- May 8, 2001
- 5,670
- 824
- AFL Club
- Adelaide
- Other Teams
- CDFC (SANFL), Port Melb (VFL)
Hi Footy fans...
The discussion regarding the future of the two AFL reserves teams has been a bit louder lately and it seems pretty much inevitable that Adelaide and Port Adelaide will lobby to get an early departure from the SANFL. Last weekend, the original rivalry match between the Magpies and the Redlegs drew probably one of its lowest attendances ever in recent memory if not in all recorded league history with less that 1900 people fronting up. Does this highlight the apathy of Port fans toward their reserves side, or perhaps that the old guard of died-in-the-wool Magpies fans have totally disappeared? Then there's the Crows, whose hierachy famously declared that their fans would bring several thousand through the gates every week, which since 2014 aside from a few occasions has failed to materialise. Their target is now the VFL, a competition that is a shadow of its former self and taking the inclusion of Tasmania into account would bring the count to 24 teams with the two SA sides probably joining up. The stand-alone teams over there have it so much tougher and some are running very close to the line. From the perspective of the AFL clubs, state leagues are getting in their way. From the perspective of the state league fans, AFL clubs are being entitled. Hurry up and get your national reserves league running and get out of our affairs once and for all.
Welcome to the Round 5 edition of the SANFL Wrap-Up.
Speaking of the AFL reserves sides, that is the way this weekend's action kicked off with a twilight curtain raiser to Showdown 55 on Thursday, the Crows taking on the Magpies at Adelaide Oval. Both games last season were taken out by the Crows, both ending in deficits in excess of 10 goals. The Magpies goal-kicking was just horrible, starting with their 78-point hammering in Round 1, where they kicked 6.10. But the Round 15 outing was just a horror show, kicking 2.15 and going down by 65 points. Only the Crows have a victory to their name this year, but haven't won since. Both went down last week, the Crows going down at Prospect to the Roosters while the 'Pies lost to Norwood at Alberton. The Crows wasted little time putting the Magpies to the sword, putting five goals on the board before they answered with one. At quarter-time the Crows were ahead by 28 points with the scoreboard showing 6.2 to a wasteful 1.4. The Magpies burnt more chances on goal in the second quarter as the Crows further added to their advantage going into the rooms at the long break, Adelaide scoring 5.2 to 2.4 as the gap went out to 44 points come half-time. Whether it was having used the bulk of their fuel for an hour of football or not, the Crows rampaging attack slowed down a little in the second half. But that didn't mean their defence was going to leak that much for the Magpies to take any advantage. Port didn't even find their sticks again until late in the third term when they scored two goals, the Crows kicked 3.2 before that happened, their lead at three quarter-time reduced to 52 points. The Magpies got more chances in the final quarter, but their accuracy was just frightful. They wouldn't reduce the final margin all that much, kicking 3.6 to 2.1 as the Crows took a third mini-Showdown in succession with a 41-point victory. Lachlan Gollant kicked five goals, but it was Harry Schoenberg who was named best for the Crows, with 27 disposals, eight marks and six tackles. The Magpies named Nick Moore as their best, with 21 disposals and 20 tackles.
