- May 8, 2001
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- CDFC (SANFL), Port Melb (VFL)
Hi Footy fans...
With this past weekend being that which the annual SA Country Football Championships were being held in Port Pirie, this week we'll start with a piece of football history that took place around this time 40 years ago. Before he was given the senior state coach role the following season as well as eventually taking Glenelg to the title, Graham Cornes was given the task of coaching the 1985 SA Country side to face their counterparts from Western Australia. It was a breakthrough year for the country Croweaters, having been dealt defeat over the previous two years. They won by 28 points at Subiaco Oval, Cornes' doing what some would consider the unthinkable, uniting players from almost all corners of the state from the far west, to the Riverland, Kangaroo Island and even down to the south east to achieve this historic victory. It was probably this feat, along with the eventual premiership triumph with his beloved Tigers that put Cornes in the frame to take the helm with South Australia at State of Origin level in 1986 up to 1995, where he cemented his legacy to the red guernsey with multiple victories against the Sandgropers and of course the old enemy in Victoria. The country boys will get another shot at the jumper with a looming clash with WA near the end of the month.
Welcome to the Round 13 edition of the Wrap-Up for SANFL 2025.
All the football action would take place on the Saturday afternoon and first up we're getting on the tram and heading to the seaside for the much-anticipated meeting between the Tigers and the Crows at Stratarama Stadium in Glenelg. The Crows were only just able to outlast the reigning premiers in their previous encounter back in Round 3, winning by four points. Adelaide were the most guilty of missed opportunities with 14.14 on the board at game's end, but the Tigers had a bout with the bug in the final term. They were only adrift by two goals, but kicked 2.4 to 1.2 as the Crows evaded their grasp. Both teams were winners last week, with the Tigers taking a 50-point win against the Bloods, while Adelaide inflicted double that upon the Eagles at league HQ. A run of behinds greeted the assembled punters over the opening 12 minutes, before the Tigers finally found their mark with four straight goals. Adelaide managed to get a couple on the board themselves before quarter-time, the Bays holding a 14-point lead with the board reading 4.5 to 2.3. The second term was quite the show with the two teams trading majors throughout the period, both scoring four goals a piece. Only a single minor score for the Tigers changed the margin going into the sheds at the long break, their lead extended to 15 points. The exchange of scores continued well into the third quarter, the Crows bringing it back to a 10-point deficit at the 13th minute with three of the next five goals. But the Tigers finished the quarter strongly, bagging a further four goals before three quarter-time to lead by 34 points. Those unanswered goals would prove to be costly for the Crows, they never got that much closer as the home side kept them well away for the remainder of the match to take out victory. The visitors kicked four goals to Glenelg's two, the final margin was 28 points. Jarryd Lyons was Glenelg's best afield, with 27 disposals, seven tackles along with six clearances and marks. For Adelaide it was Lachlan Sholl with 24 disposals and 10 marks.
The second match sends us up north to the X-Convenience Oval in Elizabeth where the Bulldogs took on the Redlegs. The last time these sides met were under Friday Night Lights at The Parade in Round 7, where the Doggies triumphed by 11 points. The Redlegs had actually kept the Dogs scoreless to begin with, but wasteful shooting on goal allowed Centrals to get within a kick by half-time. The 'Legs simply ran out of time, having closed to a single kick during final quarter time-on, the Dogs nailing a goal at the siren for the win. Both sides came out with wins last week, the Dogs victorious down south at Noarlunga while the Redlegs downed the old enemy at Alberton. The scores would go tied up at the first change at 3.1 each, the Redlegs having to respond after an early assault. The second term would be mostly remembered for the long list of missed opportunities from both sides, the Redlegs blowing more than their share. They kicked 1.6, much like they did at home in that previous game at Norwood in the opening period. Two of those chances could have seen a late lead change before the long break. The Dogs would kick 3.4 to go into the rooms at half-time with a 10-point advantage. Another score-for-score period came when play resumed, in a repeat of the first term they both scored 3.1. One of those Centrals goals allowed the previous 10-point deficit to be maintained come three quarter-time. After conceding the first goal of the last term, the Redlegs were able to bring the home side back to a seven-point gap, but then the Bulldogs would keep the visitors largely quiet from the 14th minute. Centrals would proceed to kick three of the last four goals, all scores counted it was their four goals to Norwood's 2.3 that saw them away to a 19-point win. Luca Whitelum was Centrals' best, with 22 disposals, nine marks and four tackles, while the Redlegs named Billy Cootee with 25 disposals, seven tackles and five each in marks and clearances.
