Print this page
Glenelg's players have performed their best when resembling council workers - not afraid to get their hands dirty and willing to work together as a team in order to complete a project.
So why did the Tigers - upset by South Adelaide at the Bay - suddenly behave like single-minded merchant bankers on Saturday?
Glenelg coach Mark Mickan is still scratching his head. "The way we see ourselves, we need to be workmanlike in order to do well," Mickan said. "I thought we tried to play like millionaires for three quarters and that's not who we are. It doesn't work and we saw it doesn't work just like we did in round one."
On that occasion, the Tigers suffered their only other loss in 2008 - at Noarlunga. While Mickan wouldn't trade in his 12 consecutive wins sandwiched between the two losses to the Panthers, he wonders what sins they may have been concealing. "Maybe there's been some things which have been festering and disguised by the fact we've still been winning - today (Saturday) they we're exposed," Mickan said.
"We've got to make sure we identify where we are and most importantly, we respond."
The Tigers can do so against resurgent Norwood at the Bay on Saturday, another opponent it could be tempted to take lightly after restricting the Redlegs to 1.3 (9) in round nine.
"Their football since that time has been a credit to them and it shows the importance of attitude - when you do prepare well you can get a good result," Mickan said.
This was exactly South's achievement on Saturday, the 13-point triumph a glimpse into the Clay Sampson era at Noarlunga. "It's exciting . . . but the bigger picture is that that's the standard expected now," Sampson said.
Courtesy of The Advertiser
Story by Zac Milbank