- May 8, 2001
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Hi Footy fans...
Haydn Bunton Junior. A footballer whose legend was forged in both South Australia and Western Australia. In his career he played in over 150 games with North Adelaide and Norwood, as well as coming close to that same number with Swan Districts and Subiaco. He wasn't finished with football after his playing days, coaching the Lions to three WAFL premierships and adding Sturt and South Adelaide to his resume in the process. Magarey Medals, Sandover Medals, a B&F award at the Roosters and membership in SA, WA and AFL Halls of Fame. But the biggest link between these states and Bunton was his 22 matches, divided right down the middle, in Croweater and Sandgroper colours. Therefore it was only fitting that the prize awaiting the SANFL and WAFL teams be named after him... the Haydn Bunton Jnr Trophy.
Welcome to this special State League 2012 edition of the SANFL Wrap-Up.
South Australia and Western Australia had taken each other on in 91 previous occasions, the two states on near equal footing with the Sandgropers leading by a single match. After the advent of the AFL, interstate football at state league level arose as a secondary avenue to the state jumper next to the State of Origin brand played in the national competition. Along with the AFL came the Adelaide Crows, which changed the landscape of the SANFL just as the West Coast Eagles had impacted the WAFL. But with that experience came an ominous warning from WA coaching identity Barry Cable, who said it would take a while for SA to adjust. He was not far from the mark as the SANFL were soundly beaten in Perth in 1991. Although SA struck back in Adelaide the following year, consecutive losses to WA and then a 1995 defeat to Tasmania in Hobart shook the SANFL to its foundations.
Then in 1996, the South Australian domination began. For the next six years, SA went undefeated as Victoria re-entered the State arena, while Western Australia had scattered success against the likes of Queensland and Tasmania. Consecutive defeats at the hands of Victoria in 2004 and 2007 -- the latter being a 20-goal hammering -- did little to enhance WA's standing. South Australia would suffer only one defeat after their 1996 - 2001 run, a 2002 loss to the VFL would then see SA back to their winning ways from 2003 onwards. Which brings us to Western Australia's one game lead on the all-time ledger. The 2009 state match saw the Sandgropers win a nail-biter at Medibank Stadium in Leederville, a one point victory seeing the Haydn Bunton Jnr trophy back in the WAFL cabinet for the first time since 1994. After that victory came a 2010 loss to Victoria and a 2011 win against a combined QLD/NT side from the North East AFL, while the SA jumper was shelved after a planned match against Victoria last year was cancelled thanks to the AFL.
This time around, the action went suburban as this year's clash was placed in SA's seaside, at the home of the Glenelg Tigers in Gliderol Stadium. South Australia was under new leadership as well, with 2011 Woodville-West Torrens premiership coach Michael Godden taking the reins of SA. Western Australia brought in former West Coast premiership player and past State coach Chris Waterman, who previously coached Peel Thunder and currently coaches 2011 runner-up Subiaco. In the captain's positions, multiple time Central District premiership player Paul Thomas and 10-year veteran of East Perth Craig Wulff led from the front for their respective states. The WA team was laden with experience, with several players involved in AFL game-time but almost a dozen had never played state football. South Australia went more for speed and youth with 12 players under 25 years of age and many playing their first state clash as well.
South Australia would draw first blood, albeit a point after Centrals' Eddie Sansbury dodged his man and fired his shot a bit short. But it wouldn't be long until they found the big sticks, Paul Thomas finding Eagles' forward Adam Grocke after two minutes, then Ruory Kirkby found Grocke again at four minutes at an acute angle. It didn't cramp his style though, the Croweaters up by 13 points at this stage. Western Australia finally got on the board at the 10th minute, East Perth's Josh Smith finding Claremont's Ian Richardson on his own to end up with a goal. A little bit of poor judgement by the Swans' Matt Riggio allowed SA to enter into attack in the 13th minute, a bad tackle off the ball on North's Tim Webber would end with another poor tackle right in front of goal where Bulldog youngster Jarrod Schiller scored SA's third major, a fourth coming at 15 minutes through Port's Sam Gray. The Croweater's scoring run would be halted right there as WA finally got going, their second goal coming through the Tigers' Trinity Handley after a clever pass from Garry Moss of East Perth.
