South Australian Football Budget - Elim and Qual Finals 2024 - Vol 98 - No. 20 1 Sep

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THE FINAL WORD

BY PETER CORNWALLL

SANFL finals coaches, Sturt’s Martin Mattner, the Eagles’ Sam Jacobs, Norwood’s Jade Rawlings, Paul Thomas (Central) and Darren Reeves (Glenelg) at Adelaide Oval this week. Photo: Peter Argent How’s the talent and presence among this group of SANFL mentors? Three of them – Martin Mattner (2016-17), Jade Rawlings (2022) and Darren Reeves (last season) – are premiership coaches, Paul Thomas is a four-time premiership captain who as coach has the Bulldogs playing finals for the second successive year, while former Crows ruck great Sam Jacobs has lifted the Eagles back into the major round in his first year in charge.

Now, while minor premier Norwood takes a well-earned week’s break, it’s getting serious. Reigning premier Glenelg will face the Eagles in the elimination final before Sturt battles Central in the qualifying final in Sunday’s mouthwatering double-header at Adelaide Oval.

Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, Magarey Medallist Harry Grant suffered a fractured jaw and concussion in the final minor round and Thomas conceded it would take a “minor miracle” for his gun midfielder to play at any stage in the finals. But he remains positive.

“We have a lot of midfield depth across recruiting over a period of time,” he said. Here’s a quick grab of

what the coaches said at this week’s finals launch.

JADE RAWLINGS We have a group who are hungry, bought in, got fit, believe in what we do … you get a bit of momentum in any footy competition and it can be pretty powerful … they like playing together, this group, and I love watching them play. We are fortunate as a club we have reserves and senior teams in position to see how far we can go in September – it’s where you want to be.

MARTIN MATTNER It’s a tough competition at the moment, it’s hard to tell if we are better placed than last year (when the Blues lost the grand final to Glenelg) but what I know is, we love finals, we love playing finals, Sturt Footy Club, and we’re looking forward to Sunday.

PAUL THOMAS We are much better placed (than last year when the Bulldogs only qualified for finals in the last week of the minor round, then played in the elimination final), I think history shows it is pretty hard to come

from fourth or fifth to win it, so we are in the top three – it’s where we set out to be from November, now it’s up to our players to go out and have a crack and play the way we want to.

DARREN REEVES It’s been the story of our year, just up and down, but what we know is our best is pretty good … in the past month against Norwood and then against last weekend (against South) it was pretty good and at times against North and Central we played some good footy, it’s just been the inability to do that for four quarters, that’s our challenge. We have great respect for what the Eagles are able to do and we will have to be at our best.

SAM JACOBS I’m really confident our best is good enough to compete and we’ve shown that through the most part of the year. Early in the year we proved it – playing against Norwood and Sturt away we were able to get the job done. We’re confident if we play the way we want we can match Glenelg. We look forward to the challenge. sanfl.com.au

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ELIMINATION FINAL PREVIEW

BY PETER CORNWALL

It’s all up for grabs as classy Tiger James Bell tackles inspirational Eagles skipper Joseph Sinor, who has his eyes firmly set on the Sherrin. Photo: Gordon Anderson

Is the slumbering giant awakening?

Can the reigning premier regain its best form and start stringing wins together again when it counts? Was last week’s crushing win against South Adelaide a pointer more great things are ahead for the club that has set the benchmark over the past six SANFL seasons? There are always heaps of questions before the cutthroat elimination final kicks off our major round. And there are plenty about the Eagles. Can they regain the mojo that had them on top of the table after Round 10? Can the club that has challenged Glenelg most over the past halfdozen years, with back-to-back flags in 2020-21, turn it on again in springtime on Adelaide Oval?

While it’s fair to say the second half of the season hasn’t gone as well as supporters of these sides might have hoped, the Tigers winning just three of their past eight games and the Eagles only one, there are five clubs whose seasons are over that would love to be out there on the iconic ground again just three wins from a grand final date. One of these sides will be two games from the premiership decider by Sunday evening – and suddenly feeling pretty positive about what might be 4

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ahead. And it’s only six years since North Adelaide showed what can be done by charging from the elimination final to win the flag.

