Adelaide Footy League Norwood Hotel Division 1 finals week one preview

IT IS time for the business end of the season.

Tea Tree Gully's Trent Melville, who topped the division one goal-kickers list this season, celebrates kicking a goal during the year. Picture: Tom Huntley

IT IS time for the business end of the season.

The unpredictable nature of finals coupled with the top five talented teams that lay within it are likely to provide a more than memorable division one major round.

Prince Alfred Old Collegians will march into the qualifying final on the back of an impressive eight-goal win at Adelaide University.

Brock Castree was the star for the Reds booting 5 and was well supported by Karl Siebels who bagged four goals of his own.

They will play Tea Tree Gully at Thebarton Oval this weekend.

The Gullies also had a very impressive close to the minor round with a 39-point win over fellow finalist Port District at Largs Oval.

The man they call Blake Penny was dominant in ruck while fleet-footed teenager Nick Thomson had his best game of the year.

Peter Persinos was at his most dangerous in front of the big sticks kicking six.

These two teams split the points with Tea Tree Gully winning the early season encounter at Park No. 9 by 24 points.

In the return encounter at Pertaringa, it was the Old Reds’ sublime foot skills that propelled them to an eight goal win.

The 2016 division one grand final replay will be won or lost in the midfield match-ups.

For the Gullies to upset the reigning premiers they will need Alex McKay, Matty Stent and Ryan Spittle to fire but I think the depth of the Old Reds onball rotations including the likes of Hayden Jolly and Adam Perryman will ensure the Reds move into the second semi next week.

Payneham Norwood Union will now host Port District in the sudden death elimination final thanks to a gritty 15-point round 18 win at Modbury.

Athanasi Agorastos is a sublimely skilled silky left footer and he had his best game of

the year for the Falcons while former Norwood premiership player Liam Davis kicked three majors from centre-half forward.

Port’s afore mentioned defeat was through no fault of Mitchell Gaffney, who gave his all while James Batty always looked dangerous kicking four.

Port has only won one of its games but will be aware that they were able to knock off the Falcons at Payneham by four goals earlier this year.

The Falcons on the other hand have won their last five, which included a round 16 win at Largs by 34 points.

The form line suggests the Falcons to get the chocolates.

The other round 18 games, Salisbury North knocked off St Peter’s Old Collegians and Rostrevor earn the week off with a 27-point win at Goodwood.