Glenelg builds winning culture, North Adelaide still attacking and South Adelaide needed the run in the opening round of SANFL

Finally, the state league kicked off with two double headers at Adelaide Oval on the weekend. Here are five things we learned from the opening round.

Norwood captain Matt Panos stood up in the final quarter. Picture: Sarah Reed

Finally, SANFL is back! So what did we learn from the two double headers at Adelaide Oval on the weekend?

GLENELG JUST KNOW HOW TO WIN

The transformation of the Glenelg Football Club under Mark Stone is remarkable.

After dropping nine of their 12 games to kick off his tenure at the Bay in 2018, the Tigers finished the season in full flight with six successive wins. They lost just four games last year en route to premiership glory.

What he has been able to install in the players is amazing belief and a winning culture. That was no more evident than Sunday when the Tigers did plenty of things wrong and still got over the line against a Norwood outfit justifiably entering the season with plenty of confidence in its title claims.

The Tigers did appear to miss the experienced presence of Chris Curran and Aaron Joseph in defence though.

It might have been just the fourth game in the opening round, but was this the preview of the grand final? Maybe, maybe not, but what is a certainty is it is going to be a fun ride.

Seven of the best from North Adelaide forward Lewis Hender. Picture: Sarah Reed

NORTH GOES ON THE ATTACK

North Adelaide has a new coach with Jacob Surjan taking over from Josh Carr.

But some things have not changed, especially the Roosters’ ability to create enormous scoreboard damage in a hurry.

They still cough up some clumsy turnovers and there is the odd undisciplined act. As they showed in 2018, however, they have an attacking mindset and can score quickly. Three goals in three minutes in the second quarter, and three goals in seven minutes in the third, were evidence of just that.

And talking about transformations, what about Lewis Hender, growing from a promising talent with a poor attitude at Glenelg to a high quality leader at the Roosters. Still forever the antagonist, he works hard and puts the team first. Seven goals against West Adelaide proved his class.

The Roosters face a tough fortnight, following the battle against the Redlegs on Saturday with a Bay engagement against the Tigers on July 11 in round 3.

The SANFL has released the draw for round 3 with Central District at home to South Adelaide on July 11. The following day, the Woodville-West Torrens hosts the Redlegs and Sturt meets the Bloods at Unley Oval.

Ash Johnson starred in his debut for Sturt. Picture: Dean Martin

DEBUTS TO REMEMBER

Who remembers those debutant balls of the old days?

Well the SANFL opened the season with something similar on Saturday, although for those who want to be picky, this version was for the males.

There had already been AFL recruiting interest in Ash Johnson and that has only been enhanced after nailing three goals with his first three kicks for Sturt. What a debut for the Double Blues, strong in the marking contest and athletic.

As for the opposition, 22-year-old Nick Lange is finally free from injury and showed his qualities as Central District’s best in his first league appearance.

Abe Davis kicked the first goal for the Double Blues in his debut for the club, Johnson nailed the next two, Lachlan Burrows the next in his league debut and then Johnson the next. The Bulldogs kicked the next three courtesy of Daniel Menzel, Chris Olsson and Lange, all making their league debut for the club.

Then there was the second game of the double header when Beau McCreery, a product of Hallett Cove making his debut, bagged two crucial goals in time on in the final quarter for the Panthers in the six-point win over the Eagles.

The players were willing to bare all in the bid for victory. Picture: Sarah Reed

PASSION IS STILL ALIVE

When COVID-19 threatened the eight clubs financially, the captains showed tremendous leadership with their unaminous support of playing for nothing.

The clubs reported very few players not willing to follow their lead. There were even Victorian players who paid for their own flights to Adelaide, just to play in the best state league in the country.

State league players have an amazing dedication. Most have full time jobs or study at uni, and still commit themselves to an ever increasing football demand.

And most are motivated by the chance to play at the highest level they possibly can. The fact they were not being paid meant not one iota when they took the field for the first round. Four highly competitive games showed just that.

Money doesn’t mean everything, and is no substitute for a love of the game.

Joel Cross was up to his old tricks for South Adelaide. Picture: Sarah Reed

NEW JUMPER, SAME ATTITUDE

Matthew Broadbent played 171 AFL games for the Power after being drafted from Woodville-West Torrens and it was a little surprising he chose to join South Adelaide, rather than return to the Eagles.

The defender has always been known as a team player, and he needed just one game with the Panthers to show that has not changed. The veteran played with tremendous enthusiasm and it was a case of new jumper, same outstanding attitude. And against his old club too.

Another attitude which has not altered at the Panthers is that of Joel Cross. He racked up a game-high 34 possies and backed into the unknown to take more of those strong overhead marks. By the way, Broadbent had 26 disposals, second most in the game.

The Panthers got the points, but they looked like they needed the run.

SCOREBOARDS

CENTRAL 0.1 3.2 4.5 5.6 (36)

STURT 3.0 6.0 7.1 8.3 (51)

BEST – Central: Lange, Boyd, T Menzel, Schiller, Presbury. Sturt: Battersby, Kirkwood, Johnson, Evans, Voss.

GOALS – Central: D Menzel 2, Olsson, Lange, Presbury, Sturt: Johnson 3, Davis, Burrows, Sumner, Hone, Schwarze.

Umpires: Hundertmark, Scott, Harris.

SOUTH ADELAIDE 1.3 5.6 6.8 11.8 (74)

EAGLES 3.4 3.4 3.6 10.8 (68)

BEST – South Adelaide: Cross, Broadbent, Haines, Highmore, Milsom

Eagles: Foote, J. Hayes, Rowland, Toumpas, Goldsworthy

GOALS – South Adelaide: McCreery, Fitt 2, Overall, Wilkinson, Heaslip, McGree, Schwarz, Cailotto, Whittlesea. Eagles: Rowe, N. Hayes 3, J.Hayes 2, Von Bertouch, Poole.

NORTH ADELAIDE 3.2 7.3 11.5 15.6 (96)

WEST ADELAIDE 3.1 6.4 7.6 10.7 (67)

BEST – North Adelaide: Hender, Moore, Wigg, C. Craig, Allmond, Schwarz. West Adelaide: Boyle, Batley, Stevens, Willsmore, Hupfeld.

GOALS – North Adelaide: Hender 7, Le Bois 3, Szekely 2, Moore, Allmond, C. Combe. West Adelaide: Hupfeld 4, Karpany, Johnson, Keough, Batley, Turner, May.

GLENELG 2.0 5.3 8.8 11.10 (76)

NORWOOD 5.4 7.7 7.8 10.13 (73)

BEST – Glenelg: Snook, Agnew, Motlop, Nicholson, McBean, Bradley. Norwood: Nunn, Panos, Z. Richards, Shenton, Johnston, Pinyon.

GOALS – Glenelg: McBean 4, Bailey 3, Reynolds, Partington, Stretch, Nicolson. Norwood: Panos, Surman, Pinyon 2, Bampton, Nunn, Douglas, Gerloff.