Adelaide Footy League: The teams battling relegation in every division
The second half of the Adelaide Footy League season is upon us and while many clubs are vying for finals, others are fighting to stay alive. See every team battling relegation here.
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The 2022 Adelaide Footy League season is nearing the business end as Saturday’s round 10 fixture fast-approaches.
While a number of sides look set to compete for silverware this year, many are fighting to stay alive in their respective divisions.
From 2021 div one grand finalists Prince Alfred Old Collegians and Payneham Norwood Union, to Scott Thompson’s Unley Mercedes Jets and the recently successful Morphettville Park, we’ve analysed how each club facing a possible relegation battle sits across every division.
DIVISION ONE
PAYNEHAM NORWOOD UNION
Current position: 10th, four points
The Falcons find themselves in a fight to stay alive just half a season after losing the 2021 grand final to Prince Alfred Old Collegians.
The season has been a challenging one for the club, who lost a host of players after introducing new coach Jeremy Cini and now look to be without star signing Ben Sawford for a number of weeks.
“We’ve had a lot of ins and outs so we’re still doing a lot of chopping and changing,” Cini said.
“I’m seeing progression and development which is good but at this point we need results as well.”
PNU grabbed a key win against Tea Tree Gully away from home heading into the bye but will need to string some more wins together in what looks like an uphill battle to stay in the top flight.
BRIGHTON BOMBERS
Current position: Ninth, six points
A big win at home against St Peter’s OC sent Brighton into the bye with some momentum last week, the club now level on points with Prince Alfred OC.
The Bombers have only managed two wins during what coach Brett Backwell said was “the most frustrating nine weeks of footy in (his) entire career”, but a turnaround could be on the horizon.
“We’ve missed a lot of personnel with injury and sickness, I think I’ve had two guys play all nine games so far,” Backwell said.
“We’ve stopped looking at results and instead just want to continue teaching good behaviours, good skills and make sure we’re developing guys into impressive people as well.”
The Bombers have top spot Goodwood away from home this week, and while a win is not expected, a solid performance may set the side up well for the final eight weeks.
PRINCE ALFRED OC
Current position: Eighth, six points
From 2021 premier to eighth position after nine rounds in 2022, the Old Reds have experience an inconsistent season.
The club – which has also gone through its share of turnover – won one of its first five games before winning two of its next four to head into the mid-season bye outside of the relegation zone on percentage.
A round 10 matchup with Payneham Norwood Union would be on everyone’s watch list this weekend, with the winner set to gain a significant boost.
With the club seemingly hitting some decent form, don’t be surprised to see the team make a minor finals push in the coming weeks.
ROSTREVOR OC
Current position: Seventh, eight points
ROC has shown glimpses of what it could be under new coach Ben Watkins – namely in a 94-56 round seven win over Port District – but has struggled to gain any momentum this year.
Tim Baccanello has excelled in what is a more inexperienced team than last season, while Nic Murphy has bagged 20 goals so far, but a lack of consistency sees them face what will be a testing run home.
Challenging fixtures in rounds 10 (St Peter’s OC at home) and 12 (Glenunga away) might see the side plunge into the bottom two heading into the season’s final month.
DIVISION TWO
GAZA
Current position: 10th, four points
Gaza hasn’t won a game since the start of May and faces sixth spot Henley coming out of the bye this weekend.
The Eagles beat the Sharks in round one for one of its two wins this season and will need a win on Saturday to kick-start a push for safety.
Anything can happen, but avoiding relegation does not look overly likely for the club, which hasn’t posted a score above 80 more than once this year.
SALISBURY NORTH
Current position: Ninth, four points
The Hawks started this season on a five-game skid but have since won two of their last four, including a huge upset over North Haven away from home in round eight.
Star forward Steven Wellington has been a bright spark for the club, booting 25 goals in nine appearances, including eight against North Haven, and will need to continue his form in the second half of the season.
A win against PHOS Camden at home this weekend is not unlikely, and could be the start of a solid run home.
UNLEY MERCEDES JETS
Current position: Eighth, four points
Unley Mercedes has experienced a turbulent 2022 after being relegated from division one at the end of last season, new coach Scott Thompson having to balance a high amount of turnover with the up and coming youth at the club.
A 108-64 away loss to seventh spot Adelaide Uni would’ve been disappointing for the side, which now looks ahead to a tough battle with North Haven at Kingswood Oval this weekend.
Key forward Nick Wark will be hoping to add to his 24-goal tally against the Magpies as the club faces a test to stay in the division.
DIVISION THREE
CBC OC
Current position: 10th, four points
CBC OC recorded a win of huge significance in round nine, defeating fellow straggler Scotch OC at home by 26 points to draw level on points with its opposition.
The performance was a major improvement on its 102-point loss to Golden Grove in round eight and gave the club some momentum heading into the business end of the season.
While staying afloat looks unlikely for the club, a win against a reinvigorated Modbury at home this weekend could change that drastically.