Game number three for the weekend takes us to the Maughan Thiem Kia Oval in Woodville for the western suburbs clash between the Eagles and the Bloods. The Eagles were peppering their goals madly back in Round 3 at Richmond for a 38-point victory, during a period where they were a far better side. That was win number two at the time, in amongst six victories up to Round 9. Now while the Bloods haven't really been up to much with only one win to their name, they haven't hit the low that the Eagles have over the last fortnight. Westies lost by 50 points to the Tigers at Brighton Road last week, but it was a second consecutive three-digit loss for the Eagles with a 100-point smashing from Adelaide. If there was anytime that the Bloods were in with a chance, this was it against a wounded foe. Westies would control most of the opening term, kicking the first major and holding the Eagles to three minor scores. The Eagles would find the big sticks eventually during time on, the Bloods two late misses saw them ahead by a goal at quarter-time with the board reading 3.3 to 2.3. The Bloods would then produce some of their best attacking footy in the second term, kicking five goals to one to go into the sheds with a 29-point half-time lead. When play resumed, the Bloods controlled most of the third term, maintaining the five-kick gap for more than 20 minutes before the Eagles bagged three goals during added time and suddenly the visitors' lead was back to just 10 points at three quarter-time. The final term was pretty much blink and your done, both sides kicked a pair of behinds each over 20 minutes before the Bloods nailed a goal to stretch their lead to 16 points. The Eagles tried time and time again, but would manage just three behinds for their trouble. The Bloods faithful would finally have something to shout about, winning the war of the west by 13 points. Caleb May was best afield for the Bloods with 15 disposals, eight tackles, five clearances and three free kicks. For the Eagles, it was James Rowe with 30 disposals, nine clearances and five frees.
The fourth game for the day took us a little further up Port Road and around to the Alberton Oval where the Magpies faced the Double Blues. Back in Round 2 at Oxford Terrace the Blues had their hands full for a while, their dominating form still very much in its infancy. There was just two kicks separating them at three quarter-time before the Blues booted six goals to three in the final stanza to run out 29-point winners. Nowadays, they couldn't be anymore different. The Magpies have lost their last two games, including last week against the Redlegs at Alberton by 16 points. The Blues have been operating on another level entirely, two consecutive 100+ point wins and setting a new league record of successive minor round wins. It was probably surprising early on that the Magpies were able to keep step with the Blues, leading by a point at quarter-time with the board reading 3.2 to 3.1. But it would take more than that to put one over a mob like the Blues, who then scored four goals over seven minutes to begin the second period, among the total 8.4 to the Magpies' 2.1 to lead by 38 points at the half-time break. The romp was on, though it wouldn't reach the heights of their previous two weeks but to many SA footy-heads, a huge win at Queen Street is a good day out. By three quarter-time, the deficit stretched out to 57 points with the Blues adding a further 5.4 to Port's 2.3. That would then blow out to as much as 16 straight kicks early into final term extra time, having bagged another six goals. Port kicked the last three goals of the contest, if only to avoid being another century on Sturt's 2025 list of victims. With minor scores counted, the Blues won by 74 points. The visitors finished with seven individual goal-kickers and if you add this deficit to the previous two games, Sturt have won by more than 300 points in three weeks. In regards to best on ground, the Blues named Angus Anderson with 22 disposals, eight tackles and seven clearances, while the Magpies named Jack Watkins with 28 disposals, six tackles and five each in the marks and clearances columns.
