One-Percenters: Dual-sport athlete Jesse Whinnen kicks 100 goals and former Crow banned for life
A DUAL-SPORT athlete becomes the first to reach 100 goals and a former Crow is hit with a life ban, plus more in this week’s Adelaide Footy League wrap – One-Percenters.
- Third club in same division docked premiership points
- Is this Adelaide footy’s longest injury list?
- Local footballer reaches iconic 1000-goal milestone
- Huge clashes in divisions one and two as the big boys are back
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:
FORMER CROW BANNED
As first reported by the Sunday Mail’s Ben Hook, Flinders Park veteran and former Crow Sudjai Cook has received a life ban from the Adelaide Footy League after a five-match suspension pushed him over the 12-game threshold.
Cook, who made seven AFL appearances for Adelaide in 1998, was found guilty of charging in a division three match against Seaton Ramblers last month.
Cook, 42, was originally suspended for two matches before Seaton appealed and the penalty increased to five at a tribunal hearing last week.
It means Cook, the first ever Thai-born AFL player, now has a career tally of 15 matches suspended.
He will not be able to play again in the Adelaide Footy League but can play in other leagues as he is still one short of the national 16-game threshold.
Cook has made 65 appearances for Flinders Park since in 2012 after joining the club from Broadview.
He also played 148 SANFL games for Glenelg from 1994-2005.
Flinders Park is fourth on the division three ladder with a 10-5 record.
WHINNEN THE RACE TO 100
Dual-sport athlete Jesse Whinnen has become the first player in the Adelaide Footy League this season to kick 100 goals after bagging 11 for Pulteney in C5 on Saturday.
Whinnen, who also plays state league lacrosse for Woodville, now has a remarkable tally of 105 majors for the year.
He has booted 95 for the Navy Blues’ C grade and another 10 in three matches for their Bs.
Whinnen has recorded double-figure bags on seven occasions but has amazingly also been held goalless twice.
Pulteney belted Lockleys, 18.13 (121) to 3.8 (26), on Saturday, as Whinnen ran riot.
But he will not be the only spearhead to top the ton this season.
Fellow C5 superboot Darren Mitchell is sitting on 98 goals after kicking a massive 18.8 on for Hope Valley on Saturday.
Mitchell, who booted 113 goals for Hills Football League side Bridgewater-Callington in 2016, was unstoppable as the Demons defeated Ingle Farm 27.17 (179) to 0.5 (5).
Another on track for the century is O’Sullivan Beach Lonsdale’s Trevor Rigney.
The Lions veteran took his tally to 92 on the weekend after a haul of 12 against Mawson Lakes in division seven.
Next in line is Whinnen’s Pulteney clubmate Tom Langford with 88 in division five after his nine-goal haul on Saturday.
Marion’s Ryan Wade sits on 80 in the seventh tier.
Adelaide Lutheran division six reserves player David Hodges is just behind on 78.
EAGLES TAKING FLIGHT
Gaza appeared headed for relegation this season but there has been a sparkling return to form from the division two club in recent weeks.
The Eagles, who have not played lower than the top two tiers since 1978, secured arguably their best win of the season on Saturday.
In a tight and tough contest at Klemzig Oval, Gaza upset Unley Mercedes at the death to prevail 11.8 (74) to 10.6 (66).
Messenger Community News photographer Mark Brake was there to capture the moment Gaza’s David Allocca kicked the sealer and emotion overflowed.
Gaza started the season 2-6 and sustained a 108-point thrashing by division two pacesetters St Peter’s Old Collegians in round eight.
The Eagles came out the next week and pushed second-placed PHOS Camden before falling by a single point.
But the performance sparked a renaissance.
Since then coach Andrew Jarman’s side has won three of its past five with victories over Golden Grove, Old Ignatians and then the Jets on Saturday.
They are now in eighth on the ladder, but only one win behind Sacred Heart Old Collegians and Unley Mercedes in equal-fifth, and a real chance to make the finals.
