West Adelaide’s SANFL Grand Final win over Woodville-West Torrens 32 years in making
THE annoyance of a wasted year has proved a significant motivating tool for the West Adelaide Football Club.
- Our good players played poorly: Godden
- Ugly times with Westies worth it for Caire
- Schmidt wins Jack Oatey Medal
- How the Bloods won the game
THE annoyance of a wasted year has proved a significant motivating tool for the West Adelaide Football Club.
Finishing ninth, just two years after playing a grand final, last season did not sit comfortable with the Bloods and redemption was definitely at the forefront of thoughts. There was that ‘I’ll-show-you attitude’ when written off pre-season as a premiership threat.
The Bloods showed everyone, ending a 32-year premiership drought with a magnificent 30-point triumph over Woodville-West Torrens in the grand final at Adelaide Oval Saturday.
The Eagles have been the most consistent team this season, losing just two games for the season heading into the title decider. But the Bloods were the best team on the season’s biggest stage.
Captain Chris Schmidt was among those most frustrated by the 2014 efforts. And he drove the Bloods from the front, typically tough on the ball and refusing to relent from his fiercely competitive approach in a Jack Oatey Medal performance as best on ground.
“We came here with a plan to be physical in a football sense and put pressure on the opposition,’’ Bloods coach Mark Mickan said. “We wanted to move the ball with enterprise.
“The Eagles are a quality side and were always going to come back at us. But our ability to withstand those surges and kick ahead was exceptional.’’
The Bloods needed to open with conviction to build confidence and they controlled the contest early, getting their hands to plenty of ball.
At the back, the Bloods defence led by Adam Hartlett and Daniel Caire stood firm and rebounded strongly to spark attacking raids. The Bloods had an astounding 54 more possessions for the opening quarter with Schmidt, Jason Porplyzia and Brad Helbig extremely busy.
It took the Eagles 16 minutes to impact on the scoreboard, full forward Michael Wundke marking strongly before nailing the goal. He repeated the effort two minutes later.
But the Bloods responded with the next two goals and when Errin Wasley-Black and Jonathon Beech kicked early second quarter goals, the Bloods’ buffer had risen to 24 points.
As the second term lengthened so too did the sloppy work from both outfits, often coughing up ball with poor disposals. An issue for the Bloods was over use of the handball and too often they broke down when handballing to a team-mate under pressure or being fumbly in tight.
The Eagles were able to quell the Bloods’ movement and cut down their ball from the stoppages, while also getting their hands to more possessions.
However, the Eagles struggled to find enough players having an influence and it was a no reflection of the contest that they were able to close within nine points late in the third period.
This was the Bloods’ day and they were not letting this prime opportunity slip. Schmidt was brilliant in the third term when the game was still on the line and his presence helped the side regain potency in its movement. Unlike the Eagles, he had plenty of mates willing to make a stand.
SCOREBOARD
WEST ADELAIDE 4.1 6.5 9.7 11.12 (78)
EAGLES 2.0 5.3 7.5 7.6 (48)
BEST — West: Schmidt, Porplyzia, Tuck, Helbig, Stevens, Caire, Hartlett, Schiller. Eagles: Wundke, Schwarz, Jarrad, Allmond.
GOALS — West: Green 3, Beech, Webb 2, Tuck, Fielke, Stevens, Wasley-Black. Eagles: Wundke 4, Ainger 2, Petrenko.
UMPIRES — Medlin, Fleer, Haussen.
CROWD — 25,625 at Adelaide Oval.
JACK OATEY MEDAL — Chris Schmidt (West Adelaide).