A photo finish, but Viking raiders rule the best of best in Southern Football League
There’s nothing like a best of debate to stir the masses, and Gordon Armstrong has handed out his top three gongs to the best Southern Football League teams of the past decade.
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The end of a decade and what better time to had out a few retrospective bouquets to the best Southern Football League teams of the past decade.
But this time we have spared Aldinga coach and football guru of many leagues Trevor Mitton from more public lambasting.
Last year Mitts copped it from far and wide for declaring Noarlunga was the best side he had seen outside the SANFL.
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Instead, this writer will have a crack at dishing out a gold, silver and bronze medal to the top three teams between 2010 and 2019.
Our choices are not teams who dominated for several years, but those who enjoyed standout home and away seasons and who went on to win premierships in that season.
Of the 10 flags won in the decade Flagstaff Hill has won four, Reynella three, and singles to Brighton, Happy Valley and Noarlunga.
Going reverse up to keep up the suspense, Flagstaff Hill’s team of 2018 gets the bronze medal.
The Falcons of that year won their third flag in a row but their demolition of Reynella in the grand final by 100 points was a rare feat, especially on grand final day.
During the minor round the team finished top with 14 wins from 16 matches.
Michael Shearer, among others, was a gun in that team and certainly came under the umpires’ eyes.
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Our silver medal goes to the Brighton team of 2011.
The Bombers finished the minor round with a 17-1 record, their only loss on a Sunday in round three to Reynella.
From there they beat Morphett Vale by four points in the first qualifying final, Flaggies by 45 points in the preliminary final and then the Emus in the grand final by 39 points.
The depth of that team looks stronger than the one competing in the top tier of the Adelaide Footy League.
Top dog, and not by much, is awarded to Happy Valley, which punished all teams in the 2012 season.
Finishing the minor round with 16 wins, a draw and a loss (the draw being a match which was called off when a player was injured with the Vikings leading OSB Lonsdale by 85 points), and the loss was to Port Noarlunga by 26 points in round six.
From there the team was dynamic, finishing with a 50-point win against Brighton in the grand final.
At the time the Eagleton brothers (Nathan, Jonathan, Michael and Damien) were dominating with plenty of support.
Opposition clubs feared a Viking dynasty, but that was the end of Happy Valley on the big stage with no grand final appearances after that.
Agree? Disagree? Let us know your trifecta in the comments below.