The final match for the weekend takes us out to the Spencer Gulf, where in amongst the festivities of the Country Championships would be the contest between the Roosters and the Panthers at Port Pirie's Memorial Oval. It was back in Round 4 at Noarlunga where the Roosters would come out seven-point winners in a match where the Panthers had led at every change except when it mattered. North's final term attacks were largely minor scores, but put enough pressure on the blue & whites to overwhelm them in the finish. They both found themselves on the wrong end of the stick last week, with North falling victim to the Blues' onslaught, while the Panthers' confidence gained against Port was seemingly dealt a blow by the Bulldogs at home. South's opening quarter was just what was needed, a blistering start by the "visitors" saw them boot 8.2 while the Roosters managed just 1.1, the Panthers leading by 43 points at quarter-time. However the Roosters returned fire in the second term, reeling the deficit back to 19 points by the long break with their six goals to South's two. After surrendering such an advantage so quickly, the Panthers needed to respond. When play resumed, they did exactly that. They made attack after attack, not always reaping max rewards but the gap slowly but surely reached nine kicks by the final change. South kicked 5.7 to a lousy three minor scores by the Roosters, the lead out to 53 points come three quarter-time. The Panthers would take the foot off the pedal in the final term, but despite North's best efforts it was a task too big. South kicked just one goal to North's 4.5 would reduce the final margin to 30 points, bringing up their third win for the year. Oliver Davis was South's best afield, with 26 disposals, nine tackles and seven clearances. The Roosters voted in Sam Cumming with 21 disposals, five each in the marks, tackles and clearances departments along with three goals.
FINAL SCORES -- Round 13
Saturday July 12
Glenelg 17.9 (111)
Adelaide 13.5 (83)
1,386 @ Stratarama Stadium, Glenelg
Central District 13.6 (84)
Norwood 9.11 (65)
1,723 @ X-Convenience Oval, Elizabeth
West Adelaide 10.9 (69)
Woodville-West Torrens 7.14 (56)
1,259 @ Maughan Thiem Kia Oval, Woodville
Sturt 22.11 (143)
Port Adelaide 10.9 (69)
1,830 @ Alberton Oval
South Adelaide 16.11 (107)
North Adelaide 11.11 (77)
2,492 @ Memorial Oval, Port Pirie
REPORTS
Norwood -- Callow (rough conduct)
W-WT -- Hayes (umpire abuse)
LEAGUE LADDER
--------------------------------------------------
Sturt -- 26pts (13-0-0), 64.3%
Glenelg -- 20pts (10-3-0), 60.3%
Adelaide -- 18pts (9-3-0), 58.9%
Central -- 18pts (9-4-0), 54.9%
W-WT -- 12pts (6-7-0), 46.8%
--------------------------------------------------
Norwood -- 8pts (4-9-0), 50.3%
Port -- 8pts (4-8-0), 44.6%
North -- 8pts (4-9-0), 41.6%
South -- 6pts (3-10-0), 42.4%
West -- 4pts (2-11-0) 35.4%
---------------------------------------------------
WOMEN'S FINALS -- Eagles into decider, North given the Blues
The SANFL-W Finals Series commenced with a double header at Woodville this past Sunday, beginning with the 2nd Semi-Final in which the Eagles booked their spot in the Grand Final in a fortnight's time in thrilling style. The Eagles dominated the opening quarter, restricting the Panthers to just two behinds but having to wait until deep into the period to get their two goals from five scores to lead by 13 at quarter-time. South recovered in the second term to draw it back to five points at the long break, then drawing level at three quarter-time. At the 10th minute of the final term, South broke through to lead by five points but after almost eight minutes the Eagles' final play got them the match winning major to win by a point, from the boot of Klaudia O'Neill. Zahlia Niemann was best afield for the Eagles with 20 disposals and six marks, while Alice Tentye and Julia Faulkner brought the pressure with 20 tackles between them. Emma Charlton was South's standout with 25 disposals and 10 tackles. The Panthers will now have to take on the Double Blues at Noarlunga next week, who tore the hearts right out of the Roosters in the cut-throat 1st Semi-Final. The Roosters would only find the big sticks once for the whole game, by that time the Blues had five to their name. Blues Monique Bessen, Alisha Gepp and Isobel Kuiper brought the physicality with 26 tackles, Bessen was Sturt's overall best with 21 disposals and five marks. Julia Clark was the Roosters' best with 28 disposals and nine clearances.
