- May 8, 2001
- 5,667
- 818
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Other Teams
- CDFC (SANFL), Port Melb (VFL)
Hi Footy fans...
Although one of the games from Round 1 did not publish an official crowd number for one of the opening round matches, I believe that I can still safely say the first weekend of football was quite an overwhelming success with at least or close to 16000 SA footy-heads filing through the turnstiles. Unfortunately for this past weekend, with the AFL-W Preliminary Final on at the Adelaide Oval, SANFL crowds had dropped heavily with around 5000-plus people missing in comparison with the season kick-off weekend. Well it looks like its going to happen again this coming weekend with the Crows hosting the Grand Final against Brisbane, so you can probably bet that its going to draw people away from state league football again. Now don't anyone go getting your undies in a bunch, I'm not against the Women's league unlike some sexist boofheads. But with all the heaven and earth that the AFL is apparently able to move, surely we could have arrived at a solution that would give SANFL clubs -- who are already doing it tough as it is -- a better chance at drawing people to their games? Our clubs took massive financial hits when the pandemic happened. Some were pretty close to the brink and still are... we don't have the clout unlike those in the national league. But I digress...
Welcome to the Round 2 edition of the SANFL Wrap-Up.
All the weekend's action took place on the Saturday afternoon, the first game takes us out to the Alberton Oval where the Magpies hosted the Bulldogs. Back in the 2019 season, the Magpies hammered the Bulldogs by a combined tally of over 20 goals over their two games. In Round 6, the 'Pies were never more than three kicks away from the Bulldogs' grasp up to three quarter-time. They finished with a five goal to two last quarter to win by 34 points at Alberton. So you can already think of where this would end up when the Magpies swooped in at Elizabeth in Round 18... they smashed the hell out of the Dogs on their own patch, by 15 goals exactly. After a year in the wilderness thanks to the AFL's ruling on state league participation, this was to be a happy homecoming. Early on however, it looked as though the Dogs were out to prove their win against North last week wasn't a flash in the pan effort. They would kick 4.3 to the Magpies' five behinds to lead by 19 points at quarter-time. Going the other way in the second term with the wind against them, things should have been worse for the Magpies, but the lead would only go up a single point come half-time. Centrals would lead by 20 at the long break, having scored 4.1 to 2.3. The Bulldogs were pretty much all over the hosts in the first half, however when play resumed they were a different outfit. Port were still finding the avenues to goal difficult with the Dogs' constantly knocking back attacks, but at the same time were restricting the Dogs to just one point in the third quarter. The home side cut the deficit to 13 points going into the final change with their 2.2. The homecoming was as sweet as they had hoped, the Magpies overrunning the wasteful Dogs who couldn't use the northerly wind to their advantage at all. Port held the visitors scoreless and kicked 4.6 to take a 17-point victory. Sam Hayes was named best for Port, racking up 33 hit-outs and six marks to mark his case for an AFL call-up. Kyle Presbury was named Centrals' best with 35 disposals.
Next up in the wrap we head to the inner northern suburbs and into the Prospect Oval for SA's Civil War between the Roosters and the Panthers. There was a share of the points from their two encounters last season, the Roosters winning the first by eight points in Round 6 at Prospect, then the Panthers inflicted a seven-goal hiding at Noarlunga in the final round of the home and away season. The Roosters were perhaps fortunate not to have crossed their paths in the finals, not that it made much difference in the end, but there are always what-ifs. South saw off the Crows last weekend, while the Roosters fell to the Dogs in their Northern Derby. The north-bound wind was being felt here too and while the Panthers were battling against it, the Roosters were unable to use it! The Panthers would lead by three points at the first change, they scored 1.6 to North's 1.3 in the opening term. The roles were reversed in the second quarter, the Roosters taking over the lead themselves by the long break. South managed two goals with that breeze, the Roosters would score 4.3 to be ahead by two goals at half-time. Whatever swipes South coach Jarrad Wright handed out at half-time must have struck a chord, because finally someone was going to use that massive advantage being given by the football gods that day. The Panthers rammed home 7.2 to the Roosters' 1.3 in the third quarter, including an unanswered run of five goals. By the final change, the Panthers were holding a 23-point advantage. Now the wind was with the home side, forcing the visitors into all-out defensive posture as the expected Roosters attack ensued. At one point the Roosters drew the gap back to eight points with plenty of time left. They scored 3.3 to South's single major. But the Panthers defence held the line, for over 10 minutes they held on, scoring three behinds in that time and allowing North nothing. They would leave 11-point winners. Joey Haines was named best for the Panthers, gathering 28 disposals and eight marks. For the Roosters, it was Harrison Wigg with his 29 disposals and seven marks.
