- May 8, 2001
- 5,696
- 872
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Other Teams
- CDFC (SANFL), Port Melb (VFL)
Hi Footy fans...
Last year's pandemic triggered several shutdowns of football leagues across the country. While SA was able to get most of its competitions off the ground to have some resemblance of normality, country football found it harder to do so. Some regional leagues never even got started, with the proximity to the eastern state borders and movement of some players across those borders stopping some clubs even fielding teams. As a result, there was no representative football with the Country Football Championships cancelled for Season 2020. This year however, roads would lead to Victor Harbor. For the first time ever, the Southern zone would host the 2021 championship series with Victor Harbor and Encounter Bay football grounds providing the fields of glory to the men and women of regional football. And in the middle of it all, some SANFL football at its best with the Panthers' battle against the Crows. With just five rounds left, there was plenty on the line. For South, that crucial double chance and for the Crows, perhaps a chance at salvaging their season and some pride for the club which has taken a battering at AFL level. It's not long now, fellow SA footy-heads!
Welcome to the Round 14 edition of the SANFL Wrap-Up.
All of the weekend's action would take place on the Saturday afternoon, so first we're off to the Maughan Thiem Kia Oval in Woodville for the western suburbs derby between the Eagles and the Bloods. Their last encounter was nothing short of a slaughter at Richmond, the Eagles ramming through 21 goals in their 100-point bashing of the Bloods back in Round 7. The middle quarters were where the most punishment was handed out, kicking seven goals in the second and then nine in the third. Last weekend the reigning premiers recovered from their loss to the Tigers with a win down at Noarlunga against South, while the Bloods are still trying to find a third victory after going down to the Roosters at home. As expected, the Eagles were all over the Bloods in the early goings, but my word they were going to have a hard time with accuracy. Unlike last week at Noarlunga where they put on a comparable clinic, it was missed opportunities galore as the Eagles kicked to a 16-point lead by quarter-time having scored 3.5 to the Bloods' 1.1. The Eagles should have been well away with the game by half-time, but the misfires would allow the Bloods to stay in it. A further 3.6 to 1.1 in the second term would see the gap stretch to 33 points by the long break. Some changes made in the Westies camp during the break and the Eagles' continued accuracy issues in the third term would see the visitors make up some ground when play resumed. It wasn't much, but the changes seemed to have some effect. Four points were chipped off the Eagles' half-time lead, the Bloods scoring 3.3 to 2.5 and the deficit was back to 29 points at three quarter-time. In the end though it was a task out of the Bloods' reach, they kept coming but the Eagles did enough to ensure victory. Some forward goal-kicking strength will be back next week and will probably be needed ahead of their trip to The Parade. They won by 19 points, finishing off with a 1.5 to 3.3 final term. Jack Hayes was the Eagles undisputed standout, racking up 29 disposals, 20 marks and two goals. Patrick Fairlie was the Bloods' best afield, with 26 disposals and seven tackles.
The second game on the schedule takes us to the inner northern suburbs and into the Prospect Oval for the Northern Derby between the Roosters and the Bulldogs. Surprisingly it has been over half the season since these sides last met, the Dogs outlasting the Roosters by nine points at Elizabeth. It was the standout performances of Centrals' season, but a standard that didn't last. From there they wouldn't win again until their visit to Unley in Round 7 and then in Round 11 against West. The Roosters on the other hand, have been holding onto their mid-table position just barely. A massive win against Port two weeks ago put the fire back into their season, followed by last week's win against West while the Dogs went down at home to the Magpies by nine points. The Roosters would be 13 points up after five minutes after scoring 2.1, then there was a goal-for-goal period over the next eight minutes as the Dogs scored three goals to two in that time. But in time-on, the Roosters kicked five goals to one behind to go up six goals by quarter-time. Things got even more dire for the Bulldogs as the Roosters took their lead out to almost 10 goals by the long break, scoring six majors to 2.1. At half-time, North were out to a 59-point advantage. The inside-50's and the clearances showed a massive gap between the sides, as well as the fact they put 15 goals on the board in one half of football. Astonishingly, the Roosters didn't keep up the punishment when play resumed. They hit a wall in the third term, but some missed opportunities on goal by the Dogs themselves would allow the Roosters to keep the bulk of their half-time lead intact. Centrals scored 3.2 to North's three behinds, the home side still up by seven goals. The normal programming resumed in the final term, in the end North ran out eight goal winners after a shootout final term where they scored 6.1 to 5.1. The final tally for the game was 34 goals, not bad for fifth vs ninth, eh? It was just his fifth game but Lachie Wilson bagged eight goals. He just missed out on best afield honours though, that went to Harrison Wigg thanks to his 42 disposals and nine clearances. For the Dogs, it was Travis Schiller with 23 disposals and six tackles.