1st Semi-Final -- Sturt 5.2 (32) def. North Adelaide 1.2 (8)
2nd Semi-Final -- Woodville-West Torrens 4.6 (30) def. South Adelaide 4.5 (29)
JUNIOR CROWEATERS STEAL IT FROM COUNTRY BOYS
The South Australians pulled off one hell of a heist to take their first points in their Marsh AFL U-16 National Championship match against Victoria Country this past Tuesday at People First Stadium on the Gold Coast. Early on the Vics looked the goods, leading by 19 points at quarter-time, then by 28 at the long break with the board reading 8.7 to 4.3. The signs of the comeback showed in the third quarter, though the Croweaters' shooting on goal left a lot to be desired. They kicked 3.9, but had also restricted Vic Country to just 1.2 to cut their advantage down to a very manageable nine points at the final change. There was an exchange of goals early in the last quarter, plus some more missed shots from the boys in red. But then with the last two goals of the game, the Croweaters would emerge victorious by five points. Kai Ivins was among the best for SA with three goals, as was the pair that made the match winning play in Taj Garrett and Laurence Andriani, while Hugo Semmler ruled the middle. Their next assignment will be Victoria Metro at Fankhauser Reserve -- home of VFL club Southport -- on the Gold Coast this Friday morning.
South Australia 11.15 (81) def. Victoria Country 11.10 (76)
COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS -- South-East wins fifth title, successful defence for Eastern women
The South-East men's side emerged as the title winners from this year's Think! Road Safety SA Country Championships, their fifth such triumph in the tournament's history. They would go undefeated through the series played at Port Pirie in the Northern Zone, made up of players from the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara, Mid South East and Limestone Coast leagues. Starting with the pair of opening round clashes on Saturday, they downed Central by 10 points, followed by a 28-point win against the home team in Northern. With victory against Southern by 15 points on Sunday, the title was theirs. From all the players involved, the Don McSweeny Medal and the leading goal-kicker award would go to Southern's Fraser Bradley of MSE club Hatherleigh, while title winning coach Daron McElroy of West Gambier received the Bill Murdoch Medal. The women's section was won by the Eastern team from the Hills, Riverland, Murray Valley and River Murray leagues. It was back-to-back titles for the Eastern ladies, who also won all three of their games against Southern (31 points) and Eyre Peninsula (13 points) on Saturday, then against South-East by two goals on Sunday. They also swept the pools in the best and fairest awards, coach Damien Venning winning best coach honours and Madeline Nuss of Hills side Mount Lofty bagging player of the tournament, best U-21 award as well as a share in the goal-kickers honours with Northern's Tamika Reid of Central Augusta. The men's team of the championships will no doubt make up the bulk of the SA Country side that will face WA Country in Perth in a fortnight's time.
Next weekend in Round 14...
Saturday July 19
Norwood vs. Woodville-West Torrens; Coopers Stadium, Norwood @ 2:10pm
Sturt vs. Central District; Thomas Farms Oval, Unley @ 2:10pm
Glenelg vs. South Adelaide; Stratarama Stadium, Glenelg @ 2:10pm
West Adelaide vs. Adelaide; Hisense Stadium, Richmond @ 2:30pm
Sunday July 20 @ 1:10pm
North Adelaide vs. Port Adelaide; Prospect Oval
So until next weekend... see you at the Footy!
