Eagles head to preliminary final against North Adelaide without Tom Gray due to knee injury
WOODVILLE-West Torrens loses Tom Gray to a suspected serious knee injury ahead of clash with North, Norwood straight into grand final and wounded Sturt denied three-peat. See the highlights in our Monday Recovery wrap.
WOODVILLE-West Torrens loses Tom Gray to a suspected serious knee injury ahead of clash with North, Norwood straight into grand final and wounded Sturt denied three-peat. See the highlights as we wrap up all the weekend’s SANFL finals.
GRAY DAY
Woodville-West Torrens coach Michael Godden will need to alter his line-up to face North Adelaide in the preliminary final following a knee injury to Tom Gray.
The initial diagnosis is a ruptured ACL for Gray and the end of his season.
Jake Johansen will probably return after missing the past two weeks because of a calf issue.
Will veteran Leigh Ryswyk return for the Roosters after being missing due to a rib injury? He has been a loyal servant for the club for many years, but will coach Josh Carr want to alter a winning line-up?
BYE NORWOOD
Norwood is already through to the grand final and that means another week without action.
So coach Jarrod Cotton will put his players through a testing working out on Saturday to compensate. The first few days this week will be focused on recovery and then tough workouts on Thursday and Saturday.
Luke Surman was left out of the from the weekend, but does he return to the Redlegs’ attack for the title decider?
STURT HURTING
There was no more evidence of a belted up Sturt than late in the second quarter of the first semi-final loss to North Adelaide.
Defender Tom Harms was helped from the ground with an Achilles injury. Just seconds later Double Blues captain Zane Kirkwood struggled on the wing for a moment with an injured leg before kicking the ball into attack.
Jake Sutcliffe then nails a goal, only to limp back into position.
The Double Blues finished with only 16 players on the field. There were five on the bench and that included Harms (Achilles), Riley (hamstring), Sutcliffe (ankle) and John Greenslade (shoulder).
PUSHY THRING
Roosters captain Max Thring had his left knee heavily iced immediately after the final siren.
Thring missed the final few minor round games due to a calf injury and returned for the elimination final win over South Adelaide.
And how annoying is he? As soon the players move to position to start the game he is into the push and shove.
It is contagious because his teammates are only too happy to follow his lead.
MISSING TRIO
There were always questions over how the Double Blues would perform this season without three key players.
Most talk focused on the loss of Kory Beard in the forward line and how much the side would miss his presence. And he was missed big time.
But the drafting of Pat Wilson to Adelaide robbed the midfield of an absolute gun. Then there is Scott McMahon, whose experience and direction in defence was important in the premierships.
Not to forgot, Fraser Evans did not play in the finals due to an ankle injury.
COLOUR CLASH
So who makes the decision on the colour the umpires wear? Well it was a fail for the second semi-final with the umps in green, a clash with the Eagles’ gold, green and blue.
At least it was not as bad as the Alberton clash in round 18 when the umps wore white. And so did Central District against Pot Adelaide.
MATTNER’S FUTURE
What is the future of Double Blues coach Marty Mattner after three seasons at Unley Oval for two flags? He is expected to make a decision in a week or so, but will he end up at the Crows or Power? Both have plenty of openings and will be a tremendous pick up.
He has proved to be very much a players’ coach at Unley Oval and will be a big loss — if he leaves.
If Mattner leaves for the AFL, does Ben Warren step up from an assistant role? He did take the Redlegs to the 2014 premiership.
What about former Double Blues champ Jade Sheedy?
RESULTS
First semi-final
NORTH ADELAIDE 5.2 8.7 12.11 16.15 (111)
STURT 2.1 6.2 8.3 8.5 (53)
BEST (by Rob Greenwood) — North: Tropiano, Hender, Olekalns, Rozee, Allmond, Clisby, Woodcock.
Sturt: Kirkwood, Colquhoun, M. Evans, Edmonds, Stephens.
GOALS — North: Hender 5, Ramsey, Woodcock, Spina 2, Barns, Wilkie, Sweet, McInerney. Sturt: M. Evans 2, Kirkwood, Slimming, Hone, Taggert, Sutcliffe, Riley.
INJURIES — Sturt — Harms (ankle), Greenslade (shoulder).
UMPIRES — C. Bowen, D. Sobieraj, A. Crosby.
Second semi-final
NORWOOD 2.4 3.5 6.11 9.15 (69)
EAGLES 1.2 4.6 6.7 7.10 (52)
BEST — Norwood: Shenton, Wilson, Grigg, Smart, McKenzie, Bode. Eagles: Petrenko, Thompson, Redden, Firns, von Bertouch, Lewis.
GOALS — Norwood: Wilson 4, Bampton 2, Johnston, Panos, Grigg. Eagles: Haylock 2, Redden, Petrenko, Poole, Lukosius, Thompson.
INJURIES — Eagles: Gray (knee).
UMPIRES — Medlin, Philp, Harris.
CROWD — 13,102 at Adelaide Oval
ON THE BANDWAGON
Nothing has altered from last week, although it is getting a little crowded on the Roosters bandwagon. It also looked a little crowded on the hill at Adelaide Oval with all the red and white.
OFF THE BANDWAGON
Not very often I’ve sat on the fence on this one, but this is one of times. Three teams left and while the Redlegs are a hot, hot favourite, don’t write off the winner of the preliminary final.
RANKINGS
1: North Adelaide — There is little doubt the Double Blues were beaten up and there was five on the bench when the game finished. But the way the Roosters went about their work was impressive.
2: Norwood — Coach Jarrod Cotton said his side did not play well, but they got the job done against a spirited opponent and are now one win from the flag.
3: Eagles — had a real crack, but the Redlegs just had a touch more class, and speed. There needs to be more composure. The loss of Tom Gray in the first quarter hurt.
4: Sturt — the injury toll caught up with them. And the absence of Fraser Evans was crucial.
THIS WEEK
Adelaide Oval, Sunday
Under 18 grand final: Eagles v South Adelaide, 10.55am
Preliminary final
Eagles v North Adelaide, 2.15pm