The third match for the round takes us to the leafy streets of inner southern Adelaide and to the Unley Oval where the Double Blues faced the Tigers. It was a narrow escape for the Tigers the last time they met the Blues back in Round 6 at Brighton Road. Eight minutes into the last term, the Bays had a three-goal lead and everyone thought they would run with it. 13 minutes later, the Blues actually snatched the lead early in time-on before a goal at 26 minutes nicked a four-point win for the Tigers. The Blues have been fighting hard to salvage their season, they completed a hat-trick of wins last week against the Redlegs on a horrid night at The Parade. As for the Tigers, they continued their unbeaten run with their 15-point win over Adelaide and wrote a new record into their club's history with 12 consecutive wins from Round 1. It would take just over five minutes before a goal was registered with the Tigers taking the first major, although a pair of missed opportunities allowed Sturt to stay within a couple of kicks at the first change with board reading 3.2 to two goals. The Blues went to sleep over the course of 20 minutes in the second term, the first ten was the gap between their two goals scored and then the second 10 minutes was where the Tigers were doing all the attacking. Thankfully at the time, the Tigers were still spraying wide a good deal of chances. The Tigers scored 2.4 to 2.1 as the gap stretched to 11 points going into the long break. Soon enough though, Glenelg were off and running. The Blues were again caught napping and the Tigers would jump out to a 37-point lead going into the final change, scoring 5.3 to 1.1 in the third term. The home side finally woke up in the final term, but despite dominating almost 20 minutes of the term and closing to within four straight kicks it was too little too late. The visitors put it back out beyond the Blues' reach, kicking 4.2 to 5.3 to win by five goals and extend their run to 13 matches unbeaten. Liam McBean kicked six goals but it was Chris Curran with his 23 disposals and 12 marks that saw him take best on ground honours for Glenelg. The Blues named Casey Voss as their best afield, tallying 29 disposals, 10 marks and six tackles.
For game number four we're heading down south and I mean much further than Noarlunga. We're off to the Victor Harbor Oval on the Fleurieu Peninsula where in amongst the State Country Championship series was the encounter between the Panthers and the Crows. Like the Northern Derby, the last time these sides met was way back in Round 1 at Noarlunga, when the Panthers tore feathers off the young Crows outfit, inflicting a 61-point hiding. Fast forward to now, a bit of rot has invaded the Panthers' camp. They've lost their last three games, including last week's six-goal loss to the reigning premiers at Noarlunga has suddenly brought them to within striking distance of the Redlegs who at this time were sitting just below them. After two victories in previous weeks, the Crows were put back in their place last week by the Tigers at Glenelg, who put eight goals past them in the final term to go down by 15 points. The Panthers were in the goals column in 80 seconds, but then proceeded to waste a swag of chances over a 13 minute period with six behinds. They finished the first term with a goal to lead by 10 points at quarter-time, the board reading 2.6 to 1.2. South's accuracy was well improved in the second term though while the Crows started to have their own yips in front of the sticks. The blue and whites scored 5.2 to Adelaide's 2.4 to take their lead out to 26 points by half-time. The inaccuracy bug made a return to the Panthers' camp in the third quarter, but were still able to keep the Crows largely at bay. South's lead was cut back by just three points by the final change, they scored 3.4 to Adelaide's 4.1. The Crows continued to come at the Panthers in the final term, even getting within two straight kicks on the cusp of added time after scoring 3.2 to South's 1.2. A goal early in time-on for the Panthers ensured their victory, fighting out the final seven minutes with a behind each way to win by 17 points. Hayden Sampson was a machine for South, taking best on ground votes with 28 disposals and seven tackles. For Adelaide, Tom Lynch pressed senior selectors with his best afield display, racking up 28 disposals, seven marks and four tackles.
