Morphettville Park books division four grand final spot with win over Walkerville
Three clubs have booked Adelaide Footy League grand final spots under lights on Friday night – including one side looking to end a three-decade wait between A grade flags.
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Morphettville Park is one win away from its first A grade premiership in more than three decades after booking a spot in next week’s division four grand final.
The Roos denied Walkerville a shot at back-to-back division four flags by marching to a 34-point win under lights at Glenelg Oval on Friday night.
They will now face a grand final against the winner of Pembroke Old Scholars and SMOSH West Lakes, who do battle in the second preliminary final on Saturday.
Morphettville Park, which has never won a men’s A grade Adelaide Footy League flag, will be searching for its first premiership since the 1990 Southern Football League title.
Walkerville kicked the first goal of the match but it was a Roos onslaught from there, booting seven of the next eight to set up a convincing 13.12 (90) to 8.8 (56) victory.
First-year Morphettville Park coach Steve Nolis said the win was an emotional one and everyone involved was committed to finishing off with another win next week.
“It’s a terrific feeling and really important for us as a footy club,” Nolis said.
“We haven’t won a premiership for 31 years and even then that was our first and only premiership.
“So this is really personal and means a lot, not only to the players but our supporters, past players, sponsors, family members. It’s quite an emotional time for us.
“We really must close this out now.”
It was a rather tame exit for the reigning premier Cats. Aside from a late push when the Roos were already too far in front to catch, Walkerville struggled to gain ascendancy and were far sloppier in possession on a slick night at the Bay.
And as the game wore on Mophettville Park’s class came to the fore. Ex-Geelong and Glenelg midfielder Cory Gregson was a class above while SANFL-experience forwards Chris Barns and Matt Duldig bagged four goals each.
Walkerville’s run and carry was stifled, limiting their ability to bring clean ball inside 50 – and when they did the Morphettville Park defence was often stout.
It included keeping star Cats forward Adam Proud, who had kicked 84 goals this season coming into the match, to just one major.
Nolis said his leaders stepping up in a big game helped bring the rest of the side up with them.
“Gregson went to another level, which we expected him to do come finals, and the experience that Duldig, Barns and (Byron) Murphy bring as quality ex-SANFL or AFL players is just invaluable,” he said.
The Roos last made a grand final in 2017 – their first year in the league – but were defeated by North Haven.
A win next Saturday would add to the club’s two women’s flags which it claimed last weekend, including the division one premiership.
In division seven, reigning premier Brahma Lodge will meet Central United in the grand final next Saturday.
United booked its spot through a grinding one-point nailbiter over Adelaide Lutheran at Payneham Oval.
Central pegged back a 13-point half-time deficit to triumph 7.7 (49) to 7.6 (48) and keep a fairytale season alive where it has gone from wooden spooner to minor premier.
Brahma Lodge meanwhile upset higher ranked Greenacres by 28 points to give itself a shot at going back-to-back in the league’s lowest tier.
The Tigers shot out to a three-goal lead by quarter time and did not look back, prevailing 9.14 (68) to 4.16 (40) against the wasteful Dragons at Blair Athol Reserve.
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