There would be just two Saturday afternoon games for the weekend, the first of which takes us to the Prospect Oval as the Roosters and the Redlegs butted heads. The Roosters won both the neighbourly battles of last year, getting some revenge for the 2022 Grand Final loss with wins in Rounds 3 and 14. The Redlegs kicked 5.10 in both games, going down at The Parade by nine goals in the earlier match, then by eight points at Menzies Crescent later in the season. The weather played a big part in the match at Prospect, the Roosters having a devil of a time kicking goals themselves and holding the Redlegs persistent attack at bay. Both sides emerged the victors last week with the Roosters defeating the Crows by 16 points at home, while the Redlegs did it the hard way in front of goal under lights at Alberton with their three-goal triumph over their old enemy. The Redlegs were all over the Roosters in the first quarter, though their form in front of goal from last week saw them kick 4.5 to kick things off. North had to wait until late in the term to get their first goal, their 1.1 saw them trail by 22 points at the first change. The Roosters hit back in the second quarter, chopping the 'Legs lead back to within two straight kicks by the break. They scored 4.1 to 2.1, Norwood holding onto a 10-point lead at half-time. The Roosters' forwards had a case of the wobbles in the third term, blowing a big number of chances to take over the lead. The Redlegs' advantage would go unchanged going into the three quarter-time huddle, the Roosters scoring 2.7 to the visitors' 3.1. The game would become an arm-wrestling contest to finish off, the Roosters by large smothered the Redlegs' attack and kept them scoreless for 20 minutes. North closed to within two points, but it was from one goal from three scores that would see them go down. Norwood's single score, a goal early in time-on, would be enough to ensure their own undefeated run remained intact as they left Prospect with an eight-point win. Harry Boyd was named Norwood's best afield, with 22 disposals and nine tackles. For the home side, it was Campbell Combe with 28 disposals, 15 tackles and 11 clearances.
The other Saturday afternoon outing takes us to the western side of the city and into the Hisense Stadium in Richmond where the Bloods hosted the Bulldogs. The Doggies took out both games last season by 11 points, though they almost coughed it up in Round 5 at the Ponderosa and then responding in kind to a late charge at Richmond in Round 13. The Bloods almost got lucky when they visited Elizabeth, down by 40 points at three quarter-time they took advantage of a complacent final term effort by the Dogs but just couldn't complete the job. The later game saw the Dogs drop the intensity in the third quarter before waking from their slumber in the finish. The Bloods, despite a massive thumping of South, were still reeling from the incident in Port Lincoln which has sidelined one of their players. The Bulldogs were also victorious, ending the undefeated run of the Eagles at home. The Bloods seem to be a side that the Doggies have had some difficulty with, despite dropping just one game in their last seven outings. The Bloods certainly dragged the Dogs down to their level early on, happy to retain possession for long periods. But it was at the cost of scoring, the Dogs led by just two points at the first change with the board reading 1.3 to 1.1. The Bloods took the lead after eight minutes in the next period, but it didn't last long as Centrals started to play more like they have over the last few weeks. While accuracy became an issue, they still scored 4.4 to 2.1 in the second term, taking a 17-point lead into the long break. A drop-off in the Bloods' attack in the third quarter allowed the Bulldogs to extend the gap going into the final change, they scored 3.3 to three behinds to lead by 35 points at three quarter-time. Westies did rally hard in the final term, a 15-minute period saw them cut that six-kick deficit to as little as 14 points, scoring 3.4 to one behind. But a late major and behind to the Bulldogs allowed them to keep their unbeaten run as such, winning by 21 points. Harry Grant was again at the forefront for the Dogs, gathering 23 disposals, 10 tackles and eight clearances. The Bloods had Jordan White as their standout, with 17 disposals and 12 tackles.
The action now shifts to the Sunday afternoon, game number four was the "Clash of the Cats" at Flinders University Stadium in Noarlunga between the Panthers and the Tigers. Both of the games went the way of the Tigers last year, with a 41-point win in Round 5 at Noarlunga, followed by a 10-goal victory at home in Round 18. The Panthers hung tough with the eventual premiers up until three quarter-time with a single kick in it, but were kept goal-less in the final term while Glenelg sunk six majors. The later game at Brighton Road was won in the second half, the Tigers found the big sticks hard to find in the first with 10 behinds from 15 scores. But then came the second half, where the Bays kicked nine goals to one. There was no wins for either team last week, the Panthers incurring the wrath of an angry Bloods outfit at Richmond, while the reigning premiers had their colours lowered on Anzac Day at the Bay. The Tigers' opening term would be nothing short of terrible in front of the sticks and they had plenty of chances, kicking 1.7 while the Panthers scored 3.1 to lead by a goal at quarter-time. Their accuracy improved in the second quarter and they would eventually take the lead going into half-time, but didn't come without some doing as the Panthers snatched it back going into added time. Glenelg would lead by a point at the break, they scored 3.3 to 2.2. Uncharateristic errors by the Tigers led to multiple turnovers, though the Panthers wouldn't make them pay. No more evident than in the third quarter where just one goal was kicked. That major belonged to the visitors, along with a pair of behinds to South's single missed chance the Tigers would lead by eight points at the final change. They certainly did it the hard way, but the reigning premiers' final term would put the home side's resistance to bed, scoring 4.4 to 1.3 to win by 27 points. Matt Allen would take out best afield votes for the Tigers, with 27 disposals, 15 marks along with five tackles and clearances. The Panthers named Oliver Davis as their standout, with 28 disposals plus five marks and tackles.
