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Hi Footy fans...
There's just two more rounds of football to go and while we already know that the Tigers will win the minor premiership and a week off in the first round of the 2021 Finals Series, things can still be shaken up down below. After last week's action, the second-placed Eagles were a game ahead of both the Roosters and the Panthers who sit on equal points. Sitting just under them in fifth is the Redlegs, whose frequent mis-firings on goal here and there this season could very much come back to bite them over these final rounds. Still very much within striking distance of that coveted fifth spot prior to this week's games were both the Double Blues and the Magpies, only a game adrift of the men of The Parade. To that end it is probably fate that brought four of those middle order clubs together this past weekend, perhaps in a way to coin a phrase, "separate the men from the boys". After today, some sides have a stern test or two ahead of them. This time of year can still throw some curve balls our way and for some, put a spanner in the works. Next weekend is a split round so the opportunity to re-group is no better timed. Three weeks to finals, people!
Welcome to the Round 17 edition of the SANFL Wrap-Up.
Game number one takes us to the eastern suburbs and into the Coopers Stadium in Norwood for the encounter between the Redlegs and the Bloods under Friday Night Lights. The last time these sides met saw the Bloods take out their first triumph of the season back in Round 4 at Richmond, winning by three goals in a game that yielded just 15 majors from 31 scoring shots. The next week's win against the Bulldogs which was also at Milner Road would be their only other win for the year. Last week's devastating capitulation to Sturt at home was another horrid entry in the Bloods' fall from grace since their 2015 premiership, seemingly destined to end the year with another wooden spoon which would be their fourth since that breakthrough year. The Redlegs went down to the Tigers, again their rubbish displays in front of goal costing them dearly with eight goals from 23 scores. The Bloods scoring by comparison against Norwood's accuracy and last week's display, would improve greatly as they equalled the 'Legs on the board to begin the evening, both scoring 3.1. The Redlegs put a little buffer between them going into the rooms at the long break, but their 2.2 to the Bloods' 1.1 would still keep the visitors well in touch. At half-time, Norwood would lead by eight points. When play resumed in the third term, the Redlegs were all over the Bloods but once again, like last week and several other times this season they would pepper their goals for a paltry return. The margin was extended to 13 points by the final break after Norwood scored 1.7 to 1.1. It would be sheer desperation on Norwood's part, trying to keep as much between them and the Blues and Port as possible on the ladder. They still did it the hard way though and with their shooting, it's hard to see them getting past week one of finals. In the end, the home side would win by 29 points, after finishing with a 3.5 to 1.1 final term. You could look at it this way though, the Bloods did emerge 35 points better than last week's debacle. Josh Richards was the standout for the Redlegs, with 24 disposals and 13 tackles. For West, it was Patrick Fairlie with 21 disposals, 14 tackles and nine clearances.
The first of three Saturday afternoon matches sends us towards the beachside city of Glenelg and into the ACH Group Stadium where the Tigers hosted the Bulldogs. The last time these sides met, the Tigers went to the Ponderosa and came out with their third win of the year by 34 points. After a sleepy opening term, the Tigers awoke in the second and despite having an ordinary day with accuracy, didn't allow the Bulldogs much room to move. Centrals also had a dog-day afternoon in goal that day, scoring five goals from 17 scores. The Dogs are only barely staying out of the reach of the wooden spoon, they lost to the Panthers at home last week while the Tigers just roll on to a 15th straight victory against the Redlegs by 10 points. As expected by many no doubt, the Tigers were not going to be too troubled by the inefficient Bulldogs side. But the Bays' opening term display would only see them ahead by 17 points at the first change, scoring 4.5 to two goals. They scored three minors in succession as well as a nine-minute period where the Dogs actually kept them somewhat quiet. That would be all but forgotten in the second term, where the Tigers rammed home four unanswered goals among their 6.1. The Dogs managed just 1.1 as the home side ran out to a 47-point lead going into the half-time break. What was there really to say, this was definitely the "men vs boys" thing right here. Over 30 more marks, more than double the ruck hit-outs and 11 more clearances. The only stat that the Bulldogs beat the Tigers at were the tackles, which was by just one. But as expected, on the scoreboard the Tigers were king. That gap would stretch out to almost 10 goals by the three quarter-time siren, the Tigers adding a further 4.3 to 2.3 to lead by 59 points at the final change. To the Dogs credit they did outscore the Tigers in the final term, just not by much. They would cut five points from the Tigers' final break lead, scoring 5.3 to 4.4 as they went down by nine goals in the end. Liam McBean kicked seven goals, but it was team-mate Brett Turner with best afield honours. He racked up 26 disposals, nine clearances and laid eight tackles.
