Monday Recovery: State league clubs wants concessions for AFL clubs to be scrapped
Clubs frustrated with SANFL, draft shows its impact as Panthers narrowly miss finals, Liam McBean tops goalkicking and Roy Laird on song for final game. We wrap up all the latest from the SANFL in Monday Recovery
- Patullo’s four inspires Sturt victory, finals berth
- Panthers end season on high, but miss five
- Roosters rise from bottom of ladder at last
- Ugly end as legend Laird finishes reign
- Legs overcome Bloods to cement finals berth
CLUBS FRUSTRATED
The state league clubs have been far from happy with the SANFL management all season and the form of Port Adelaide going into the finals is not helping matters.
Port is a strong chance to contest its third grand final since becoming the Power reserves in 2014.
What has the clubs are filthy is the concessions the AFL clubs were given after Port football boss Chris Davies went to the SANFL seeking help, claiming the club was embarrassed finishing ninth last year.
There are two major issues the clubs want scrapped. They don’t believe there should be a marquee player, claiming AFL players such Josh Jenkins and Charlie Dixon surely fill that tag.
The other aspect they want abolished is the base payments where the Crows and Power can pay $20,000 to players with a maximum of $4000. Plus the players get $500 each time they front.
Several clubs have missed out on players who have then signed with the AFL clubs. There are players in the finals whose clubs cannot afford to offer a base payment and they just get the match pay.
A week after the AFL clubs got those concessions, the mid-season draft was announced. Another reason the clubs are angry and frustrated.
Stream over 50 sports live & anytime on your TV or favourite device with KAYO SPORTS. The biggest Aussie sports and the best from overseas. Just $25/month. No lock-in contract. Get your 14 day free trial >
DRAFT IMPACT
The impact the AFL drafts have on SANFL clubs is evident on the ladder after the final minor round.
South Adelaide finished sixth after losing ruckman Keegan Brooksby and key forward Hayden McLean in the supplementary draft and state ruckman Michael Knoll in the mid-season draft. Throw them into the side and the Panthers are a serious premiership threat.
Central District lost ruckman Darcy Fort and young guns Jackson Hately, Jez McLennan and Aaron Nietschke from their starting side last year and finished eighth.
After winning the flag, North Adelaide had Connor Rozee, Robbie Young, Boyd Woodcock, Callum Wilkie and Jordan Sweet taken by the AFL and the Roosters avoided the wooden spoon in the final round.
And West Adelaide finished bottom after losing Will Snelling and John Noble, the Bloods’ best two players at the time, mid-season.
The clubs take pride in having players taken in the draft. But they get little in return, while the AFL clubs were given more concessions last year.
HOPES DASHED
Hope was in the air at Noarlunga Oval on Saturday when the Panthers escaped to a 24-point lead over the Crows in the final quarter.
They needed to win and hope Glenelg beat Sturt at Unley Oval. It was looking good for the Panthers, having a healthy lead while the Tigers had cut the deficit to only five points and on the charge at Unley.
Those hopes of finals action were dashed, however, when the Double Blues steadied and held on for a 12-point win. At the risk of being repetitive, put Brooksby, McLean and Knoll in the line-up, and that is a damn good Panthers side.
The Crows showed their respects for long-serving Panthers servants Brad Crabb and Nick Liddle with a guard of honour after the game.
It was also good to see the Roosters form a guard of honour for Eagles veteran Scott Lewis at Prospect Oval.
TO BE FRANK
There were plenty of sighs of relief after the final siren when the reigning premiers avoided the ignominy of securing the wooden spoon.
And there would be none more relieved than Frank Szekely. With the home side 12 points up, the young Rooster had a chance to put the result beyond doubt when he roved the ball and ran into an open goal 24 minutes into the last term.
In one that the excitement machine won’t be adding to the highlight reel, he somehow over-complicated things and missed the big sticks, with the ball immediately rocketing down the Eagles’ end from the kick in.
Fortunately for Franky, the Roosters’ defenders — who were brilliant in a stoic last term — were able to repel the attack and the home side held on for a valiant win.
MCBEAN’S GOAL
The Bloods left themselves open to the wooden spoon with the loss to Norwood at Richmond Oval on Friday night.
That meant the Roosters needed to beat Woodville-West Torrens. They had climbed off the bottom at quarter-time, dropped back below the Bloods at halftime, and then rose above them for the second half.
The Double Blues led the Tigers at each quarter.
As for the Ken Farmer Medal, Tiger Liam McBean led by three going into the final round, only to be rested. That left his only challenger Luke Reynolds a chance to catch him.
Reynolds failed to add to his tally in the first half when the Tigers had only three goals on the board. He then nailed a goal two minutes into the third quarter, before adding another midway through the final term. So there was time. But that was it for the accurate one and McBean is the goalkicking champion for this season.
DOGS ON SONG
The Bulldogs ground announcer didn’t bother with Port’s song after the win at Elizabeth Oval on Saturday. Instead, he opted for a couple of tunes to dedicate to Roy Laird after his final game as coach.