The last match for the weekend brought together South Australia's original football rivals at the Alberton Oval, the Magpies locking horns with the Redlegs. Yet another match-up that was last fought out in the season opener, when the Redlegs romped away to a 45-point win at The Parade in Round 1. Not even a run of inaccuracy in the second term was going to stop the 'Legs from stomping their old foes into the turf, the only good thing about the 'Pies that night was their rucking contests. Everything else was pretty poor from Port that night. The Magpies' final quarter saved them from defeat at Elizabeth last weekend in their nine-point victory, ending a three-match losing run. The Redlegs were stunned by the Blues at The Parade last week, they kicked 3.7 in that game and lost by 23 points in the mud. The conditions were far more favourable today, but although the 'Legs dominated the attack in the opening term, they would only lead by 11 points at the first change after scoring 3.8 to the Magpies' 2.3. Even more bewildering was their forward entry count, which at quarter-time was triple that of Port -- 19 to 6. There was a little more polish in their shooting in the second term, just a bit less shooting going on. Norwood extended their lead to just over three goals by the long break, scoring 3.2 to Port's two goals to be up by 19 points at the half-time break. When play resumed for the second half, the Magpies managed to bring the gap back to two goals by 17 minutes after scoring 2.1 to one goal. Norwood answered back strongly, kicking three goals to one to re-assert their authority on the game and go into the final change with a four-goal lead. Port held up the Redlegs for a good eight or nine minutes to start the final term, even bringing them back to within three kicks of the lead with their 1.2 to one behind. But that's as close as the home side got to their old-time rivals, Norwood finishing off with 4.1 to one goal to win by 36 points. Mitch Grigg was at his best for the Redlegs, with 31 disposals, nine tackles and seven clearances. Port named Riley Bonner as their best player, with 30 disposals, a goal and five marks.
FINAL SCORES IN ROUND 14 OF THE SANFL
Saturday July 10
Woodville-West Torrens 9.21 (75)
West Adelaide 8.8 (56)
1,758 @ Maughan Thiem Kia Oval, Woodville
North Adelaide 21.5 (131)
Central District 13.5 (83)
2,012 @ Prospect Oval
Glenelg 14.11 (95)
Sturt 10.5 (65)
3,009 @ Unley Oval
South Adelaide 12.15 (87)
Adelaide 10.10 (70)
2,981 @ Victor Harbor Oval
Norwood 14.12 (96)
Port Adelaide 9.6 (60)
2,096 @ Alberton Oval
INJURIES
W-WT -- Von Bertouch (hamstring)
REPORTS
Glenelg -- Partington (misconduct)
LEAGUE LADDER
--------------------------------------------
Glenelg -- 26pts (13-0-0), 58.1%
W-WT -- 18pts (9-4-0), 58.1%
South -- 16pts (8-5-0), 51.9%
Norwood -- 16pts (8-5-0), 51.5%
North -- 14pts (7-6-0), 57.1%
--------------------------------------------
Port -- 12pts (6-7-0), 46.1%
Sturt -- 10pts (5-8-0), 48.9%
Adelaide -- 8pts (4-9-0), 43.2%
Central -- 6pts (3-10-0), 43.9%
West -- 4pts (2-11-0), 41%
--------------------------------------------
STATE COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS -- Southerners win men's title, Northern gals reign
The Southern Districts men's team secured their overall 11th title in history after running out 43-point winners in the Grand Final of the SA Country Football Championships at Victor Harbor Oval on Sunday afternoon. Central were aiming for back-to-back titles after winning 2019, but a scoreless final quarter put that dream to bed as the host region blasted through 7.4 to bag the championship. The victory ended a five-year drought for Southern, who last won in 2015. They would have seven players selected for the Team of the Championships, as well as taking out best U-21 player in Bailey Marshman from Reynella and the Bill Murdoch Medal going to coach Scott Wendelborn of Encounter Bay. The standout player of the championship and Don McSweeny Medallist was Jordan Fuller of Prop Risdon representing the Northern team. Speaking of Northern, their women's side took out their division's title, winning by four points against Murray South East in their Grand Final earlier in the day. It was sweet revenge for the Northern girls, who lost to MSE in the 2019 series. The best player and U-21 awards were tied between MSE's Ella Little of Millicent and Central's Dakota Williams of Willaston. Northern's two coaches in Broken Hill duo Phil Neal and Anthony Tidball were named the standout coaches.
