Pioneer beat reigning premiers Federal in Round 3 of the 2024 Central Australia Football League
Federal had their sights on goal, but a last second tackle from the Pioneer defence denied them the points and brought the Demons winning run to an end. Check out the action from CAFL Round 3.
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Pioneer burst the Federal bubble when they beat the reigning CAFL premiers by five points in an enthralling Senior Men’s clash at Jim McConville Oval in Alice Springs.
A goal-saving tackle by Ryan Forrester with seconds left on the time clock secured the match points for the Eagles, who won their third match in a row to start the new season.
Federal’s Will McNabb was poised to kick his side’s 10th and winning goal when Forrester grabbed him and won the game for the Eagles.
The 11.7 (73) to 9.14 (68) win also snapped a long winning run for Federal after their undefeated 2023 season.
The Demons had won 16 games in a row since losing the 2022 preliminary final to Pioneer, including the 2023 grand final win over Souths.
It was a record the club established under former coach Sam LaPorta, who has stepped back into a playing role this season.
Pioneer led all day in Saturday’s game, holding on in a tense last quarter when Forrester’s heroics preserved their narrow lead.
Joint coach Adrian McAdam was unaware his side had ended Federal’s long winning streak, saying the main focus among the players and coaching staff was on the green and gold jumpers.
“But that’s good to know, it’s always good to get one over them after the boys played very well with the pressure they brought to the game absolutely spot on,’’ McAdam said.
“The way we were able to pressure them with what we’ve been aiming to do with the recipe of young blokes and senior guys working pretty well.’’
McAdam said the win had been a collective effort, despite four-quarter performances from veteran Eagle Matt Campbell and cameos from Luke Foster and Jackson Cole.
Patrick Coffey and Geordie Lelliott and three-goal forward Dane Sampson were the best for Federal.
Rovers had to pull out all stops to beat a persistent Wests in their game at Albrecht Oval, finding themselves behind at quarter time before prevailing 13.11 (89) to 9.11 (65).
Double Blues coach John Glasson was pleased with his side’s first win of the season after losing to Pioneer on a yellow card technicality seven days previously.
“It’s always good to get your first win in a new season and the boys did well against a very competitive Wests side that showed they’re close to pulling off a couple of wins this season,’’ he added.
Taylem Stubbs at centre half-back, Adam Cullen at centre half-forward, Luke Adams ina midfield-forward role and five-goal forward Cameron Glover were Rovers’ best.
In the Senior Women Pioneer continued to flex their muscles with a classy 137-point win over a brave Souths in their midday game at Jim McConville Oval.
Samantha Hoogeveen-Hill kicked 10 goals in the 21.17 (143) to 1.0 (6) win, reaching the 100-goal mark in the CAFL and NTFL competitions in the process.
Pioneer coach Hamish McDonald said three wins to start the new season was a big plus for his side while indicating the game style his players were making work out on the ground.
“It’s been a successful start to the season being 3-0 at this stage and the girls have shown there are more wins to come,’’ he said.
Eagles skipper Madison Davis Tahere in an on-ball defensive role was the best player on the ground along with Hoogeveen-Hill’s big goal haul and Kyanne Campbell down back and through the middle where she found plenty of the football.
Rovers stayed second after demolishing last season’s grand finalists Wests by 73 points in their game at Albrecht Oval.
Their captain Delsey Campbell booted five goals in her side’s 11.9 (75) to 0.2 (2) win.
Lara Harding, Brylee Kerin and three-goal forward Ebony Abbott-McCormack were everywhere in a win that established the Double Blues as serious premiership contenders.
Wests pair Renae James and Jessica Harnischfeger never gave up despite the Rovers onslaught to be their side’s best players.
Controversial call plays role in deciding local footy match
Federal and Pioneer maintained their unbeaten starts to the Senior Men’s 2024 Central Australia Football League season with contrasting wins in Round 2 matches.
Pioneer used up a large part of their season’s luck in the late game at Albrecht Oval when a controversial last quarter head count went their way against Rovers.
Earlier, reigning premier Federal had their hands full in the grand final rematch against Souths, eventually prevailing by 21 points in an entertaining match.
The head count in the Pioneer-Rovers game occurred when players from both sides were yellow carded and sent from the ground with eight and a half minutes left in the match.
It was a technicality involving the replacement of those players that cost Rovers the game.
Rovers replaced their yellow-carded player inside the allowable 10 minutes and lost their last quarter score (1.2) after Pioneer called for a head count.
Rovers kicked a goal to close to within two points but fell short by two points.
First year Double Blues coach John Glasson thought the yellow card rule allowed a substitution, though he was not aware of the 10-minute timeslot.
“I’ve been involved in footy for several years and to my knowledge you can replace a player who has been yellow carded,’’ he said.
“I’ll have to brush up on my rules, because the AFL laws as they are in every other state say you can replace a player on a yellow, so when I saw our player come off I sent another player back on.”
Glasson still saw a lot of positives in his side’s loss, saying the players did enough in their first hit out of the season to suggest better times are ahead.
Adam Cullen impressed at centre half-forward, Terrence Campbell across half forward and the midfield pairing of Shayden Close and Luca Ross stood out for Rovers.
Winning Pioneer coach Adrian McAdam, who shares the role with Steven Hayes, said his side had not played well despite getting the match points due to the yellow card ruling.
“We had six changes from last week that sort of unbalanced us and as a result we didn’t have a lot of good contributors, but we’ll take the win,’’ McAdam said.
“Nelson Anders played really well and Luke Foster down back had a good game, but apart from that consistent players were hard to find.’’
First-year Federal coach Andrew Richardson watched his side control the last quarter against Souths before prevailing 12.13 (85) to 9.10 (64).
“We’re two from two after that win, so things are pretty well with a long way to go in the season,’’ he said.
Laurence Schubert in defence, Hugh Herben and four-goal forward Sam LaPorta and Ariki Lowe through the middle were the pick of the Federal players.
Daniel Stafford kicked five of Souths’ nine goals in another reminder of his class in the key forward post, while speedsters Henry Impu and Billy Pareroultja found plenty of the ball.
In women’s football last season’s grand finalists Wests reversed their loss to Alkamilya in the premiership decider by beating the Panthers by a single point.
The David James coached Bloods only scored three goals from 13 scoring shots, but it was just enough to secure the four points up for grabs.
Wests trailed until midway through the last quarter when they kicked back-to-back goals to lead by seven points before a late Alkamilya goal caused some anxiety in the Bloods camp.
“The players were fantastic, in fact both teams played really well and the game was played in good spirit,’’ James said.
Jessica Harnischfeger in an on-ball, forward pocket role, Meg McGuiness at centre half-forward and Dalyce Jenner in the ruck stood out for Wests.
Alkamilya coach Raymond Walters was proud of his young side’s endeavour after 10 senior players from the premiership side departed the club in the off-season.
Teigan McCarty in the centre, Shaninya Cooper on a wing, Maria Rioli around the ball and skipper Hayley Maher at half back were the pick of the Panthers lineup.
Pioneer won its second consecutive game to start the season when the Eagles swooped on Federal by beating them by 30 points.
Bella Foster and Larissa Bloomfield booted two goals in Pioneer’s 7.2 (44) to 2.2 (14) win.
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