Game number three for the weekend takes us to the other side of town, to the inner south and into the Unley Oval where the Double Blues faced fellow affluents the Redlegs. The Blues weren't able to put one over the 'Legs last season, dropping both games. In Round 5, they blew a four-goal quarter-time lead and were outscored two goals to seven in the second half to go down by 15 points at Oxford Terrace. The Redlegs almost stuffed it themselves in the return game at The Parade, but held on for a three-point win in Round 12. In that game, Norwood were down by two goals at quarter-time. They made up that deficit in the second, but a run of missed opportunities allowed Sturt to stay within strike. It was even-steven by the final change, but a trio of behinds allowed them to escape with the points. The Redlegs made an example out of the Magpies last week, while the Blues' poor final term cost them dearly against the premiers at Woodville. This game had the best crowd for the week with just over 2900 turning out, the Redlegs starting proceedings with a 5.2 to 2.3 opening quarter to go up by 17 points at the first change. Momentum swung the other way in the second term, the Blues returning fire to bring the gap back to a single straight shot by the break. Sturt scored 3.2 to the Redlegs' 1.1, the visitors' lead cut down to four points come half-time. The see-sawing continued into the second half when play restarted, this time the Redlegs restricted the Blues to a single behind whilst kicking 3.1 for themselves in the third quarter. At the last change, Norwood were back out to a 22-point lead. The game ended up an arm-wrestle in the final term, neither side willing to give an inch. But the 'Legs had all the miles they needed and Sturt were unable to make up the ground already lost. Norwood won by 21 points in the end, scoring 1.2 to 1.3 to finish the afternoon's proceedings. Michael Knoll ruled the ruck for the Redlegs, he was named their best with 41 hit-outs and 18 disposals. James Battersby was again Sturt's best, with 25 disposals and six tackles.
The fourth game for the round takes us to the ACH Group Stadium in Glenelg where the Tigers prepared to face the Eagles in twilight conditions. The reigning premiers had it all over the 2019 champions from their two outings last year, starting with a 20-point win at Brighton Road in Round 5, then following that up with a 78-point demolition at Woodville in Round 12. The only blotch on the Eagles for that day was their oddly rubbish third term where they scored just one behind. They probably... no, most definitely should have won by a heck of a lot more. But that would be complaining, given their three-quarter domination. Both sides opened 2021 with victories, the Tigers beginning their centenary year unlike in their first year with an 11-point victory over the Bloods, while the Eagles raised the flag and then belted the Blues by 46 points. The wind that was troubling other sides around town was here too, the Tigers unable to land their blows to full effect as they scored 1.6 to the Eagles' 1.1. Both sides had accuracy issues in the second term, the Eagles would hit the front by half-time though, scoring 2.3 to 1.3 to lead by the narrowest of margins in footy at the long break. The Tigers found their mojo in time for the second half, their accuracy much improved and at no better time as they scored 6.2 -- their sixth coming right on the siren -- to the Eagles' 3.1 to take a three-goal lead into the three quarter-time huddle. Whatever they had against the Blues last week seemed to desert the Eagles this evening, the Tigers running off to an early season upset victory at the expense of the reigning premiers. Glenelg would finish off with a 29-point victory, slamming the door shut on the visitors with a 5.2 to 3.3 final term. Luke Partington was voted in as Glenelg's best afield with 32 disposals, while the Eagles named VFL import Dane McFarlane as their best with 25 disposals.
