One-Percenters: Team wins first game since 2015, plus other quirky titbits from the weekend in the Adelaide Footy League
One of Adelaide football’s longest winning droughts is over – after nearly three years.
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Welcome to One-Percenters – a wrap of some of the quirky talking points from the round in the Adelaide Footy League (formerly the amateur league).
Each edition we will bring you eight or so titbits from the latest weekend – they might be eye-catching results, milestones, comebacks, big wins, broken droughts or inspiring stories.
If you have heard about something quirky in the Adelaide Footy League, email us your suggestions or photos to matthew.turner1@news.com.au.
Here are the highlights of round one:
LENGTHY WIN DROUGHT OVER
Marion has won its first game since August 2015, ending one of Adelaide football’s longest winning droughts.
The Rams had been a cellar-dweller in the Southern Football League in recent seasons, sustaining defeat in every game in each of the past two campaigns and boasting an average losing margin of 171.93 points in 2017.
But they made an off-season switch to the Adelaide Footy League’s division seven and got the monkey off their back on Saturday with a 21.19 (145) to 5.7 (37) home triumph over Mitchell Park.
Marion president Jack McCallum said everyone at the club was thrilled with the result and “you couldn’t get in the change rooms” when the song was being belted out.
“It was terrific, particularly for the players,” McCallum said.
“They’re the ones who’ve busted their butts for a couple of years with no reward.
“The song was sung quite loudly.
“There was so many people in there (change rooms), you couldn’t breathe.
“It was just elation that we’d won a game.”
McCallum said the club had recruited well in the off-season under coach Ben Porter, signing “about 16 or 17” new players.
The Rams’ Bs also prevailed in round one, beating Mitchell Park by 155 points.
“We’ve done very well in terms of recruitment this year,” McCallum said.
“Last year we couldn’t recruit to save ourselves.
“The atmosphere after both the Bs and the As was terrific.”
McCallum said the club was hopeful it could be a lot more competitive this year.
“It’s only one game and there’s a long way to go,” he said.
“But the players deserve to have some success because they’ve worked really hard.
EX-BLOODS STAR SENT OFF ON DEBUT
It wasn’t an ideal start for former West Adelaide star Daniel Caire at division two club Unley Mercedes Jets.
Not only did the Jets fall to Salisbury North by 91 points, but Caire was sent off midway through the final quarter for his involvement in a scuffle.
With injuries already having depleted the Unley Mercedes bench, the club was left with just 17 players on the field.
The Hawks took full advantage and booted 11.3 while keeping Unley Mercedes scoreless during the fourth term in Jets coach Kane Stewart’s first game in charge.
LANGFORD SLOTS NINE IN FIRST GAME
Tom Langford’s first appearance for division five club Pulteney was much more positive.
The former North Adelaide and Norwood forward booted nine goals as the Navy Blues made a statement with a 155-point win over fellow promoted side Ingle Farm.
Langford joined Pulteney after spending 2017 with division one side Payneham Norwood Union.
Daniel Polec, the brother of Power midfielder Jared Polec, also made his debut for Pulteney and kicked six majors.
FITZROY 16-GOAL HAUL
Who says the bag-kicking full-forward is dead?
Fitzroy spearhead Nick Prokopec booted 16 goals in his side’s 32.16 (208) to 4.5 (29) victory over Greenacres in division six.
Amazingly, Prokopec was not named the Lions’ best, getting edged out by Phillip Kartinyeri.
It will be interesting to see who the umpires’ votes go to at the end of the year.
TOUGH START FOR THE CRABS
Mawson Lakes made crabmeat out of Flinders University in division seven, prevailing at home by 213 points.
The hosts won 38.18 (246) to the Crabs’ 2.1 (13).
Lachlan Kennett and Jake Tonkin booted six goals each as 15 Mawson Lakes players finished with at least one major.
IT’S RAINING CATS GOALS
Woodville South trailed Hope Valley by five points going into the fourth term of their division five home clash.
But the Cats kicked 10 goals to one after three-quarter time to prevail 21.11 (137) to 13.10 (88).
Former Gold Coast utility Timmy Sumner led the way with eight goals.
SULLIES ALSO OFF THE MARK
O’Sullivan Beach/Lonsdale also made a winning start to life in the Adelaide Footy League’s seventh tier.
The Lions, who crossed from the Southern Football League with Marion during the off-season, prevailed 10.15 (75) to 8.5 (53) at home over Central United.
It was just the third win in the past 12 months for O’Sullivan Beach/Lonsdale, which had a 2-14 record in the SFL last year.
Steven Daniels booted four goals for Sullies.
OUT OF THE WOODS AND STARRING – ON HIS BIRTHDAY
Hugh Woods has made a stunning comeback with Adelaide University’s C3 team, “the Bastards”, kicking 11 goals in his first match in 602 days, which also happened to be his birthday.
Wearing the number 239, Woods – who had been sidelined after undergoing open-heart surgery – was the Blacks’ best in the 30.16 (196) to 2.2 (14) home shellacking of Portland.
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