Smith added one of his own at 19 minutes, then a silly defensive error allowed Paul Medhurst to bring the gap back to three points. A behind by WA would see the Croweaters up by two points, 4.3 to WA's 4.1. When play re-commenced for the second term, Grocke made immediate impact with his first minute goal to get SA going once more. Luke Jericho's shot prior to three minutes looked like a long shot with the sun in his face, but still slotted it. At the seven minute mark, Royals ruckman Paul Johnson linked up with Medhurst who then served it into Smith who outmuscled Ben Grieger and Thomas to give WA a goal. But again, Grocke would pop up for his fourth at nine minutes after Jeremy Clayton copped a high hit from South Freo's Ryan Cook and got a free kick. Grocke would continue to be a cause for concern for WA with his fifth goal a minute later. WA would go coast-to-coast at the 13th minute, Medhurst bagging a goal from 50 metres with his massive punt in probably the best play of the day. A sixth goal to Grocke came just before time-on, then Clayton scored one for himself at 21 minutes. Handley would score for WA prior to half-time, at the long break the Croweaters held a 22-point lead. SA 10.6 to WA 7.2. Another of SA's notables would have to be James Boyd, speedy and sneaky and a general pain in the backside for WA.
But when play resumed, the Sandgropers would make a big adjustment to their gameplan for the second half as the Croweaters fell into a WA ambush in the third quarter. The opening goal would go to South Australia through West Adelaide's Chris Schmidt, but that's where their goals dried up for the rest of the term as WA mounted their attack. All that stood in WA's way was some bad luck in front of goal with six behinds added to their tally for the quarter. They started the term with two behinds, but another coast-to-coast effort ended with a goal to Medhurst after a free kick against Daniel Caire at seven minutes. The same play worked again at 13 minutes, Handley kicking his third goal to bring the gap back to 15 points at the midway mark. WA seemed to have more solutions to anything SA threw at them here, Richardson adding another goal just before the 16th minute, then at scores would be levelled after Clayton's holding-the-ball charged was further punished after failing to return the ball. It was a great term for the Sandgropers, the scoreboard reading 11.8 a piece as their pressure and pace started to reap rewards.
The stage was set for a hell of a finish, WA was getting a serious sniff of victory as the momentum swung their way and the SA faithul were getting some sense of deja vu from three years ago. And no sooner did the final quarter begin, WA struck first through Wulff after Riggio dished off to him to take the lead for the first time in the match after just one minute. Grocke could have levelled again, but Aidan Parker's marking put him off on the run as he kicked it out on the full. Grocke wouldn't be denied a seventh though, as Bulldogs duo Boyd and Sansbury eventually found him after the sixth minute mark and scores were level. Three minutes later, Leigh Ryswyk intercepted a Josh Smith pass which allowed Thomas to find Kirkby who scored his second goal to put SA in front again. Cook could have brought the gap back again at 12 minutes, but couldn't find the goal and the ball found its way back to the other end where South Adelaide's Nick Liddle got a pretty fortunate free kick and goal. The Croweaters pressure was up a notch on the third term, but the Sandgropers would continue to cling to hope. Handley got crunched in the 18th minute in a pack situation, but still marked and goaled to make it a one goal gap. However, it wasn't going to happen for WA this time, the local hero in Kirkby putting the final nail in at the 20th minute.
In the end, South Australia won by 14 points to take the Haydn Bunton Jnr trophy. It was a brilliant match, almost matching the 2009 contest for its closeness. It was a shame though, that only the most parochial SA footy-heads turned up, a shade under 2900 turning up for the match. But with the forecast of poor weather and a blockbuster AFL contest across town on the same day probably wouldn't have helped much. Perhaps the next time state football is on in Adelaide, maybe on a day that AFL isn't on may be on the agenda.