With this past weekend being that which the annual SA Country Football Championships were being held in Port Pirie, this week we'll start with a piece of football history that took place around this time 40 years ago. Before he was given the senior state coach role the following season as well as eventually taking Glenelg to the title, Graham Cornes was given the task of coaching the 1985 SA Country side to face their counterparts from Western Australia. It was a breakthrough year for the country Croweaters, having been dealt defeat over the previous two years. They won by 28 points at Subiaco Oval, Cornes' doing what some would consider the unthinkable, uniting players from almost all corners of the state from the far west, to the Riverland, Kangaroo Island and even down to the south east to achieve this historic victory. It was probably this feat, along with the eventual premiership triumph with his beloved Tigers that put Cornes in the frame to take the helm with South Australia at State of Origin level in 1986 up to 1995, where he cemented his legacy to the red guernsey with multiple victories against the Sandgropers and of course the old enemy in Victoria. The country boys will get another shot at the jumper with a looming clash with WA near the end of the month.
Welcome to the Round 13 edition of the Wrap-Up for SANFL 2025.
All the football action would take place on the Saturday afternoon and first up we're getting on the tram and heading to the seaside for the much-anticipated meeting between the Tigers and the Crows at Stratarama Stadium in Glenelg. The Crows were only just able to outlast the reigning premiers in their previous encounter back in Round 3, winning by four points. Adelaide were the most guilty of missed opportunities with 14.14 on the board at game's end, but the Tigers had a bout with the bug in the final term. They were only adrift by two goals, but kicked 2.4 to 1.2 as the Crows evaded their grasp. Both teams were winners last week, with the Tigers taking a 50-point win against the Bloods, while Adelaide inflicted double that upon the Eagles at league HQ. A run of behinds greeted the assembled punters over the opening 12 minutes, before the Tigers finally found their mark with four straight goals. Adelaide managed to get a couple on the board themselves before quarter-time, the Bays holding a 14-point lead with the board reading 4.5 to 2.3. The second term was quite the show with the two teams trading majors throughout the period, both scoring four goals a piece. Only a single minor score for the Tigers changed the margin going into the sheds at the long break, their lead extended to 15 points. The exchange of scores continued well into the third quarter, the Crows bringing it back to a 10-point deficit at the 13th minute with three of the next five goals. But the Tigers finished the quarter strongly, bagging a further four goals before three quarter-time to lead by 34 points. Those unanswered goals would prove to be costly for the Crows, they never got that much closer as the home side kept them well away for the remainder of the match to take out victory. The visitors kicked four goals to Glenelg's two, the final margin was 28 points. Jarryd Lyons was Glenelg's best afield, with 27 disposals, seven tackles along with six clearances and marks. For Adelaide it was Lachlan Sholl with 24 disposals and 10 marks.
The second match sends us up north to the X-Convenience Oval in Elizabeth where the Bulldogs took on the Redlegs. The last time these sides met were under Friday Night Lights at The Parade in Round 7, where the Doggies triumphed by 11 points. The Redlegs had actually kept the Dogs scoreless to begin with, but wasteful shooting on goal allowed Centrals to get within a kick by half-time. The 'Legs simply ran out of time, having closed to a single kick during final quarter time-on, the Dogs nailing a goal at the siren for the win. Both sides came out with wins last week, the Dogs victorious down south at Noarlunga while the Redlegs downed the old enemy at Alberton. The scores would go tied up at the first change at 3.1 each, the Redlegs having to respond after an early assault. The second term would be mostly remembered for the long list of missed opportunities from both sides, the Redlegs blowing more than their share. They kicked 1.6, much like they did at home in that previous game at Norwood in the opening period. Two of those chances could have seen a late lead change before the long break. The Dogs would kick 3.4 to go into the rooms at half-time with a 10-point advantage. Another score-for-score period came when play resumed, in a repeat of the first term they both scored 3.1. One of those Centrals goals allowed the previous 10-point deficit to be maintained come three quarter-time. After conceding the first goal of the last term, the Redlegs were able to bring the home side back to a seven-point gap, but then the Bulldogs would keep the visitors largely quiet from the 14th minute. Centrals would proceed to kick three of the last four goals, all scores counted it was their four goals to Norwood's 2.3 that saw them away to a 19-point win. Luca Whitelum was Centrals' best, with 22 disposals, nine marks and four tackles, while the Redlegs named Billy Cootee with 25 disposals, seven tackles and five each in marks and clearances.