The last of the weekend's games brings us to the inner southern suburbs and into the newly re-opened Unley Oval, now known as Thomas Farms Oval as the Double Blues faced the Eagles. The Blues were triumphant in both games against the then defending premiers, with a 22-point win at Oval Avenue in Round 5, then by 15 points at Oxford Terrace in Round 15. Not even a inaccuracy-ridden second term for the Blues -- they kicked 3.8 -- would let the Eagles off the hook at home. That same issue in front of the sticks almost cost them at Unley in the later game, but after leading at every change, the Eagles' final term let them down as the Blues kicked four goals to one to nick the points. The Blues got back on the winner's list last week with their win at Brighton Road, while the Eagles trip to the Ponderosa ended with defeat to their old noughties nemesis in Centrals. The Eagles were determined to be the party poopers today, with milestone man James Battersby celebrating his 200th outing for the Blues and despite having several key outs. They began by keeping the Blues to 1.1 while scoring 3.2 for themselves to lead by 13 points at quarter-time, then extended that to 20 points by the half-time break with a 4.2 to 3.1 second term. But something went awry for the Eagles in the third quarter, the Blues all but owning the period though their accuracy on goal would allow them to take a three-kick advantage going into the final stanza. The Blues kept the Eagles to just 1.2 and booted 6.5 for themselves, a 13-point lead for the home side at three quarter-time. Sturt would kick the opening major of the last quarter after two minutes but then much like the Eagles did in the third quarter, went missing as the Eagles got back on the horse. While they were as accurate on goal as the Blues were in the previous term, they kicked to a 10-point lead a minute into added time with their 4.5. For the next 10 or so minutes the Eagles defended hard against the persistent Blues, but after missing two late chances time would run out and the visitors left with an eight-point win. Adam D'Aloia was named best for the Eagles, with 28 disposals, 11 tackles and six clearances, while the Blues named Will Snelling with 38 disposals and eight tackles.
FINAL SCORES IN ROUND 5 OF THE SANFL...
Thursday May 2
Adelaide 16.7 (103)
Port Adelaide 8.14 (62)
Adelaide Oval -- AFL curtain raiser
Saturday May 4
Norwood 10.7 (67)
North Adelaide 8.11 (59)
2,412 @ Prospect Oval
Central District 9.12 (66)
West Adelaide 6.9 (45)
1,548 @ Hisense Stadium, Richmond
Sunday May 5
Glenelg 9.16 (70)
South Adelaide 6.7 (43)
1,350 @ Flinders University Stadium, Noarlunga
Woodville-West Torrens 12.11 (83)
Sturt 11.9 (75)
3,158 @ Thomas Farms Oval, Unley
INJURIES
Port -- Turner (adductor)
North -- Ramsey, Elbrow (ankle), Driscoll (calf), Magor (quad)
Central -- Dudley (ankle)
West -- Sheppard (hip)
Glenelg -- Stretch (ankle), Snook (back)
South -- Clifton (knee), Arundell (arm), Duncan (shoulder), Birt (hamstring)
REPORTS
West -- Minchella (striking)
South -- Wilkinson (rough conduct)
LEAGUE LADDER
----------------------------------------------------
Central -- 10pts (5-0-0), 59.8%
Norwood -- 10pts (5-0-0), 58%
W-WT -- 8pts (4-1-0), 60.3%
Glenelg -- 6pts (3-2-0), 54.5%
Sturt -- 4pts (2-3-0), 54.6%
---------------------------------------------------
West -- 4pts (2-3-0), 48.1%