MEN'S FINAL -- Southern Districts 11.17 (83) def. Central 6.4 (40)
WOMEN'S FINAL -- Northern 5.2 (32) def. Murray South East 4.4 (28)
Next weekend in Round 15...
Saturday July 17
Central District vs. Sturt; X-Convenience Oval, Elizabeth @ 2:10pm
North Adelaide vs. Adelaide; Prospect Oval @ 2:10pm
Norwood vs. Woodville-West Torrens; Coopers Stadium, Norwood @ 2:10pm
Glenelg vs. South Adelaide; ACH Group Stadium, Glenelg @ 2:35pm
Sunday July 18 @ 1:10pm
West Adelaide vs. Port Adelaide; Hisense Stadium, Richmond
So until next weekend... see you at the Footy!
Last year's pandemic triggered several shutdowns of football leagues across the country. While SA was able to get most of its competitions off the ground to have some resemblance of normality, country football found it harder to do so. Some regional leagues never even got started, with the proximity to the eastern state borders and movement of some players across those borders stopping some clubs even fielding teams. As a result, there was no representative football with the Country Football Championships cancelled for Season 2020. This year however, roads would lead to Victor Harbor. For the first time ever, the Southern zone would host the 2021 championship series with Victor Harbor and Encounter Bay football grounds providing the fields of glory to the men and women of regional football. And in the middle of it all, some SANFL football at its best with the Panthers' battle against the Crows. With just five rounds left, there was plenty on the line. For South, that crucial double chance and for the Crows, perhaps a chance at salvaging their season and some pride for the club which has taken a battering at AFL level. It's not long now, fellow SA footy-heads!
Welcome to the Round 14 edition of the SANFL Wrap-Up.
All of the weekend's action would take place on the Saturday afternoon, so first we're off to the Maughan Thiem Kia Oval in Woodville for the western suburbs derby between the Eagles and the Bloods. Their last encounter was nothing short of a slaughter at Richmond, the Eagles ramming through 21 goals in their 100-point bashing of the Bloods back in Round 7. The middle quarters were where the most punishment was handed out, kicking seven goals in the second and then nine in the third. Last weekend the reigning premiers recovered from their loss to the Tigers with a win down at Noarlunga against South, while the Bloods are still trying to find a third victory after going down to the Roosters at home. As expected, the Eagles were all over the Bloods in the early goings, but my word they were going to have a hard time with accuracy. Unlike last week at Noarlunga where they put on a comparable clinic, it was missed opportunities galore as the Eagles kicked to a 16-point lead by quarter-time having scored 3.5 to the Bloods' 1.1. The Eagles should have been well away with the game by half-time, but the misfires would allow the Bloods to stay in it. A further 3.6 to 1.1 in the second term would see the gap stretch to 33 points by the long break. Some changes made in the Westies camp during the break and the Eagles' continued accuracy issues in the third term would see the visitors make up some ground when play resumed. It wasn't much, but the changes seemed to have some effect. Four points were chipped off the Eagles' half-time lead, the Bloods scoring 3.3 to 2.5 and the deficit was back to 29 points at three quarter-time. In the end though it was a task out of the Bloods' reach, they kept coming but the Eagles did enough to ensure victory. Some forward goal-kicking strength will be back next week and will probably be needed ahead of their trip to The Parade. They won by 19 points, finishing off with a 1.5 to 3.3 final term. Jack Hayes was the Eagles undisputed standout, racking up 29 disposals, 20 marks and two goals. Patrick Fairlie was the Bloods' best afield, with 26 disposals and seven tackles.
