Eagles are the only side guaranteed action in the looming SANFL finals
THE race for the looming SANFL finals has intensified with only Woodville-West Torrens a certainty to be getting action beyond the minor round.
There is only one guarantee when it comes to the looming SANFL finals, Woodville-West Torrens will have a role.
The Eagles, three games clear of the field with three rounds remaining after dropping just two games for the season, are the only confirmed side to be getting action beyond the minor round.
There are some probables. The Eagles should finish top and be rewarded with the rest on the opening weekend of finals as the minor premier for the third successive year.
Only an absolute disaster would prevent Sturt and Norwood from a finals berth and Port Adelaide should also qualify. The other likely outcome will be Glenelg tasting finals action for the first time since 2011.
There is a list of possibles, some not too unrealistic and others simply optimism by clubs and seriously unlikely.
While the Eagles have had a claw on top spot for weeks, the race for the crucial top three and the double chance is intriguing. The battle for fifth spot is also far from over although the Tigers’ win over Adelaide in Bordertown last weekend has put them in the box seat.
Incredibly, a top three spot is not out of the equation for the Tigers. They have games against lowly placed North Adelaide and West Adelaide in the final two week. But they must conquer the Double Blues in Unley next week to have any chance.
Then again, the Tigers could miss out altogether.
South Adelaide is two games and small percentage below the Tigers on the ladder, but they have a game in hand with the second weekend of the split round to be completed today.
The Panthers’ form is a concern though and their run home is ugly with games against Port at Alberton Oval today, Eagles next week and the Double Blues in Unley in the penultimate round. They finish at home against the Crows.
And if the Crows, who caused mayhem in last year’s finals series when flooded with AFL players, win all three remaining games they can still jump into the five.
If Port beats the Panthers on Saturday, and the home team will start a hot favourite, it will join the Double Blues and Redlegs on 10 wins with just three games left. It will also mean those clubs are guaranteed a finals berth.
Port’s run home includes games against the Bloods and Roosters so it is expected to have a gig in the major round after missing out on the top five last season. That will have rivals nervous because they will be strengthened by the inclusion of its most elite top up players.
A low injury toll at Alberton has meant a state league side loaded with AFL listed talent, even to the extent captain Steven Summerton has had plenty of weeks of the reserves. However, the AFL clubs are limited to 17 AFL players in their line-up for the finals and Summerton is included in Port’s 17.
The top three is highly unlikely to be decided until the final minor round when the Redlegs host the Double Blues at The Parade. Could they have their first meeting in a grand final since 1978? The Redlegs must also contend with Port at Alberton Oval the week before, after meeting Central District at home next week.
At the other end of the ladder, the wooden spoon is still up for grabs and even Central District is in danger of finishing bottom.
The Bloods were red-hot fancies to claim back-to-back wooden spoons after dropping the first nine games.
They have since won four of their six encounters to climb off the bottom.
The Roosters are at the foot of the table, but if they conquer the Bulldogs in Elizabeth today, the bottom three clubs will be equal on points.