SCOTCH OC
Current position: Ninth, four points
Scotch OC responded positively to the surprise departure of coach Will James to beat SMOSH West Lakes in round seven, but has since lost to Edwardstown and CBC OC.
Caretaker playing-coach Jonathon Lagonik all of a sudden has a major task on his hands as his side comes up against undefeated Golden Grove this weekend.
“We’re confident Jonathan can fill the role and that we can possibly push for finals once we stabilise,” president Andrew Camens said.
MORPHETTVILLE PARK
Current position: Eighth, four points
The Roos have been unfortunate with injury after a decent showing in the first couple rounds of the year and have played the majority of the season without key forward Chris Barns and star signing, former North Adelaide premiership ruckman, Alex Barns.
The club grabbed an important two points in a win over Westminster OS in round eight behind eight Ed Doak goals, and should be boosted by the return of the Barns brothers in the coming weeks.
“We’ve played some good footy but it’s about trying to find that consistency especially against the better sides,” Doak said.
“I think once we can get the Barns boys back and get some continuity going within the group we can turn things around.”
The Roos face SMOSH West Lakes away from home on Saturday.
DIVISION FOUR
PULTENEY
Current position: 10th, 0 points
The chances of Pulteney staying in division three look slim, with the club unable to register a win through the season’s first half.
The club went into the bye having lost to seventh-placed Kenilworth by 33 points and will need to respond quickly if it wants to fight for survival.
A matchup with Portland at home favours the visitor on paper this week, and the club will remain winless unless there is a major upset.
MITCHAM
Current position: Ninth, four points
A win against an in-form Plympton side at home would be a fantastic start to the second half of the year for Mitcham, the club coming off an important victory over Hope Valley in round nine.
Maxwell Smyth has hit strong form in the forward line and will need a few more star performances to keep the Hawks in touch with eighth spot Woodville South.
WOODVILLE SOUTH
Current position: Eighth, six points
Woodville South sits two points clear of Mitcham but is not completely out of trouble yet, with tough games against Pooraka, Hope Valley away and Plympton making up its next three outings.
A huge 118-66 win over Portland at home shows why the club should finish above Mitcham and Pulteney however, with star forward Tommy Lee Russo (37 goals this year) also in dominant form.
DIVISION FIVE
SALISBURY
Current position: 10th, 0 points
There is still plenty of time for Salisbury to turn its season around despite remaining winless so far, with the Magpies only two points below St Paul’s Old Scholars.
The club’s performances this year suggest it is well off the mark however, with losses of 17 points to St Paul’s OS and 58 points to Blackfriars OS not boding well for the relegation fight.
ST PAUL’S OS
Current position: Ninth, two points
The club’s won win came against Salisbury in round one, with a 269-19 loss against Eastern Park in round two the clear low point of the year so far.
Leapfrogging Blackfriars OS does not look likely, with a battle to avoid wooden spoon a seemingly more realistic road for the coming months.
BLACKFRIARS OS
Current position: Eighth, four points
Blackfriars Old Scholars should be safe if it does not drastically dip in form in the coming weeks, but slipping into the bottom two does remain a possibility.
The club finished the first half of the season on a high by beating Salisbury 101-43 at home and will be a chance against Elizabeth at home this week.
If the club can win that matchup, it would make relegation look almost impossible.
DIVISION SIX
PARA HILLS
Current position: Ninth, two points
Para Hills is in need of a win after a big 141-point loss to Marion at Paddocks Oval in round nine.
The club’s one win has come against Fitzroy and it will meet the Lions again this week in its most important game of the season so far.
Win and they give themselves a shot at escaping the bottom two.
Lose, and that feat becomes a whole lot harder to achieve.
INGLE FARM
Current position: Eighth, four points
Two points above Para Hills, Ingle Farm faces undefeated Trinity Old Scholars on Saturday.
While an almost guaranteed loss could put them level with Para Hills, the club may well be hoping for the division’s bottom side to beat Fitzroy, leaving all three sides on the same amount of points.
FITZROY
Current position: Seventh, four points
The Lions look the most likely to avoid relegation in division six, with a 30-point win over Ingle Farm taking them to seventh position heading into the bye.
They’ll be fired up and expecting a win against Para Hills this week.
DIVISION SEVEN
MAWSON LAKES
Current position: Eighth, two points
On a six-game losing streak, the club is fortunate to only be two points off sixth spot and will need to win in a blockbuster matchup with Mitchell Park if it wants to avoid the wooden spoon.
MITCHELL PARK
Current position: Seventh, four points
Two wins for the season came in rounds one and four against Flinders Uni and OSB Lonsdale.
A win against Mawson Lakes would almost rule out a wooden spoon.
FLINDERS UNI
Current position: Sixth, four points
With two wins against Mawson Lakes and Mitchell Park, a win against a different opponent should guarantee Flinders avoid bottom spot.
VOTE FOR GOAL AND MARK OF THE WEEK
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