SANFL live stream: Family ties see Callum Park and Jackson Edwards reunite at West Adelaide

After 26 games stretched over almost two seasons, West Adelaide have finally won. RELIVE the action from our LIVESTREAM and also catch the replays of two excellent U16 and U18 games.

After 26 games stretched over almost two seasons, West Adelaide have finally won an SANFL match.

The Bloods opened their season account with an impressive victory over second-from-bottom Port Adelaide, winning 12.9 (81) to 7.12 (52).

Jono Beech, Riley Corbett and Josh Gore each kicked three goals as West Adelaide led at every turn to win comfortably.

West Adelaide failed to kick a goal in the final quarter yet still romped to a 24-point victory over North Adelaide in their U18 SANFL clash.

The Bloods had raced out to a 43-point lead at three-quarter time before North finally responded, kicking three goals in an impressive finish, but the damage had already been done earlier.

Central Districts edged out fellow finals hopefuls Sturt in a SANFL U16 thriller that could have gone either way.

Sturt, who had led at the first three changes, found themselves down by one point before drawing level with less than five minutes remaining, but two behinds, the last in the dying seconds, gave Central a two-point victory - 9.7 (61) to 8.11 (59).

PREVIEW: Duo hopeful of singing victory song for first time

They have taken a long and winding road to get there but Callum Park and Jackson Edwards finally feel that they are home.

The former Henley High School classmates and Glenelg reserves premiership teammates left the high-flying Tigers at the end of last season to join wooden spooner West Adelaide, where they have strong family connections, in search of regular league football.

They have quickly established themselves in the Bloods’ senior side, each playing 12 of a possible 13 games, but they are yet to sing their new club’s victory song.

West will take on Port Adelaide at Richmond this Saturday, with the match live streamed by KommunityTV.

West Adelaide’s Jackson Edwards (left) and Callum Park at Richmond Oval. Picture: Mark Brake

The Bloods have lost all 13 games this season, plus their final 13 last year, leaving them riding a horror 26-game losing streak – the equal-third longest in SANFL history.

This is in stark contrast to Park and Edwards’ final year at Glenelg, where they lost only one and two reserves games respectively.

But they do not regret their moves, despite the early lack of success, insisting the young Bloods are on the right path and that it is only a matter of time before things turn around.

“It’s been difficult to lose so many games because I'm super competitive but I’m convinced we are doing a lot of things right and that things will soon turn for us,’’ Park said.

The left-footers have achieved their first goal of establishing themselves at league level.

The athletic, long-kicking Park, 190cm, missed round one with an ankle injury but has been a mainstay in West’s best side since, averaging 23 disposals and four marks after starting the season across half-back before moving to a wing.

Edwards and Park will be in action for Westies against Port on Saturday. The match will be live streamed here by KommunityTV. Picture: Mark Brake

“I still have things to work on but I’m getting better with each game and it’s definitely been the right career move for me,’’ he said.

The 21-year-old grew up supporting the Bloods, where his brother Scott Bricknell played 100 league games from 2006-14, including the losing grand final to Norwood in 2012.

He regularly watched Bricknell’s games and attended Bloods junior training camps but he was zoned to Glenelg, where he started playing under-12s.

A former state and Australia junior baseballer, Park made his league debut in 2020 and played 22 senior games before losing his spot in the Tigers’ side late last season and playing in their reserves grand final win against Central District.

“I grew up watching Scott play for West, so it’s great to follow in his footsteps,’’ Park said.

“It was a weird feeling coming back to the club but as much as I loved playing at Glenelg I definitely feel like I am home now.’’

Edwards, 22, comes from outstanding West stock.

His dad, Tyson, began his career with the Bloods before being drafted by Adelaide in 1994 and becoming a club great.

Tyson played 42 SANFL league games for West from 1995-98 and 321 AFL games for the Crows from 1995-2010, including the 1997 and 1998 grand final wins.

Jackson Edwards kicks away for Glenelg in 2020. Picture: Sarah Reed

Callum Park in action for Glenelg. Picture: Dean Martin

“It’s great to follow in dad’s footsteps and play with Westies,” Jackson said.

“I consider myself a loyal person so it was tough to leave Glenelg, I’d been there since under-13s, but it’s pretty cool to walk into the West changerooms and see dad’s name up on the wall.’’

Edwards played 31 league games for the Tigers and Crows – he spent 2018 at Adelaide as a father-son rookie but did not play an AFL game – after debuting in 2017.

But he managed just three league appearances last year, prompting him to look elsewhere.

“I wanted an opportunity to prove that I could play more consistently at the top SANFL level,’’ Edwards said.

The only game the clever midfielder has missed for West was against Sturt two weeks ago when he was sick.

He has averaged 20 disposals, five marks and three clearances for his new club.

Like Park, Edwards is confident the Bloods are building a team for the future and that a win isn’t far away.

He said team spirit remained high, with the players having a 1980s themed get-together last weekend followed by a tenpin bowling night this week.

West gets its chance to snap its long drought when it hosts Port Adelaide, which has lost its past four games, on Saturday in a match that will be live streamed by Kommunity TV from 2.10pm.

Two other matches will also be broadcast – Sturt v Central District in the under-16s at 11am and West v North Adelaide in the under-18s at 11.30am.