Game number three for the weekend takes us to the Maughan Thiem Kia Oval in Woodville for the western suburbs clash between the Eagles and the Bloods. The Eagles were peppering their goals madly back in Round 3 at Richmond for a 38-point victory, during a period where they were a far better side. That was win number two at the time, in amongst six victories up to Round 9. Now while the Bloods haven't really been up to much with only one win to their name, they haven't hit the low that the Eagles have over the last fortnight. Westies lost by 50 points to the Tigers at Brighton Road last week, but it was a second consecutive three-digit loss for the Eagles with a 100-point smashing from Adelaide. If there was anytime that the Bloods were in with a chance, this was it against a wounded foe. Westies would control most of the opening term, kicking the first major and holding the Eagles to three minor scores. The Eagles would find the big sticks eventually during time on, the Bloods two late misses saw them ahead by a goal at quarter-time with the board reading 3.3 to 2.3. The Bloods would then produce some of their best attacking footy in the second term, kicking five goals to one to go into the sheds with a 29-point half-time lead. When play resumed, the Bloods controlled most of the third term, maintaining the five-kick gap for more than 20 minutes before the Eagles bagged three goals during added time and suddenly the visitors' lead was back to just 10 points at three quarter-time. The final term was pretty much blink and your done, both sides kicked a pair of behinds each over 20 minutes before the Bloods nailed a goal to stretch their lead to 16 points. The Eagles tried time and time again, but would manage just three behinds for their trouble. The Bloods faithful would finally have something to shout about, winning the war of the west by 13 points. Caleb May was best afield for the Bloods with 15 disposals, eight tackles, five clearances and three free kicks. For the Eagles, it was James Rowe with 30 disposals, nine clearances and five frees.
The fourth game for the day took us a little further up Port Road and around to the Alberton Oval where the Magpies faced the Double Blues. Back in Round 2 at Oxford Terrace the Blues had their hands full for a while, their dominating form still very much in its infancy. There was just two kicks separating them at three quarter-time before the Blues booted six goals to three in the final stanza to run out 29-point winners. Nowadays, they couldn't be anymore different. The Magpies have lost their last two games, including last week against the Redlegs at Alberton by 16 points. The Blues have been operating on another level entirely, two consecutive 100+ point wins and setting a new league record of successive minor round wins. It was probably surprising early on that the Magpies were able to keep step with the Blues, leading by a point at quarter-time with the board reading 3.2 to 3.1. But it would take more than that to put one over a mob like the Blues, who then scored four goals over seven minutes to begin the second period, among the total 8.4 to the Magpies' 2.1 to lead by 38 points at the half-time break. The romp was on, though it wouldn't reach the heights of their previous two weeks but to many SA footy-heads, a huge win at Queen Street is a good day out. By three quarter-time, the deficit stretched out to 57 points with the Blues adding a further 5.4 to Port's 2.3. That would then blow out to as much as 16 straight kicks early into final term extra time, having bagged another six goals. Port kicked the last three goals of the contest, if only to avoid being another century on Sturt's 2025 list of victims. With minor scores counted, the Blues won by 74 points. The visitors finished with seven individual goal-kickers and if you add this deficit to the previous two games, Sturt have won by more than 300 points in three weeks. In regards to best on ground, the Blues named Angus Anderson with 22 disposals, eight tackles and seven clearances, while the Magpies named Jack Watkins with 28 disposals, six tackles and five each in the marks and clearances columns.