The second game on the schedule takes us to the inner northern suburbs and into the Prospect Oval for the Northern Derby between the Roosters and the Bulldogs. Surprisingly it has been over half the season since these sides last met, the Dogs outlasting the Roosters by nine points at Elizabeth. It was the standout performances of Centrals' season, but a standard that didn't last. From there they wouldn't win again until their visit to Unley in Round 7 and then in Round 11 against West. The Roosters on the other hand, have been holding onto their mid-table position just barely. A massive win against Port two weeks ago put the fire back into their season, followed by last week's win against West while the Dogs went down at home to the Magpies by nine points. The Roosters would be 13 points up after five minutes after scoring 2.1, then there was a goal-for-goal period over the next eight minutes as the Dogs scored three goals to two in that time. But in time-on, the Roosters kicked five goals to one behind to go up six goals by quarter-time. Things got even more dire for the Bulldogs as the Roosters took their lead out to almost 10 goals by the long break, scoring six majors to 2.1. At half-time, North were out to a 59-point advantage. The inside-50's and the clearances showed a massive gap between the sides, as well as the fact they put 15 goals on the board in one half of football. Astonishingly, the Roosters didn't keep up the punishment when play resumed. They hit a wall in the third term, but some missed opportunities on goal by the Dogs themselves would allow the Roosters to keep the bulk of their half-time lead intact. Centrals scored 3.2 to North's three behinds, the home side still up by seven goals. The normal programming resumed in the final term, in the end North ran out eight goal winners after a shootout final term where they scored 6.1 to 5.1. The final tally for the game was 34 goals, not bad for fifth vs ninth, eh? It was just his fifth game but Lachie Wilson bagged eight goals. He just missed out on best afield honours though, that went to Harrison Wigg thanks to his 42 disposals and nine clearances. For the Dogs, it was Travis Schiller with 23 disposals and six tackles.
The third match for the round takes us to the leafy streets of inner southern Adelaide and to the Unley Oval where the Double Blues faced the Tigers. It was a narrow escape for the Tigers the last time they met the Blues back in Round 6 at Brighton Road. Eight minutes into the last term, the Bays had a three-goal lead and everyone thought they would run with it. 13 minutes later, the Blues actually snatched the lead early in time-on before a goal at 26 minutes nicked a four-point win for the Tigers. The Blues have been fighting hard to salvage their season, they completed a hat-trick of wins last week against the Redlegs on a horrid night at The Parade. As for the Tigers, they continued their unbeaten run with their 15-point win over Adelaide and wrote a new record into their club's history with 12 consecutive wins from Round 1. It would take just over five minutes before a goal was registered with the Tigers taking the first major, although a pair of missed opportunities allowed Sturt to stay within a couple of kicks at the first change with board reading 3.2 to two goals. The Blues went to sleep over the course of 20 minutes in the second term, the first ten was the gap between their two goals scored and then the second 10 minutes was where the Tigers were doing all the attacking. Thankfully at the time, the Tigers were still spraying wide a good deal of chances. The Tigers scored 2.4 to 2.1 as the gap stretched to 11 points going into the long break. Soon enough though, Glenelg were off and running. The Blues were again caught napping and the Tigers would jump out to a 37-point lead going into the final change, scoring 5.3 to 1.1 in the third term. The home side finally woke up in the final term, but despite dominating almost 20 minutes of the term and closing to within four straight kicks it was too little too late. The visitors put it back out beyond the Blues' reach, kicking 4.2 to 5.3 to win by five goals and extend their run to 13 matches unbeaten. Liam McBean kicked six goals but it was Chris Curran with his 23 disposals and 12 marks that saw him take best on ground honours for Glenelg. The Blues named Casey Voss as their best afield, tallying 29 disposals, 10 marks and six tackles.
