The Australian Men’s side claimed Trans-Tasman Cup glory in a hard fought battle against New Zealand last night, taking a four-goal win in an historic curtain raiser at John Cain Arena (61-57).
With the series tied at 1-1 after the New Zealand leg, the Aussies were eager to stamp their authority on the competition in front of a home crowd.
It was neck and neck to start the opening term, only one goal splitting the teams at quarter time. But the home side came bursting out of the blocks in the second term, piling on five goals straight to establish a handy buffer.
Their crafty ball movement and strong one-on-one defensive pressure started to pay dividends and generate some momentum. They maintained that consistency throughout the rest of the match, despite New Zealand turning up the heat and attempting to disrupt their flow.
Victorians Brodie Roberts (vice-captain) and Riley Richardson were instrumental in attack, providing a wealth of movement to create space and open up the circle.
Roberts seemed to have the ball on a string, impressing with ball in hand and under the post with his calm demeanour and read of the play. The goal attack finished with a handy 21/28 at 75% along with 16 goal assists, and a team-high 27 centre pass receives.
Richardson was a key cog through the midcourt, weaving the ball to circle edge and delivering pinpoint passes into Roberts and goal shooter Jerome Gillbard. He showcased his versatility moving from wing attack to centre and capped off the night with 18 goal assists, one intercept and 14 centre pass receives.
Alastair Punshon’s injection into goal keeper in the final quarter provided a fresh look and drive for turnover ball, his impressive elevation and anticipation doing plenty to quell the influence of Junior Levi who again proved a commanding presence under the post for the Kiwis.
Having sealed the Trans-Tasman Cup, the Aussies will next hit the court against the England Men’s side on Sunday 30 October at 5.15pm at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney.
Tune in to catch the action live on Fox Sports or Kayo Freebies.
