- May 8, 2001
- 5,696
- 873
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Other Teams
- CDFC (SANFL), Port Melb (VFL)
Hi Footy fans...
Its the biggest rivalry in football. Its been 10 years since we saw the last State of Origin contest and despite calls for its return by the fans, representative football at AFL level remains in exile. State League representation has taken the place of this once proud tradition... the objective is slightly different but the passion remains the same. That objective, is the right to label one's state football competition the best in Australia behind the big league and once again the cream of the crops of South Australia and Victoria engaged in battle.
So lets see what went on in this year's State League game between the SANFL and the VFL.
Since the expansion of the former VFL and its eventual transition to the AFL, it was believed that representative football at a State League level should continue. The early years of these matches saw the SANFL take a bit of a pounding by the Western Australians along with a shock loss to Tasmania. One win out of five matches from 1991 to 1995, a Barry Cable prophecy of pain seemingly right on the mark. But then six wins on the trot against WA, ACT and Victorian teams got SA back on track. The streak ended in 2002 when the VFL came to Adelaide, a 56 point belting sending shockwaves once again through the SANFL HQ. The loss spurred the Croweaters to a win the following year, in what was to be the beginning of a tri-ennial rotational system involving SA, WA and Victoria.
The Victorian Football Association didn't have much experience in the State League arena in regards to tackling the SANFL and WAFL and had mixed results against the other leagues in NSW, NT and before the North-South split, the Tasmanians. Three years after the change from VFA to the Victorian Football League, Football Victoria -- now AFL-Victoria -- felt they were ready to tackle the Croweaters. In the preceeding match to the last State of Origin match, a tenacious VFL outfit lost out in the end but it wasn't the last encounter. The more famous white version of the Big V made its debut for the "new" VFL in 2001 and finally took the SA scalp in 2002 and then 2004 against the WAFL at Leederville Oval.
The last battle between the two leagues was one for the ages, a narrow victory at Port Melbourne for the SANFL charges. This year's clash was originally destined for Coopers Stadium but after delays in the re-development of SA's most famous arena, Adelaide Oval became available. Former North Adelaide player Darel Hart was again at the helm of South Australia whilst current North Ballarat coach Gerard Fitzgerald headed the Victorians. Fitzgerald was the one who masterminded SA's downfall in 2002. Unfortunately, although the day was perfect for football, a mere 5500+ turned up for the match.
FIRST QUARTER
The Victorians were threatening early on in the piece, North Ballarat's Orren Stephenson getting the knockout from the first bounce over South Adelaide's Craig Parry. After a couple of boundary throw-ins, the ball eventually making its way to the VFL 50-metre zone. A clever ball snatch by Port Melbourne's Robin Nahas and subsequent lob to Jason Cloke bagging the first goal. After the following bounce, a wasted SA kick after a holding the ball charge almost allowed another goal to Cloke, but another Nahas assist moments later allowed former Crow and Bendigo's Hayden Skipworth to sink Victoria's second goal. Nahas would again pop up, but it was Ben Kane's touch to the back of Williamstown's Patrick Rose that saw a third Victorian goal. Worrying signs for SA, but finally they responded shortly after the bounce as Parry found Eagle Luke Powell and then Brant Chambers, who shot through SA's first major. His fellow Sturt teammate Ian Perrie, who made up another part of SA's attack, goaled after gathering a James Gowans bouncer only 20 seconds later. Some wasted possessions by both sides would ensue for a while, Glenelg skipper Brett Backwell booted his first goal from 50 metres to even the scores. Box Hill's Stephen Kenna would pop up before time-on to kick Victoria's fourth goal, then a goal for North Adelaide's Clint Alleway saw the Croweaters leading by a point again. An untimely handball by Magpie Corey AhChee at the wrong goalsquare allowed Victoria to take the lead again through Rose, but Powell would bag a goal to finish the first term. SANFL 5.3 to VFL 5.2.
SECOND QUARTER
Victoria, after making a promising start, went from being three goals up to a point down. But someone must have flicked the sleep switch on them, because when play resumed for the 2nd quarter, the Croweaters started a massive routing. A long pass by vice-captain Paul Thomas from the wing to Jeremy Clayton then Leigh Treeby saw Perrie, after a strong mark, kick the first goal of the term. A bad tackle by Coburg's Tristian Cartledge on Treeby saw SA surge forward again, the advantage stretching all the way to Perrie who booted his third from the 50. Leigh Treeby bobbed up a short time later, his shot passing over the heads of Alleway and Scott Meyer for another goal. Any forward movement by Victoria was nullified everytime, bar the two behinds they scored. Bulldog Daniel Havelberg extended the lead to four goals at the 11 minute mark, then Sturt young-gun Charlie Sharples' side-boot on on 16 minutes put it out to 31. They weren't finished there, Nick Salter booting a goal on 18 minutes, then his Eagles team-mate Treeby taking his second goal 90 seconds after. Nahas bobbed up again to stop another SA charge with his tackle on Andrew Hayes, but it was all in vain for this quarter. The Croweaters ran in packs, subsequent goals to Backwell and Treeby to finish the half. SANFL 14.5 to VFL 5.4.
