The run home for every Adelaide Footy League division ahead of finals in season 2021
It’s crunch time in the Adelaide Footy League and we’ve assessed the chances of every club in every division – from flag favourites to relegation battlers.
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Three minor rounds remain in season 2021 of the Adelaide Footy League and there is plenty on the line.
After the league revealed on Wednesday the finals series would be cut in half with a top four system instead of five, we’ve analysed the flag favourites, finals hopefuls and relegation battles in each division.
DIVISION ONE
Finals are a certainty for Prince Alfred Old Collegians and Payneham Norwood Union with reigning premier Goodwood not far behind.
It is difficult to see a winner coming from outside of the top three – though nothing is ever certain in division one – after separating themselves from the rest for much of the campaign.
PAOC in particular has put together one of the most dominant home and away seasons in recent memory and emphatically enhanced its credentials in a 65-point win over the Falcons on Saturday.
Top spot is definitely the Old Reds’.
PNU and Goodwood face off this weekend and will likely do the same in a preliminary final.
It then looks to be a race in three for fourth place.
Rostrevor Old Collegians and St Peter’s Old Collegians do battle on Saturday in a crucial clash, with Tea Tree Gully watching on in sixth and looking to pounce with all three of its remaining games at home.
SPOC has the added benefit of a game in hand over its two opponents.
Port District could be considered an outside chance to spoil the party but are a little too far back, though the Magpies have more than likely done enough to avoid the drop.
Brighton beat Adelaide University last Saturday to land a telling blow in the relegation battle.
The Blacks will need to go to Largs Reserve and beat Port District this weekend if they are any hope of remaining in the top flight.
Flag fancies: Prince Alfred OC (12-2), Payneham NU (11-4), Goodwood Saints (9-4-1)
Finals hopefuls: Rostrevor OC (8-7), St Peter’s OC (7-7), Tea Tree Gully (7-8)
Relegation battle: Port District (6-8-1), Brighton Bombers (6-8), Adelaide University (5-10)
Relegated: Unley Mercedes (1-13)
DIVISION TWO
A four-way battle in division two is anyone’s game and very little separates Glenunga, Sacred Heart Old Collegians, PHOS Camden and Old Ignatians.
On paper, the Rams are rightly the clubhouse leader with just one loss on the campaign but plenty of their wins have been tight ones.
It will give the chasing pack plenty of confidence when they face the ladder leader in the finals.
Iggies for example – in fourth and most likely to take them on in the preliminary final – lost to the Rams by just three points in their round seven meeting at Webb Oval.
Henley and Broadview still have mathematical hope of a top four berth but need too much to fall their way and join Salisbury North in no man’s land.
The Hawks should be safe however aren’t quite out of the woods yet in terms of relegation, which looks set to feature two of Athelstone, Scotch Old Collegians and Seaton Ramblers.
The Raggies have the advantage of playing all of its remaining games at home while the Rams and Lions will face each other in a season-defining round 17 clash where it should be curtains for the loser.
Flag fancies: Glenunga (14-1), Sacred Heart OC (10-5), PHOS Camden (10-5), Old Ignatians (9-6)
No man’s land: Henley (6-8-1), Broadview (6-8-1), Salisbury North (6-9)
Relegation battle: Athelstone (5-10), Scotch OC (4-11), Seaton Ramblers (4-11)
DIVISION THREE
What once appeared to be a set top five has had a spanner thrown in the works.
The change to a top four means Modbury is on the outside of the finals picture looking in
And the Hawks have been giant killers in recent weeks, knocking off both Golden Grove and Flinders Park.
They and Gaza, which has won seven of its past eight, have the capabilities to give the top three plenty of headaches.
North Haven has looked the most steady of that group in recent weeks but do not discount a rematch of last year’s grand final between the Kookaburras and Reds, unless they face off in the first week of finals.
Plympton will need to win at least two of its last three games to climb out of the drop zone at Westminster Old Scholars’ expense.
CBC Old Collegians is mathematically still in the relegation battle, however a stunning surge in form over the second half of the year means the Dolphins would need some serious misfortune to go down.
Portland, which has battled admirably all season after sitting out 2022, was officially relegated on Saturday.
Flag fancies: North Haven (13-2), Golden Grove (12-3), Flinders Park (11-4)
Finals hopefuls: Gaza (10-5), Modbury (9-6)
No man’s land: Edwardstown (7-8)
Relegation battle: CBC OC (6-9), Westminster OS (4-11), Plympton (3-12)
Relegated: Portland (0-15)
DIVISION FOUR
A three-way battle has raged at the top of division four all season and fight is certain to continue into the finals.
Top-ranked Pembroke Old Scholars, second side Morphettville Park and reigning premier Walkerville have been a class above the competition remain the clear leaders going into the final minor rounds.
But the chasing pack is capable of an upset.
