Gaza, Gepps Cross, Morphettville Park and OSB Lonsdale face Adelaide Footy League relegation
Four Adelaide Footy League clubs have had their worst fears confirmed after being relegated from their respective divisions – two of them coming off grand final appearances last year.
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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.
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 patrick.keam@news.com.au
GOING DOWN, DOWN
Four Adelaide Footy League clubs had their worst fears confirmed on Saturday when they were relegated from their respective divisions – two of them coming off grand final appearances last year.
Gaza, Gepps Cross, Morphettville Park and O’Sullivan Beach Lonsdale are all mathematically unable to escape the drop after losses in round 15.
Andrew Jarman’s Eagles are the most high profile of the clubs to be relegated so far.
Once a division one powerhouse, they will play in the third tier of the league next season for the first time since 1978.
A 22.12 (144) to 9.6 (60) thrashing at the hands of Salisbury North on Saturday was the final nail in Gaza’s coffin and left it eight points behind eighth-placed Scotch Old Collegians with three rounds to play.
Jarman, who has been pulling on the boots in the Eagles’ reserves, told The Messenger last month the club was realistic about where it stood.
But he said the 41-year stretch in the top two tiers was a “remarkable performance” and there was “no shame” in any club being relegated.
Jarman was unsure whether he would continue coaching the Eagles next season.
Gaza’s sole victory so far in 2019 was a 10-point triumph at home to Seaton Ramblers in round seven.
The Eagles stole a point in round one against Scotch when Damon Hill kicked a goal after the siren to draw 13.7 (85) to 12.13 (85) at Klemzig Oval.
Another former division one club, Gepps Cross, also had its relegation fate sealed on Saturday.
The Rams’ return to division three lasted one season after safety fell out of reach with a 15.15 (105) to 4.8 (32) loss at home to North Haven.
They were promoted last season following a fourth-tier grand final defeat to Glenunga.
Gepps’ only win this season came in round seven against Morphettville Park, which was also relegated on the weekend.
It is the Roos’ first demotion in the league after entering the competition in division four from the Southern Football League in 2017.
They won promotion to the third tier in the same season.
In better news for the club, work has officially begun on a $3.7 million revamp of the Morphettville Park Sports Club.
O’Sullivan Beach Lonsdale also made a grand final in 2018, losing to Marion in the seventh-tier decider, but have been relegated after going winless this year.
It was the Lions second season in the competition after crossing from the SFL.
Colonel Light Gardens in division four is still mathematically a chance to avoid the drop, but will need to win all three remaining matches, boost its percentage and find a minor miracle to do so.
Flinders University and Mitchell Park are guaranteed to finish bottom and second-last respectively in division seven for the second-straight season.
There is no relegation from the lowest A grade tier, so these clubs were not included with those above.
EX-AFL FORWARDS FIRE
Two former AFL talents were in terrific touch in front of goal on Saturday to lead their respective sides to important victories.
Alex Forster – a one-game Fremantle Docker and Norwood premiership player – bagged eight majors as Payneham Norwood Union rolled Goodwood 12.9 (81) to 6.7 (43) at Payneham Oval.
The 26-year-old now has 55 goals from 14 games to lead division one so far this season.
He had a nine-goal haul against Adelaide University in May and booted seven in a win over Tea Tree Gully last month.
Saturday’s victory all but guaranteed the second-placed Falcons a top four spot, as they now fight with third side Rostrevor Old Collegians to see who will have the home final first up.
Down at Plympton Oval in division three it was the Lindsay Thomas show.
The former Port Adelaide and North Melbourne goalsneak kicked his second highest total for the season, seven goals, in Portland’s 14.12 (96) to 10.14 (74) triumph over Plympton.
Thomas’ biggest bag was eight against Old Ignatians in round three.
The sixth-placed Thunder are pushing to make the finals but face a tough task.
They are two wins behind fifth side Golden Grove with three rounds to play.
TWO BIG WEEKS
Scotch Old Collegians may have just saved its season with a crucial win and some help from a rival division two club.
The reigning third-tier premiers went away to Modbury in a classic relegation four-pointer between eighth and ninth on the ladder and came on top in a thriller, 14.15 (99) to 13.14 (92).
Last month it appeared to be doomed for relegation but the victory made it four straight wins for Scotch, which is now three points ahead of the Hawks with three rounds to play.
But one of those wins – the previous round against Broadview – did not come in regular fashion.
The Tigers prevailed in the match by 56 points before they were stripped of the victory for breaching the player points cap.
Modbury will be ruing the weekend’s loss and Broadview’s mistake, as it could decide who goes down to division three.
HAWKS PUT ON A SHOW
Salisbury North and Jamie Solly celebrated the club’s 30-year premiership reunion in style on Saturday with a massive win over Gaza in division two.
Playing in a one-off guernsey featuring the names of the 1989 Central District Football Association flag-winning team, the Hawks battered the Eagles 22.12 (144) to 9.6 (60) at home.
Solly was the star as he booted 10 goals in a dominant performance.
He was also named best for Salisbury North, which we always like to see when a forward kicks a big bag.
DOGS’ DEJA VU
It has been a weird fortnight for the Greenacres and Central United football clubs but – depending on which side you are on – it has also been brilliant or bad.
The Dragons and Bulldogs had the unusual task of facing each other two weeks in a row at the same ground in division seven.
Unfortunately for Central United, it was comfortably beaten in both fixtures at Edward Smith Reserve.
The Dogs were belted 18.26 (136) to 9.7 (61) by the inaccurate but dominant Dragons on Saturday and were smashed 24.10 (154) to 9.5 (59) the previous week.
The fixture quirk has come from the eight-team division seven competition being split in two for its final three rounds.
Top four sides SPOS, Houghton Districts, Mawson Lakes and Adelaide Lutheran play each other and Greenacres, Central United, Mitchell Park and Flinders University will do the same.
Because the Dragons and Dogs finished fifth and sixth on the ladder before the split, they faced each other first up.
Greenacres’ back-to-back victories mean it has all but sealed the last finals spot.
350 ON THE BOARD
A big congratulations to Walkerville stalwart Travis Bowden who notched game 350 for the Cats on Saturday.
The current C grade captain has filled multiple on and off-field roles at the club over the years, with list of achievements in the club’s post below.
Walkerville’s C4 side was able to get up against Edwardstown in a 13.12 (90) to 9.2 (56) victory.
Bowden was named second best for the Cats.
Do you have a milestone at your club we should highlight? Send any details and photos through to patrick.keam@news.com.au