One-Percenters: Elizabeth Football Club streaks to 11 straight wins in Adelaide Footy League
It’s been 16 long years since Elizabeth last won an A grade premiership – but now the Eagles have transformed into the Adelaide Footy League’s only unbeaten side.
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Welcome to One-Percenters – a wrap of the quirky talking points from the round in the Adelaide Footy League.
Each edition we will bring you eight or so titbits from the latest weekend – they might be eye-catching results, milestones, comebacks, big wins, broken droughts or inspiring stories.
If you have heard about something quirky in the Adelaide Footy League, email us your suggestions or photos to patrick.keam@news.com.au
From the quirky to the inspirational, the weird, wonderful and everything in between here are the things which caught our eye in round 12:
EAGLES FLYING HIGHEST
There are 67 clubs in the Adelaide Footy League but this season there is one side out at Argana Park which is unmatched in one key area – winning.
Elizabeth has swept all before it to streak to an 11-0 win-loss record and is the only unbeaten A grade side in the competition.
The division six Eagles – seeking their first top level flag in 16 years – are two games clear on top of the ladder and appear to have the edge to go all the way.
Coach Justin Platten, who played in the club’s last A grade premiership in 2005, said “the penny has dropped” this season.
“This group’s been together for a while and has been building, we’ve sort of put it all together this year,” Platten said.
“I felt we had a strong squad but I think we’ve underachieved the past two years I’ve been coaching.
“We’ve got a core group where everyone’s in their early to mid-20s now and getting a bit more experience … everything’s clicking it seems.”
The biggest threat to the undefeated Eagles’ winning streak in the minor rounds will come this week when they host second side St Paul’s Old Scholars at Argana Park on Saturday.
Their earlier encounter in round four resulted in a 16-point victory to Elizabeth.
Another win would put the Eagles three wins clear on top with four games remaining.
Platten said his side would go in confident, but he acknowledged it was a big clash.
“We’ve set it almost like a finals game for us with good reward at the end of it,” he said.
“To be honest we don’t think about it (the streak).
“It’s cliche but we’re just taking it one week at a time and we’re keeping a lid on it really.
“We’re not afraid to lose the streak or anything like that, we just focus on who’s next.
“There’s still plenty of work to be done that’s for sure.”
Platten said a stout defence and healthy amount of leg speed had been the keys to success this season, with the Eagles averaging 102 points per game while giving up just 53 the other way.
Young forward Jarad Clinton has done most of the heavy lifting in attack.
The 19-year-old – an Elizabeth junior who returned to the club in the off-season from Modbury – is the division six leading goal kicker with 51 majors in 10 games.
Midfielder and co-captain Joel Foster and defender Jarrad Upton have also been standouts.
Platten was full of praise for two 16 year olds, Brayden Owen and Riley Mitchell, who have become keys parts of the side despite giving up several years to their opponents when taking the field.
MARKS AND GOALS OF THE WEEK
This season the Adelaide Footy League has partnered up with The Advertiser and Messenger to crown the best mark and best goal of 2021.
Each week you can find the top three of each from the round here in the One-Percenters column.
Vote in the poll for your favourite.
At the end of the year the top marks and goals will go in the running to be named the best of the season with an overall vote decided by you.
TALE OF TWO INJURIES
The clash between division one powerhouses Prince Alfred Old Collegians and Rostrevor Old Collegians had an interesting subplot in the coaching boxes.
That’s because one coach was out on the field and the other stuck on the sidelines.
As the Old Reds took ROC to task in a dominant 50-point win, Rostrevor co-coach Will O’Malley remained out with injury.
Meanwhile PAOC mentor Craig Pitt returned to action for the first time since having his jaw broken against Goodwood Saints in May.
Pitt was not only buoyed by the big win but also his personal comeback.
“I really did have to have a good think about whether I would play again with it being the third time I’ve broken my jaw
“It’s not a fun injury to have once let alone three times.
“I think I just sat down with myself and said ‘what would I do if I didn’t play football, how would I get the competitive juices flowing’ and I couldn’t really come up with a good answer.
“It was fantastic to pull the boots back on and get out there.”
O’Malley, who hasn’t played since early June, told The Messenger after the match he would remain on the injury list for a few more weeks at least.
The 2017 Keith Sims OAM Medallist suffered a stress fracture in his foot in round nine.
“I’ve been in a moon boot since then, I’ll have a couple more weeks in it and will have to play it by ear from there,” O’Malley said.
“Hopefully I’ll be back with two or three games to go, all going well.”
KOOKABURRAS LAUGHING AT HOME
There were two Golden Grove forwards who would have been laughing on Saturday night.
With the Kookaburras facing battling side Portland it was a big opportunity to kick some goals and they certainly took advantage.
Joel Horskins helped himself to a massive bag of 15 goals in the reserves clash as the hosts smashed the Thunder 42.19 (271) to zero.
Then in the A grade clash, Golden Grove piled on the majors in a 29.16 (190) to 4.2 (26) win.
Michael Walters, who was best on ground in the Kookaburras division three grand final triumph last year, feasted with a haul of 12 goals.
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