Grassroots: SA footy round-up
In this round-up of South Australian footy news and characters: the need for indigenous round innovation in the SANFL, and a shake-up on the state’s west coast.
Francis stars in SA win
Bouncing back after a one-point loss to Western Australia the previous week, a good start and somewhat improved accuracy in front of goal was the catalyst for SA’s under-18s to record a 25-point win over the Vic Metro lads at AAMI Stadium last Saturday.
The final score was SA 13.15 (93) to Vic Metro 10.8 (68).
“I wasn’t unhappy with the first game, except for our inaccuracy in front of goal,” coach Brenton Phillips said.
“Saying that, we still kicked a number of points but our conversion rate was better.”
Phillips, who’s coached the side for the past eight seasons, enthused that the performance of Riverland native Aaron Francis was the best he’s seen at this level.
So good indeed that at one point, as Francis was headed for the interchange, he received an ovation from the small but appreciative crowd.
In his best on-ground performance, he had 17 disposals and grabbed 12 strong defensive marks.
“He was head and shoulders above the rest, and this game alone may have just elevated him to a top 10 draft candidate,” Phillips continued.
Others to impress included marking forward Oleg Markov, who kicked five goals in attack, and fellow forward Mason Redman from Millicent, in his first game at this level.
This pair finished with a haul of eight majors between them.
Just in his third year in the sport, Double Blues ruckman Andre Parella was a strong contributor, while the silky smooth aboriginal lad Wayne Milera and on-baller Luke Partington continued their form from round one.
“Considering his time in our game, Andre was great,” Phillips said.
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“Wayne (Milera) continued to impress with his poise and composure, while (Mason) Redman’s intensity around the ball and tackling was excellent.”
Wingman Brendan Dew and defender Stephen Tahana were also prime movers.
But the Croweaters’ chances of winning a third successive crown were dealt a big blow, with undefeated Vic Country notching a massive win against the Sandgropers in Perth on Sunday.
Returning to their roots
The prestigious Mortlock Shield competition, which has been on the calendar in Port Lincoln for more than eight decades, will be boosted to eight teams this season.
Clad in orange and charcoal, the EP Shark Warriors will debut this year, with Adventure Bay Charters as their major sponsor.
The team will comprise of players emanating from the Eyre Peninsula.
They’ll be coached by the 2001 Jack Oatey Medallist Ricky McGowan, who hails from Darke Peak Football Club in the Eastern Eyre Football League.
McGowan said he was approached for the gig six months ago, after “a concept was put forward to the Mortlock Shield committee to even up the numbers with an expatriate team of players who have spent time on the (peninsula)”.
“I jumped at the opportunity,” he said.
The EP Shark Warriors team will be captained by Luke Harder, a former Port Adelaide footballer with SANFL team of the year honours, who currently plays with the Unley Jets.
Matt Crettenden from Sacred Heart Old Collegians is his deputy.
Other higher profile players included former Double Blue forward Jeremy Johncock (Henley), Port Adelaide Magpies key position player Kerren Hall (Imperials) and Eagle Joe Pedler (Saint Iggies).
State country player of the past couple of seasons Joel Kay (Yankalilla), dual sporting talent Luke Harrowfield (Imperials) and Brad Cooper (Roxby Downs) are other high profile team members.
Time for more innovation at the SANFL
Having been in Melbourne for the Indigenous Round last week, I was impressed with how the VFL involved themselves in this marquee round.
Both Richmond and Essendon’s VFL clubs played for the Sir Doug Nicholls Cup, at the traditional home of the Tigers, Punt Road Oval.
It was interesting to see the SA boys in both sides. Orazio Fantasia (right) was among the best for the Bombers, while former Central District premiership player Jonathan Giles was impressive in ruck in a comprehensive 44 point win.
Richmond forward Nathan Gordon, who had a season at North Adelaide, nearly took the mark of the year in final term and got among the scoring, as did Norwood premiership midfielder Jaryd Cachia and Eagles utility Matthew McDonough.
For the SANFL indigenous round, it’s time the league and its clubs show some foresight.
What about Sturt and Central Districts playing each other in this round, promoting our aboriginal pioneers with the Morey-Rigney Cup?
Sonny Morey is the man credited with Central Districts’ first kick in league ranks in 1964, and he went on to be the club’s first 200-game player.
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Rigney is a five-time premiership rover from the golden era at Unley, playing 211 games and kicking 250 goals.
For the love of the game
Steve Lubcke (above) is a football purist and a career coach.
This coaching caper is in his blood. This year he continued his role at the South Australian Primary Schools Amateur Sports Association (SAPSASA), as coach of the Barossa and Light team, receiving many compliments about his aptitude mentoring developing footballers.
He will also coach the SA state country side for a third successive year when they play WA in Perth late next month.
And he is the current coach of the Mallala Football Club in the Adelaide Plains competition, having led the Tanunda Football Club to three successive flags in the Barossa, Light and Gawler association from their centenary year in 2008.
Originally from the Walkerville Cats, Lubcke played a small handful of league games with Glenelg as a rover, fighting for a spot with Kym Hodgeman and Craig Marriott.
His work as a teacher took him to Kangaroo Island, where Lubcke, playing for Kingscote, was runner up for the Mail Medal.
First under-16 crown to double blues
Undefeated all year, Sturt won the SANFL Under-16s Macca’s Cup in fine style at AAMI Stadium last Saturday.
Up against the Panthers, they led by six goals at the main break and went on to achieve a 67-point triumph.
Sam Hargreaves produced a best on group performance for the Double Blues, while ruckman Callum Coleman-Jones, Ryan Weidenhofer and Mt Barker’s four-goal forward Jordan Houlahan weren’t far behind.
“While it looked like a comfortable win, South made a couple of charges at us,” premiership coach Terry Hutton said.
“Once the rain settled in in the second half and we were six goals up, the contest became a bit of a scramble. Sam (Hargreaves), playing as a rover, was our best, because of the evenness of his performance through the game.
“Because we lost our other ruckman through concussion, Callum Coleman-Jones virtually rucked the whole game.
“They were a tremendous bunch of lads and over the season we used 47 players.”
Reynella lad Samuel Whitbread was the standout for the Panthers, followed by Jonty Manuel, Kane Milford and Job Colwell.
It was Sturt’s first cup win from four attempts since the Under-16s SANFL competition moved to a nine-game program.
Thrilling round
It was a tight round of SANFL league football, from Friday night’s one-point thriller, when the Bloods defeated South by the smallest of margins, through to the endeavour of bottom-placed Glenelg on Sunday afternoon, getting within eight points of Port Adelaide.
At City Mazda stadium Jono Beech kicked a goal at the 28-minute mark of the last term to give West Adelaide the lead, but South’s Brett Eddy had the last scoring shot of the match after the siren, which missed and gave the hosts the two premiership points.
The Panthers led for 102 of the game’s 104 minutes, but not when it mattered most!
Lowly North Adelaide stretched ladder-leaders Norwood, who left the door ajar with errant kicking. The Roosters even snatched the lead halfway through the final term, but a Kane Murphy goal that came off his shin got the reigning premiers over the line.
Central District’s 20-point margin was the biggest win of the weekend, against Adelaide’s SANFL side at the Ponderosa.
The other Sunday encounter was a strange affair, with Sturt held goalless in the first half and the Eagles scoreless in the last. In tough conditions, Woodville West Torrens won by 17 points.