FOOTY FUNDRAISERS
There are some great causes to get behind this weekend.
The league will host a White Ribbon Round to stand up, speak out and act to stop violence against women.
Funds and awareness will be raised for White Ribbon Australia.
Clubs wanting to get behind the cause this weekend can contact Dee Shepard at the league (dee@adelaidefooty.com.au) and you can also donate directly to White Ribbon.
At Hectorville, the Hounds have joined forces with batyr, an organisation dedicated to removing the stigma around mental health with young people, for a fundraising weekend.
The club will hold events around junior and senior games from Friday to Sunday, including talks about mental health, club dinners and a silent auction.
For more details head to the Hectorville Football Club Facebook page.
Athelstone will hold a ‘Fight MND with Doc’ fundraiser this Saturday at Max Amber Sportsfield for their division one match against Tea Tree Gully.
The event was sparked by Raggies legend Chris “Doctor” Grigg, who was diagnosed with motor neuron disease a year ago.
Grigg is also the father of Norwood footballer and Athelstone junior Mitch Grigg.
The Redlegs held a “Count Me In” game to raise funds for MND earlier this month.
Athelstone and Tea Tree Gully players will all wear blue laces on the day.
For more information and to donate, go to the Fight MND website.
LUCKLESS LIONS AND MAGPIES
Last week we brought to you the hardluck tales of division four club Salisbury and division seven’s Mitchell Park but, sadly, things did not get better for the two sides over the weekend.
The Magpies went down by a straight kick to Pooraka, 8.8 (56) to 7.8 (50) at Lindblom Park, continuing their run of matches decided by a goal or less.
They won by two points two weeks in a row against Kilburn and Glenunga but followed it up with consecutive one-point defeats to Colonel Light Gardens and Edwardstown before the loss to Pooraka.
Salisbury is bottom of the fourth tier – two wins away from eighth-placed SMOSH West Lakes outside of the relegation zone with three rounds to play.
Mitchell Park is having similar woes.
The Lions were downed by a kick at home against Golden Grove on Saturday, losing 10.11 (71) to 10.5 (65).
That follows a three-point defeat to Houghton Districts in round 13 and a four-point loss to Central United the following week.
Mitchell Park is ninth on the ladder with one victory on the season but faces winless Flinders University this Saturday.
CAN THEY BE STOPPED?
All three of the league’s unbeaten sides continued their domination on the weekend.
St Peter’s Old Collegians saw off Golden Grove with ease in division two, winning 16.18 (114) to 7.6 (48) at Harpers Field to move to a 14-0 record.
Jock McLeay booted three goals to be named best for SPOC, while his brother James kicked four of his own.
Division six club Rosewater had Para Hills’ number in a 11.15 (81) to 3.4 (22) victory at Eric Sutton Oval – its 15th straight triumph to start the season.
Patrick Hure, Adam Mahney and Tyson Jacquier were best for the Bulldogs.
In division seven, O’Sullivan Beach/Lonsdale pommeled Mawson Lakes, 23.9 (147) to 6.6 (42).
Trevor Rigney (mentioned above) booted 12 goals to lead the way for the Lions, now also 15-0.
SPOC takes on Brighton (third) this week and OSB/Lonsdale plays Tea Tree Gully (fourth), while Rosewater will likely prove far too strong for cellar-dweller Greenacres.
DOWN AND OUT
There are just three rounds remaining in the league’s divisions three to seven, four rounds in division two and five in the top tier.
But some clubs already have the unfortunate tag of relegation fodder.
Others are flirting dangerously close to dropping down, but still a mathematical chance of staying up.
Here are the Adelaide Footy League clubs already set to be relegated this season:
Division one: Modbury (0-13)
Division three: Pembroke (0-15)
Division five: Ingle Farm (1-14)
Division six: Greenacres (0-15)