Woodville-West Torrens’ Andrew Ainger gets rare day off from SANFL - to play in grand final.
ANDREW Ainger’s employer hasn’t cut him much slack these finals but at least they’re allowing him to play. You’d hope so - he works for the SANFL and will be featuring in its grand final on Sunday.
ANDREW Ainger’s employer won’t be cutting him any slack these finals but at least they’re allowing him to play.
“Working in community engagement the last for year I’ve actually worked on grand final day, helping out with the pre-match entertainment and at halftime,’’ the SANFL community engagement officer and Woodvile-West Torrens key forward says.
“They’ve given me the day off and I’m going to be playing on the grand final day, so I’m pretty happy with that.”
High-marking forward Ainger looms as an important player in Sunday’s grand final against West Adelaide and admits a grand final seemed a long way off when he was playing for a struggling South Adelaide in 2012.
The Victorian crossed to the Eagles in 2013 and says playing in grand finals was a motivator.
“From the first year that I was part of the competition (2011) and saw what the grand final here was about it was something that I wanted to play in,’’ Ainger says.
“Unfortunately there were times there at South where it didn’t look like it was ever going to happen but when I got on to Godsy (Eagles coach Michael Godden) about moving across to the Eagles that was one thing that he promised, saying that he’ll give me an opportunity one day to play in a premiership.
“Hopefully this year’s the year.”
The Eagles have been the dominant side all season, winning the minor premiership by three matches and then advancing straight to the grand final after beating the Bloods in the second semi final.
They will enter the grand final firm favourites but must cover the losses of prolific midfielders Angus Poole and Angus Rowntree, both of whom are hard luck stories with knee injuries from the second semi final.
“Those two have been fantastic for us all year and it’s disappointing for them that they won’t get the chance to run out with us,’’ Ainger said.
“We’ve got a lot of depth and we’ve got a lot of good players who will be able to come up and play a role.
“That’s what it’s been about for us all year, playing a role.”