Time of Your Life by Green Day was one of the numbers with the other being Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol.
The Green Bay song seems understandable, but isn’t Chasing Cars a love song? A repeated verse says, “If I lay here, If I lay here, Would you lie with me and just forget the world”. Doesn’t sound like Lairdy to me, although it could have been the choice of Bulldogs CEO Kris Grant.
LAIRD RESPONSE
While on the subject of songs and Laird, anyone who has watched a game at Unley Oval would hear that bloke in front of the Harry J McKay Stand belting out his lyrics for each Double Blues player.
Well, being the passionate state league man he is, he wrote to Laird to thank him for his contribution to the SANFL cause. He wasn’t sure if the letter would even reach its intended target.
But not only did Laird receive his kind words, the seven-times coaching legend surprised the Double Blues fan with a reply.
I’m telling you right here and now, there is much more to Roy Laird and what he has done for the state league game than meets the eye. The man is a massive loss to the comp.
FINAL CONCLUSION
So when was the last time Sturt and Norwood met in a final?
It was back in 2014 and the Redlegs 10.6 (66) conquered the Double Blues 8.9 (57) in the qualifying final at Adelaide Oval.
The Double Blues then dropped out of the title race when belted by the Panthers, while the Redlegs lost to Port in the second semi-final, beat the Panthers in the preliminary and triumphed by four points over Port in the grand final.
RESULTS
Norwood 10.8 (68) d West Adelaide 6.14 (50) at Richmond Oval.
North Adelaide 10.10 (70) d Eagles 8.9 (57) at Prospect Oval.
Sturt 11.11 (77) d Glenelg 9.11 (65) at Unley Oval.
Port Adelaide 22.17 (149) d Central District 8.11 (59) at Elizabeth Oval.
South Adelaide 12.11 (83) d Adelaide 12.4 (76) at Noarlunga Oval.
LADDER
STAT LEADERS
GOALKICKERS
Liam McBean (Glenelg) 46
Luke Reynolds (Glenelg) 45
James Rowe (Eagles) 35
Troy Menzel (Central) 33
Josh Hone (Sturt) 32
Billy Frampton (Port) 32
Tyson Stengle (Adelaide) 30
Mark Evans (Sturt) 30
DISPOSALS
Sam Colquhoun (Sturt) 523
Travis Schiller (Central) 511
Lewis Johnston (Norwood) 507
Kaine Stevens (West) 486
Luke Partington (Glenelg) 478
Jarred Allmond (North) 466
Jarrod Schiller (Central) 462
Patrick Wilson (Adelaide) 457
CONTESTED MARKS
Josh Patullo (Sturt) 39
Jack Hayes (Eagles) 38
Sam Overall (South) 37
Billy Frampton (Port) 34
Luke Reynolds (Glenelg) 30
Liam McBean (Glenelg) 29
Kieran Strachan (Adelaide) 25
Mitch Harvey (North) 22
ON THE BANDWAGON
There would be plenty of people jumping on the Port wagon, but being an SANFL man and having only a passing interest in the AFL, I’ll drag out the lace up Double Blues jumper and have a quiet beer with Benny Warren.
OFF THE BANDWAGON
The Crows are coming off two losses and just one win from the past six games, but being an SANFL man I’m a little worried about the Redlegs. They lost to the Bulldogs and then produced three average quarters after the explosive opening against the Bloods.
RANKINGS
1: Sturt — Needed a win over top-placed Tigers to get into the finals and got the job done nicely, even responding to the strong challenge from the visitors in the final quarter.
2: Port — Challenged early by the Bulldogs before the benefit of having so much AFL talent impacted on the contest.
3: South Adelaide — There was still hope of finals action and they got their side of the bargain done with a quality win to send Nick Liddle and Brad Crabb off in style.
4: North Adelaide — The Roosters were rubbish the previous week against the Panthers and they responded, answering all the Eagles challenges to climb off the bottom.
5: Adelaide — The Crows were a little down on numbers and they kept fighting back against the Panthers despite being beaten in contested possessions.
6: Norwood — Could not have been more impressive in the first quarter when the Redlegs charged to a 37-point lead. They were sloppy after quarter-time, however, and were a little lucky the Bloods were inaccurate.
7: West Adelaide — The Bloods could have been forgiven for turning up the toes and thinking about the end-of-season beer in the first quarter. But they showed of spirit in the final three quarters.
8: Glenelg — Were dominated by the Double Blues early, before fighting back to close within five points in the final quarter.
9: Eagles — There was not much to play for and they will probably be happy the season’s struggles have ended.
10: Central District — Showed fight early, but the Bulldogs were overwhelmed after quarter-time.
THIS WEEK
Saturday, Adelaide Oval
Elimination final, 3.20pm
Sturt v Norwood
Qualifying final, 7.05pm
Port Adelaide v Adelaide