The third match for the round now sends us back towards the city as far as the inner south, to the Unley Oval where the Double Blues faced the Magpies. Their last encounter was back in Round 11 at Alberton where the Blues took a 41-point victory. Port's second term inaccuracy was probably the turning point for the game, kicking 1.4 as the Blues put through four goals. The Magpies would go down to the Crows in their mini-Showdown by 13 points last week, while the Blues kept the Bloods goal-less in their 76-point win. Before this weekend, both sides were on 14 points each and one game adrift of the fifth-placed Norwood. The Redlegs' victory on Friday would put a dent in both teams' chances with just two rounds to go, so this was now a virtual Elimination Final. The Blues were all over the Magpies from the outset, putting 4.3 on the board before Port could answer with anything. They would manage just 1.2 as the Blues went into the quarter-time huddle with a 19-point lead. Sturt kept up their tempo in the second term, keeping Port on a short leash as they built up to a deficit of close to seven straight kicks by the long break. The Blues kicked 5.4 to the Magpies' 2.1 to take their lead to 40 points come half-time. The Magpies were ruling the ruck hit-outs, getting 13 more than the Blues. They were even dominating the clearances, but in the other departments they were falling well short or were just inefficient. Sturt used the ball better and the proof was on the scoreboard. The Blues did relax things in the second half and the Magpies did try to take advantage. But their shooting was horrid, spraying shot after shot. The half-time gap of 40 points would go unchanged by the three quarter-time siren, with Blues scoring 3.1 to the Maggies' 2.7. The visitors tried everything in the final term and did outscore the Blues, but of course it was far too late for that. In the end, the Blues would run out four-goal victors to keep their small chance of finals football alive. Port's last two opponents for the season look more than likely to act as a speed bump to any final furlong. Daniel Fahey-Sparks was always right where he was needed, he would be named Sturt's best afield with 21 disposals, 10 marks and four clearances. Sam Powell-Pepper made a case for re-call to the Power line-up, with 30 disposals, eight tackles and almost a third of Port's clearance count.
Now its off to game number four and the last of the Saturday afternoon matches for the round, a clash of navy blue against bright red at the Flinders University Stadium in Noarlunga between the Panthers and the Roosters. Its been a long wait for the return bout between these sides this season, they last clashed back in Round 2 at Prospect where the Panthers nabbed the victory by 11 points. After being down by two goals at half-time, the blue and whites would bag seven goals to one in the third term and held off the expected final term assault for their shock win. Both were sharing 18 points each on the league ladder, the Roosters on top by virtue of percentage. They traded places after South lost to the Tigers just before the lockdown. Both sides won their respective matches last weekend, with the Panthers 52-point winners at Elizabeth while the Roosters brought down the Eagles by three goals at Menzies Crescent. The Roosters had the bulk of the play in the opening quarter and would kick 5.3 to South's 3.1 to begin the afternoon's action, going into quarter-time with a 14-point lead. That lead would be drawn back to within a couple of straight shots by the half-time siren, the Panthers scoring 3.2 to North's 2.2 in the second term. The visitors' lead was down to eight points. But this is where it seemed to all go horribly wrong for the Panthers. It's as though the fortnight away didn't do them any favours at all and their dominance against the Bulldogs was somewhat fleeting. The Roosters would go un-hindered from here and they reduced the South attack to spectator status. North would take their lead out to six goals by the final change, holding the home side to just one goal while scoring 5.4 for themselves in the third term. By game's end, the Roosters would more than double South's final score, adding a further 5.1 to 1.3 to run out 58-point winners. South's last couple of games could very well see them ruled out of the double chance altogether, but then North has a couple of challengers ahead themselves to finish the year so the run to Adelaide Oval still has some destiny altering implications. Campbell Combe was North's standout best, notching up 34 disposals, six clearances and inflicting 16 tackles... let that number sink in. In the Panthers' camp, it was Bryce Gibbs with 33 disposals, 10 tackles and eight marks.