For the final match of the weekend there was another twilight match in progress, over at the Hisense Stadium in Richmond where the Bloods hosted the Crows. The Bloods were unlucky to have dropped points to the Crows' twos in their first encounter of 2019, having led by two goals at the final change but then lost by one goal in the end in Round 9. But then came Round 16, where the Crows put a beating on the hapless Bloods and kicked 10 goals to one in the second half to record a 65-point smashing. This will be the last time I mention anything about the AFL clubs sitting out second-tier football, of course they didn't meet last year due to that. This one was for the entire day, an arm-wrestling contest. The gap at any particular time would never exceed two goals. In what was probably the most entertaining match of the weekend, the Crows kicked the opening pair of goals but by the quarter-time siren it was the Bloods with the lead, the scoreboard reading 4.3 to 3.2. Inaccuracy by the Crows in the second term prevented them from taking over the lead after another fast start, but the Bloods' quarter-time advantage was cut back by a couple of points going into the sheds at half-time. The Crows scored 3.4 to the Bloods' 3.1, a gap of four points in favour of Westies at the long break. Adelaide would level the scores by the three quarter-time siren, a last chance by West going wide as the board read 10.7 each with the Crows outscoring the Bloods 3.1 to 2.3 in the third term. It was an all out battle in the final term, both sides struggling to break through the opposition's defences to make any meaningful scoreboard impact. Scores would still be level going into time-on, both sides by this time scored 1.3 each. But Adelaide had the final say, a goal at 22 minutes landing the knockout blow as the Crows held on to win by that single kick. Jackson Hately was named best for the Crows with his tally of 26 disposals and five tackles, the Bloods named former Hawthorn player Kieran Lovell as their best with 39 disposals and five marks.
FINAL SCORES IN ROUND 2 OF THE SANFL...
Saturday April 10
Port Adelaide 8.16 (64)
Central District 7.5 (47)
1,568 @ Alberton Oval
South Adelaide 11.11 (77)
North Adelaide 9.12 (66)
1,839 @ Prospect Oval
Norwood 10.6 (66)
Sturt 6.9 (45)
2,902 @ Unley Oval
Glenelg 13.13 (91)
Woodville-West Torrens 9.8 (62)
2,056 @ ACH Group Stadium, Glenelg
Adelaide 12.10 (82)
West Adelaide 11.10 (76)
1,085 @ Hisense Stadium, Richmond
INJURIES
Sturt -- Davis, Hone (hamstring)
REPORTS
Central -- Grant (rough conduct)
LEAGUE LADDER
-----------------------------------------
Norwood -- 4pts (2-0-0), 62.7%
South -- 4pts (2-0-0), 62.6%
Glenelg -- 4pts (2-0-0), 56.3%
W-WT -- 2pts (1-1-0), 52.9%
Central -- 2pts (1-1-0), 48.7%
-----------------------------------------
Port -- 2pts (1-1-0), 44.6%
Adelaide -- 2pts (1-1-0), 40.9%
West -- 0pts (0-2-0), 47.4%
North -- 0pts (0-2-0), 47%
Sturt -- 0pts (0-2-0), 36.8%
-----------------------------------------
Next weekend in Round 3...
Friday April 16 @ 7:40pm
Norwood vs. North Adelaide; Coopers Stadium, Norwood
Saturday April 17 @ 2:10pm
Sturt vs. West Adelaide; Unley Oval
Central District vs. Glenelg; X-Convenience Oval, Glenelg
South Adelaide vs. Port Adelaide; Flinders University Stadium, Noarlunga
Woodville-West Torrens vs. Adelaide; Maughan Thiem Kia Oval, Woodville
So until next weekend... see you at the Footy!
