One-Percenters: Para Hills star Daniel Weetra boots 72 goals in first eight games

Local SA footy’s top goalkicker is set to clear his mammoth season 2023 total comfortably after booting 72 majors in just eight games to start the 2024 season. That and more in Adelaide Footy League One-Percenters.

Welcome to One-Percenters – a wrap of the talking points from the round in the Adelaide Footy League.

Each edition we will bring you tidbits from the last weekend – they might be eye-catching results, milestones, comebacks, big wins, broken droughts or inspiring stories.

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Here is what caught our attention during round eight.

DAN DOMINATING DIV SEVEN AGAIN

Star Para Hills forward Daniel Weetra kicked 122 goals for the Big Reds last year but is set to demolish that total after booting 72 majors in the first eight rounds of the 2024 division seven season.

The dominant goal sneak, who currently leads the state for goals kicked in 2024, is currently averaging nine majors a game and has tallied 35 in his last three outings, including a huge bag of 20 against Mitchell Park in round seven.

“It’s been a bit of a shock,” Weetra said of his form.

Daniel Weetra at the Para Hills Football Club. He has kicked 72 goals in eight games this year. Picture: Ben Clark

“Obviously last year I didn’t expect to do as well what I did and I can say the same for this season so far.

“My success has definitely been down to the team – the midfield especially have played their role each week and handled the ball really well and the backline has been really tight too and won a lot of the footy.”

Weetra’s side won that round seven game by a score of 241-0 and has since defeated Flinders Uni 105-55 to move to second on the ladder, a game below OSB Lonsdale.

“I’ve never really been part of a game like that,” he said.

“We weren’t expecting a blowout like that but we just kept creating chances and my goals kept rising and rising until I eventually kicked 20.

“I didn’t really know how to act after the game – people kept coming up to congratulate me but it never set in.”

Weetra believed his Para Hills side could go all the way this season. Picture: Ben Clark

The Big Reds fell just short of a grand final appearance despite Weetra’s hot form during the 2023 season but look set to go close again this year.

He said he was confident his team could continue to build and earn promotion to division six for 2025.

“There are definitely a few hurt boys after last year and we’re super motivated knowing we should have made the grand final.

“We’ve been switched on and ready to go since the pre-season and have really well too.

“I think we’ve definitely gone up a gear as a team and I have full faith in the boys to go all the way.”

TWO DRAWS IN ONE DAY

It was a day of mixed emotions for Brighton and Port District last Saturday as both the A Grade men’s and women’s sides drew their round eight affairs.

Teams in both games kicked the same score with the men playing out a 13.13 (91)-apiece stalemate and the women tallying a score of 4.4 (28) each.

Port District and Brighton played out two A Grade draws on Saturday. Picture: Play HQ

Port District and Brighton played out two A Grade draws on Saturday. Picture: Play HQ

The Bombers booted two goals in the final three minutes to secure the upset result in its men’s division one game against Port District as Jack Francis crumbed a loose footy in the forward 50 at the 27-minute mark and dummied a defender to slot home the leveller.

The club’s women’s side produced similar heroics in their division three A Grade game, coming back from 27-14 down at three-quarter time to force a 28-apiece draw.

Young gun Miah Forrest was a standout in that clash with two important majors.