The final game for the round was scheduled for the Sunday afternoon at the Maughan Thiem Kia Oval in Woodville for their annual family day which saw the Eagles take on the Crows. It was just pure Eagles dominance when they last hosted the Crows at Oval Avenue, winning by 83 points back in Round 3. In that game, the Eagles kicked nine goals in the first half and then a further 15 in the second half. Adelaide's only highlight on that day was their final term where they kicked five of their 11 goals for the afternoon. The Eagles hit a wall in the form of the Roosters last weekend, going down by three goals in what was probably a Qualifying Final preview if the ladder stays the way it is. As for the Crows, their season has been done and dusted for weeks now, their win against the Magpies would no doubt have given them some satisfaction. The opening goal to the Crows in the first minute probably felt like a slap in the chops because the Eagles would then kick to a quarter-time lead of 16 points, outscoring the visitors 4.4 to two goals. That was then followed by the Eagles holding Adelaide scoreless for the entire second quarter and taking their lead to almost nine straight kicks by the long break. They rammed through 6.1 to lead by 53 points at half-time. It was to be a harsh return to terra firma for Adelaide after their efforts last week against Port and even though the Eagles came back to the field with a case of the inaccuracy bug in the third term, they couldn't reduce the gap too much. They knocked off to straight kicks from that half-time deficit, scoring 4.2 to the Eagles' 2.5 as the advantage came down to 44 points at three quarter-time. The Eagles would resume their earlier best goal-scoring form to finish off the day, running off to a 65-point victory on the back of a 5.3 to two goal last quarter. The Eagles' run toward finals takes them through Unley where they may face some stiff competition in the Double Blues, but their place in the Qualifying Final is all but assured. Can Adelaide finish the year on a couple of highs? Stay tuned. For the B.O.G's, in the Eagles nest it was Jack Hayes with 28 disposals, 16 marks and six tackles. For Adelaide, it was former Eagle James Rowe with 35 disposals and 10 marks.
FINAL SCORES IN ROUND 17 OF THE SANFL...
Friday August 13
Norwood 9.15 (69)
West Adelaide 6.4 (40)
Coopers Stadium, Norwood -- crowd number unknown
Saturday August 14
Glenelg 18.13 (121)
Central District 10.7 (67)
2,433 @ ACH Group Stadium, Glenelg
Sturt 14.12 (96)
Port Adelaide 10.12 (72)
2,151 @ Unley Oval
North Adelaide 17.10 (112)
South Adelaide 8.6 (54)
1,265 @ Flinders University Stadium, Noarlunga
Sunday August 15
Woodville-West Torrens 17.13 (115)
Adelaide 8.2 (50)
3,899 @ Maughan Thiem Kia Oval, Woodville
INJURIES
Glenelg -- Partington (hamstring)
REPORTS
Port -- Lord, Appleton (striking)
LEAGUE LADDER
------------------------------------------------------
Glenelg -- 32pts (16-0-0), 58.3%
W-WT -- 22pts (11-5-0), 58.5%
North -- 20pts (10-6-0), 58.5%
South -- 18pts (9-7-0), 51%
Norwood -- 18pts (9-7-0), 50.8%
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Sturt -- 16pts (8-8-0), 51.9%
Port -- 14pts (7-9-0), 46.4%
Adelaide -- 10pts (5-11-0), 42.4%
Central -- 6pts (3-13-0), 42.3%
West -- 4pts (2-14-0), 39.8%
-----------------------------------------------------
Next weekend is the first week of the Round 18 Split Round, so the wrap will be in a fortnight's time.
Saturday August 21
Port Adelaide vs. South Adelaide; Alberton Oval @ 2:05pm
Central District vs. Adelaide; X-Convenience Oval, Elizabeth @ 2:10pm
Friday August 27 @ 7:40pm
West Adelaide vs. Glenelg; Hisense Stadium, Richmond
Saturday August 28
Sturt vs. Woodville-West Torrens; Unley Oval @ 2:10pm
North Adelaide vs. Norwood; Prospect Oval @ 2:30pm
So until next weekend (and the next)... see you at the Footy!
