In today’s local footy round-up, some spectacularly inaccurate kicking in the Barossa, the Bloods just miss out on a long-standing record, 20 years at Noarlunga flies by, and we ask: was the state side chosen on form or reputation?

20 years fly by at Noarlunga

It seems hard to believe but it’s been 20 years since South Adelaide started playing their SANFL home games at Noarlunga Oval.

On Sunday, 7 May 1995, the Panthers played their first home game at the venue, against Glenelg.

About 10,000 fans turned up to see the two southern sububs rivals compete for the Carey-Darley Cup, with spectators reportedly queuing for up to an hour to get into the ground.

The Bays recorded a handsome 41-point victory – Glenelg 16.15 (105) to the Panthers 8.16 (64).

The respective coaches at the time were former Carlton premiership player Ken Sheldon for hosts and dual premiership wingman  Tony Symonds for the Tigers.

Club champion and four times best and fairest Nick Chigwidden was Glenelg’s captain, while the Panthers’ on-field leader was Tasmanian hall of famer Darren Trevena.

On Sunday 14 June, the Panther will celebrate 20 years at what is now Hickinbotham Oval with a chairman’s function preceding the match – again against the Tigers.

They really left their kicking boots at home

It is a cliché, but the above statement had some traction in two matches in the Barossa, Light and Gawler competition on the weekend.

At Eldred Riggs Reserve in Evanston on Saturday, young Barossa District Bulldogs talent Will Roberts was one of the outstanding players in the match against South Gawler, except for one area – he kicked one goal, and nine behinds, from 11 shots at goal.

You guessed it, the other attempt went out on the full!

Meanwhile over at Angaston Oval, Gawler Central Tigers ace Brad Mercer kicked 8.8 from 18 shots, including two that went out of bounds on the full.

Mercer, who has kicked a full forward’s “holy grail” – 100 goals in a season – confirmed his most inaccurate performance was 9.11 for the Port Adelaide under 17s against Norwood.

Back in the early 1990, former Glenelg reserves player Tim Jackson, who was a handy rover in his day, once kicked 1.13 in a Riverland Football League A grade game.

State side picked on reputation or form?

It could be easily argued the 2015 South Australian state team has been selected on reputation.

There is no doubt the form ruckman in the competition is Norwood’s Sam Baulderstone, but coach Graham Cornes and selectors  have decided than Angus Kurtze and late call up Ryan Willits are better options.

It could be easily argued that senior players in the SANFL Jace Bode, Leigh Ryswyk, Ian Callinan, Nick Liddle, Luke Jarrad and Paul Thomas haven’t been at the top of their game this year.

Have the selectors truly looked through the competition for options?

One unlucky players is hard working Glenelg defender Bradley Agnew, who has taken on a number of jobs and excelled in a team that is struggling, often against bigger and stronger opponents.

West Adelaide left footer Taite Silverlock has been superb all year and deserves to be flying to Perth, but the coaching staff decided to drop him from the final squad.

Players in good form that didn’t seem to come under serious consideration include Norwood defender Michael Chippendale, South small man Xavier Gotch, Central District teenager Chris Jansen, classy Eagles midfielder Angus Rowntree, Bays skipper Andrew Bradley and the Sturt pair, Fraser Evans and Jack Stephens.

Four members in the square are aged 30 or over, while the youngest is Sturt’s Ben Hansen and Bloods utility Tom Keough at 23.

Midfielder Nick Liddle, who suffered concussion last Friday night, will also be assessed by medicos this week, while Matthew Panos has a hamstring issue and will need to prove his fitness.

On the flip side, it is great to see the best small man currently in the SANFL, Lachlan McGregor, get his chance after coming back to the SANFL last year from Langhorne Creek.

Naturally all will be forgiven if the Croweaters win, but there is no doubt previous reputation has seen a number of players rewarded with our famous state jumper.

SA takes on the WAFL state league side at Lathlain Park, Perth, on Saturday afternoon, with the match starting at 3.45pm – SA time.

Lachlan McGregor has made the state team after returning to the SANFL this year from country footy. Photo: Peter Argent

Final state squad:

Kory Beard (Sturt) 24, 195cm, 93kg, Jonathon Beech (West) 24, 187cm, 85kg, Jace Bode (Norwood) 27, 186cm, 87kg, James Boyd (Eagles) 26, 174cm, 72kg, Ian Callinan (Adelaide) 32, 171cm, 74kg, Joel Cross (South) 27, 182cm, 82kg, Brett Eddy (South) 25, 194cm, 96kg, Alex Georgiou (Norwood) 25, 187cm, 92kg, Ben Hansen (Sturt) 23, 176cm, 78kg, Luke Jarrad (Eagles) 31, 186cm, 83kg, Tom Keough (West) 23, 194cm, 91kg, Zane Kirkwood (Sturt) 24, 178cm, 82kg, Angus Kurtze (Sturt) 29, 199cm, 100kg, Nick Liddle (South) 27, 178cm, 70kg, Lachlan McGregor (Eagles) 25, 174cm, 72kg, Marlon Motlop (North) 25, 180cm, 76kg, Jason Porplyzia (West) 30, 179cm, 80kg, Leigh Ryswyk (North) 30, 179cm, 80kg, Chris Schmidt (West) 26, 189cm, 87kg, Steven Summerton (Port) 27, 178cm, 77kg, Paul Thomas (Central) 32, 180cm, 81kg, Michael Newton (Norwood) 28, 193cm, 93kg,
Ryan Willits (West) 28, 197cm, 98kg, Matthew Panos (Norwood) 24, 192cm, 90kg

Coach – Graham Cornes
Chairman of Selectors – Stephen Rowe
Assistant Coach – Peter Caven
Assistant Coach – Michael Handby
Assistant Coach – Tony Bamford
Runner – James Gowans

Magpies’ Showdown threepeat

Port Adelaide Magpies won the third SANFL showdown against the Crows, defeating the Adelaide SANFL side by 34 points after a seven-goal final quarter on Sunday.

The match was played in the Adelaide Plains town of Balaklava, about an hour north of Adelaide.

In the inaugural state league showdown at Clare last May, Port won by 45 points while in the 2014 rematch they had a strong 52 point triumph at Alberton.

Magpies captain Steve Summerton, along with Paul Stewart and Aaron Young, had upwards of 30 disposals, with the latter two in line for a promotion to the Power’s AFL team.

Best for the Crows was development player Charlie Molyneux.

“He was outstanding, he was certainly our best against Port Adelaide,” said Crows SANFL coach Heath Younie.

“We competed quite well, but Port kicked 10.6 in red time.

“With big forward Nick Mott, Charlie has been one of our finds of the year.

“But I always knew Charlie was up to playing at this level.”

Charlie Molyneux in action for the Crows SANFL side. Photo: Peter Argent

West just misses out on 87-year-old record

In the Sunday afternoon contest at Glierdol Stadium, West Adelaide had a huge 112-point victory over a Glenelg side that looks odds on for another wooden spoon.

Accurate in front of goal, the Bloods kicked 30 goal and nine behinds, with medium forward Aaron Fielke slotting through six straight, strong marking Jono Beech finishing with five majors, and former Crow Jason Porplyzia snaffling four from the mid-field.

The final score by West Adelaide of 30.9 (189) was just two points shy of the club’s record against the Bays.

That record goes back to a round 17 on 8 September 1928, some 87 years ago, also at Glenelg Oval, when the Bloods kicked 29.17 (191).

Grassroots is published on Wednesdays.