THIRD QUARTER
The damage by this time was terminal, the Croweaters were up by 55 points at the long break and now the objective of the Big V was to lessen the damage. The third quarter was not goals a-plenty like the second term, but SA wasn't going to give the Vics any lee-way. With the usually dominant goal kicking presence of Werribee's James Podsiadly spraying his shots and the absence of Nick Sautner, the Vic playing forwards effect was not going to be enough to bring the gap back. Speaking of Podsiadly, it didn't take him long to give away a free to Daniel Schell. After circumnavigating the field and a Sharples tackle on North Ballarat's Brett Goodes, it would come down to Alleway to boot the first goal of the quarter. Victoria were finally able to score a major, going the length of the ground through to Nahas who bounced it through. Brant Chambers' probably should have shot for goal at the six minute mark, but Clint Alleway rectified that stuff up with another goal after receiving a long boot from fellow Rooster James Allan. Nick Salter took his second sixer from dead on the arc, sneaking it past Scott Meyer and Perrie letting it through. A wayward Schell handpass at the Victorian end allowed Tom Roach to goal at the 11th minute, then Nahas dribbling yet another bouncer through. Brett Goodes bump on Luke Crane after a disposal saw the ball end up with Chambers who goaled before extra time. The last goal of the term went to Alleway, extending the gap to 69 points at the final change. SANFL 19.9 to VFL 8.6.
FINAL QUARTER
Frank Johnson would have been bitterly disappointed with how the Vics were representing his beloved league, the Port Melbourne legend and AFL Hall of Famer came over hoping for something of far better quality. The last term was pretty much goal for goal, Victoria's best efforts left for last in the only term that they outscored the home side. Robin Nahas plugged yet another bouncing goal after a Patrick Rose handpass to open the final term scoring, followed by Alleway's answering score for South Australia. Nahas would again make his presence felt but Victoria couldn't capitalise on the opportunity, Vic captain and Seagulls all-rounder Brett Johnson spraying his shot. Havelberg would then proceed to take his second goal from a Backwell pass, then another goal to Victoria through Rose a minute later and at the 10th minute mark, Frankston forward Justin Berry brought the margin back to 10 goals. Paul Thomas' gave away two penalties to the Vics, Rose linking up with Berry who goaled again and then another Nahas goal in Victoria's best effort since the first quarter. SA wasted an opportunity after Jeremy Clayton's handball to Nick Salter landed him straight into Victorian arms, but a rebound after the free kick brought the ball back into the SA scoring zone. After a couple of bounce ups, Backwell bagged a goal to break Victoria's four goal streak. Chambers scored his third at 24 minutes and then Alleway followed soon after for his sixth major score. Scott Meyer gave away a free to Chambers right in front of goal and handed SA their 25th goal. Collingwood's Danny Nicholls took out the last goal for the game and that was all she wrote. South Australia winning the battle of the leagues by 65 points.
2008 STATE LEAGUE MATCH
The Advertiser Cup
South Australia 25.11 (161)
Victoria 14.12 (96)
5,596 @ Adelaide Oval
THE MEDALLISTS
North Adelaide's Clint Alleway bagged six goals for the day, the icing on the cake was taking out the Fos Williams Medal as best afield for South Australia, while Port Melbourne's Robin Nahas took home the Frank Johnson Medal as best for Victoria.
INJURIES
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Sturt -- Chambers (dislocated finger)
REPORTS
None were made.
Next weekend for the two leagues...
SOUTH AUSTRALIA - Round 10
Saturday June 7
Central District vs. South Adelaide; Hamra Homes Oval, Elizabeth
Woodville-West Torrens vs. Norwood; Woodville Oval
Monday June 9
Glenelg vs. Port Adelaide; Challenge Recruitment Oval, Glenelg
Sturt vs. North Adelaide; House Brothers Oval, Unley
West Adelaide have the bye.
VICTORIA / TASMANIA - Round 9
Saturday June 7
North Ballarat vs. Frankston; AUSTAR Arena, Ballarat
Tasmania vs. Port Melbourne; Bellerive Oval, Hobart
Northern Bullants vs. Williamstown; MC Labour Park, Carlton
Sunday June 8
Werribee vs. Coburg; Bartercard Oval
Casey Scorpions vs. Geelong; Casey Fields, Cranbourne
Sandringham vs. Collingwood; Trevor Barker Beach Oval
Monday June 9
Box Hill vs. Bendigo; Box Hill City Oval
So until next weekend, or in three years to you Vics... see you at the Footy!