SMOSH West Lakes, Hope Valley and Mitcham have each beaten at least one of the leading trio already this season.
All three are locked on eight wins in the battle to claim the last finals position – separated only by percentage – and the competition is fierce.
The round 18 clash between the Demons and Hawks could have significant implications.
Gepps Cross, Pulteney and Woodville South are all desperate to avoid joining Kilburn in the drop zone.
Last Saturday, the Cats drew level with the Navy Blues after claiming a 14-point victory.
Gepps Cross and Pulteney face off in round 17 before the Rams take on Woodville South in the final match.
The Navy Blues have the hardest run home of the trio, welcoming both Morphettville Park and Walkerville to Morgan Oval.
Flag fancies: Pembroke OS (13-2), Morphettville Park (12-3), Walkerville (12-3)
Finals hopefuls: SMOSH WL (8-7), Hope Valley (8-7), Mitcham (8-7)
Relegation battle: Gepps Cross (5-10), Pulteney (4-11), Woodville South (4-11)
Relegated: Kilburn (1-13)
DIVISION FIVE
Good luck picking a winner from this lot.
Just two wins separate the top six sides in division five with three rounds remaining as they all try to squeeze into four spots.
It is also the league’s only division where there isn’t a single side to have officially secured a finals berth.
Colonel Light Gardens – on a six-game winning streak – holds a one win advantage on top of the ladder ahead of Pooraka and Kenilworth.
The Lions and Bulls, who come together for a one versus two clash this Saturday, have a game in hand over the third-placed Kenilworth.
Eastern Park is half a game back followed by reigning premier Lockleys and Salisbury.
All three are capable of taking down one of the top sides – but cannot afford to slip up in the race for to sneak into the top four.
Fitzroy has already been relegated amid its winless season and the Lions were joined on Saturday by West Croydon after its loss to Salisbury.
Hectorville has nothing of significance to play for in the final three rounds but will enjoy safety and a second-straight campaign in division five next year.
Flag fancies: Colonel Light Gardens (10-3), Pooraka (9-4), Kenilworth (9-5), Eastern Park (8-4-1), Lockleys (8-5)
Finals hopefuls: Salisbury (8-5)
No man’s land: Hectorville (5-8-1)
Relegated: West Croydon (2-11), Fitzroy (0-13)
DIVISION SIX
There’s no prizes for guessing the premiership favourite in the fifth-tier with Elizabeth streaking to 14-0 and the minor premiership.
But don’t discount Old Scholars duo Trinity and St Paul’s from spoiling the party a potential unbeaten season.
Both have locked in finals berths and are certain to face off in a preliminary final.
Blackfriars Old Scholars, which can officially secure fourth spot with a win this week, lost to the undefeated Eagles in round 11 and could be a smokey when the two sides likely meet in the other final.
Marion still has the slimmest of top four hopes.
However the Rams would need to win out the rest of the minor rounds and hope for a huge capitulation from BOS.
In the relegation battle, Rosewater and Para Hills should be safe with a game in hand and win ahead of Ingle Farm, which sits in the dreaded ninth spot.
The Farmers have the bye this weekend and would need to beat SPOS and Mawson Lakes in the final two rounds to stay up, while also hoping other results go their way.
Mawson Lakes is mathematically still alive but would need to snap its 10-match losing run this week, plus a minor miracle, to not be playing in division seven in 2022.
Flag fancies: Elizabeth (14-0), Trinity OS (11-2), St Paul’s OS (10-3)
Finals hopefuls: Blackfriars OS (8-6), Marion (5-8)
Relegation battle: Rosewater (4-9), Para Hills (4-9), Ingle Farm (3-11), Mawson Lakes (1-12)
DIVISION SEVEN
It’s been one of the most remarkable stories of the season and Central United’s fairytale bottom-to-top campaign is nearing completion.
The Dogs – division seven wooden spooners a year ago – already have the minor premiership in the bag.
Joining them will be reigning premier Brahma Lodge and Greenacres, which has impressed after sitting out in 2020.
But the real interest in the league’s lowest division is for fourth spot.
Mitchell Park jumped up into it thanks to a big win over Flinders Park on Saturday and lead Houghton Districts on percentage.
A game back is Adelaide Lutheran but the Dogs have a game in hand over the two above.
They host Mitchell Park this Saturday in a potentially season-defining fixture.
No relegation in division seven means there is not much to play for if you’re Flinders Uni, Hackham and O’Sullivan Beach Lonsdale.
The Lions have Greenacres, Brahma Lodge and Lutheran in their remaining games and appears unable to avoid the wooden spoon.
Flag fancies: Central United (13-1), Brahma Lodge (10-3), Greenacres (10-3)
Finals hopefuls: Mitchell Park (7-7), Houghton Districts (7-7), Adelaide Lutheran (6-7)
Bottom battle: Flinders University (4-8), Hackham (2-10), OSB Lonsdale (1-11)
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