The final match for the weekend takes us out to the Spencer Gulf, where in amongst the festivities of the Country Championships would be the contest between the Roosters and the Panthers at Port Pirie's Memorial Oval. It was back in Round 4 at Noarlunga where the Roosters would come out seven-point winners in a match where the Panthers had led at every change except when it mattered. North's final term attacks were largely minor scores, but put enough pressure on the blue & whites to overwhelm them in the finish. They both found themselves on the wrong end of the stick last week, with North falling victim to the Blues' onslaught, while the Panthers' confidence gained against Port was seemingly dealt a blow by the Bulldogs at home. South's opening quarter was just what was needed, a blistering start by the "visitors" saw them boot 8.2 while the Roosters managed just 1.1, the Panthers leading by 43 points at quarter-time. However the Roosters returned fire in the second term, reeling the deficit back to 19 points by the long break with their six goals to South's two. After surrendering such an advantage so quickly, the Panthers needed to respond. When play resumed, they did exactly that. They made attack after attack, not always reaping max rewards but the gap slowly but surely reached nine kicks by the final change. South kicked 5.7 to a lousy three minor scores by the Roosters, the lead out to 53 points come three quarter-time. The Panthers would take the foot off the pedal in the final term, but despite North's best efforts it was a task too big. South kicked just one goal to North's 4.5 would reduce the final margin to 30 points, bringing up their third win for the year. Oliver Davis was South's best afield, with 26 disposals, nine tackles and seven clearances. The Roosters voted in Sam Cumming with 21 disposals, five each in the marks, tackles and clearances departments along with three goals.
FINAL SCORES -- Round 13
Saturday July 12
Glenelg 17.9 (111)
Adelaide 13.5 (83)
1,386 @ Stratarama Stadium, Glenelg
Central District 13.6 (84)
Norwood 9.11 (65)
1,723 @ X-Convenience Oval, Elizabeth
West Adelaide 10.9 (69)
Woodville-West Torrens 7.14 (56)
1,259 @ Maughan Thiem Kia Oval, Woodville
Sturt 22.11 (143)
Port Adelaide 10.9 (69)
1,830 @ Alberton Oval
South Adelaide 16.11 (107)
North Adelaide 11.11 (77)
2,492 @ Memorial Oval, Port Pirie
REPORTS
Norwood -- Callow (rough conduct)
W-WT -- Hayes (umpire abuse)
LEAGUE LADDER
--------------------------------------------------
Sturt -- 26pts (13-0-0), 64.3%
Glenelg -- 20pts (10-3-0), 60.3%
Adelaide -- 18pts (9-3-0), 58.9%
Central -- 18pts (9-4-0), 54.9%
W-WT -- 12pts (6-7-0), 46.8%
--------------------------------------------------
Norwood -- 8pts (4-9-0), 50.3%
Port -- 8pts (4-8-0), 44.6%
North -- 8pts (4-9-0), 41.6%
South -- 6pts (3-10-0), 42.4%
West -- 4pts (2-11-0) 35.4%
---------------------------------------------------
WOMEN'S FINALS -- Eagles into decider, North given the Blues
The SANFL-W Finals Series commenced with a double header at Woodville this past Sunday, beginning with the 2nd Semi-Final in which the Eagles booked their spot in the Grand Final in a fortnight's time in thrilling style. The Eagles dominated the opening quarter, restricting the Panthers to just two behinds but having to wait until deep into the period to get their two goals from five scores to lead by 13 at quarter-time. South recovered in the second term to draw it back to five points at the long break, then drawing level at three quarter-time. At the 10th minute of the final term, South broke through to lead by five points but after almost eight minutes the Eagles' final play got them the match winning major to win by a point, from the boot of Klaudia O'Neill. Zahlia Niemann was best afield for the Eagles with 20 disposals and six marks, while Alice Tentye and Julia Faulkner brought the pressure with 20 tackles between them. Emma Charlton was South's standout with 25 disposals and 10 tackles. The Panthers will now have to take on the Double Blues at Noarlunga next week, who tore the hearts right out of the Roosters in the cut-throat 1st Semi-Final. The Roosters would only find the big sticks once for the whole game, by that time the Blues had five to their name. Blues Monique Bessen, Alisha Gepp and Isobel Kuiper brought the physicality with 26 tackles, Bessen was Sturt's overall best with 21 disposals and five marks. Julia Clark was the Roosters' best with 28 disposals and nine clearances.