Adelaide -- 4pts (2-3-0), 46.1%
North -- 4pts (2-3-0), 42.9%
Port -- 0pts (0-5-0), 40.4%
South -- 0pts (0-5-0), 37.5%
---------------------------------------------------
CROWEATER GIRLS WIN HISTORIC FIRST SENIOR CLASH
The SANFL Women's Division representative side emerged victorious against their West Australian Football League counterparts, winning the first ever senior-level state leagues clash at Optus Stadium in Perth on Saturday afternoon. It all began with a superb opening quarter in which the Croweaters kept the Sandgropers off the scoreboard with superior pressure on body and ball, kicking to a 19-point quarter-time lead. The Westerners finally found the sticks in the second term and made things a bit more difficult for the visitors, cutting that gap back to two goals after kicking 2.2 to 1.1. They got ever so much closer going into the final change as WA levelled the scores part way into the third term, but were then down by a single kick at the three quarter-time siren. But the Sandgropers couldn't keep step with the South Australians in the final term, again kept away from their goal-front while the Croweaters managed a further 1.4 to leave the WA capital with the trophy and first-up bragging rights with their 16-point victory. In more firsts, the inaugural SANFL-W State side best afield would be Glenelg's Jessica Bates, who racked up 34 disposals, nine clearances and five tackles. For the WAFL ladies, it was East Fremantle's Zipporah Fish with their best on ground medal.
South Australia 7.7 (49) def. Western Australia 5.3 (33)
Next weekend in Round 6...
Friday May 11 @ 7:40pm
Norwood vs. Adelaide; Coopers Stadium, Norwood
Saturday May 12 @ 2:10pm
Central District vs. Sturt; X-Convenience Oval, Elizabeth
Port Adelaide vs. North Adelaide; Alberton Oval
Woodville-West Torrens vs. South Adelaide; Maughan Thiem Kia Oval, Woodville
Glenelg vs. West Adelaide; Stratarama Stadium, Glenelg
So until next weekend... see you at the Footy!
The discussion regarding the future of the two AFL reserves teams has been a bit louder lately and it seems pretty much inevitable that Adelaide and Port Adelaide will lobby to get an early departure from the SANFL. Last weekend, the original rivalry match between the Magpies and the Redlegs drew probably one of its lowest attendances ever in recent memory if not in all recorded league history with less that 1900 people fronting up. Does this highlight the apathy of Port fans toward their reserves side, or perhaps that the old guard of died-in-the-wool Magpies fans have totally disappeared? Then there's the Crows, whose hierachy famously declared that their fans would bring several thousand through the gates every week, which since 2014 aside from a few occasions has failed to materialise. Their target is now the VFL, a competition that is a shadow of its former self and taking the inclusion of Tasmania into account would bring the count to 24 teams with the two SA sides probably joining up. The stand-alone teams over there have it so much tougher and some are running very close to the line. From the perspective of the AFL clubs, state leagues are getting in their way. From the perspective of the state league fans, AFL clubs are being entitled. Hurry up and get your national reserves league running and get out of our affairs once and for all.
Welcome to the Round 5 edition of the SANFL Wrap-Up.
