- May 8, 2001
- 5,666
- 817
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Other Teams
- CDFC (SANFL), Port Melb (VFL)
Hi Footy fans...
Its one of the last great football traditions left... interstate football. Given up for dead by the AFL in the belief that regular national club competition was a sufficient replacement, representative football at the second tier level kept the spirit alive. The landscape of state football, largely due to the influence of the AFL, shifted here and there. The early strugglers were indeed South Australia, who were forced to adapt later than their Western Australian counterparts where involvement in a national competition came sooner. Victoria was even further behind, all of a sudden their "Association" was the top state-based competition and didn't venture out into the tougher level of competition until 1999. But the level of competition between the leagues has never been better nowadays with State football pretty much alive and well.
Welcome to this special edition of the SANFL Wrap-Up, the 2016 State League Representative Match between South Australia and Victoria.
The South Australian sides seemed all but invincible coming out of the late 1990's, after the trauma stemming from SA's entry into the AFL competition in 1991 and multiple losses to Western Australia and a shock defeat by Tasmania, SANFL state sides dominated all that came their way from 1996 in Perth up to 2001 back home against the Vics. Not that it took long for South Australia to get back into the winners circle unlike the early 90's, but suddenly the trip across the Nullarbor have become tough. The last two sides sent to Perth have come back empty handed, the most controversial in many SA footy-heads minds was the 2009 side sent over with only one team member from the most dominant club in the league and lost by a point. After a trio of victories from 2012 up to 2014, Woodville-West Torrens coach Michael Godden vacated the state coach position which would be filled by SA football great and state football enthusiast Graham Cornes. But it wouldn't be a victorious return for the former Glenelg player and Adelaide coach, the WAFL inflicting a resounding belting on SA to the tune of 45 points. The state selection criteria and training program was consequently altered for this year's match, the selectors going for youth and speed above tried experience with a swag of debutants in the mix. Sturt's Zane Kirkwood was named captain, with familiar faces such as vice-captain Steven Summerton from Port, James Boyd from the Eagles and South's Brett Eddy. In the first timers ring was Travis Schiller from Centrals and Glenelg's Willie Rioli.
The Victorian Football Association was the hardest hit by the transition of the old VFL to the AFL, representative football for them was not immediately on their agenda. They eventually made a date in 1994 to face the Northern Territory Football League in Melbourne, going down by 23 points. After re-badging themselves as the Victorian Football League, they would win three matches over as many years against NSW, Tasmania and the ACT, then would have their run ended by the Apple Isle in Hobart in 1998, defeated by 35 points. Despite this, the VFL believed it was time to take on the might of the other traditional football states. The following two matches in 1999 and 2001 would end in defeat for the Victorians, but in 2002 the VFL put a hammering on the Croweaters with a 56-point win at Adelaide Oval to claim the trophy. During a year off in 2003, an agreement between the SANFL, WAFL and VFL was reached for a three-year rotational cycle of matches between the states. After seeing off their "bye" year, Victoria travelled to WA and defeated the Sandgropers by 11 points at Leederville, only to go down by four points the following year to South Australia in a titanic encounter at Port Melbourne. South Australia was an itch that the Vics just couldn't scratch over the ensuing years, there were victories over the WAFL and the Tasmanians in 2010 and 2012 but the last two outings have not been kind, losing to WA in 2013 and SA again in 2014. A familiar face was to grace the VFL coach position in former West Adelaide and current Williamstown coach Andrew Collins, a man who isn't a stranger to pulling on the Big V jumper himself. Leading the Victorian pack would be Footscray's Jordan Russell and vice-captain David Mirra of Box Hill. The VFL line up would include several club captains, Team of the Year members and experienced state campaigners, most notably North Ballarat's Nick Rippon who took out last year's Liston Trophy, two-time Frankston B&F Ben Navarra, Essendon leader Dan Coghlan and Port Melbourne's frontline ruckman Khan Haretuku.
The Victorians struck first amid some early nerves from South Australia, leading VFL goal-kicker Sam Dunell taking the first goal of the match after being sighted on the run with little pressure behind him. A couple of goals to answer back from Lachlan McGregor and Kirkwood settled the Croweaters, the latter coming from a high tackle charge and subsequent free kick. Willie Wheeler, Will Hayes and Navarra were the other goal contributors in the opening term, but South Australia would go into the first break 13-points up with a pair of goals from Rioli one of the highlights. The scoring wasn't going to be as plentiful as it was in the opening term from here, some inaccuracy stifling both sides in building a score. The Croweaters did build on their advantage though, the Vics not taking another major until late in the second quarter through Hayes and Essendon captain Dan Coghlan. Rioli bagged his third during this period, Brett Eddy chimed in here as well to take two for himself as the South Australians took their lead to 25 points by the half-time break. Attack was definitely Victoria's weakness in the first half, several opportunities went begging as evidenced by their 2.3 in that term. The Croweaters pounced on the multiple turnovers created and made the Vics pay for the most part through better ball movement, improving on their nervy opening minutes of the first quarter.