FINAL SCORES IN STATE LEAGUE 2012
Saturday May 26
THE HAYDN BUNTON JUNIOR TROPHY
South Australia 15.11 (101)
Western Australia 13.9 (87)
2,843 @ Gliderol Stadium, Glenelg
In the best and fairest department, Adam Grocke of Woodville-West Torrens took the Fos Williams Medal with his seven goal effort, while East Perth ruckman Paul Johnson starred in the middle to take the Simpson Medal.
Next year, with the NEAFL and the Tasmanian State League joining the fray, South Australia are apparently drawn against QLD/NT (NEAFL Nthn) in the Sunshine State. So Western Australia will probably face Victoria in Melbourne while Tasmania play NSW/ACT (NEAFL Estn).
Next weekend in your state...
SANFL ROUND 10
Friday June 1 @ 7:40pm
South Adelaide vs. Norwood; Hickinbotham Oval, Noarlunga
Saturday June 2 @ 2:10pm
West Adelaide vs. Woodville-West Torrens; City Mazda Stadium, Richmond
Sturt vs. Central District; Commander Centre Oval, Unley
FOXTEL CUP -- Quarter Final 1
Port Adelaide vs. Morningside; AAMI Stadium @ 11:05am
Sunday June 3 @ 2:10pm
Glenelg vs. North Adelaide; Gliderol Stadium, Glenelg
WAFL ROUND 11
Saturday June 2 @ 2:10pm
Claremont vs. Peel Thunder; Claremont Oval
Sunday June 3 @ 2:10pm
Perth vs. Swan Districts; Brownes Stadium, Lathlain Park
Monday June 4 @ 2:10pm
West Perth vs. East Perth; Arena Joondalup
South Fremantle vs. East Fremantle; Fremantle Oval
Subiaco have the bye.
So until next weekend... see you at the Footy!
Haydn Bunton Junior. A footballer whose legend was forged in both South Australia and Western Australia. In his career he played in over 150 games with North Adelaide and Norwood, as well as coming close to that same number with Swan Districts and Subiaco. He wasn't finished with football after his playing days, coaching the Lions to three WAFL premierships and adding Sturt and South Adelaide to his resume in the process. Magarey Medals, Sandover Medals, a B&F award at the Roosters and membership in SA, WA and AFL Halls of Fame. But the biggest link between these states and Bunton was his 22 matches, divided right down the middle, in Croweater and Sandgroper colours. Therefore it was only fitting that the prize awaiting the SANFL and WAFL teams be named after him... the Haydn Bunton Jnr Trophy.
Welcome to this special State League 2012 edition of the SANFL Wrap-Up.
South Australia and Western Australia had taken each other on in 91 previous occasions, the two states on near equal footing with the Sandgropers leading by a single match. After the advent of the AFL, interstate football at state league level arose as a secondary avenue to the state jumper next to the State of Origin brand played in the national competition. Along with the AFL came the Adelaide Crows, which changed the landscape of the SANFL just as the West Coast Eagles had impacted the WAFL. But with that experience came an ominous warning from WA coaching identity Barry Cable, who said it would take a while for SA to adjust. He was not far from the mark as the SANFL were soundly beaten in Perth in 1991. Although SA struck back in Adelaide the following year, consecutive losses to WA and then a 1995 defeat to Tasmania in Hobart shook the SANFL to its foundations.
Then in 1996, the South Australian domination began. For the next six years, SA went undefeated as Victoria re-entered the State arena, while Western Australia had scattered success against the likes of Queensland and Tasmania. Consecutive defeats at the hands of Victoria in 2004 and 2007 -- the latter being a 20-goal hammering -- did little to enhance WA's standing. South Australia would suffer only one defeat after their 1996 - 2001 run, a 2002 loss to the VFL would then see SA back to their winning ways from 2003 onwards. Which brings us to Western Australia's one game lead on the all-time ledger. The 2009 state match saw the Sandgropers win a nail-biter at Medibank Stadium in Leederville, a one point victory seeing the Haydn Bunton Jnr trophy back in the WAFL cabinet for the first time since 1994. After that victory came a 2010 loss to Victoria and a 2011 win against a combined QLD/NT side from the North East AFL, while the SA jumper was shelved after a planned match against Victoria last year was cancelled thanks to the AFL.
