The Orange Tigers’ dream start to the 2018 Central West AFL season continued with Saturday’s win over Parkes, the 33-point victory over the Panthers keeping the side undefeated and on top of the table through four rounds.
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That’s made all the more impressive when you consider the Tigers haven’t played at home yet, too.
Thanks to their round three clash being postponed, all three of the Tigers’ games this season have been on the road and they won’t debut at their new Waratahs Sportsground base until round seven, Parkes’ return trip.
“Being undefeated is a great start, even more so when you consider the run of away games we’ve had and a lot of that comes from the guys, new and old, buying into the culture we started to build last season and are trying to continue this year,” Tigers gun Andrew Nelson said.
“The big test comes this week though, when we hit the road again take on the (Bathurst) Bushrangers Outlaws in a grand final rematch.”
The Tigers head into that game following Saturday’s 15.11.101 – 10.8.68 victory over the spirited Panthers, Nelson kicked two of those goals while Tim Barry slotted another six, taking his season tally to 17.
Tyson Hannus nailed three majors as well, and Nelson said he and Barry are beginning to strike up a serious combination in the Tigers’ attacking 50.
“Tyson was great up-front. He’s really taken his game to another level working with Baz, they’re working in really well together,” Nelson said.
Nelson, the Tigers’ 2015 grand final hero, went on to laud Chris Rothnie’s effort on Brent Tucker as well.
“His tagging effort was something that helped quell [Tucker’s] influence, but it also gave us another big body around the stoppages,” Nelson explained.
As the Tigers expected, the Panthers proved a difficult task on their windy Northparkes home ground and actually led by a point at quarter-time.
The Tigers did manage to swing that around to lead by seven at the main break and kicked away a bit in the third term, slotting four majors to Parkes’ two to go into the final term with a three-goal buffer.
The Dale Hunter-coached Orange outfit added another 35 points in the fourth quarter, to the Panthers’ 20, to pick up the 33-point win.
“It was tough, Parkes are a good side and they took the game right up to us,” Nelson said.
“It was a good start in the final quarter that really swung the game our way.”
- ORANGE TIGERS 15.11.101 (Tim Barry 6, Tyson Hannus 3, Andrew Nelson 2, Kirk Phillips, Jaxon Mumme, Chris Pethybridge, Caleb Campbell goals) def PARKES PANTHERS 10.8.68 (Aaron Halls 3, Brent Tucker 2, Sam Tighe 2, Shane Apsey, Mitch Stubberfield, Branden Clinton goals)