For game number four we're heading down south and I mean much further than Noarlunga. We're off to the Victor Harbor Oval on the Fleurieu Peninsula where in amongst the State Country Championship series was the encounter between the Panthers and the Crows. Like the Northern Derby, the last time these sides met was way back in Round 1 at Noarlunga, when the Panthers tore feathers off the young Crows outfit, inflicting a 61-point hiding. Fast forward to now, a bit of rot has invaded the Panthers' camp. They've lost their last three games, including last week's six-goal loss to the reigning premiers at Noarlunga has suddenly brought them to within striking distance of the Redlegs who at this time were sitting just below them. After two victories in previous weeks, the Crows were put back in their place last week by the Tigers at Glenelg, who put eight goals past them in the final term to go down by 15 points. The Panthers were in the goals column in 80 seconds, but then proceeded to waste a swag of chances over a 13 minute period with six behinds. They finished the first term with a goal to lead by 10 points at quarter-time, the board reading 2.6 to 1.2. South's accuracy was well improved in the second term though while the Crows started to have their own yips in front of the sticks. The blue and whites scored 5.2 to Adelaide's 2.4 to take their lead out to 26 points by half-time. The inaccuracy bug made a return to the Panthers' camp in the third quarter, but were still able to keep the Crows largely at bay. South's lead was cut back by just three points by the final change, they scored 3.4 to Adelaide's 4.1. The Crows continued to come at the Panthers in the final term, even getting within two straight kicks on the cusp of added time after scoring 3.2 to South's 1.2. A goal early in time-on for the Panthers ensured their victory, fighting out the final seven minutes with a behind each way to win by 17 points. Hayden Sampson was a machine for South, taking best on ground votes with 28 disposals and seven tackles. For Adelaide, Tom Lynch pressed senior selectors with his best afield display, racking up 28 disposals, seven marks and four tackles.
The last match for the weekend brought together South Australia's original football rivals at the Alberton Oval, the Magpies locking horns with the Redlegs. Yet another match-up that was last fought out in the season opener, when the Redlegs romped away to a 45-point win at The Parade in Round 1. Not even a run of inaccuracy in the second term was going to stop the 'Legs from stomping their old foes into the turf, the only good thing about the 'Pies that night was their rucking contests. Everything else was pretty poor from Port that night. The Magpies' final quarter saved them from defeat at Elizabeth last weekend in their nine-point victory, ending a three-match losing run. The Redlegs were stunned by the Blues at The Parade last week, they kicked 3.7 in that game and lost by 23 points in the mud. The conditions were far more favourable today, but although the 'Legs dominated the attack in the opening term, they would only lead by 11 points at the first change after scoring 3.8 to the Magpies' 2.3. Even more bewildering was their forward entry count, which at quarter-time was triple that of Port -- 19 to 6. There was a little more polish in their shooting in the second term, just a bit less shooting going on. Norwood extended their lead to just over three goals by the long break, scoring 3.2 to Port's two goals to be up by 19 points at the half-time break. When play resumed for the second half, the Magpies managed to bring the gap back to two goals by 17 minutes after scoring 2.1 to one goal. Norwood answered back strongly, kicking three goals to one to re-assert their authority on the game and go into the final change with a four-goal lead. Port held up the Redlegs for a good eight or nine minutes to start the final term, even bringing them back to within three kicks of the lead with their 1.2 to one behind. But that's as close as the home side got to their old-time rivals, Norwood finishing off with 4.1 to one goal to win by 36 points. Mitch Grigg was at his best for the Redlegs, with 31 disposals, nine tackles and seven clearances. Port named Riley Bonner as their best player, with 30 disposals, a goal and five marks.