Although one of the games from Round 1 did not publish an official crowd number for one of the opening round matches, I believe that I can still safely say the first weekend of football was quite an overwhelming success with at least or close to 16000 SA footy-heads filing through the turnstiles. Unfortunately for this past weekend, with the AFL-W Preliminary Final on at the Adelaide Oval, SANFL crowds had dropped heavily with around 5000-plus people missing in comparison with the season kick-off weekend. Well it looks like its going to happen again this coming weekend with the Crows hosting the Grand Final against Brisbane, so you can probably bet that its going to draw people away from state league football again. Now don't anyone go getting your undies in a bunch, I'm not against the Women's league unlike some sexist boofheads. But with all the heaven and earth that the AFL is apparently able to move, surely we could have arrived at a solution that would give SANFL clubs -- who are already doing it tough as it is -- a better chance at drawing people to their games? Our clubs took massive financial hits when the pandemic happened. Some were pretty close to the brink and still are... we don't have the clout unlike those in the national league. But I digress...
Welcome to the Round 2 edition of the SANFL Wrap-Up.
All the weekend's action took place on the Saturday afternoon, the first game takes us out to the Alberton Oval where the Magpies hosted the Bulldogs. Back in the 2019 season, the Magpies hammered the Bulldogs by a combined tally of over 20 goals over their two games. In Round 6, the 'Pies were never more than three kicks away from the Bulldogs' grasp up to three quarter-time. They finished with a five goal to two last quarter to win by 34 points at Alberton. So you can already think of where this would end up when the Magpies swooped in at Elizabeth in Round 18... they smashed the hell out of the Dogs on their own patch, by 15 goals exactly. After a year in the wilderness thanks to the AFL's ruling on state league participation, this was to be a happy homecoming. Early on however, it looked as though the Dogs were out to prove their win against North last week wasn't a flash in the pan effort. They would kick 4.3 to the Magpies' five behinds to lead by 19 points at quarter-time. Going the other way in the second term with the wind against them, things should have been worse for the Magpies, but the lead would only go up a single point come half-time. Centrals would lead by 20 at the long break, having scored 4.1 to 2.3. The Bulldogs were pretty much all over the hosts in the first half, however when play resumed they were a different outfit. Port were still finding the avenues to goal difficult with the Dogs' constantly knocking back attacks, but at the same time were restricting the Dogs to just one point in the third quarter. The home side cut the deficit to 13 points going into the final change with their 2.2. The homecoming was as sweet as they had hoped, the Magpies overrunning the wasteful Dogs who couldn't use the northerly wind to their advantage at all. Port held the visitors scoreless and kicked 4.6 to take a 17-point victory. Sam Hayes was named best for Port, racking up 33 hit-outs and six marks to mark his case for an AFL call-up. Kyle Presbury was named Centrals' best with 35 disposals.
Next up in the wrap we head to the inner northern suburbs and into the Prospect Oval for SA's Civil War between the Roosters and the Panthers. There was a share of the points from their two encounters last season, the Roosters winning the first by eight points in Round 6 at Prospect, then the Panthers inflicted a seven-goal hiding at Noarlunga in the final round of the home and away season. The Roosters were perhaps fortunate not to have crossed their paths in the finals, not that it made much difference in the end, but there are always what-ifs. South saw off the Crows last weekend, while the Roosters fell to the Dogs in their Northern Derby. The north-bound wind was being felt here too and while the Panthers were battling against it, the Roosters were unable to use it! The Panthers would lead by three points at the first change, they scored 1.6 to North's 1.3 in the opening term. The roles were reversed in the second quarter, the Roosters taking over the lead themselves by the long break. South managed two goals with that breeze, the Roosters would score 4.3 to be ahead by two goals at half-time. Whatever swipes South coach Jarrad Wright handed out at half-time must have struck a chord, because finally someone was going to use that massive advantage being given by the football gods that day. The Panthers rammed home 7.2 to the Roosters' 1.3 in the third quarter, including an unanswered run of five goals. By the final change, the Panthers were holding a 23-point advantage. Now the wind was with the home side, forcing the visitors into all-out defensive posture as the expected Roosters attack ensued. At one point the Roosters drew the gap back to eight points with plenty of time left. They scored 3.3 to South's single major. But the Panthers defence held the line, for over 10 minutes they held on, scoring three behinds in that time and allowing North nothing. They would leave 11-point winners. Joey Haines was named best for the Panthers, gathering 28 disposals and eight marks. For the Roosters, it was Harrison Wigg with his 29 disposals and seven marks.
