Adelaide Footy League 2021 finalists locked in for all divisions after big round 18 matches
Two weeks, 44 preliminary finals and 22 grand finals. The Adelaide Footy League is set for a blockbuster fortnight after a big end to the minor rounds.
Local Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Finals fever has arrived in the Adelaide Footy League.
A blockbuster fortnight is in store with 44 preliminary finals and 22 grand finals to be played in the men’s competition across the next two weeks.
But first, here are The Messenger’s reports from every division for round 18:
DIVISION ONE
An old collegians derby between arch rivals and the league’s top two district clubs going head-to-head are locked in as the top flight’s mouth-watering preliminary final fixtures.
Division one will advance straight to finals this Saturday after a decision was made to scrap the two outstanding minor round matches.
It means bitter enemies Prince Alfred OC and St Peter’s OC will face off at Richmond Oval this Saturday while Goodwood Saints and Payneham Norwood Union do battle at Thebarton Oval.
Two matches – SPOC versus Brighton and PAOC versus Goodwood – were still yet to be played after the division one split round fell during the statewide lockdown last month.
Tea Tree Gully, fifth, had a mathematical chance to play finals but would have needed St Peter’s to lose to the Bombers by 158 points to make up the percentage gap.
The Gullies told the league following the last round that it was content for the game to not go ahead.
On Saturday, Payneham tuned up for finals and condemned Adelaide University to relegation with a comfortable 14.10 (94) to 5.9 (39) victory at home.
Falcons coach Jace Bode said he was glad to no longer have a week off before finals and was confident his team was well-placed heading into the clash with Goodwood.
“We had a couple of poor weeks but the last fortnight has been pretty solid,” Bode said.
“We respect Goodwood, they’re a serious football team and have been the benchmark for a while now.
“For me it’s focusing on what we can control, making sure the boys are prepared as they can be and we can execute on the day.”
Goodwood come into the clash having won its past four straight, including a 15.18 (108) to 10.5 (65) victory over Unley Mercedes in the final round.
The Saints trailed the wooden spooners by seven points at half-time but turned the screw in a 10-goal to three second half.
St Peter’s tuned up for the major round by travelling to Port District and overcoming the Magpies, 11.16 (82) to 9.8 (62).
SPOC coach Geoff Riddle said the pressure would be on its rival Prince Alfred in the preliminary final.
“We’re not expected to do anything, they’re the ones who have been dominant all year and it comes down to one game,” Riddle said.
“So we’re excited, we’ve got nothing to lose and we’re going to give it a good crack.”
PAOC playing coach Craig Pitt said it should be a great contest between the old enemies with both at full strength.
“It doesn’t who you play, a knockout final is always a big occasion,” Pitt said.
“But there’s always that rivalry between St Peter’s and us, and the respect we have for each other as well. It will be a big occasion.
“They’ve come good at the right time of the year … so it’s going to be a great challenge to come up against them.”
The Old Reds defeated Tea Tree Gully 16.13 (109) to 7.11 (53) at Pertaringa Oval on Saturday, ending the Wolves’ finals hopes.
Rostrevor Old Collegians will also miss finals – for the first time since 2012 – after losing away to Brighton.
The Bombers’ 13.15 (93) to 9.10 (64) meant they avoided relegation.
DIVISION TWO
Athelstone has avoided a second straight relegation by the skin of its teeth while Scotch Old Collegians unluckily took its place in the drop zone following a tense final day in division two.
Coming into the last round, the Lions were safe in eighth spot but only 0.16 per cent ahead of the ninth-ranked Raggies on the ladder.
Scotch hosted finals-bound Sacred Heart Old Collegians needing an unlikely win and it delivered, triumphing 12.17 (89) to 12.9 (81) thanks to a seven-goal best on ground performance from Max Marslen.
The stirring display in coach Kym Cobb’s final game in charge seemed to be enough to ensure survival but it would have been a crushing moment when the score came through from Athelstone.
The Raggies kicked eight goals to zero in the opening term to storm to a 16.11 (107) to 7.10 (52) victory over Salisbury North.
It took them ahead of Scotch on percentage and out of the relegation zone.
