REPLAY: Henley High beats Sacred Heart in All Schools Cup preliminary final at Thebarton Oval
WATCH: Henley High has advanced to the All Schools Cup grand final, after downing Sacred Heart in commanding fashion. Re-live all the action and see which potential AFL stars shone in our full match replay.
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Potential AFL draftees Phoenix Spicer and Caleb Poulter have led Henley High to a convincing 44-point victory over Sacred Heart in the All Schools Cup preliminary final.
The public school prevailed 15.9 (99) to 7.13 (55) at Thebarton Oval on Tuesday, to advance to next week’s meeting with Prince Alfred College and a shot at the title of state champion.
Spicer and Poulter were not the only Henley players to star in the commanding success.
Taj Schofield, son of Port Adelaide premiership midfielder Jarrad Schofield, and Jase Burgoyne, son of former Power star Peter Burgoyne, also put on a show.
Henley flew out of the blocks in the clash, which was live streamed on advertiser.com.au, kicking three unanswered goals through Jay Watson and Poulter.
Hearts looked fumbly and out of their depth, as their opponent controlled the stoppages and out-muscled them.
It took 13 minutes for Sacred Heart to register a major through Jacob Lochowiak, who won a free kick for holding the ball following a strong tackle.
Spicer and Burgoyne continued to impress in the middle for Henley, with their strength busting through tackles and delivering pinpoint kicking.
Schofield, who is part of Port’s father/son Academy and is eligible to be drafted this year, also showed his class with the ball in hand.
Crows Next Generation Academy product Bucky Newchucrh impressed with his speed, skill and strength.
Henley coach Ben Kane said his players had worked hard to become a formidable team this year and were close off the field as well which had helped.
“They’ve come together really well,” Kane said.
“In some ways COVID has helped us as we’ve had a little bit more time together to prepare
“They are pretty invested in state squads in a normal year … but with no state squad we’ve been able to do a little bit more together and it’s starting to pay off.”
Kane lauded the performances of Spicer, Poulter and captain Bailey Chamberlain and
“Phoenix has got electric pace and he’s just got some traits that in the AFL would be exceptional so it’s heartwarming to see him doing so well,” Kane said.
“Caleb (Poulter) is in a league of his own a little bit.
“What’s impressed me the most the whole time I’ve had (the side this year is their team-first attitude.”
Hearts had more of the ball in the third term, but could not apply enough scoreboard pressure.
They booted 2.7 to Henley’s 2.3, pulling the margin back from 31 points at the main break to 27 at three quarter-time.
AFL national draft invitee Xavier Robins, Riley Holder, Hamish Dunkin and Tyson Coe worked hard for the college and got them back into the game.
But the key players lacked support around the ground.
Hearts coach Jon Symonds was proud of his players, despite the result.
“If we kicked 7.2 in (the third quarter) we would’ve gone in pretty close at three-quarter time,” Symonds said.
“But their (Henley) opening 10 minutes was exceptional and that’s as good as footy I’ve seen it at school level and we were always chasing our tail a little bit.
“I thought in the next three quarters w were able to match them in almost every area of the game other than the scoreboard.
“You don’t like to lose but I’m not shattered ... we made a contest of it and we were beaten by a very talented opponent.”
Henley started the final term just as it did the first, notching three unanswered goals to put the contest beyond doubt.
It marked a tough end to a successful year for Hearts, who finished the Messenger Shield competition second on percentage after beating Rostrevor in their intercol on Saturday.
The All Schools Cup is a School Sport SA event, funded by the Department for Education.