Its the biggest rivalry in football. Its been 10 years since we saw the last State of Origin contest and despite calls for its return by the fans, representative football at AFL level remains in exile. State League representation has taken the place of this once proud tradition... the objective is slightly different but the passion remains the same. That objective, is the right to label one's state football competition the best in Australia behind the big league and once again the cream of the crops of South Australia and Victoria engaged in battle.
So lets see what went on in this year's State League game between the SANFL and the VFL.
Since the expansion of the former VFL and its eventual transition to the AFL, it was believed that representative football at a State League level should continue. The early years of these matches saw the SANFL take a bit of a pounding by the Western Australians along with a shock loss to Tasmania. One win out of five matches from 1991 to 1995, a Barry Cable prophecy of pain seemingly right on the mark. But then six wins on the trot against WA, ACT and Victorian teams got SA back on track. The streak ended in 2002 when the VFL came to Adelaide, a 56 point belting sending shockwaves once again through the SANFL HQ. The loss spurred the Croweaters to a win the following year, in what was to be the beginning of a tri-ennial rotational system involving SA, WA and Victoria.
The Victorian Football Association didn't have much experience in the State League arena in regards to tackling the SANFL and WAFL and had mixed results against the other leagues in NSW, NT and before the North-South split, the Tasmanians. Three years after the change from VFA to the Victorian Football League, Football Victoria -- now AFL-Victoria -- felt they were ready to tackle the Croweaters. In the preceeding match to the last State of Origin match, a tenacious VFL outfit lost out in the end but it wasn't the last encounter. The more famous white version of the Big V made its debut for the "new" VFL in 2001 and finally took the SA scalp in 2002 and then 2004 against the WAFL at Leederville Oval.
The last battle between the two leagues was one for the ages, a narrow victory at Port Melbourne for the SANFL charges. This year's clash was originally destined for Coopers Stadium but after delays in the re-development of SA's most famous arena, Adelaide Oval became available. Former North Adelaide player Darel Hart was again at the helm of South Australia whilst current North Ballarat coach Gerard Fitzgerald headed the Victorians. Fitzgerald was the one who masterminded SA's downfall in 2002. Unfortunately, although the day was perfect for football, a mere 5500+ turned up for the match.
FIRST QUARTER
The Victorians were threatening early on in the piece, North Ballarat's Orren Stephenson getting the knockout from the first bounce over South Adelaide's Craig Parry. After a couple of boundary throw-ins, the ball eventually making its way to the VFL 50-metre zone. A clever ball snatch by Port Melbourne's Robin Nahas and subsequent lob to Jason Cloke bagging the first goal. After the following bounce, a wasted SA kick after a holding the ball charge almost allowed another goal to Cloke, but another Nahas assist moments later allowed former Crow and Bendigo's Hayden Skipworth to sink Victoria's second goal. Nahas would again pop up, but it was Ben Kane's touch to the back of Williamstown's Patrick Rose that saw a third Victorian goal. Worrying signs for SA, but finally they responded shortly after the bounce as Parry found Eagle Luke Powell and then Brant Chambers, who shot through SA's first major. His fellow Sturt teammate Ian Perrie, who made up another part of SA's attack, goaled after gathering a James Gowans bouncer only 20 seconds later. Some wasted possessions by both sides would ensue for a while, Glenelg skipper Brett Backwell booted his first goal from 50 metres to even the scores. Box Hill's Stephen Kenna would pop up before time-on to kick Victoria's fourth goal, then a goal for North Adelaide's Clint Alleway saw the Croweaters leading by a point again. An untimely handball by Magpie Corey AhChee at the wrong goalsquare allowed Victoria to take the lead again through Rose, but Powell would bag a goal to finish the first term. SANFL 5.3 to VFL 5.2.
SECOND QUARTER
Victoria, after making a promising start, went from being three goals up to a point down. But someone must have flicked the sleep switch on them, because when play resumed for the 2nd quarter, the Croweaters started a massive routing. A long pass by vice-captain Paul Thomas from the wing to Jeremy Clayton then Leigh Treeby saw Perrie, after a strong mark, kick the first goal of the term. A bad tackle by Coburg's Tristian Cartledge on Treeby saw SA surge forward again, the advantage stretching all the way to Perrie who booted his third from the 50. Leigh Treeby bobbed up a short time later, his shot passing over the heads of Alleway and Scott Meyer for another goal. Any forward movement by Victoria was nullified everytime, bar the two behinds they scored. Bulldog Daniel Havelberg extended the lead to four goals at the 11 minute mark, then Sturt young-gun Charlie Sharples' side-boot on on 16 minutes put it out to 31. They weren't finished there, Nick Salter booting a goal on 18 minutes, then his Eagles team-mate Treeby taking his second goal 90 seconds after. Nahas bobbed up again to stop another SA charge with his tackle on Andrew Hayes, but it was all in vain for this quarter. The Croweaters ran in packs, subsequent goals to Backwell and Treeby to finish the half. SANFL 14.5 to VFL 5.4.