Game number three for the weekend takes us to the other side of town, to the inner south and into the Unley Oval where the Double Blues faced fellow affluents the Redlegs. The Blues weren't able to put one over the 'Legs last season, dropping both games. In Round 5, they blew a four-goal quarter-time lead and were outscored two goals to seven in the second half to go down by 15 points at Oxford Terrace. The Redlegs almost stuffed it themselves in the return game at The Parade, but held on for a three-point win in Round 12. In that game, Norwood were down by two goals at quarter-time. They made up that deficit in the second, but a run of missed opportunities allowed Sturt to stay within strike. It was even-steven by the final change, but a trio of behinds allowed them to escape with the points. The Redlegs made an example out of the Magpies last week, while the Blues' poor final term cost them dearly against the premiers at Woodville. This game had the best crowd for the week with just over 2900 turning out, the Redlegs starting proceedings with a 5.2 to 2.3 opening quarter to go up by 17 points at the first change. Momentum swung the other way in the second term, the Blues returning fire to bring the gap back to a single straight shot by the break. Sturt scored 3.2 to the Redlegs' 1.1, the visitors' lead cut down to four points come half-time. The see-sawing continued into the second half when play restarted, this time the Redlegs restricted the Blues to a single behind whilst kicking 3.1 for themselves in the third quarter. At the last change, Norwood were back out to a 22-point lead. The game ended up an arm-wrestle in the final term, neither side willing to give an inch. But the 'Legs had all the miles they needed and Sturt were unable to make up the ground already lost. Norwood won by 21 points in the end, scoring 1.2 to 1.3 to finish the afternoon's proceedings. Michael Knoll ruled the ruck for the Redlegs, he was named their best with 41 hit-outs and 18 disposals. James Battersby was again Sturt's best, with 25 disposals and six tackles.
The fourth game for the round takes us to the ACH Group Stadium in Glenelg where the Tigers prepared to face the Eagles in twilight conditions. The reigning premiers had it all over the 2019 champions from their two outings last year, starting with a 20-point win at Brighton Road in Round 5, then following that up with a 78-point demolition at Woodville in Round 12. The only blotch on the Eagles for that day was their oddly rubbish third term where they scored just one behind. They probably... no, most definitely should have won by a heck of a lot more. But that would be complaining, given their three-quarter domination. Both sides opened 2021 with victories, the Tigers beginning their centenary year unlike in their first year with an 11-point victory over the Bloods, while the Eagles raised the flag and then belted the Blues by 46 points. The wind that was troubling other sides around town was here too, the Tigers unable to land their blows to full effect as they scored 1.6 to the Eagles' 1.1. Both sides had accuracy issues in the second term, the Eagles would hit the front by half-time though, scoring 2.3 to 1.3 to lead by the narrowest of margins in footy at the long break. The Tigers found their mojo in time for the second half, their accuracy much improved and at no better time as they scored 6.2 -- their sixth coming right on the siren -- to the Eagles' 3.1 to take a three-goal lead into the three quarter-time huddle. Whatever they had against the Blues last week seemed to desert the Eagles this evening, the Tigers running off to an early season upset victory at the expense of the reigning premiers. Glenelg would finish off with a 29-point victory, slamming the door shut on the visitors with a 5.2 to 3.3 final term. Luke Partington was voted in as Glenelg's best afield with 32 disposals, while the Eagles named VFL import Dane McFarlane as their best with 25 disposals.
