Northampton lay out premiership credentials as they take down Brigades in the rain

There are no more questions about it as Northampton move out of the shadows to stake their premiership claim with a thrilling two-point victory over Brigades on Saturday. In what many predict are the two top teams this year the Rams won a back-and-forth contest 6.7 (43) to 5.11 (41). All six Rams goals came from Harry Taylor and Jack Cripps as the two spearheads proved the difference in tricky conditions. In a fast-paced game worthy of the two sides’ top-two billing the Rams enjoyed the better start with Taylor using all his AFL experience to master the slippery conditions with two goals. However, the ball spent most of its time in the midfield with a tackle-heavy game making for a hot footy in the wet conditions with clean passages of play at a premium. Kristerfer Ryder got his first as the Hawks trailed by seven at the first break but would flip the script in the second. The Hawks dominated the quarter with seven scoring shots to one behind, with Ryder again finding the goals as the livewire small forward continues to be one of the best to watch in the league. But in the lead into the match coach Corey Foot identified their goal-kicking efficiency as an area to work on after their win over Rovers and he may be focusing in on it again as they went 2.5 for the quarter coming away with only an 11-point advantage for their dominance. That lead was reduced to just three points at three-quarter time as Flynn Dillon earned himself votes once again in a dominating display. Klay Sipila and Jayden Schofield were doing their best to match him but Taylor and Cripps were winning their one-on-one battles. Aidan Bartolo made a desperate smother to set up Taylor’s third goal as the Rams hit the lead in the final quarter. Cripps brought it out to 10 points with his third before Ryder responded with his fourth goal to bring the score to two points with five minutes remaining. The Hawks were desperate to get the ball down their end as the game reached its crescendo but the Rams held firm, making it two straight wins to go top of the ladder. Brigades finished with 19 scoring shots to 13 but their accuracy proved costly with the Rams claiming a huge scalp in round two. Out at the Recreation ground, it was a non-contest as Railways blew out the cobwebs and blew away Towns with a thumping 21.15 (141) to 1.1 (7) win. Damien King led the way with five goals while Owen Delaney and Henry Anderson both picked up three as the Bulldogs were held goalless for their last three quarters.