The Lions joined Seaton Ramblers in demotion.
At the other end of the ladder, Old Ignatians moved from fourth to third with a win over top side Glenunga.
Iggies’ 12.10 (82) to 8.9 (57) triumph means they avoid playing the Rams two weeks in a row in the preliminary final and instead take on PHOS Camden at St Mary’s Park.
Glenunga comes up against SHOC in the other final at Glenelg Oval.
Both matches will be played on Saturday.
OTHER RESULTS:
■ PHOS Camden 12.5 (77) d Broadview 9.7 (61) at Broadview Oval
■ Henley 11.14 (80) d Seaton Ramblers 8.9 (57) at Henley Memorial Oval
DIVISION THREE
Flinders Park shook off its recent poor form to overcome Edwardstown and salvage a finals spot in its bid to go one better than last season in division three.
The Reds, defeated grand finalists in 2020, needed to beat the Towns in the final round or risk Modbury snatching fourth place.
And they snapped their three-game losing streak just in time, winning 22.13 (145) to 14.7 (91) at Edwardstown Oval.
Daniel Blythe kicked five goals for the Reds while Izak Richards and Jay Hansen were prolific.
Edwardstown forward George Cornish booted an impressive seven majors in a losing side.
It will be a tough ask however for Flinders Park when they take on top side North Haven in a preliminary final at Payneham Oval this Saturday.
The Magpies thrashed the Reds by 79 points only a week ago.
On Saturday, North Haven recorded its 16th victory of the campaign by comfortably accounting for third-placed Gaza, 11.17 (83) to 3.7 (25) at Largs North Reserve.
The much-improved Eagles will need to bounce back quickly before they take on reigning premier Golden Grove in the other preliminary final at Campbelltown Memorial Oval this Saturday.
Gaza has given the Kookaburras plenty of trouble in both their minor round meetings and will be sniffing an upset.
OTHER RESULTS:
■ Modbury 17.13 (115) d Westminster OS 12.7 (79) at Glandore Oval
■ Golden Grove 19.14 (128) d CBC OC 8.3 (51) at East Parklands
DIVISION FOUR
Gepps Cross will play in division five next season for the first time in almost four decades after suffering its fifth relegation in 10 years.
In a clash between eighth and ninth on the ladder where the loser would be demoted, the Rams were not up to the task as Woodville South took a 56-point win at Ledger Reserve.
Gepps Cross, which has dropped down the grades from division one in 2012, fall to the fifth tier for the first time since 1984 when it joined the league.
The Rams trailed by 14 and 24 points at the first two breaks on Saturday before the Cats put the foot down in the second half to record the 17.6 (108) to 7.10 (52) victory.
Liam Wood and Dylan Gaylard led the way for Woodville South.
Matthew Sawilski battled hard for the Rams.
In the battle for fourth spot, Hope Valley pulled out all the stops to smash Mitcham by 115 points but it was still not enough to secure a finals berth.
The Demons’ 27.11 (173) to 9.4 (58) win left them 0.61 per cent behind SMOSH West Lakes on the ladder.
So it will be the Lions who play finals after they defeated bottom side Kilburn, 16.21 (117) to 3.5 (23) at West Lakes Shore Oval.
SMOSH will face Pembroke Old Scholars – which it beat the week prior – in a preliminary final at Price Memorial Oval on Saturday.
In the other final, Morphettville Park takes on reigning premier Walkerville at Glenelg Oval on Friday night.
OTHER RESULTS:
■ Morphettville Park 13.13 (91) d Pembroke OS. 9.9 (63) at Kellett Reserve
■ Pulteney 20.9 (129) d Walkerville 14.14 (98) at Morgan Oval
DIVISION FIVE
Kenilworth takes on Colonel Light Gardens and Pooraka plays Eastern Park in preliminary finals in the tight and unpredictable division five.
Local rivals the Kookaburras and the Lions travel to Hope Valley for their clash on Saturday while the Bulls and Demons are set for a red and blue derby at Blair Athol Reserve.
And it was reigning premier Lockleys which narrowly missed out on the top four following a round 18 that could have gone many different ways.