Speaking of the AFL reserves sides, that is the way this weekend's action kicked off with a twilight curtain raiser to Showdown 55 on Thursday, the Crows taking on the Magpies at Adelaide Oval. Both games last season were taken out by the Crows, both ending in deficits in excess of 10 goals. The Magpies goal-kicking was just horrible, starting with their 78-point hammering in Round 1, where they kicked 6.10. But the Round 15 outing was just a horror show, kicking 2.15 and going down by 65 points. Only the Crows have a victory to their name this year, but haven't won since. Both went down last week, the Crows going down at Prospect to the Roosters while the 'Pies lost to Norwood at Alberton. The Crows wasted little time putting the Magpies to the sword, putting five goals on the board before they answered with one. At quarter-time the Crows were ahead by 28 points with the scoreboard showing 6.2 to a wasteful 1.4. The Magpies burnt more chances on goal in the second quarter as the Crows further added to their advantage going into the rooms at the long break, Adelaide scoring 5.2 to 2.4 as the gap went out to 44 points come half-time. Whether it was having used the bulk of their fuel for an hour of football or not, the Crows rampaging attack slowed down a little in the second half. But that didn't mean their defence was going to leak that much for the Magpies to take any advantage. Port didn't even find their sticks again until late in the third term when they scored two goals, the Crows kicked 3.2 before that happened, their lead at three quarter-time reduced to 52 points. The Magpies got more chances in the final quarter, but their accuracy was just frightful. They wouldn't reduce the final margin all that much, kicking 3.6 to 2.1 as the Crows took a third mini-Showdown in succession with a 41-point victory. Lachlan Gollant kicked five goals, but it was Harry Schoenberg who was named best for the Crows, with 27 disposals, eight marks and six tackles. The Magpies named Nick Moore as their best, with 21 disposals and 20 tackles.
There would be just two Saturday afternoon games for the weekend, the first of which takes us to the Prospect Oval as the Roosters and the Redlegs butted heads. The Roosters won both the neighbourly battles of last year, getting some revenge for the 2022 Grand Final loss with wins in Rounds 3 and 14. The Redlegs kicked 5.10 in both games, going down at The Parade by nine goals in the earlier match, then by eight points at Menzies Crescent later in the season. The weather played a big part in the match at Prospect, the Roosters having a devil of a time kicking goals themselves and holding the Redlegs persistent attack at bay. Both sides emerged the victors last week with the Roosters defeating the Crows by 16 points at home, while the Redlegs did it the hard way in front of goal under lights at Alberton with their three-goal triumph over their old enemy. The Redlegs were all over the Roosters in the first quarter, though their form in front of goal from last week saw them kick 4.5 to kick things off. North had to wait until late in the term to get their first goal, their 1.1 saw them trail by 22 points at the first change. The Roosters hit back in the second quarter, chopping the 'Legs lead back to within two straight kicks by the break. They scored 4.1 to 2.1, Norwood holding onto a 10-point lead at half-time. The Roosters' forwards had a case of the wobbles in the third term, blowing a big number of chances to take over the lead. The Redlegs' advantage would go unchanged going into the three quarter-time huddle, the Roosters scoring 2.7 to the visitors' 3.1. The game would become an arm-wrestling contest to finish off, the Roosters by large smothered the Redlegs' attack and kept them scoreless for 20 minutes. North closed to within two points, but it was from one goal from three scores that would see them go down. Norwood's single score, a goal early in time-on, would be enough to ensure their own undefeated run remained intact as they left Prospect with an eight-point win. Harry Boyd was named Norwood's best afield, with 22 disposals and nine tackles. For the home side, it was Campbell Combe with 28 disposals, 15 tackles and 11 clearances.
The other Saturday afternoon outing takes us to the western side of the city and into the Hisense Stadium in Richmond where the Bloods hosted the Bulldogs. The Doggies took out both games last season by 11 points, though they almost coughed it up in Round 5 at the Ponderosa and then responding in kind to a late charge at Richmond in Round 13. The Bloods almost got lucky when they visited Elizabeth, down by 40 points at three quarter-time they took advantage of a complacent final term effort by the Dogs but just couldn't complete the job. The later game saw the Dogs drop the intensity in the third quarter before waking from their slumber in the finish. The Bloods, despite a massive thumping of South, were still reeling from the incident in Port Lincoln which has sidelined one of their players. The Bulldogs were also victorious, ending the undefeated run of the Eagles at home. The Bloods seem to be a side that the Doggies have had some difficulty with, despite dropping just one game in their last seven outings. The Bloods certainly dragged the Dogs down to their level early on, happy to retain possession for long periods. But it was at the cost of scoring, the Dogs led by just two points at the first change with the board reading 1.3 to 1.1. The Bloods took the lead after eight minutes in the next period, but it didn't last long as Centrals started to play more like they have over the last few weeks. While accuracy became an issue, they still scored 4.4 to 2.1 in the second term, taking a 17-point lead into the long break. A drop-off in the Bloods' attack in the third quarter allowed the Bulldogs to extend the gap going into the final change, they scored 3.3 to three behinds to lead by 35 points at three quarter-time. Westies did rally hard in the final term, a 15-minute period saw them cut that six-kick deficit to as little as 14 points, scoring 3.4 to one behind. But a late major and behind to the Bulldogs allowed them to keep their unbeaten run as such, winning by 21 points. Harry Grant was again at the forefront for the Dogs, gathering 23 disposals, 10 tackles and eight clearances. The Bloods had Jordan White as their standout, with 17 disposals and 12 tackles.
