Greenacres Dragons break 659-day winless drought in Adelaide Footy League with behind after the siren
A 659-day winless drought was broken when Greenacres kicked a point after the siren to win and spark wild scenes of celebration. That and more in this week’s quirky Adelaide Footy League wrap, One-Percenters.
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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.
Do you have a story, rumour, photo or video to share?
Email: matthew.turner1@news.com.au
Here are some things that caught our eye in round three:
DRAGONS BREAK LONG DROUGHT
A 659-day winless drought was broken when Greenacres kicked a point after the siren on Saturday to defeat Mawson Lakes for its first win since July 15, 2017.
Scores were level between the Dragons and Saints at Mawson Lakes Oval when Blake Rogan got a free kick for the visitors in range of the goals.
The siren blew and Rogan went back needing just a score for victory and squeezed it through for a point to seal a 10.11 (71) to 11.4 (70) triumph.
There were wild scenes as people stormed the ground for the Dragons’ first win from their past 26 attempts.
Greenacres vice-president Vanessa Hurrell said she could not believe her eyes.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had goosebumps like that before,” Hurrell said.
“He (Rogan) went back and kicked it, the goal umpire said it was close to missing, but we didn’t care – all we needed was a point.
“Then people just came from everywhere onto the field and were jumping on the boys – it was just crazy.
“I think I gave our trainer a bruise on her arm because I was holding it so tight when he was going into kick.”
Rogan earlier booted two goals and was also named the Dragons’ best.
Greenacres president Duncan Tilley was away and missed the drought-breaking win.
He said he was “gutted but happy” and also did not see the team’s last victory – by three points against Rosewater.
A Dragons player jokingly passed a hat around the clubrooms on Saturday night after the win, collecting money for Tilley to go away again this weekend.
Greenacres was relegated from division six last season with a 0-18 record and was demoted from division five after going 2-16 the year before.
The Dragons’ previous coach, Chris Glacken, resigned in May last year after the club started the season with four losses by an average of 198 points.
Brenton Fowler, a Gaza premiership player, then took over in round eight and remained in the role this year.
Fowler was not surprised by the win, even though the Dragons did not have a bench for the majority of the second half.
“We had seven more scoring shots and probably could have won by five goals,” Fowler said.
“Our results against Houghton and Adelaide Lutheran were improvements, even though we lost.
“We’ve got the monkey off the back now, so hopefully we can push on for more wins.”
MORE MOTLOP MAGIC
Unbeaten division four club Kenilworth had a very handy inclusion for its blockbuster against Hope Valley on Saturday – former Power forward Daniel Motlop.
The mercurial Motlop kicked four goals in his first game of the season in the Kookaburras’ 12.16 (88) to 8.10 (50) victory at Hope Valley Oval.
The 37-year-old joined the club last year and played four matches but had not pulled the guernsey on this season until Saturday.
Kenilworth and Hope Valley both went into the clash unbeaten.
The visitors led at each change before both sides kicked one goal in the last term.
Shaun Clarke, former Glenelg player Neil Vea Vea and Nick Chesser were among the best for Kenilworth.
The Kookaburras face another test on Saturday with a top-of-the-table home battle against fellow unbeaten team Pulteney.
LEFT-FIELD DRAFT NOMINEE
A Henley footballer was among the initial nominations for this month’s AFL’s mid-season draft.
Angus Coxon’s name stood out because he was the only player listed not aligned to a SANFL club.
But Henley coach Jarrad Parker told One-Percenters on Tuesday that Coxon, a 21-year-old half-back/midfielder, had contacted him to ask how he had been nominated and whether he could remove himself from the draft pool.
“I got a message from him yesterday asking how he could get it taken off,” Parker said.
“I said I had no idea but he’s looking to take it off I know that.”
By Wednesday, Coxon’s name was no longer among the 300 or so nominees.
Coxon, a Henley junior, has played two games for the Sharks this year since returning to the club after spending the past two seasons playing SANFL reserves for Port Adelaide.
He lined up in 12 matches for the Magpies academy team last year and five in 2017.
The other mid-season draft nominee to catch the eye was Declan Carmody, who was listed as playing for North Gambier.
But Carmody is in the SANFL system – at Glenelg’s reserves – this season.
ANOTHER COOL, CALM FINISH
Greenacres was not the only side to get a win after the siren last week.
Broadview’s Reece Boughen kicked a goal to get the Tigers a two-point win over Modbury in C2.
Boughen’s cool finish gave the Tigers a 7.3 (45) to 6.7 (43) victory at Modbury Sports Reserve.
Wonderfully captured in the photos below, the Broadview boys were pretty excited about the victory.
Boughen was named best for his side.
The Tigers trailed by two points at the final change but kicked 2.1 to 1.3 in the fourth quarter.
Winning moved them to 4-0 in the division.
Broadview’s C grade made this column last week for a different reason.
Prior to the Modbury win, the Tigers kicked the exact same score in back-to-back weeks and held their opponents to identical totals.
MILERA THUNDERS IN
Portland had a handy inclusion on Saturday when Glenelg forward Ian Milera pulled on a Thunder guernsey for their division three derby with North Haven at Largs North Reserve.
Milera, who has played 30 league games for the Tigers, kicked two goals as Portland prevailed 13.16 (94) to 10.10 (70).
He joins former Port Adelaide and North Melbourne forward Lindsay Thomas and former Crows development-listed player Aron Asfaha in a strong Thunder line-up.
All of Milera’s 30 league games came from 2017-18.
He has played three reserves matches for the Bays this year.
Milera’s brother Terry left Glenelg after last season to play with Southern Football League club Noarlunga in 2019.
Portland has two wins, one loss and a draw to sit fourth on the ladder.
UNBEATEN CLUBS
After four rounds we still have three clubs across the Adelaide Footy League that are yet to lose a game in their A, B or C grade.
Unley Mercedes is 12-0 across its three sides and sits on top of division two, division five’s Pulteney remains unbeaten and sixth-tier club Elizabeth is also unconquered.
Hope Valley and Adelaide Lutheran’s A grades both lost on Saturday to snap the clubs’ unbeaten streaks.
We’ll check back in next week to see if the Jets, Navy Blues and Eagles are capable of keeping their runs going.
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