Why Port Adelaide should not be written off as SANFL finals chance
NORWOOD continued its charge up the SANFL ladder with a win over Port Adelaide. But it would be unwise to write off the Magpies. Plus Jake Sutcliffe’s return for Sturt, the Crows’ woes grow with injuries to two young talents and the latest highlights.
NORWOOD continued its charge up the SANFL ladder with a win over Port Adelaide. But Warren Partland says it would be unwise to write off the Magpies just yet. Plus Jake Sutcliffe’s return for Sturt and a talented young Crows’ wings clipped again.
PORT STILL A CHANCE?
So is the top five done and dusted or is there is still hope for Port Adelaide?
The loss to Norwood at Alberton Oval on Sunday has dropped sixth-placed Port five points below Sturt and South Adelaide on the ladder.
There are still seven games remaining and Port is definitely not out of the race, not by a long shot. The Power has been extremely lucky with injuries again this season so the state league side will be stacked with AFL players, many who have been around a while.
Much more will be revealed this week when Port takes on Woodville-West Torrens at Woodvlle Oval on Sunday.
TOP CLASS
What about the West Adelaide under-13 class in 2010?
Here are some of the players who ran around in that team, all born in 1997.
Riley Bonner is now with Port Adelaide and earned the Rising Star award for the opening round this season. Will Snelling is a teammate at the Power and is a premiership player with the Bloods in 2015.
Aaron Francis was a first-round draft pick by Essendon and Matthew Hayball was drafted to Geelong.
Hugh Haysman was in the 2015 premiership side, Jack Agostino is a regular member of the league team, Kenny Karpany is making his mark on the league side and Lachie Evans made his league debut this season.
And you can add Kurtis Marschall to that add group. He claimed the pole vault at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in February.
There are a few blokes there who have risen to impressive heights.
WILSON INFLUENCE
There has been plenty said about the loss of Kory Beard and how Sturt would manage its forward line after his decision to be a farmer on Eyre Peninsula.
But Pat Wilson being drafted by Adelaide has also had a massive impact on the Double Blues, and that was evident at Unley Oval on Sunday.
The strong-bodied onballer’s charges from the pack were important in the Double Blues’ premiership success last year and he has easily been the best player for the Crows’ state league side this season.
The absence of Aidan Riley because of a wrist injury has further highlighted the hole left by Wilson.
SUTCLIFFE IS BACK
It has been a miserable season for Sturt forward Jake Sutcliffe as he battled a knee injury which has baffled medical specialists.
He played just six minutes of the reserves in round one, then 50 per cent of reserves two weeks back then 75 per cent last week. Five goals earned him promotion to the league side on Sunday.
And when he nailed a goal with his first kick six minutes into the win against the Crows, his teammates came from everywhere to let him know how he felt.
Sutcliffe has considered quitting a couple of times, and he is still does not know what is wrong with the left knee. It is okay while it is strapped for games.
He finished with three goals for the game, very encouraging for the bloke the Double Blues hope will fill the shoes of Beard.
WINGS CLIPPED
The Crows just cannot take a trick with injuries this season. After Andrew McPherson damaged his hamstring just before half time, the Crows lost Jackson Edwards to an ankle problem in the final quarter.
The injury appeared serious and he could be missing for a while. Edwards has been among the Crows’ best this season.
LEGS ON THE MOVE
Norwood has now won seven in a row and has risen to third on the ladder, two points behind top-placed North Adelaide and a point below the Eagles.
That was impressive by the Redlegs at Alberton Oval, overcoming an early deficit and holding off several challenges before charging clear in the final quarter.
The Redlegs have the Crows at home on Saturday and then Sturt at Unley Oval on July 14. That should be an absolute beauty.
It’s just hard to see the Redlegs being stopped.
ROUND 12 RESULTS
Second week of split round
Norwood 13.10 (88) d Port 8.12 (60)
Sturt 20.16 (136) d Adelaide 9.10 (64)
LADDER
North Adelaide 18 (57.4%)
Eagles 17 (57.1)
Norwood 16 (55.5)
Sturt 14 (56.2)
South Adelaide 14 (55.7)
Port Adelaide 9 (46.9)
Central District 8 (49.0)
West Adelaide 8 (44.9)
Glenelg 6 (44.8)
Adelaide 0 (33.9)
GOALKICKERS
Terry Milera (Glenelg) 28
Josh Scott (Glenelg) 26
Mark Evans (Sturt) 23
Shane McAdam (Sturt) 23
Jack Hayes (Eagles) 22
John Butcher (Central) 20
Mitch Grigg (Norwood) 20
Nick Hayes (Eagles) 19
Josh Glenn (Norwood) 18
Lewis Hender (North) 18
Mason Middleton (West) 18
Matthew Panos (Norwood) 18
ON THE BANDWAGON
I’ve never been a chardonnay drinker but I might have to have a small glass on the Redlegs’ wagon. And not just any seat either, I’m right up the front.
OFF THE BANDWAGON
Poor as this is, I’m sitting on the fence this week. I’ve not been on the Crows wagon, not while they keep getting hit by injuries, and I’ve still got some toes on the Port wagon. It is hard to write off a team with so much AFL talent.
RANKINGS
Only two games on the weekend so the rankings will be short and sweet (unless you are a Crows fan).
1: Norwood: Trailed Port early, but turned up the heat to again show they will be hard to stop for the flag. Just so much ex-AFL and experienced talent.
2: Sturt. The first half was scrappy, then got to work in the second with more confidence in the ball movement and work up forward.
3: Port Adelaide. Took the challenge to the Redlegs in the first quarter, and kept plugging away.
4: Adelaide. Just too many injuries.
THIS WEEK
Saturday
Norwood v Adelaide (Coopers Stadium, Norwood, 1.10pm)
Central District v Glenelg (My Money House Oval, Elizabeth, 2.10pm)
South Adelaide v West Adelaide (Hickinbotham Oval, Noarlunga, 2.10pm)
Sunday
Eagles v Port Adelaide (Maughan Thiem Hundai Oval, Woodville, 2.10pm)
North Adelaide v Sturt (Prospect Oval, 2.10pm)