There's just two more rounds of football to go and while we already know that the Tigers will win the minor premiership and a week off in the first round of the 2021 Finals Series, things can still be shaken up down below. After last week's action, the second-placed Eagles were a game ahead of both the Roosters and the Panthers who sit on equal points. Sitting just under them in fifth is the Redlegs, whose frequent mis-firings on goal here and there this season could very much come back to bite them over these final rounds. Still very much within striking distance of that coveted fifth spot prior to this week's games were both the Double Blues and the Magpies, only a game adrift of the men of The Parade. To that end it is probably fate that brought four of those middle order clubs together this past weekend, perhaps in a way to coin a phrase, "separate the men from the boys". After today, some sides have a stern test or two ahead of them. This time of year can still throw some curve balls our way and for some, put a spanner in the works. Next weekend is a split round so the opportunity to re-group is no better timed. Three weeks to finals, people!
Welcome to the Round 17 edition of the SANFL Wrap-Up.
Game number one takes us to the eastern suburbs and into the Coopers Stadium in Norwood for the encounter between the Redlegs and the Bloods under Friday Night Lights. The last time these sides met saw the Bloods take out their first triumph of the season back in Round 4 at Richmond, winning by three goals in a game that yielded just 15 majors from 31 scoring shots. The next week's win against the Bulldogs which was also at Milner Road would be their only other win for the year. Last week's devastating capitulation to Sturt at home was another horrid entry in the Bloods' fall from grace since their 2015 premiership, seemingly destined to end the year with another wooden spoon which would be their fourth since that breakthrough year. The Redlegs went down to the Tigers, again their rubbish displays in front of goal costing them dearly with eight goals from 23 scores. The Bloods scoring by comparison against Norwood's accuracy and last week's display, would improve greatly as they equalled the 'Legs on the board to begin the evening, both scoring 3.1. The Redlegs put a little buffer between them going into the rooms at the long break, but their 2.2 to the Bloods' 1.1 would still keep the visitors well in touch. At half-time, Norwood would lead by eight points. When play resumed in the third term, the Redlegs were all over the Bloods but once again, like last week and several other times this season they would pepper their goals for a paltry return. The margin was extended to 13 points by the final break after Norwood scored 1.7 to 1.1. It would be sheer desperation on Norwood's part, trying to keep as much between them and the Blues and Port as possible on the ladder. They still did it the hard way though and with their shooting, it's hard to see them getting past week one of finals. In the end, the home side would win by 29 points, after finishing with a 3.5 to 1.1 final term. You could look at it this way though, the Bloods did emerge 35 points better than last week's debacle. Josh Richards was the standout for the Redlegs, with 24 disposals and 13 tackles. For West, it was Patrick Fairlie with 21 disposals, 14 tackles and nine clearances.
The first of three Saturday afternoon matches sends us towards the beachside city of Glenelg and into the ACH Group Stadium where the Tigers hosted the Bulldogs. The last time these sides met, the Tigers went to the Ponderosa and came out with their third win of the year by 34 points. After a sleepy opening term, the Tigers awoke in the second and despite having an ordinary day with accuracy, didn't allow the Bulldogs much room to move. Centrals also had a dog-day afternoon in goal that day, scoring five goals from 17 scores. The Dogs are only barely staying out of the reach of the wooden spoon, they lost to the Panthers at home last week while the Tigers just roll on to a 15th straight victory against the Redlegs by 10 points. As expected by many no doubt, the Tigers were not going to be too troubled by the inefficient Bulldogs side. But the Bays' opening term display would only see them ahead by 17 points at the first change, scoring 4.5 to two goals. They scored three minors in succession as well as a nine-minute period where the Dogs actually kept them somewhat quiet. That would be all but forgotten in the second term, where the Tigers rammed home four unanswered goals among their 6.1. The Dogs managed just 1.1 as the home side ran out to a 47-point lead going into the half-time break. What was there really to say, this was definitely the "men vs boys" thing right here. Over 30 more marks, more than double the ruck hit-outs and 11 more clearances. The only stat that the Bulldogs beat the Tigers at were the tackles, which was by just one. But as expected, on the scoreboard the Tigers were king. That gap would stretch out to almost 10 goals by the three quarter-time siren, the Tigers adding a further 4.3 to 2.3 to lead by 59 points at the final change. To the Dogs credit they did outscore the Tigers in the final term, just not by much. They would cut five points from the Tigers' final break lead, scoring 5.3 to 4.4 as they went down by nine goals in the end. Liam McBean kicked seven goals, but it was team-mate Brett Turner with best afield honours. He racked up 26 disposals, nine clearances and laid eight tackles.