This time around, the action went suburban as this year's clash was placed in SA's seaside, at the home of the Glenelg Tigers in Gliderol Stadium. South Australia was under new leadership as well, with 2011 Woodville-West Torrens premiership coach Michael Godden taking the reins of SA. Western Australia brought in former West Coast premiership player and past State coach Chris Waterman, who previously coached Peel Thunder and currently coaches 2011 runner-up Subiaco. In the captain's positions, multiple time Central District premiership player Paul Thomas and 10-year veteran of East Perth Craig Wulff led from the front for their respective states. The WA team was laden with experience, with several players involved in AFL game-time but almost a dozen had never played state football. South Australia went more for speed and youth with 12 players under 25 years of age and many playing their first state clash as well.
South Australia would draw first blood, albeit a point after Centrals' Eddie Sansbury dodged his man and fired his shot a bit short. But it wouldn't be long until they found the big sticks, Paul Thomas finding Eagles' forward Adam Grocke after two minutes, then Ruory Kirkby found Grocke again at four minutes at an acute angle. It didn't cramp his style though, the Croweaters up by 13 points at this stage. Western Australia finally got on the board at the 10th minute, East Perth's Josh Smith finding Claremont's Ian Richardson on his own to end up with a goal. A little bit of poor judgement by the Swans' Matt Riggio allowed SA to enter into attack in the 13th minute, a bad tackle off the ball on North's Tim Webber would end with another poor tackle right in front of goal where Bulldog youngster Jarrod Schiller scored SA's third major, a fourth coming at 15 minutes through Port's Sam Gray. The Croweater's scoring run would be halted right there as WA finally got going, their second goal coming through the Tigers' Trinity Handley after a clever pass from Garry Moss of East Perth.
Smith added one of his own at 19 minutes, then a silly defensive error allowed Paul Medhurst to bring the gap back to three points. A behind by WA would see the Croweaters up by two points, 4.3 to WA's 4.1. When play re-commenced for the second term, Grocke made immediate impact with his first minute goal to get SA going once more. Luke Jericho's shot prior to three minutes looked like a long shot with the sun in his face, but still slotted it. At the seven minute mark, Royals ruckman Paul Johnson linked up with Medhurst who then served it into Smith who outmuscled Ben Grieger and Thomas to give WA a goal. But again, Grocke would pop up for his fourth at nine minutes after Jeremy Clayton copped a high hit from South Freo's Ryan Cook and got a free kick. Grocke would continue to be a cause for concern for WA with his fifth goal a minute later. WA would go coast-to-coast at the 13th minute, Medhurst bagging a goal from 50 metres with his massive punt in probably the best play of the day. A sixth goal to Grocke came just before time-on, then Clayton scored one for himself at 21 minutes. Handley would score for WA prior to half-time, at the long break the Croweaters held a 22-point lead. SA 10.6 to WA 7.2. Another of SA's notables would have to be James Boyd, speedy and sneaky and a general pain in the backside for WA.
But when play resumed, the Sandgropers would make a big adjustment to their gameplan for the second half as the Croweaters fell into a WA ambush in the third quarter. The opening goal would go to South Australia through West Adelaide's Chris Schmidt, but that's where their goals dried up for the rest of the term as WA mounted their attack. All that stood in WA's way was some bad luck in front of goal with six behinds added to their tally for the quarter. They started the term with two behinds, but another coast-to-coast effort ended with a goal to Medhurst after a free kick against Daniel Caire at seven minutes. The same play worked again at 13 minutes, Handley kicking his third goal to bring the gap back to 15 points at the midway mark. WA seemed to have more solutions to anything SA threw at them here, Richardson adding another goal just before the 16th minute, then at scores would be levelled after Clayton's holding-the-ball charged was further punished after failing to return the ball. It was a great term for the Sandgropers, the scoreboard reading 11.8 a piece as their pressure and pace started to reap rewards.
