One-Percenters: Adelaide Footy League clubs Rosewater and O’Sullivan Beach/Lonsdale lose unbeaten records
ALL they needed was one more win but two Adelaide Footy League clubs fell at the final hurdle to reach an unbeaten minor round, plus more in this week’s One-Percenters wrap.
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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.
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:
TRIPPED ON THE FINAL HURDLE
They were one win away from the perfect home-and-away season but two sides blew their chances of going 18 straight matches unbeaten on Saturday.
Rosewater and O’Sullivan Beach/Lonsdale both entered the final round without a loss but went down.
Now division two club St Peter’s Old Collegians remains the league’s sole undefeated side.
Rosewater could not handle fellow division six club Trinity Old Scholars in a 10.12 (72) to 6.6 (42) away loss, while seventh-tier O’Sullivan Beach/Lonsdale was upset 10.5 (65) to 3.7 (25) by St Paul’s Old Scholars.
Bulldogs coach Wayne Maheny said his team was simply not good enough.
“We went away from they way we’ve been playing this year so we’ve got to get back to that,” Mahney said.
“A couple of guys were missing through injury but that’s no excuse really.
“We’re not a big-headed team so it (being undefeated) wasn’t really something that bothered us too much or that we really thought about.
“We’ve been waiting for a good month now so all the boys are just raring to go for finals. “We’ll be pretty much full strength come finals.”
James Deeley-Godfrey, who has been in sensational form this season, Ben Mahney and Hayden Fletcher could hold their heads high for the Bulldogs.
O’Sullivan Beach/Lonsdale was jumped by St Paul’s, conceding four goals to one in the opening term and it was never able to recover.
The Lions will now be wary of facing the Saints in the finals.
Superboat Trevor Rigney , who brought up his 100th major for the season last week, was held goalless for the first time this season.
SPOC will take on Broadview this Saturday in the second tier at Caterer Oval with the opportunity to finish the minor rounds 18-0.
St Peter’s prevailed by 25 points when the sides met in round four.
Broadview is coming in with poor form, losing by 45 points to Unley Mercedes last Saturday.
DOUBLE DRAW MADNESS
A draw is a rare occurrence throughout an entire season for most clubs, but two stalemates on the same day, involving the same clubs played at the same time on ovals right next to each other?
It is exactly what happened when St Peter’s Old Collegians and Sacred Heart Old Collegians clashed on Saturday.
At St Peter’s College, where SPOC plays its home B and C-grade fixtures simultaneously on ovals alongside one another, both matches ended in a draw.
Scores were locked at 3.6 (24) apiece in the C2 fixture and the division two reserves match ended on 5.6 (36) each.
SPOC football director and B-grade team manager Nik Byrne said there was a strange feeling around the club after the games had finished.
“Our game was really tight from start to finish and both sides struggled with the conditions in the first half,” Byrne said.
“Towards the end, it was a bit of a scrap and both sides just wanted a point in the last five minutes.
“It was a weird feeling because obviously it wasn’t a win, but it meant both the B and Cs would get into the finals.
“No one was overly upset about the result, but at the same time, it wasn’t a win.
“It was so funny, one of the C grade guys came over and said ‘how did you guys go? We had a draw’ and I said ‘we had a draw as well’.
“It was a funny feeling and a lot of people were talking about it because I don’t think I’ve ever been part of something like that.”
RELEGATION DOGFIGHT
There is a tight battle to avoid relegation developing in the top tier.
Athelstone, Adelaide University and Henley all remain a chance to go down and a crucial clash between the Blacks and the Sharks looms this Saturday.
Henley is the safest of the trio, in seventh spot on 14 premiership points, while Uni trails by two points and the Raggies are another win back.
Athelstone faces Payneham Norwood Union this weekend but then takes on bottom-placed Modbury in the final round in a very winnable game.
Henley travels to Port District for its last match and Uni has a tough test, hosting Goodwood Saints.
Here are the Adelaide Footy League clubs whose relegation is confirmed:
Division one: Modbury (0-16)
Division two: Old Ignatians (3-14), Golden Grove (3-14)
Division thre e: Pembroke (1-16), Walkerville (4-14)
Division four: Salisbury (4-13), Eastern Park (9-9*)
Division five: Ingle Farm (1-14), Hectorville (2-14)
Division six: Greenacres (0-15), Adelaide Lutheran (3-14)
Note: Relegation and promotion is subject to change before the beginning of the 2019 season.
*Had points deducted during the season
DEMONS GO DOWN
An on-field indiscretion has cost Eastern Park dearly as its relegation from division four has been confirmed after its final minor round match.
The Demons, who lost seven premiership points earlier in May after player Michael Friel was suspended seven weeks for headbutting, had their fate sealed with an 11.16 (82) to 11.7 (73) loss to Pooraka at Dwight Reserve on Saturday
Eastern Park will now play in division five next season for the first time in 20 years.
The Demons entered the weekend needing to defeat Pooraka in the final minor round and
They needed to defeat Pooraka and hope SMOSH West Lakes lost to Mitcham to guarantee safety.
While the second result came to fruition, the Demons were unable to get past the Bulls.
Eastern Park finished ninth on the ladder with a 9-9 record but on 11 points, rather than 18, after the deduction.
The Demons would have finished sixth on the ladder, one win away from finals, had it not been docked points.
Friel was banned for seven matches and the Demons lost a point for each game due to an amended affiliation agreement the club has with the league.
He also f ound not guilty of a second headbutting charge from the same match .
Friel was deregistered from Eastern Park in line with self-imposed club rules.
Fellow northern suburbs club Salisbury was also relegated from division four.
WOMEN’S FINALS
Reigning premier Adelaide University is the first team through to the women’s competition’s grand final.
The Blacks, who finished second, beat minor premiers Morphettville Park 5.1 (31) to 4.5 (29) in a thrilling semi-final at Kellett Reserve on Sunday.
SA sporting great Jo Hill will now not only feature in a women’s Premier League basketball grand final with North Adelaide this Saturday but also play with the Blacks in their decider in a fortnight.
Hill, 45, has juggled basketball and football commitments all winter.
The basketball grand final will be Hill’s last time on the court after deciding to retire at the end of the Rockets’ season.
She plans to continue playing football next year in the SANFLW with Norwood.
Morphettville Park will get another shot at making the decider, but will have to overcome Salisbury in a preliminary final this Sunday.
The Magpies extended their winning run to five games after beating Christies Beach in their semi-final on Saturday.
Last year’s runner-up Salisbury was too strong for the division one newcomer, prevailing 7.8 (50) to 2.0 (12) at Salisbury Oval.
Adelaide University claimed last year’s premiership when it beat Salisbury by 118 points.
This year’s grand final will be at Thebarton Oval on Sunday, August 26.
PORT CELEBRATES ITS PAST
This year marks the 40th anniversary of Semaphore Central and Exeter merging to form Port District.
Magpies players donned special heritage guernseys, which were predominantly black with a white colour, at the weekend to celebrate the milestone.
The club also named a squad of 40 players for its “best team ever” including names from both Central and Exeter.
Port’s division one team enjoyed a strong, 16.6 (10) to 4.10 (34) victory against Athelstone at Largs Reserve on Saturday.
Jay Williams starred for the Magpies with seven goals.
District coach Simon Maddern said it was great for his side to win on such a special day for the club.
“We kicked eight goals to zero in the first quarter, so the boys were pretty keen when they got out there,” Maddern said.
“They were ready to go and played a brilliant first quarter, so it was really good.”
Each year the club chooses a theme for its heritage day and celebrates the event with a luncheon.