The third match for the round now sends us back towards the city as far as the inner south, to the Unley Oval where the Double Blues faced the Magpies. Their last encounter was back in Round 11 at Alberton where the Blues took a 41-point victory. Port's second term inaccuracy was probably the turning point for the game, kicking 1.4 as the Blues put through four goals. The Magpies would go down to the Crows in their mini-Showdown by 13 points last week, while the Blues kept the Bloods goal-less in their 76-point win. Before this weekend, both sides were on 14 points each and one game adrift of the fifth-placed Norwood. The Redlegs' victory on Friday would put a dent in both teams' chances with just two rounds to go, so this was now a virtual Elimination Final. The Blues were all over the Magpies from the outset, putting 4.3 on the board before Port could answer with anything. They would manage just 1.2 as the Blues went into the quarter-time huddle with a 19-point lead. Sturt kept up their tempo in the second term, keeping Port on a short leash as they built up to a deficit of close to seven straight kicks by the long break. The Blues kicked 5.4 to the Magpies' 2.1 to take their lead to 40 points come half-time. The Magpies were ruling the ruck hit-outs, getting 13 more than the Blues. They were even dominating the clearances, but in the other departments they were falling well short or were just inefficient. Sturt used the ball better and the proof was on the scoreboard. The Blues did relax things in the second half and the Magpies did try to take advantage. But their shooting was horrid, spraying shot after shot. The half-time gap of 40 points would go unchanged by the three quarter-time siren, with Blues scoring 3.1 to the Maggies' 2.7. The visitors tried everything in the final term and did outscore the Blues, but of course it was far too late for that. In the end, the Blues would run out four-goal victors to keep their small chance of finals football alive. Port's last two opponents for the season look more than likely to act as a speed bump to any final furlong. Daniel Fahey-Sparks was always right where he was needed, he would be named Sturt's best afield with 21 disposals, 10 marks and four clearances. Sam Powell-Pepper made a case for re-call to the Power line-up, with 30 disposals, eight tackles and almost a third of Port's clearance count.
Now its off to game number four and the last of the Saturday afternoon matches for the round, a clash of navy blue against bright red at the Flinders University Stadium in Noarlunga between the Panthers and the Roosters. Its been a long wait for the return bout between these sides this season, they last clashed back in Round 2 at Prospect where the Panthers nabbed the victory by 11 points. After being down by two goals at half-time, the blue and whites would bag seven goals to one in the third term and held off the expected final term assault for their shock win. Both were sharing 18 points each on the league ladder, the Roosters on top by virtue of percentage. They traded places after South lost to the Tigers just before the lockdown. Both sides won their respective matches last weekend, with the Panthers 52-point winners at Elizabeth while the Roosters brought down the Eagles by three goals at Menzies Crescent. The Roosters had the bulk of the play in the opening quarter and would kick 5.3 to South's 3.1 to begin the afternoon's action, going into quarter-time with a 14-point lead. That lead would be drawn back to within a couple of straight shots by the half-time siren, the Panthers scoring 3.2 to North's 2.2 in the second term. The visitors' lead was down to eight points. But this is where it seemed to all go horribly wrong for the Panthers. It's as though the fortnight away didn't do them any favours at all and their dominance against the Bulldogs was somewhat fleeting. The Roosters would go un-hindered from here and they reduced the South attack to spectator status. North would take their lead out to six goals by the final change, holding the home side to just one goal while scoring 5.4 for themselves in the third term. By game's end, the Roosters would more than double South's final score, adding a further 5.1 to 1.3 to run out 58-point winners. South's last couple of games could very well see them ruled out of the double chance altogether, but then North has a couple of challengers ahead themselves to finish the year so the run to Adelaide Oval still has some destiny altering implications. Campbell Combe was North's standout best, notching up 34 disposals, six clearances and inflicting 16 tackles... let that number sink in. In the Panthers' camp, it was Bryce Gibbs with 33 disposals, 10 tackles and eight marks.
