In this week’s wrap of local footy news, the Crows hold out hope for a SANFL finals appearance, North’s coach search, the public schools championship, and strange scores in country football.
Crows in SANFL finals race
One of the form SANFL sides over the past month, the Adelaide Crows are still a chance of playing major round football this season.
If they win all their last four minor round games and a couple other things go their way, the Crows could make the finals.
They have won four of their past five matches, dominating against a couple high class opponents.
“We will go into the last four round aiming to win each game,” said coach Heath Younie.
“Naturally, we need things to go our way.”
He says the team has benefited from an influx of class AFL players over the past month, with talent at either end of the park, including James Podsiadly in attack and Andy Ottens and Kyle Cheney in defence.
This week’s clash with South Adelaide at Noarlunga Oval is a true four-point game for both clubs.
A staggering scoreline
At the Riverton Oval last Saturday, the score at the end of the clash between the host, the RSMU Hawks and the visiting South Clare Demons, was staggering – 16.11 (111) to 0.1 (1)
South kicked their only point of the game at the 10 minute mark of the opening term and they were only 13 points behind the Hawks at the end of the first quarter in this North Eastern Football League match.
“We were surprised they kept putting more players behind the ball the longer the game went on, especially when they needed to win games to grab a place in the top four,” said RSMU playing coach Zack Hier.
“I was happy with the defensive efforts of the group all over the ground, but it was obvious that they didn’t have targets to hit up as they were going out of defence.”
What made this scoreboard more amazing was that in the previous round, the Demons had defeated the second-placed Southern Saints 15.8 (98) to 14.12 (96) in a classy strong scoring thriller.
Hier confirmed the culprit who let though the Demons’ only score was best-on-ground Tyson Willmott, who let his opponent rush through a point.
“He has proved to be a serial offender,” Hier mused.
“We had a couple of game last year when we kept opponents to minimal scores, and Tyson has been the culprit a few times now with defensive accountability.”
The Hawks are looking for back-to-back flags for the first time since Riverton amalgamated with Saddleworth – Marrabel Eagles in the mid 1970s.
If they are looking for an omen or a form indicator, in the round nine last year the Hawks 7.9 (51) defeated Blyth-Snowtown 0.1 (1).
North’s coach search
North Adelaide CEO Greg Edwards says the Roosters are looking far and wide for a new senior coach.
“We believe the senior coaching role at our club is an exciting and vibrant position on offer,” Edwards said.
He said the new coach had the opportunity to oversee “dramatic improvement”, as the current list was strong, despite the club’s problems this year.
“We also have an impressive and successful junior program at our club,” he said.
“The facilities at the club are first class.”
While both Brenton Phillips (current SANFL Talent Manager and state under 18 coach) and Heath Younie (Crows SANFL coach) have confirmed to InDaily they are not interested in the role, Edwards has confirmed he has spoken to a number of former players, as well as possible mentors from inside and outside South Australia.
Public schools grand final
Henley High School yesterday experienced a rare defeat in the South Australian public schools football championship.
Brighton Secondary School won the grand final – the first Henley loss in this section of the championships in more than a decade.
Brighton were 19 points up at half time, surviving a third quarter comeback by the Paul Thomas’s Henley side, where they got back to within a straight kick, before the victors’ kicked away in the last.
The final score was Brighton 9.10 (64) to Henley 5.6 (36).
Best on ground was Brighton’s Bailey Williams, who collected the Peter Roberts medal. SA Under 18s player Justin Evans was among a number of other strong contributors for the champions.
Better players for the vanquished included ball magnet Jake Comitogianni, centre half back Adam Mahoney (son of Port Adelaide Magpies premiership player, Wayne) and Jake Weidemann in attack.
With this win, Brighton earn the right to play Prince Alfred College in the penultimate game of the All Schools knockout cup at Gliderol Stadium next Tuesday, starting at 11am.
The victor in that game with take on Sacred Heart in the prestigious All Schools final the following Tuesday night at Norwood Oval.
Public schools champions Brighton
Draft combine state screening
Three mature aged players have been invited to the South Australian state screening for the 2015 AFL Draft Combine – Redleg Patrick Levicki, Bulldog Chris Jansen and West’s Tom Keogh, the 2015 Fos Williams medallist at the state game in Perth.
Joining these three at the screening on 18 October will be 11 footballers from our underage programs.
The Bloods have another strong group of three among this group – midfielder Hugh Haysman, small defender Jack Agostino and strongly built medium forward from Roxby Downs, Jayden Brind.
Forward Jordan Dawson from Sturt and North Adelaide AIS academy member Keiran Agius have also been invited, along with ruckman/forward Tim Sullivan, who has spent the 2015 campaign on the sidelines with a knee injury.
Hard working midfielder Brendan Dew from Central District and a former state under 16s captain Matthew Nunn from Norwood also received invitations, as did the classy and skilful Rooster Maris Olekalns.
A big improver over the Under 18s campaign this year was Norwood key defender Luke Surman. He also deservedly received a nomination. The bolter has been Glenelg midfielder from their suburban recruiting area, Bailey Williams.
He was not a member of the Under 18s academy, but recently had a 56-possession MVP winning game (25 kicks, 31 handballs, 13 marks, five tackles and nine clearances), despite a large loss at under 18 level by the Bays.
SA State Screening Nominations – 2015 AFL Draft Combine
Jordan Dawson – Sturt
Hugh Haysman – West
Jack Agostino – West
Jayden Brind – West
Maris Olekalns – North
Luke Surman – Norwood
Tim Sullivan – Glenelg
Bailey Williams – Glenelg
Brendan Dew – Central District
Matthew Nunn – Norwood
Keiran Agius – North
Tom Keogh – West
Patrick Levicki – Norwood
Chris Jansen – Central District
Stats speak volumes
In the battle of the cellar dwellers, Glenelg enjoyed a 62-point victory against North Adelaide on the weekend.
The results on the stats sheet showed a dramatic difference between the ninth and tenth-placed sides at Prospect Oval.
The Bays had an amazing 117 more possessions than the Roosters – 63 more kicks and 54 more handballs.
Three Glenelg players had 37 clearances between them – Sam Lonergan finished with 30 disposals and a round high 14 clearances, Lachie Earle finished with 29 touches and 12 clearances and Matthew Snook collected 27 possessions and 11 clearances.
Naturally the clearance tally was pretty one sided, with the Bays finishing ahead – 67 to 34.
One of the only areas where the North led was in the hit outs which they won 62 to 51, with former Sturt big man Mitch Curnow collecting 47 personally against fourth gamer Jed Redden.
Grassroots is published on Wednesdays.
