SANFL 2021: Crow’s shock comeback, Gibbs’ return headline five things we learnt from Round 1
Former Richmond best-and-fairest Dan Jackson made a shock return to football on the weekend. Here’s why he’s playing for the Crows plus Bryce Gibbs’ big statement.
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A need to ensure Adelaide’s young key forwards continue to develop has been revealed as the reason behind 2013 Richmond club champion Daniel Jackson coming out of retirement to make a shock comeback in the SANFL in round one.
The 34-year-old, who joined the Crows last year as leadership development manager and game day runner, last Friday dusted off the boots in a high level match for the first time since retiring from the Tigers at age 28 in 2014 – a year after winning their best and fairest award – because of a succession of injuries.
Now 34, Jackson “filled in the numbers’’ in a Crows SANFL trial match against Port Adelaide two weeks ago and then offered to play in the season proper after Adelaide’s midfield was hit by injuries.
“With Matt Crouch, Wayne Milera and Luke Pedlar being injured it left us pretty thin on-ball at SANFL level,’’ Adelaide’s State League coach Michael Godden said.
“Dan made a comment that he would be pretty keen to have a game if we needed him and, with AFL list sizes being cut this year, we needed his experience and someone who could help us get more ball inside 50.
“We need to make sure our young forwards like Darcy Fogarty, Elliott Himmelberg, Riley Thilthorpe and Lachie Gollant, who is now injured, at least get a good look at the ball.
“That meant beefing up our midfield and with Dan keen to play – he is still very fit and was going to have a kick locally this season anyway – it worked out well and it’s good to have him.’’
Jackson started in the centre square against flag contender South Adelaide at Noarlunga Oval on Good Friday and had 12 disposals and laid three tackles in the 61-point defeat, where former Crow Bryce Gibbs starred with 36 disposals in his first game for his new club.
He also acted as an on field coach and was seen chatting with senior coach Matthew Nicks during each break.
Godden said his experience would be invaluable to a young team, which fielded 13 SANFL debutants against the Panthers.
“Dan said he was a little rusty but he gave us some really strong leadership, which is what he is at the club to do,’’ he said.
“He can be a link between me and the playing group because he's out there in real time.
“He sits in all of our meetings, so he knows exactly what we are trying to achieve, and when you've got the experience he has the game slows down a bit for you, so he’ll recognise things maybe a bit quicker than some of our younger guys and be able to help them on field.’’
Godden said Jackson, who played 156 games for Richmond from 2004-14, would not play every week.
“He’ll be week to week, depending on how his body pulls up and how we’re placed injury wise, but he’ll certainly help us when he’s out there,’’ he said.
BLUE SKIES FOR HIGH-LEAPING JOHNSON
Mark it down, Sturt excitement machine Ash Johnson will be in the conversation for SANFL mark of the year.
The spring-heeled Double Blues forward pulled down an absolute hanger on the city-side wing of Woodville Oval during the 46-point loss to premier Woodville-West Torrens last Friday, soaring over a pack of players.
Johnson’s towering grab in the testing 33-degree heat provided a rare highlight from the game’s low scoring first half.
The 23-year-old has form, too.
Johnson almost pulled down the mark of the year last season, also against the Eagles, in round two at Adelaide Oval.
SHEEDY’S HEART WITH THE EAGLES
He’s the reigning SANFL premiership coach, and head of this year’s State team, but does Woodville-West Torrens’ Jade Sheedy harbour any ambitions to join AFL ranks?
After all, Glenelg’s Mark Stone left the club for the Brisbane Lions a year after helping break the Tigers’ 33-year premiership drought in 2019.
Speaking to The Advertiser after his team’s “patchy” 46-point win against Sturt at home on Good Friday, Sheedy said he was fully focused on Oval Avenue, for now at least.
“At the moment my heart is here. I love the place,” said Sheedy, who won a premiership in his first season in charge at the Eagles last year.
“I love coaching the Eagles, I love the boys.
“That’s the focus, I still run a business on the side as well, so it’s a really good balance for me.”
Sheedy said there had been no discussions with any AFL clubs.
“I think they’re making cuts in that space,” he said, alluding to the financial impact of COVID-19 on clubs’ bottom lines.
TIGERS’ FORWARD THINKING
Glenelg boasts one of the most potent forward lines in the SANFL, but new coach Brett Hand says that it still had work to do on its attacking set up.
The club brought back two former Tigers from the AFL in the off-season, Lachie Hosie from North Melbourne and Toby Pink from Sydney, to station alongside dual Ken Farmer Medallist Liam McBean and his fellow premiership player Luke Reynolds.
But Hand said his side was still working on its forward mix.
“It is something that we are working on, it is the first time we have been at Glenelg Oval this year (because of cricket), so it’s always challenging to see how they work together on a bigger ground,” Hand.said after the tight 11-point win against West Adelaide last Friday.
With McBean (202cm), Pink (195cm), Hosie (189cm) and Reynolds (187cm), the Bays boast one of the tallest forward lines in the competition.
But Hand said the uniqueness of each player meant that he was unfazed by having so many talls play alongside each other.
Against West, there were mixed results.
McBean kicked three of the Bays’ 13 goals, Hosie and Reynolds booted one each and Pink went goalless.
“They each bring something different to the table,’’ Hand said.
“Pink is great with his pressure and Hosie is pretty good with that too, along with the way he leads up at the ball, which Renno (Reynolds) is also good at.
“We will keep working on it, but we are pretty happy with the mix we have up there and what they can offer.’’
DOGS BARKING UNDER THOMAS
Central District always promised to be a much tougher side to beat after the appointment of club legend Paul Thomas as coach.
Its upset, nine-point win against grand finalist North Adelaide at Elizabeth Oval in round one was further proof that the Bulldogs, who finished second bottom last year with just three wins, are on the right path.
Poppy kicks his first goal back in the red and blue 💪🻠pic.twitter.com/sL9puyAUwd
— SANFL (@SANFL) April 1, 2021
The win in a high-scoring match, where Central booted 15 goals and North 14, gave the Dogs the rare distinction of beating last year’s grand finalists in back-to-back matches.
They beat 2020 premier Woodville-West Torrens in the final home-and-away season round last year before knocking off the Roosters in round one this year.
Central’s score of 99 points (15.9) against North also topped its best score last season of 98 points against Norwood in round 10.
Originally published as SANFL 2021: Crow’s shock comeback, Gibbs’ return headline five things we learnt from Round 1
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