The Demons hosted Kenilworth with a spot in the finals on the line but fell in a low scoring affair.
The Kookaburras’ 7.12 (54) to 4.9 (33) triumph moved it up to second on the ladder and left Lockleys in fifth.
Both sides’ fortunes rode on the outcome of Colonel Light Gardens’ match away at Salisbury.
However the Lions did what they needed to do in a comfortable 13.11 (89 to 4.8 (32) win.
Pooraka and Eastern Park’s preliminary final will see the sides meet for a second straight week.
The two clashed at Dwight Reserve and it was the high-scoring Bulls who prevailed 22.11 (143) to 11.13 (79) in an ominous sign of what could come this week.
Matt Rankine and Luis Timpano (four goals) played starring roles for Pooraka.
The Bulls have won both matches against the Demons this season.
OTHER RESULTS:
■ Hectorville 22.15 (147) d West Croydon 7.12 (54) at Daly Oval
■ Fitzroy – bye
DIVISION SIX
Trinity Old Scholars and St Paul’s Old Scholars are set to meet for the second straight week when they face off in a preliminary final.
TOS claimed victory in a six-point contest at home against the Saints on Saturday.
The two division six clubs will now do battle again, this time at Salisbury Oval.
And if their round 18 clash is anything to go by, it should be an enthralling contest.
The Lions were the better side when it mattered most as they edged out an inaccurate SPOS 11.7 (73) to 9.13 (67).
TOS’ Domenico Barilla bagged six goals and Dylan Winning was also impressive in the win.
Nicholas Morasca, Anthony Alesiani and Nikolas Papaioannou were solid for the Saints.
In the second preliminary final, unbeaten Elizabeth will face Blackfriars Old Scholars at Elizabeth Oval on Saturday.
The Hounds are the closest a side has come to beating the 16-0 Eagles, who had a bye in the final round.
In June, BOS fell by just four points at home to the minor premiers.
The Hounds tuned up for the big clash by belting Rosewater 22.17 (149) to 9.6 (60) at Eric Sutton Oval on Saturday.
OTHER RESULTS:
■ Ingle Farm 13.15 (93) d Mawson Lakes 10.12 (72) at Rowe Park
■ Para Hills 11.21 (87) d Marion 7.13 (55) at Sturt Oval
■ Elizabeth – bye
DIVISION SEVEN
Two sides with unsavoury recent history will clash under lights in a highly anticipated division seven preliminary final on Friday night.
Central United and Adelaide Lutheran – both coming off wins of more than 150 points – will do battle from 8.15pm at Payneham Oval.
It comes after a meeting between the two clubs on August 21 which was marred by a Central player striking Lutheran’s runner.
United will look to shake off the incident with a win on the field as it attempts to go from wooden spooner last season to premier.
On Saturday, the Dogs had their way with Flinders University in a 26.16 (172) to 3.4 (22) thumping.
Darrell McIntyre (nine) and Jamie Lane (seven) combined for 16 goals in the huge win.
Lutheran also carry hot form into the contest however after it thrashed bottom side O’Sullivan Beach Lonsdale 34.22 (226) to 6.3 (39).
Rowan Miegel booted 11 majors.
The other division seven preliminary final pits Greenacres against reigning premier Brahma Lodge at Blair Athol Reserve on Friday night.
The Dragons and Tigers also come into the clash in winning form.
OTHER RESULTS:
■ Brahma Lodge 13.15 (93) d Mitchell Park 7.8 (50) at Brahma Lodge Oval
■ Greenacres 21.15 (141) d Hackham 8.9 (57) at Edward Smith Reserve
■ Houghton Districts – bye
Ranked: Top 25 Great Southern Football League players of the 21st Century
The Great Southern Football League has been stacked with talent throughout the 21st Century so we’ve ranked the best of the best. See our top 25 players of the past 25 years.
Search for the next Konstas: The guns flying at U17 nationals
NSW Metro skipper Yash Deshmukh spun his side to victory in a player of the match display in Thursday’s under-17 male national cricket championships final over Queensland. Get the full wrap up of the tournament at Launceston here.