SOUTH Gambier entered its Round 1 clash with Millicent missing two key talls and having to utilise a raft of players backing up for their second game of the day.
The Demons became the first club to have significant numbers across all senior and junior grades unavailable due to Covid and it weighed heavily on the side as it matched up against the Saints in the A Grade competition.
In contrast to the unsettled South line-up, Millicent was as well drilled as ever, with six 2021 grand finalists on court, while newcomer Georgia Clarke slotted in nicely on the defensive wing.
As such the Saints powered to a 52-goal win at the final whistle.
The Millicent shooting combination of Tabatha Sanderson and Demi Verbena was on fire from the first whistle, netting 25 from 28 as the slick ball movement of mid-courters Paige Nitschke and Lisa Duldig fed them well.
South defenders Mykaela Thiele and Ruby Richter – who celebrated her 150th appearance for the club – had little chance to deny the Millicent shooters plenty of scoring opportunities.
The deficit was 17 at the first break and it blew out to 26 by the half as both teams made changes.
Charlene Riley made her A Grade debut for the Demons as she backed up from A Reserve and took on the daunting task of denying Sanderson the ball, while Richter moved into the centre and Thiele ventured out to goal defence.
For the Saints, Daisy Tunkin took the centre bib, bringing fresh legs to the role as the Saints continued to score at will, putting another 24 goals on the board for the quarter.
Sanderson shot with her usual accuracy but Verbena was on another level and shot eight from eight in the first, second and last quarters, missing only one attempt for the game when she netted seven from eight in the third.
At the other end of the court Millicent defenders made life tough for the South attack which was well led by Alyssa Duncan, whose combination with Lara Munro showed promise against the tight checking of Portia McRae and Hannah Nitschke.
However, in the end the weight of supply and the clinical ball movement of the Saints was overwhelming and they powered to a 52-goal victory.