The final game for the round was scheduled for the Sunday afternoon at the Maughan Thiem Kia Oval in Woodville for their annual family day which saw the Eagles take on the Crows. It was just pure Eagles dominance when they last hosted the Crows at Oval Avenue, winning by 83 points back in Round 3. In that game, the Eagles kicked nine goals in the first half and then a further 15 in the second half. Adelaide's only highlight on that day was their final term where they kicked five of their 11 goals for the afternoon. The Eagles hit a wall in the form of the Roosters last weekend, going down by three goals in what was probably a Qualifying Final preview if the ladder stays the way it is. As for the Crows, their season has been done and dusted for weeks now, their win against the Magpies would no doubt have given them some satisfaction. The opening goal to the Crows in the first minute probably felt like a slap in the chops because the Eagles would then kick to a quarter-time lead of 16 points, outscoring the visitors 4.4 to two goals. That was then followed by the Eagles holding Adelaide scoreless for the entire second quarter and taking their lead to almost nine straight kicks by the long break. They rammed through 6.1 to lead by 53 points at half-time. It was to be a harsh return to terra firma for Adelaide after their efforts last week against Port and even though the Eagles came back to the field with a case of the inaccuracy bug in the third term, they couldn't reduce the gap too much. They knocked off to straight kicks from that half-time deficit, scoring 4.2 to the Eagles' 2.5 as the advantage came down to 44 points at three quarter-time. The Eagles would resume their earlier best goal-scoring form to finish off the day, running off to a 65-point victory on the back of a 5.3 to two goal last quarter. The Eagles' run toward finals takes them through Unley where they may face some stiff competition in the Double Blues, but their place in the Qualifying Final is all but assured. Can Adelaide finish the year on a couple of highs? Stay tuned. For the B.O.G's, in the Eagles nest it was Jack Hayes with 28 disposals, 16 marks and six tackles. For Adelaide, it was former Eagle James Rowe with 35 disposals and 10 marks.
FINAL SCORES IN ROUND 17 OF THE SANFL...
Friday August 13
Norwood 9.15 (69)
West Adelaide 6.4 (40)
Coopers Stadium, Norwood -- crowd number unknown
Saturday August 14
Glenelg 18.13 (121)
Central District 10.7 (67)
2,433 @ ACH Group Stadium, Glenelg
Sturt 14.12 (96)
Port Adelaide 10.12 (72)
2,151 @ Unley Oval
North Adelaide 17.10 (112)
South Adelaide 8.6 (54)
1,265 @ Flinders University Stadium, Noarlunga
Sunday August 15
Woodville-West Torrens 17.13 (115)
Adelaide 8.2 (50)
3,899 @ Maughan Thiem Kia Oval, Woodville
INJURIES
Glenelg -- Partington (hamstring)
REPORTS
Port -- Lord, Appleton (striking)
LEAGUE LADDER
------------------------------------------------------
Glenelg -- 32pts (16-0-0), 58.3%
W-WT -- 22pts (11-5-0), 58.5%
North -- 20pts (10-6-0), 58.5%
South -- 18pts (9-7-0), 51%
Norwood -- 18pts (9-7-0), 50.8%
-----------------------------------------------------
Sturt -- 16pts (8-8-0), 51.9%
Port -- 14pts (7-9-0), 46.4%
Adelaide -- 10pts (5-11-0), 42.4%
Central -- 6pts (3-13-0), 42.3%
West -- 4pts (2-14-0), 39.8%
-----------------------------------------------------
Next weekend is the first week of the Round 18 Split Round, so the wrap will be in a fortnight's time.
Saturday August 21
Port Adelaide vs. South Adelaide; Alberton Oval @ 2:05pm
Central District vs. Adelaide; X-Convenience Oval, Elizabeth @ 2:10pm
Friday August 27 @ 7:40pm
West Adelaide vs. Glenelg; Hisense Stadium, Richmond
Saturday August 28
Sturt vs. Woodville-West Torrens; Unley Oval @ 2:10pm
North Adelaide vs. Norwood; Prospect Oval @ 2:30pm
So until next weekend (and the next)... see you at the Footy!