The action now shifts to the Sunday afternoon, game number four was the "Clash of the Cats" at Flinders University Stadium in Noarlunga between the Panthers and the Tigers. Both of the games went the way of the Tigers last year, with a 41-point win in Round 5 at Noarlunga, followed by a 10-goal victory at home in Round 18. The Panthers hung tough with the eventual premiers up until three quarter-time with a single kick in it, but were kept goal-less in the final term while Glenelg sunk six majors. The later game at Brighton Road was won in the second half, the Tigers found the big sticks hard to find in the first with 10 behinds from 15 scores. But then came the second half, where the Bays kicked nine goals to one. There was no wins for either team last week, the Panthers incurring the wrath of an angry Bloods outfit at Richmond, while the reigning premiers had their colours lowered on Anzac Day at the Bay. The Tigers' opening term would be nothing short of terrible in front of the sticks and they had plenty of chances, kicking 1.7 while the Panthers scored 3.1 to lead by a goal at quarter-time. Their accuracy improved in the second quarter and they would eventually take the lead going into half-time, but didn't come without some doing as the Panthers snatched it back going into added time. Glenelg would lead by a point at the break, they scored 3.3 to 2.2. Uncharateristic errors by the Tigers led to multiple turnovers, though the Panthers wouldn't make them pay. No more evident than in the third quarter where just one goal was kicked. That major belonged to the visitors, along with a pair of behinds to South's single missed chance the Tigers would lead by eight points at the final change. They certainly did it the hard way, but the reigning premiers' final term would put the home side's resistance to bed, scoring 4.4 to 1.3 to win by 27 points. Matt Allen would take out best afield votes for the Tigers, with 27 disposals, 15 marks along with five tackles and clearances. The Panthers named Oliver Davis as their standout, with 28 disposals plus five marks and tackles.
The last of the weekend's games brings us to the inner southern suburbs and into the newly re-opened Unley Oval, now known as Thomas Farms Oval as the Double Blues faced the Eagles. The Blues were triumphant in both games against the then defending premiers, with a 22-point win at Oval Avenue in Round 5, then by 15 points at Oxford Terrace in Round 15. Not even a inaccuracy-ridden second term for the Blues -- they kicked 3.8 -- would let the Eagles off the hook at home. That same issue in front of the sticks almost cost them at Unley in the later game, but after leading at every change, the Eagles' final term let them down as the Blues kicked four goals to one to nick the points. The Blues got back on the winner's list last week with their win at Brighton Road, while the Eagles trip to the Ponderosa ended with defeat to their old noughties nemesis in Centrals. The Eagles were determined to be the party poopers today, with milestone man James Battersby celebrating his 200th outing for the Blues and despite having several key outs. They began by keeping the Blues to 1.1 while scoring 3.2 for themselves to lead by 13 points at quarter-time, then extended that to 20 points by the half-time break with a 4.2 to 3.1 second term. But something went awry for the Eagles in the third quarter, the Blues all but owning the period though their accuracy on goal would allow them to take a three-kick advantage going into the final stanza. The Blues kept the Eagles to just 1.2 and booted 6.5 for themselves, a 13-point lead for the home side at three quarter-time. Sturt would kick the opening major of the last quarter after two minutes but then much like the Eagles did in the third quarter, went missing as the Eagles got back on the horse. While they were as accurate on goal as the Blues were in the previous term, they kicked to a 10-point lead a minute into added time with their 4.5. For the next 10 or so minutes the Eagles defended hard against the persistent Blues, but after missing two late chances time would run out and the visitors left with an eight-point win. Adam D'Aloia was named best for the Eagles, with 28 disposals, 11 tackles and six clearances, while the Blues named Will Snelling with 38 disposals and eight tackles.