THIRD QUARTER
The damage by this time was terminal, the Croweaters were up by 55 points at the long break and now the objective of the Big V was to lessen the damage. The third quarter was not goals a-plenty like the second term, but SA wasn't going to give the Vics any lee-way. With the usually dominant goal kicking presence of Werribee's James Podsiadly spraying his shots and the absence of Nick Sautner, the Vic playing forwards effect was not going to be enough to bring the gap back. Speaking of Podsiadly, it didn't take him long to give away a free to Daniel Schell. After circumnavigating the field and a Sharples tackle on North Ballarat's Brett Goodes, it would come down to Alleway to boot the first goal of the quarter. Victoria were finally able to score a major, going the length of the ground through to Nahas who bounced it through. Brant Chambers' probably should have shot for goal at the six minute mark, but Clint Alleway rectified that stuff up with another goal after receiving a long boot from fellow Rooster James Allan. Nick Salter took his second sixer from dead on the arc, sneaking it past Scott Meyer and Perrie letting it through. A wayward Schell handpass at the Victorian end allowed Tom Roach to goal at the 11th minute, then Nahas dribbling yet another bouncer through. Brett Goodes bump on Luke Crane after a disposal saw the ball end up with Chambers who goaled before extra time. The last goal of the term went to Alleway, extending the gap to 69 points at the final change. SANFL 19.9 to VFL 8.6.
FINAL QUARTER
Frank Johnson would have been bitterly disappointed with how the Vics were representing his beloved league, the Port Melbourne legend and AFL Hall of Famer came over hoping for something of far better quality. The last term was pretty much goal for goal, Victoria's best efforts left for last in the only term that they outscored the home side. Robin Nahas plugged yet another bouncing goal after a Patrick Rose handpass to open the final term scoring, followed by Alleway's answering score for South Australia. Nahas would again make his presence felt but Victoria couldn't capitalise on the opportunity, Vic captain and Seagulls all-rounder Brett Johnson spraying his shot. Havelberg would then proceed to take his second goal from a Backwell pass, then another goal to Victoria through Rose a minute later and at the 10th minute mark, Frankston forward Justin Berry brought the margin back to 10 goals. Paul Thomas' gave away two penalties to the Vics, Rose linking up with Berry who goaled again and then another Nahas goal in Victoria's best effort since the first quarter. SA wasted an opportunity after Jeremy Clayton's handball to Nick Salter landed him straight into Victorian arms, but a rebound after the free kick brought the ball back into the SA scoring zone. After a couple of bounce ups, Backwell bagged a goal to break Victoria's four goal streak. Chambers scored his third at 24 minutes and then Alleway followed soon after for his sixth major score. Scott Meyer gave away a free to Chambers right in front of goal and handed SA their 25th goal. Collingwood's Danny Nicholls took out the last goal for the game and that was all she wrote. South Australia winning the battle of the leagues by 65 points.
2008 STATE LEAGUE MATCH
The Advertiser Cup
South Australia 25.11 (161)
Victoria 14.12 (96)
5,596 @ Adelaide Oval
THE MEDALLISTS
North Adelaide's Clint Alleway bagged six goals for the day, the icing on the cake was taking out the Fos Williams Medal as best afield for South Australia, while Port Melbourne's Robin Nahas took home the Frank Johnson Medal as best for Victoria.
INJURIES
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Sturt -- Chambers (dislocated finger)
REPORTS
None were made.
Next weekend for the two leagues...
SOUTH AUSTRALIA - Round 10
Saturday June 7
Central District vs. South Adelaide; Hamra Homes Oval, Elizabeth
Woodville-West Torrens vs. Norwood; Woodville Oval
Monday June 9
Glenelg vs. Port Adelaide; Challenge Recruitment Oval, Glenelg
Sturt vs. North Adelaide; House Brothers Oval, Unley
West Adelaide have the bye.
VICTORIA / TASMANIA - Round 9
Saturday June 7
North Ballarat vs. Frankston; AUSTAR Arena, Ballarat
Tasmania vs. Port Melbourne; Bellerive Oval, Hobart
Northern Bullants vs. Williamstown; MC Labour Park, Carlton
Sunday June 8
Werribee vs. Coburg; Bartercard Oval
Casey Scorpions vs. Geelong; Casey Fields, Cranbourne
Sandringham vs. Collingwood; Trevor Barker Beach Oval
Monday June 9
Box Hill vs. Bendigo; Box Hill City Oval
So until next weekend, or in three years to you Vics... see you at the Footy!
