had against Adelaide last week, where there would be free flowing attack and counter from both sides. But both Dragons and Raptors elected to play the take-no-prisoners smashmouth defence that only purists seem to love...
...to be fair, Happy Badger isn't exactly a purist, but he is a bloody-minded defensive coach, and the grin on his face as his side trooped to the sheds at the halftime hooter was enough to light up Old Trafford nearby, as the first half ended 12-2, Raptors. Darwin didn't play bad defence at all, not one bit, but the Raptors' counter was a little bit better than the Dragons'.
The second half was more of the free flowing attack and counter that I had expected, but, like last week, the Raptors' first half pounding had quite the effect on their opponents, and despite the Dragons' best efforts, pulling to within 12-6 six minutes into the second half, the Raptors took the game out of Darwin's reach, twenty minutes later leading 32-6.
Happy Badger was concerned about a knock to Jorge Taufua, though, and off he was sent to a hyperbaric chamber for some rushed physio - he'll fly down to Australia for the semifinal against Gold Coast Crusade if he improves enough in time. As he got three Dally M points yesterday, Taufua was upset that he wasn't flying down with the rest of his team...but he was happy that he was sent immediately off to the hyperbaric chamber to try to get in fit condition to play, and the nurses told me he was smiling as he fell asleep...
