The local footy clubs aiming to end win droughts, including Eyre United, Boston, Port Noarlunga
Nangwarry and Freeling both ended infamous win droughts last Saturday, but some local clubs are still seeking their first season victory in years. See their stories.
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Last weekend’s footy action saw two local clubs with long-time win droughts break the hoodoo, with the Nangwarry Saints celebrating their first win since 2014 in remarkable fashion, and the Freeling Redlegs upsetting Willaston away from home to win their first affair in 1064 days.
Amid the celebrations for those teams, we’ve taken a look at the local clubs who are still on losing streaks of over a year as they aim to experience victory and sing their song during the remainder of the 2022 season.
EYRE UNITED (Great Flinders Football League) – 2018 season, 1,420 days
Round 13, 2018 was the last time Eyre United’s A Grade side had a win in the Great Flinders Football League, topping Lock by 15 points.
Since then the club – based 20 minutes from Tumby Bay – has faced challenges with Covid-suspended seasons and a loss of players due to commitments out of town.
Despite the drought, club president Ben Pugsley believed it would not be long before the Saints went marching into the winner’s rooms.
“We played the top team (United Yeelanna) on the weekend and we were up by four goals in the first quarter so we know we can play at the required level, we just need to put a full game together,” Pugsley said.
“We’re showing brilliant signs of improvement and we’ve got eight games left so I think we’re definitely a chance to get one or two wins this year if we can keep improving.”
The club was on the verge of turning fortunes around at the start of 2020 before Covid hit, according to Pugsley.
“We had a new coach, a new plan and regime, a fitness coach and we also had a really strong and positive preseason,” he said.
“Unfortunately when Covid hit we lost some players to other clubs and we haven’t managed to recover yet.
“We’re based in a very small community and it’s been hard to keep guys because of working commitments away from town, that kind of thing, but we’re definitely back on the up.”
Despite the club’s recent struggles at A Grade level, its performance at the junior level has everyone excited.
“At the end of the day, how do you rate the success of a club? We’re still developing kids really well, our junior numbers are good and our younger teams have all been successful,” Pugsley said.
“We’ve got five lads aged 17 and under who currently play A Grade and they’re improving each week and the fact we can bring these guys through has us super positive about what the future holds.”
COWELL (Eastern Eyre Football League) – 2019 season, 1,147 days
Cowell beat Ports in round two of the 2019 Eastern Eyre season, winning 51-86 away from home, but it has been tough going for the club results-wise since the unlikely win.
Another club impacted by Covid, the Cats lost a year of competition when the league was forced to cancel its season in 2020, and have since been restocking their reinforcements.
The club’s B Grade and senior colts are also without a win this year but all grades have been competitive on their day.
The A Grade side would be eyeing off its matchup with Kimba in round 12, after only just falling away late in their previous fixture.
BOSTON FOOTBALL CLUB (Port Lincoln Football League) – 2019 season, 1,105 days without playing a win
Despite recording a win against Mallee Park in 2021 due to the Peckers playing an unregistered player, Boston is yet to play out a victory since 2019.
President Jason Fauser said while the side has struggled to post a win, the Tigers are ready to roar once more in 2022.
“Any club who celebrates a win on a technicality is a bit ridiculous, we found out on the Monday after playing and losing on that weekend,” Fauser said of the 2021 Mallee Park forfeit.
“We’re hungry for wins, and absolutely craving the moment we can get up and sing the club song.”
The Port Lincoln Football League was the only competition in the region to play through Covid in 2020, but the club opted to keep its U18s and juniors strong during a challenging year at the expense of its senior sides.
Since that year, the Tigers have added new coach Brad Keast and are seeing weekly improvement on the park.
“We wanted to keep our younger ranks strong that year, which was testing for us but we’re starting to bear the fruits of our labour now, with a lot of younger talent starting to come through,” Fauser said.
“We’ve probably struggled to maintain that age group between the under 20s and over 30s because a lot of guys seem to be moving away, which is part of life.
“Brad has been excellent though, we’ve had some really good training sessions and there’s an impressive game plan in place every week.”
The A Grade only lost to third placed Wayback by three points last week, trailing by just a point at three-quarter-time.
Fauser said the loss had left a buoyant group hungry for another crack at it.
“We maintain a sense of humour and at the end of the day we all enjoy coming to the club, we just haven’t been able to get a win at the senior level.
“We’re certainly focused on our game against Tasman this week and getting a win and I think we’re a big chance in a lot of games this season, we still play each team at least once and we’ve come very close.
“We’d love to be able to celebrate one.”
UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB (Adelaide Plains Football League) – 2020 season, 676 days
United president Kym Jarman said premiership points were not far off for his club’s senior side this Adelaide Plains season.
The club, which has a population base of Dublin and Long Plains has remained healthy off the field despite recent struggles off it.
“It’s a combined population of 263 people,” Jarman said.
“The club is an amazing success story in the sense that it is so healthy off-field and is a community hub.”
“Performance wise, from the age U14 down we are very strong and are also looking forward to some successful times from here on at the senior level.”
Another club which was hit badly by Covid, United lost volunteers and players during 2020 and 2021, and has not recovered as of yet.
“We just haven’t had the depth to replace players having a break and not playing, as opposed to other clubs in larger towns who have more people to draw on to replace guys,” Jarman said.
“The way off the bottom for any team is to attract more players and more kids, and we’re looking to do that.”
The club plays eight more games this season, and will meet third bottom Hummocks Watchman Eagles on Saturday.
WIRRULLA (Western Eyre Football League) – 2021 season, 417 days
May 1, 2021 was Wirrulla’s most recent win – a seven-point against Blues Football Club in round three of that season.
The Bombers have struggled on the park since season 2020, but despite being 0-8 so far this season, have given themselves a chance to win multiple games.
The side only lost to Thevenard by five points in round six, and trailed Koonibba by five points at the final break in round eight before losing by two kicks in a valiant effort.
Wirrulla plays third spot West Coast Hawks on Saturday.
PORT NOARLUNGA (Southern Football League) – 2021 season, 396 days
Port Noarlunga has gone 21 games without a win at A Grade level, and has struggled to match it with the best in the Southern Football League this season.
The club had a shot to win in round three this year, leading Aldinga by four points heading into the final term at home before ultimately conceding three goals to go down.
The club would have its next affair with Alding, which comes in two weeks, marked on its calendar.
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