FINAL SCORES IN ROUND 14 OF THE SANFL
Saturday July 10
Woodville-West Torrens 9.21 (75)
West Adelaide 8.8 (56)
1,758 @ Maughan Thiem Kia Oval, Woodville
North Adelaide 21.5 (131)
Central District 13.5 (83)
2,012 @ Prospect Oval
Glenelg 14.11 (95)
Sturt 10.5 (65)
3,009 @ Unley Oval
South Adelaide 12.15 (87)
Adelaide 10.10 (70)
2,981 @ Victor Harbor Oval
Norwood 14.12 (96)
Port Adelaide 9.6 (60)
2,096 @ Alberton Oval
INJURIES
W-WT -- Von Bertouch (hamstring)
REPORTS
Glenelg -- Partington (misconduct)
LEAGUE LADDER
--------------------------------------------
Glenelg -- 26pts (13-0-0), 58.1%
W-WT -- 18pts (9-4-0), 58.1%
South -- 16pts (8-5-0), 51.9%
Norwood -- 16pts (8-5-0), 51.5%
North -- 14pts (7-6-0), 57.1%
--------------------------------------------
Port -- 12pts (6-7-0), 46.1%
Sturt -- 10pts (5-8-0), 48.9%
Adelaide -- 8pts (4-9-0), 43.2%
Central -- 6pts (3-10-0), 43.9%
West -- 4pts (2-11-0), 41%
--------------------------------------------
STATE COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS -- Southerners win men's title, Northern gals reign
The Southern Districts men's team secured their overall 11th title in history after running out 43-point winners in the Grand Final of the SA Country Football Championships at Victor Harbor Oval on Sunday afternoon. Central were aiming for back-to-back titles after winning 2019, but a scoreless final quarter put that dream to bed as the host region blasted through 7.4 to bag the championship. The victory ended a five-year drought for Southern, who last won in 2015. They would have seven players selected for the Team of the Championships, as well as taking out best U-21 player in Bailey Marshman from Reynella and the Bill Murdoch Medal going to coach Scott Wendelborn of Encounter Bay. The standout player of the championship and Don McSweeny Medallist was Jordan Fuller of Prop Risdon representing the Northern team. Speaking of Northern, their women's side took out their division's title, winning by four points against Murray South East in their Grand Final earlier in the day. It was sweet revenge for the Northern girls, who lost to MSE in the 2019 series. The best player and U-21 awards were tied between MSE's Ella Little of Millicent and Central's Dakota Williams of Willaston. Northern's two coaches in Broken Hill duo Phil Neal and Anthony Tidball were named the standout coaches.
MEN'S FINAL -- Southern Districts 11.17 (83) def. Central 6.4 (40)
WOMEN'S FINAL -- Northern 5.2 (32) def. Murray South East 4.4 (28)
Next weekend in Round 15...
Saturday July 17
Central District vs. Sturt; X-Convenience Oval, Elizabeth @ 2:10pm
North Adelaide vs. Adelaide; Prospect Oval @ 2:10pm
Norwood vs. Woodville-West Torrens; Coopers Stadium, Norwood @ 2:10pm
Glenelg vs. South Adelaide; ACH Group Stadium, Glenelg @ 2:35pm
Sunday July 18 @ 1:10pm
West Adelaide vs. Port Adelaide; Hisense Stadium, Richmond
So until next weekend... see you at the Footy!