The stage was set for a hell of a finish, WA was getting a serious sniff of victory as the momentum swung their way and the SA faithul were getting some sense of deja vu from three years ago. And no sooner did the final quarter begin, WA struck first through Wulff after Riggio dished off to him to take the lead for the first time in the match after just one minute. Grocke could have levelled again, but Aidan Parker's marking put him off on the run as he kicked it out on the full. Grocke wouldn't be denied a seventh though, as Bulldogs duo Boyd and Sansbury eventually found him after the sixth minute mark and scores were level. Three minutes later, Leigh Ryswyk intercepted a Josh Smith pass which allowed Thomas to find Kirkby who scored his second goal to put SA in front again. Cook could have brought the gap back again at 12 minutes, but couldn't find the goal and the ball found its way back to the other end where South Adelaide's Nick Liddle got a pretty fortunate free kick and goal. The Croweaters pressure was up a notch on the third term, but the Sandgropers would continue to cling to hope. Handley got crunched in the 18th minute in a pack situation, but still marked and goaled to make it a one goal gap. However, it wasn't going to happen for WA this time, the local hero in Kirkby putting the final nail in at the 20th minute.
In the end, South Australia won by 14 points to take the Haydn Bunton Jnr trophy. It was a brilliant match, almost matching the 2009 contest for its closeness. It was a shame though, that only the most parochial SA footy-heads turned up, a shade under 2900 turning up for the match. But with the forecast of poor weather and a blockbuster AFL contest across town on the same day probably wouldn't have helped much. Perhaps the next time state football is on in Adelaide, maybe on a day that AFL isn't on may be on the agenda.
FINAL SCORES IN STATE LEAGUE 2012
Saturday May 26
THE HAYDN BUNTON JUNIOR TROPHY
South Australia 15.11 (101)
Western Australia 13.9 (87)
2,843 @ Gliderol Stadium, Glenelg
In the best and fairest department, Adam Grocke of Woodville-West Torrens took the Fos Williams Medal with his seven goal effort, while East Perth ruckman Paul Johnson starred in the middle to take the Simpson Medal.
Next year, with the NEAFL and the Tasmanian State League joining the fray, South Australia are apparently drawn against QLD/NT (NEAFL Nthn) in the Sunshine State. So Western Australia will probably face Victoria in Melbourne while Tasmania play NSW/ACT (NEAFL Estn).
Next weekend in your state...
SANFL ROUND 10
Friday June 1 @ 7:40pm
South Adelaide vs. Norwood; Hickinbotham Oval, Noarlunga
Saturday June 2 @ 2:10pm
West Adelaide vs. Woodville-West Torrens; City Mazda Stadium, Richmond
Sturt vs. Central District; Commander Centre Oval, Unley
FOXTEL CUP -- Quarter Final 1
Port Adelaide vs. Morningside; AAMI Stadium @ 11:05am
Sunday June 3 @ 2:10pm
Glenelg vs. North Adelaide; Gliderol Stadium, Glenelg
WAFL ROUND 11
Saturday June 2 @ 2:10pm
Claremont vs. Peel Thunder; Claremont Oval
Sunday June 3 @ 2:10pm
Perth vs. Swan Districts; Brownes Stadium, Lathlain Park
Monday June 4 @ 2:10pm
West Perth vs. East Perth; Arena Joondalup
South Fremantle vs. East Fremantle; Fremantle Oval
Subiaco have the bye.
So until next weekend... see you at the Footy!
Thought Handley was the main reason WA got back into the match, SA were too big for our defenders it seemed. Very good game though.