FINAL SCORES IN ROUND 5 OF THE SANFL...
Thursday May 2
Adelaide 16.7 (103)
Port Adelaide 8.14 (62)
Adelaide Oval -- AFL curtain raiser
Saturday May 4
Norwood 10.7 (67)
North Adelaide 8.11 (59)
2,412 @ Prospect Oval
Central District 9.12 (66)
West Adelaide 6.9 (45)
1,548 @ Hisense Stadium, Richmond
Sunday May 5
Glenelg 9.16 (70)
South Adelaide 6.7 (43)
1,350 @ Flinders University Stadium, Noarlunga
Woodville-West Torrens 12.11 (83)
Sturt 11.9 (75)
3,158 @ Thomas Farms Oval, Unley
INJURIES
Port -- Turner (adductor)
North -- Ramsey, Elbrow (ankle), Driscoll (calf), Magor (quad)
Central -- Dudley (ankle)
West -- Sheppard (hip)
Glenelg -- Stretch (ankle), Snook (back)
South -- Clifton (knee), Arundell (arm), Duncan (shoulder), Birt (hamstring)
REPORTS
West -- Minchella (striking)
South -- Wilkinson (rough conduct)
LEAGUE LADDER
----------------------------------------------------
Central -- 10pts (5-0-0), 59.8%
Norwood -- 10pts (5-0-0), 58%
W-WT -- 8pts (4-1-0), 60.3%
Glenelg -- 6pts (3-2-0), 54.5%
Sturt -- 4pts (2-3-0), 54.6%
---------------------------------------------------
West -- 4pts (2-3-0), 48.1%
Adelaide -- 4pts (2-3-0), 46.1%
North -- 4pts (2-3-0), 42.9%
Port -- 0pts (0-5-0), 40.4%
South -- 0pts (0-5-0), 37.5%
---------------------------------------------------
CROWEATER GIRLS WIN HISTORIC FIRST SENIOR CLASH
The SANFL Women's Division representative side emerged victorious against their West Australian Football League counterparts, winning the first ever senior-level state leagues clash at Optus Stadium in Perth on Saturday afternoon. It all began with a superb opening quarter in which the Croweaters kept the Sandgropers off the scoreboard with superior pressure on body and ball, kicking to a 19-point quarter-time lead. The Westerners finally found the sticks in the second term and made things a bit more difficult for the visitors, cutting that gap back to two goals after kicking 2.2 to 1.1. They got ever so much closer going into the final change as WA levelled the scores part way into the third term, but were then down by a single kick at the three quarter-time siren. But the Sandgropers couldn't keep step with the South Australians in the final term, again kept away from their goal-front while the Croweaters managed a further 1.4 to leave the WA capital with the trophy and first-up bragging rights with their 16-point victory. In more firsts, the inaugural SANFL-W State side best afield would be Glenelg's Jessica Bates, who racked up 34 disposals, nine clearances and five tackles. For the WAFL ladies, it was East Fremantle's Zipporah Fish with their best on ground medal.
South Australia 7.7 (49) def. Western Australia 5.3 (33)
Next weekend in Round 6...
Friday May 11 @ 7:40pm
Norwood vs. Adelaide; Coopers Stadium, Norwood
Saturday May 12 @ 2:10pm
Central District vs. Sturt; X-Convenience Oval, Elizabeth
Port Adelaide vs. North Adelaide; Alberton Oval
Woodville-West Torrens vs. South Adelaide; Maughan Thiem Kia Oval, Woodville
Glenelg vs. West Adelaide; Stratarama Stadium, Glenelg
So until next weekend... see you at the Footy!
