First-versus-second in divisions one and two, Iggies part ways with coach and other Adelaide Footy League news
Top-of-the-table clashes feature in both divisions one and two, Old Ignatians part ways with coach and other Adelaide Footy League news in this week’s One-Percenters.
- Local footy veteran notches up 500th game for northern club
- Former Power player leaves division one club
- Adelaide Footy League’s race to 100 goals heats up
- Player receives life ban for racial vilification
WELCOME to One-Percenters – a wrap of some of the quirky talking points from across the Adelaide Footy League.
Each edition we will bring several titbits – they might be eye-catching results, milestones, comebacks, big wins, broken droughts or inspiring stories.
If you have heard about something quirky, email us your suggestions or photos to matthew.turner1@news.com.au.
Here are some of the things that caught our eye at the weekend as teams enter the home stretch of season 2018:
BIG BOYS ARE BACK
Players, coaches and supporters in divisions one and two will be champing at the bit to get back into it this Saturday after a week off and there are some mouth-watering clashes on offer.
It does not get much better than a first-versus-second clash as Rostrevor Old Collegians (9-2) takes on Tea Tree Gully (7-3-1) at Thebarton Oval.
ROC made a statement in round four when it belted the Gullies by 71 points at Pertaringa Oval so Alex McKay, Troy Menzel, Cameron Tiggemann and co will be looking to bounce back this Saturday.
One top-of-the-table match not enough? Well, you’re in luck.
In division two, PHOS Camden (9-2-1) travels to St Peter’s Old Collegians aiming to snap the host’s 12-game winning streak.
Saints are unbeaten this campaign and their narrowest loss so far is 12 points – to Brighton in May.
IGGIES, O’LEARY PART WAYS
OLD Ignatians has parted ways with its senior coach after slumping to the bottom of the division two ladder.
Second-year coach Michael O’Leary was in charge for Iggies’ 11-point loss to Golden Grove on June 30 before he and the club mutually agreed to cut ties.
O’Leary confirmed the split but would not comment further.
Old Ignatians football director Luke Kerins declined to comment.
Iggies, who have a 2-10 record, face eighth-placed Gaza (3-9) in a crucial clash at Hunter Park this Saturday.
The two sides are locked in a relegation battle with Golden Grove (2-10) with six rounds left to play.
Iggies had a 2-3 record to start the season then lost their next seven matches.
The defeat to Golden Grove dropped them to bottom spot.
Old Ignatians finished seventh with a 7-11 record in division two under O’Leary last season.
O’Leary played for Norwood and Sturt during the 1990s and previously had coaching roles with St Peter’s Old Collegians, Adelaide University and Pembroke Old Scholars.
SCHEER DELIGHT
We’ve told you about the tight battle to become the Adelaide Footy League men’s leading goalkicker, but in the women’s competition there is a clear favourite.
Angle Vale’s Abbey Scheer has been head and shoulders above her rivals to boot 40 majors for the season in division two.
Scheer has bags of eight, seven, six twice and four for the second-placed Owls.
To put it in perspective, her next closest competitor is division four leader Jessica Kowalski, who has tallied 23 goals for Golden Grove.
Aldinga’s Brooke Mawer is next on the list with 21 majors in division six, followed by Adelaide University’s Kelly Barltrop with 20 in division one.
A WEED WELCOME
“Weed” was the crowd’s cry whenever he went near the ball in 68 games for the Crows.
Now Walkerville coach Wayne Weidemann’s glory days in the tricolours are set to be relived on TV this week.
The cult figure was tipped by the Cats’ Twitter to make an appearance on Channel 7’s The Front Bar this week.
Weidemann, who has also coached at Broadview, PHOS Camden and Gaza, may be hoping hosts Andy Maher, Mick Molloy and Sam Pang do not grill him on Walkerville’s season.
The Cats are ninth in division three with a 2-11 record and are battling relegation.
Their only victories this season have come against winless Pembroke Old Scholars.
But Walkerville pushed highly-rated Scotch Old Collegians on Saturday, losing 10.9 (69) to 7.12 (54), signalling the Cats could cause some havoc on the run home.
GARDENS’ SWEET RELIEF
Relief would have been the word to sum up Colonel Light Gardens’ thrilling one-point win in division four over Salisbury.
The Lions, who started the season 6-1, came into the match last Saturday on a five-game losing streak.
Their once-promising season has quickly become about relegation survival instead of premierships because of division four’s incredibly tight ladder.
But CLG held off Salisbury to win 8.10 (58) to 8.9 (57) in a scrappy game at Mortlock Park.
It was made even more impressive because the Lions had more than 30 players missing across its three sides, according to their Facebook page.
HOPELESS KICKING COSTS DEMONS
Hope Valley’s B grade could not hit the broadside of a barn on Saturday as it booted 10.24 against at home against Kenilworth.
Thankfully for the Demons, the Kookaburras could only manage 6.4 in reply and the hosts prevailed 84-40.
It was better news for Kenilworth in the A grade as it triumphed 18.14 (122) to 6.7 (43).
The Kookaburras are looking to make some noise in the division five finals and sit fourth with a 9-4 record, while eight-placed Hope Valley (3-10) is two wins off the relegation zone.
ROLLING RAGGIES
Athelstone will be hoping the division one bye does not halt its momentum.
Before the break, the newly-promoted Raggies had won four consecutive games to lift themselves to a 5-6 record and out of the relegation zone on percentage.
They now share the same win-loss ratio as ninth-placed Adelaide University, Payneham Norwood Union (seventh) and Prince Alfred Old Collegians (sixth).
The last time Athelstone lost was against Henley – in last season’s division two grand final rematch – at Henley Oval on May 26.
The Raggies went down 9.7 (61) to 8.10 (58) on that day.
Athelstone takes on third-placed Goodwood at home when the competition resumes this Saturday.
The Raggies then travel to Thebarton Oval to play top-ranked Rostrevor.
Now only time will tell if the Raggies can sustain their spot in the top tier for more than a season.
A FAMILY AFFAIR
Former Port Adelaide and North Melbourne forward Daniel Motlop was a no show for Kenilworth’s division five clash with Hope Valley away on Saturday.
But Motlop’s reason for missing the Kookaburras’ 79-point thrashing of the Demons was a good one.
His younger brother, Steven, notched his 150th AFL game in the Power’s clash with St Kilda on Saturday afternoon.
To help celebrate his sibling’s milestone, Daniel’s son Marlie was allowed to run on to Adelaide Oval and through the banner with Steven and the Port team.