1st Semi-Final -- Sturt 5.2 (32) def. North Adelaide 1.2 (8)
2nd Semi-Final -- Woodville-West Torrens 4.6 (30) def. South Adelaide 4.5 (29)
JUNIOR CROWEATERS STEAL IT FROM COUNTRY BOYS
The South Australians pulled off one hell of a heist to take their first points in their Marsh AFL U-16 National Championship match against Victoria Country this past Tuesday at People First Stadium on the Gold Coast. Early on the Vics looked the goods, leading by 19 points at quarter-time, then by 28 at the long break with the board reading 8.7 to 4.3. The signs of the comeback showed in the third quarter, though the Croweaters' shooting on goal left a lot to be desired. They kicked 3.9, but had also restricted Vic Country to just 1.2 to cut their advantage down to a very manageable nine points at the final change. There was an exchange of goals early in the last quarter, plus some more missed shots from the boys in red. But then with the last two goals of the game, the Croweaters would emerge victorious by five points. Kai Ivins was among the best for SA with three goals, as was the pair that made the match winning play in Taj Garrett and Laurence Andriani, while Hugo Semmler ruled the middle. Their next assignment will be Victoria Metro at Fankhauser Reserve -- home of VFL club Southport -- on the Gold Coast this Friday morning.
South Australia 11.15 (81) def. Victoria Country 11.10 (76)
COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS -- South-East wins fifth title, successful defence for Eastern women
The South-East men's side emerged as the title winners from this year's Think! Road Safety SA Country Championships, their fifth such triumph in the tournament's history. They would go undefeated through the series played at Port Pirie in the Northern Zone, made up of players from the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara, Mid South East and Limestone Coast leagues. Starting with the pair of opening round clashes on Saturday, they downed Central by 10 points, followed by a 28-point win against the home team in Northern. With victory against Southern by 15 points on Sunday, the title was theirs. From all the players involved, the Don McSweeny Medal and the leading goal-kicker award would go to Southern's Fraser Bradley of MSE club Hatherleigh, while title winning coach Daron McElroy of West Gambier received the Bill Murdoch Medal. The women's section was won by the Eastern team from the Hills, Riverland, Murray Valley and River Murray leagues. It was back-to-back titles for the Eastern ladies, who also won all three of their games against Southern (31 points) and Eyre Peninsula (13 points) on Saturday, then against South-East by two goals on Sunday. They also swept the pools in the best and fairest awards, coach Damien Venning winning best coach honours and Madeline Nuss of Hills side Mount Lofty bagging player of the tournament, best U-21 award as well as a share in the goal-kickers honours with Northern's Tamika Reid of Central Augusta. The men's team of the championships will no doubt make up the bulk of the SA Country side that will face WA Country in Perth in a fortnight's time.
Next weekend in Round 14...
Saturday July 19
Norwood vs. Woodville-West Torrens; Coopers Stadium, Norwood @ 2:10pm
Sturt vs. Central District; Thomas Farms Oval, Unley @ 2:10pm
Glenelg vs. South Adelaide; Stratarama Stadium, Glenelg @ 2:10pm
West Adelaide vs. Adelaide; Hisense Stadium, Richmond @ 2:30pm
Sunday July 20 @ 1:10pm
North Adelaide vs. Port Adelaide; Prospect Oval
So until next weekend... see you at the Footy!