Bays win pure joy for Prouds, Virgins
Glenelg’s drought-breaking premiership win completed a grand double for the Virgin and Proud families. These and more in this week’s wrap of local sport with Ben Hook.
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When the final siren sounded at Adelaide Oval last Sunday to confirm Glenelg was SANFL premier for the first time in 33-years, it put the finishing touches on a remarkable tale of joy for the Virgin family.
Michael Virgin was a key utility in Glenelg’s victory, which arrived just 12 months after his father Lee, the president of North Adelaide, celebrated the Roosters’ first flag since 1991.
But at the conclusion of the 2017 season, the likelihood of either father or son holding the SANFL’s Thomas Seymour Hill Trophy couldn’t have been more remote.
With Lee as president and Michael as a Roosters player, North took out the wooden spoon in 2017. Shortly after, Michael was advised he was no longer required at North Adelaide as a player.
Lee conceded it was difficult as a father to watch his son pushed out of the club.
“Whilst I was extremely disappointed for Michael, as president I had to separate the two,” he said. “My focus was at North and that’s where it’s always been. I would have loved to have him still there, but that wasn’t the cards we were dealt. It was pretty hard.”
Michael turned to community footy with PHOS-Camden in Adelaide Footy League’s Division 2 last year before Glenelg Hall Of Fame member Tony Symonds encouraged him to have another crack at League football.
“I thought I was done for sure,” he said. “But I didn’t want to sit there and let someone tell me I couldn’t do something. There was definitely a chip on the shoulder and it has been all year.
“And it probably will remain with me forever. But the good thing is I got another chance and it’s worked out really well. Whatever happened has happened at North and I still consider myself lucky to have played at that club and at Glenelg as well.”
Lee has been a Roosters supporter since the early 1970s and, after tough grand finals against Glenelg in 1973, 1985, 1986 and 1987, couldn’t believe he found himself supporting the Tigers in the decider.
“They’re our greatest rival,” he said. “But I wanted a win for him. Both his mother, Robyn, and I are thrilled to bits with how he’s stopped, held his breath for a bit and got over the shock of leaving North.
“He had his passion reignited and grabbed another opportunity with both hands and we couldn’t be happier for him. It’s an amazing effort.”
PROUD FAMILY
When Glenelg’s Max Proud collected his premiership medal on Sunday, there was nobody prouder than his sister Maddy.
Captain of the NSW Swifts, Maddy travelled back to Adelaide for the SANFL grand final and was spotted dressed in the Glenelg guernsey. It made a rare double for the family. Maddy led her club to the Super Netball title a fortnight ago, despite a serious knee injury keeping her off the court.
“Mum and Dad were definitely very proud,” Maddy said.
“Both Max and I haven’t won premierships at this level, so it was very exciting.”
Maddy regularly plays in front of packed houses at Sydney’s Quaycentre Stadium, but was blown away by the 40,000 fans at Adelaide Oval.
“I haven’t stopped talking about it since being back in Sydney,” she said. “I couldn’t believe how many people were there and underestimated how big it was for Glenelg to even be in the grand final. Even little things like painting the chimney at West End shows how much the whole state gets around it.”
MIGHTY MUNDULLA
MUNDULLA is a blink-and-you-miss-it hamlet in the south east of SA with an incredible reputation for sporting greatness.
The Tigers claimed the 2019 Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara League flag, to further establish their dominance over some far larger towns in the region. The KNTFL has existed for 27 seasons and Mundulla has now won 11 of them. Mundulla is also the home town of 2019 Hockey SA best- and-fairest Amy Hunt.
CHAMPION CHANDLERS
WHEN playing coach Jesse Chandler kicked nine goals in Western United’s back-to-back premiership victory over Koonibba in the Far West Football League, it was just one of a string of significant achievements for the four Chandler brothers.
As shared by country footy expert Peter Lines, Broadie Chandler, playing for Western Districts in the neighbouring Mid West League was runner- up in the Mail Medal.
Harlee Chandler, still eligible for colts, came home from college to help Western United’s B-grade score an upset grand final win and collect the best-on-ground medal along the way. Last but not least, Kade Chandler made his AFL debut for Melbourne in Round 22 against Sydney.
PLUCK OF THE IRISH
CROWS’ Irish-born rookie Ailish Considine has enjoyed a brace of premierships in 2019.
After joining the Adelaide Football Club ahead of the AFLW victory over Carlton in March, Considine has won a second premiership, in Gaelic football with Kilmihil parish in Ireland’s County Clare Ladies Gaelic Football Association senior final.
Kilmihil defeated Banner Ladies by 11 points.
Ailish, playing alongside her sister, Irish rugby international Eimear, dominated the match, with Clare FM reporter Derek Dorner describing it as “a tour de force” performance which inspired all around her to the dizzying heights of county champions.
Ailish returns to Adelaide this week to prepare for her second season with the Crows.
NANCE’S NEW CHANCES
WHEN star Australian hockey player Gabi Nance announced her intention to return to the sport after 18 months off, Adelaide Fire officials were quick to recruit her into the new franchise.
But the Fire wasn’t the only organisation to pursue the Commonwealth Games silver medallist.
With a strong passion for social inclusion, Nance has this month landed a role working with disadvantaged South Australians at the Hutt St Centre. But this is no corporate ambassadorship. Nance is doing real work and earning a pay cheque.
“I’m all for a second chance in life,” she said.
“I’m so glad I get to be part of that safe place for our clients. I love my job to bits.
“It is so rewarding and I just can’t get enough. I’ve learned so much already.”
Adelaide Fire makes its first foray into the new league on Sunday in Sydney.
“I’ve done everything I can in my preparation,” Nance said. “I’m looking forward to a solid, consistent tournament.”
CROUCH ON TARGET
IN the AFL, Matt Crouch is a renowned ball magnet. He’s developing a similar reputation on the golf course.
Crouch had 40 stableford points at Aston Hills last week, to win the midweek club competition, which generally earns around a dozen golf balls.
HEEDING SIRENS’ CALL
LOCAL netball gun Imogen Abernethy is off to Scotland for a second summer with UK’s Netball Superleague club Strathclyde Sirens.
Based in Glasgow, the Strathclyde is the only Scottish team in the league and features pretty much the entire Scottish national team.
Last year its recruits were Abernethy and Catherine Tuivaiti, who played with Adelaide Thunderbirds in 2018.
Abernethy is the sister of fellow netballer Gia and daughter of Port Adelaide champion footballer Bruce.
ZOE PITCHING IN
IF Zoe Conley plays softball anything like her former US college classmate Katie Sutherland-Finch, the Glenelg Rebels have a gun in their squad this summer.
Pitcher Conley arrives from University of California Golden Bears, which has become something of a South Australian softball recruiting hot spot. Adelaide’s Steph Trzcinski completed her US studies there in 2018 and has been dragging former team-mates over ever since.
But the quirk of it all is Trzcinski organised Sutherland-Finch (who dominated the league last year) to play at Port and Conley to head to Glenelg.
Trzcinski plays at West Torrens, where local Maddie Scott is an up-and-coming gun pitcher.