Australian Rules

Press, 9 June 1980, Page 23

Australian Rules

Canterbury was the run- ; ner-up in the national Australian Rules championship ; at Wellington. Auckland won /the title for the third time in four years bv beating • Canterbury, 91-60, in the final. A determined Canterbury side led for the first half of the final, but Auckland came back strongly in the third quarter to open an advantage of 18 points. Canter-* bury was not able to capitalise upon many scoring opportunities. The Auckland total was made up by 12 goals and 19 behinds; Canterbury replied with eight goals ’ and 12 behinds. Elimination results were.—Auckland (9 goals, 8 behinds) 62, Canterbury (3, 10) 28; Auckland (13. 10) 88, Wellington (4. 7) 31; Canterbury (9, 13) 67, Wellington (7, 8) 50. Although beaten, Canterbury was a gallant loser and its less experienced players should have reaped much benefit. The outstanding i individual was the Auckland centre half forward, John |Baruzzi, an expatriate Australian. Over the series the most consistent Canterbury playlets were Alan Marshall, I Dennis O’Sullivan, and Nigel ! Shirtcliff. They, and Mark O’Sullivan, Terry Lomax, (Gerry Davidson, Ken Spicer, jand Dick Harrison were chosen in a national tournament team of 20 named after the ifinal.