When play resumed, despite the Croweaters again strengthening their position on the scoreboard the Victorians stepped up their efforts a bit and only fell short on the scoring tally by one miss, pointing to the possibility that the visitors had something in reserve. Williamstown's Michael Gibbons hinted at this with the first goal of the term before the SANFL bagged four goals on the trot. Eddy's 50-odd metre punt was a highlight while Rioli and McGregor added to their tallies, the Vics scoring a pair through Rippon and the big Borough man Haretuku later on to make it a five-goal ball game instead of a seven-goal game. The signs of a Big V comeback were well and truly on display in the final term, Victoria mounting a last quarter comeback as they cut a five-goal three quarter-time deficit down to 19 points in 15 minutes and the Croweaters were butchering several chances on goal. Through the likes of Rippon and Werribee duo Mike Sodomaco and Matt Hanson there was a genuine chance for the VFL to cause an upset as they kicked 4.3. But two late goals to Norwood's Lewis Johnston and South Adelaide's Joel Cross steadied the ship as South Australia won by 19 points. Zane Kirkwood took out his second Fos Williams Medal as best for the SANFL with his three goals and 30 disposals, while in the VFL camp it was Michael Gibbons who finished with 34 disposals and earned himself a Frank Johnson Medal to put alongside his 2015 premiership and Norm Goss Medals.
Sunday May 29
2016 STATE LEAGUE REPRESENTATIVE MATCH
South Australia 16.10 (106)
Victoria 13.9 (87)
4,319 @ Adelaide Oval
No reports or injuries were recorded.
Next weekend in your state league...
SANFL ROUND 10
Saturday June 4 @ 2:10pm
Woodville-West Torrens vs. Norwood; Maughan Thiem Hyundai Oval, Woodville
Port Adelaide vs. Glenelg; Alberton Oval
South Adelaide vs. North Adelaide; Hickinbotham Oval, Noarlunga
Sturt vs. Adelaide; Peter Motley Oval, Unley
West Adelaide vs. Central District; City Mazda Stadium, Richmond
VFL ROUND 9
Saturday June 4 @ 2pm
Werribee vs. Collingwood; Avalon Airport Oval, Werribee
Sunday June 5
Footscray vs. Williamstown; Vic Uni Whitten Oval, West Footscray @ 11am
Coburg vs. Richmond; Piranha Park, Coburg @ 11:40am
Geelong vs. Sandringham; Simonds Stadium, Geelong @ 1pm
Box Hill vs. North Ballarat; Box Hill City Oval @ 2pm
Casey vs. Port Melbourne; Casey Fields, Cranbourne @ 2pm
Northern Blues vs. Frankston; IKON Park, Carlton North @ 2pm
So until next weekend... see you at the Footy!
Its one of the last great football traditions left... interstate football. Given up for dead by the AFL in the belief that regular national club competition was a sufficient replacement, representative football at the second tier level kept the spirit alive. The landscape of state football, largely due to the influence of the AFL, shifted here and there. The early strugglers were indeed South Australia, who were forced to adapt later than their Western Australian counterparts where involvement in a national competition came sooner. Victoria was even further behind, all of a sudden their "Association" was the top state-based competition and didn't venture out into the tougher level of competition until 1999. But the level of competition between the leagues has never been better nowadays with State football pretty much alive and well.
Welcome to this special edition of the SANFL Wrap-Up, the 2016 State League Representative Match between South Australia and Victoria.
The South Australian sides seemed all but invincible coming out of the late 1990's, after the trauma stemming from SA's entry into the AFL competition in 1991 and multiple losses to Western Australia and a shock defeat by Tasmania, SANFL state sides dominated all that came their way from 1996 in Perth up to 2001 back home against the Vics. Not that it took long for South Australia to get back into the winners circle unlike the early 90's, but suddenly the trip across the Nullarbor have become tough. The last two sides sent to Perth have come back empty handed, the most controversial in many SA footy-heads minds was the 2009 side sent over with only one team member from the most dominant club in the league and lost by a point. After a trio of victories from 2012 up to 2014, Woodville-West Torrens coach Michael Godden vacated the state coach position which would be filled by SA football great and state football enthusiast Graham Cornes. But it wouldn't be a victorious return for the former Glenelg player and Adelaide coach, the WAFL inflicting a resounding belting on SA to the tune of 45 points. The state selection criteria and training program was consequently altered for this year's match, the selectors going for youth and speed above tried experience with a swag of debutants in the mix. Sturt's Zane Kirkwood was named captain, with familiar faces such as vice-captain Steven Summerton from Port, James Boyd from the Eagles and South's Brett Eddy. In the first timers ring was Travis Schiller from Centrals and Glenelg's Willie Rioli.