For the final match of the weekend there was another twilight match in progress, over at the Hisense Stadium in Richmond where the Bloods hosted the Crows. The Bloods were unlucky to have dropped points to the Crows' twos in their first encounter of 2019, having led by two goals at the final change but then lost by one goal in the end in Round 9. But then came Round 16, where the Crows put a beating on the hapless Bloods and kicked 10 goals to one in the second half to record a 65-point smashing. This will be the last time I mention anything about the AFL clubs sitting out second-tier football, of course they didn't meet last year due to that. This one was for the entire day, an arm-wrestling contest. The gap at any particular time would never exceed two goals. In what was probably the most entertaining match of the weekend, the Crows kicked the opening pair of goals but by the quarter-time siren it was the Bloods with the lead, the scoreboard reading 4.3 to 3.2. Inaccuracy by the Crows in the second term prevented them from taking over the lead after another fast start, but the Bloods' quarter-time advantage was cut back by a couple of points going into the sheds at half-time. The Crows scored 3.4 to the Bloods' 3.1, a gap of four points in favour of Westies at the long break. Adelaide would level the scores by the three quarter-time siren, a last chance by West going wide as the board read 10.7 each with the Crows outscoring the Bloods 3.1 to 2.3 in the third term. It was an all out battle in the final term, both sides struggling to break through the opposition's defences to make any meaningful scoreboard impact. Scores would still be level going into time-on, both sides by this time scored 1.3 each. But Adelaide had the final say, a goal at 22 minutes landing the knockout blow as the Crows held on to win by that single kick. Jackson Hately was named best for the Crows with his tally of 26 disposals and five tackles, the Bloods named former Hawthorn player Kieran Lovell as their best with 39 disposals and five marks.
FINAL SCORES IN ROUND 2 OF THE SANFL...
Saturday April 10
Port Adelaide 8.16 (64)
Central District 7.5 (47)
1,568 @ Alberton Oval
South Adelaide 11.11 (77)
North Adelaide 9.12 (66)
1,839 @ Prospect Oval
Norwood 10.6 (66)
Sturt 6.9 (45)
2,902 @ Unley Oval
Glenelg 13.13 (91)
Woodville-West Torrens 9.8 (62)
2,056 @ ACH Group Stadium, Glenelg
Adelaide 12.10 (82)
West Adelaide 11.10 (76)
1,085 @ Hisense Stadium, Richmond
INJURIES
Sturt -- Davis, Hone (hamstring)
REPORTS
Central -- Grant (rough conduct)
LEAGUE LADDER
-----------------------------------------
Norwood -- 4pts (2-0-0), 62.7%
South -- 4pts (2-0-0), 62.6%
Glenelg -- 4pts (2-0-0), 56.3%
W-WT -- 2pts (1-1-0), 52.9%
Central -- 2pts (1-1-0), 48.7%
-----------------------------------------
Port -- 2pts (1-1-0), 44.6%
Adelaide -- 2pts (1-1-0), 40.9%
West -- 0pts (0-2-0), 47.4%
North -- 0pts (0-2-0), 47%
Sturt -- 0pts (0-2-0), 36.8%
-----------------------------------------
Next weekend in Round 3...
Friday April 16 @ 7:40pm
Norwood vs. North Adelaide; Coopers Stadium, Norwood
Saturday April 17 @ 2:10pm
Sturt vs. West Adelaide; Unley Oval
Central District vs. Glenelg; X-Convenience Oval, Glenelg
South Adelaide vs. Port Adelaide; Flinders University Stadium, Noarlunga
Woodville-West Torrens vs. Adelaide; Maughan Thiem Kia Oval, Woodville
So until next weekend... see you at the Footy!