The Victorian Football Association was the hardest hit by the transition of the old VFL to the AFL, representative football for them was not immediately on their agenda. They eventually made a date in 1994 to face the Northern Territory Football League in Melbourne, going down by 23 points. After re-badging themselves as the Victorian Football League, they would win three matches over as many years against NSW, Tasmania and the ACT, then would have their run ended by the Apple Isle in Hobart in 1998, defeated by 35 points. Despite this, the VFL believed it was time to take on the might of the other traditional football states. The following two matches in 1999 and 2001 would end in defeat for the Victorians, but in 2002 the VFL put a hammering on the Croweaters with a 56-point win at Adelaide Oval to claim the trophy. During a year off in 2003, an agreement between the SANFL, WAFL and VFL was reached for a three-year rotational cycle of matches between the states. After seeing off their "bye" year, Victoria travelled to WA and defeated the Sandgropers by 11 points at Leederville, only to go down by four points the following year to South Australia in a titanic encounter at Port Melbourne. South Australia was an itch that the Vics just couldn't scratch over the ensuing years, there were victories over the WAFL and the Tasmanians in 2010 and 2012 but the last two outings have not been kind, losing to WA in 2013 and SA again in 2014. A familiar face was to grace the VFL coach position in former West Adelaide and current Williamstown coach Andrew Collins, a man who isn't a stranger to pulling on the Big V jumper himself. Leading the Victorian pack would be Footscray's Jordan Russell and vice-captain David Mirra of Box Hill. The VFL line up would include several club captains, Team of the Year members and experienced state campaigners, most notably North Ballarat's Nick Rippon who took out last year's Liston Trophy, two-time Frankston B&F Ben Navarra, Essendon leader Dan Coghlan and Port Melbourne's frontline ruckman Khan Haretuku.
The Victorians struck first amid some early nerves from South Australia, leading VFL goal-kicker Sam Dunell taking the first goal of the match after being sighted on the run with little pressure behind him. A couple of goals to answer back from Lachlan McGregor and Kirkwood settled the Croweaters, the latter coming from a high tackle charge and subsequent free kick. Willie Wheeler, Will Hayes and Navarra were the other goal contributors in the opening term, but South Australia would go into the first break 13-points up with a pair of goals from Rioli one of the highlights. The scoring wasn't going to be as plentiful as it was in the opening term from here, some inaccuracy stifling both sides in building a score. The Croweaters did build on their advantage though, the Vics not taking another major until late in the second quarter through Hayes and Essendon captain Dan Coghlan. Rioli bagged his third during this period, Brett Eddy chimed in here as well to take two for himself as the South Australians took their lead to 25 points by the half-time break. Attack was definitely Victoria's weakness in the first half, several opportunities went begging as evidenced by their 2.3 in that term. The Croweaters pounced on the multiple turnovers created and made the Vics pay for the most part through better ball movement, improving on their nervy opening minutes of the first quarter.
When play resumed, despite the Croweaters again strengthening their position on the scoreboard the Victorians stepped up their efforts a bit and only fell short on the scoring tally by one miss, pointing to the possibility that the visitors had something in reserve. Williamstown's Michael Gibbons hinted at this with the first goal of the term before the SANFL bagged four goals on the trot. Eddy's 50-odd metre punt was a highlight while Rioli and McGregor added to their tallies, the Vics scoring a pair through Rippon and the big Borough man Haretuku later on to make it a five-goal ball game instead of a seven-goal game. The signs of a Big V comeback were well and truly on display in the final term, Victoria mounting a last quarter comeback as they cut a five-goal three quarter-time deficit down to 19 points in 15 minutes and the Croweaters were butchering several chances on goal. Through the likes of Rippon and Werribee duo Mike Sodomaco and Matt Hanson there was a genuine chance for the VFL to cause an upset as they kicked 4.3. But two late goals to Norwood's Lewis Johnston and South Adelaide's Joel Cross steadied the ship as South Australia won by 19 points. Zane Kirkwood took out his second Fos Williams Medal as best for the SANFL with his three goals and 30 disposals, while in the VFL camp it was Michael Gibbons who finished with 34 disposals and earned himself a Frank Johnson Medal to put alongside his 2015 premiership and Norm Goss Medals.
Sunday May 29
2016 STATE LEAGUE REPRESENTATIVE MATCH
South Australia 16.10 (106)
Victoria 13.9 (87)
4,319 @ Adelaide Oval
No reports or injuries were recorded.
Next weekend in your state league...
SANFL ROUND 10
Saturday June 4 @ 2:10pm
Woodville-West Torrens vs. Norwood; Maughan Thiem Hyundai Oval, Woodville
Port Adelaide vs. Glenelg; Alberton Oval
South Adelaide vs. North Adelaide; Hickinbotham Oval, Noarlunga
Sturt vs. Adelaide; Peter Motley Oval, Unley
West Adelaide vs. Central District; City Mazda Stadium, Richmond
VFL ROUND 9
Saturday June 4 @ 2pm
Werribee vs. Collingwood; Avalon Airport Oval, Werribee
Sunday June 5
Footscray vs. Williamstown; Vic Uni Whitten Oval, West Footscray @ 11am
Coburg vs. Richmond; Piranha Park, Coburg @ 11:40am
Geelong vs. Sandringham; Simonds Stadium, Geelong @ 1pm
Box Hill vs. North Ballarat; Box Hill City Oval @ 2pm
Casey vs. Port Melbourne; Casey Fields, Cranbourne @ 2pm
Northern Blues vs. Frankston; IKON Park, Carlton North @ 2pm
So until next weekend... see you at the Footy!