The Tigers certainly look the most likely of these opponents to set off on a winning run. They were back to their most potent in dismissing the Panthers by 118 points at the Bay, kicking a remarkable 21.22 (148) after only averaging 63 points in their previous seven games.

But, mostly, it was about making the most of their chances. In losses the previous two weeks against North and Central they had won clearances 36-34 and 48-30 and inside 50s 59-41 and 48-29, so maybe they weren’t as far away as some people had been telling us. And the week before that they overwhelmed reigning premier Norwood by 34 points, winning clearances 47-33 and inside-50s 55-42.

It’s clearly harder to mount a case for the Eagles. But the two clashes between these sides this season point to this sudden-death confrontation being hard fought, Glenelg winning both times but by just 11 points at Woodville in Round 7 and 12 points at the Bay in Round 13, when the Tigers only sealed the

deal with a Luke Reynolds goal in time-on of the last quarter. The Eagles will have happy memories of their past two finals against the Tigers at Adelaide Oval, winning the second semi-final and grand final in 2021. And it’s only a couple of weeks since Sam Jacobs’ men had that winning feeling as they brushed South aside by 57 points, slamming on 13 goals in the second half in a return to the free-scoring footy they had displayed in the first 10 rounds when they claimed wins against the premiership favourites, Norwood and Sturt. The Panthers were unable to subdue a dynamo who clearly can be a matchwinner on the big stage in finals – James Rowe. He racked up 29 disposals, seven clearances and booted four goals while adding the spark and enthusiasm necessary for wins in September. The Eagles also have a couple of legends they will want to keep on the park as long as possible this September. Stairway Of Champions inductees Matthew Goldsworthy and Luke Thompson are royalty down at Woodville with more than 500 league games and five premierships between them and their team-mates will be desperate to send them off in style.

QUALIFYING FINAL PREVIEW

BY PETER CORNWALL

Sturt’s outstanding playmaker Casey Voss gets his handball away under enormous pressure from his ‘shadow’, Central District’s Jake Gasper. Photo: Robert Laidlaw

On the surface of it, this looks like a Sturt win. The Blues just missed top spot to Norwood by percentage with a stunning 15-3 win-loss record that would have earned them the minor premiership in seven of the past nine seasons, the Bulldogs three wins further back. And Sturt has won its past eight games against Central – and 19 of their past 20 clashes – and beaten the Dogs home and away this season by 35 and 34 points. But there’s no way those stats will be anything other than a bunch of numbers for coaches Martin Mattner and Paul Thomas as they prepare for an Adelaide Oval final. And it’s not like a surprise result like this hasn’t happened before at the same iconic ground. When Sturt and Central clashed in the knockout first semifinal of 1971 Jack Oatey’s rampant Double Blues had won the five previous premierships and were in their eighth successive finals series.

They had finished three wins clear of the Bulldogs, who were in their eighth season in league ranks and had never played finals. And they had never beaten Sturt, the Blues having won 16 in a row against them. Sturt even led 7.14 to 7.9 at

three-quarter-time. But, like this Central side of 2024, this up-andcoming club just kept on fighting. In fact, they booted 6.4 to 1.2 in the last quarter to storm to the unlikeliest of wins, still one of the greatest in the club’s history. They’ve had their own great dynasty, with Thomas as skipper in the first decade of the 2000s. The times had been tougher until last season but, now under the coaching of Thomas, it’s been an upward curve from ninth, to fourth and now up to third and the crucial double-chance. The Dogs showed they have what it takes to beat more-fancied opponents when they stormed to a stunning one-point win against reigning premier Glenelg to knock it out of third. They could hardly have been more impressive in cementing that spot by thumping Port Adelaide by 68 points and handing the Magpies the wooden spoon. Livewire forward Aiden Grace booted four goals to miss the Ken Farmer Medal by just three from North’s Mitch Harvey, while Jez McLennan showed the sort of class and dash that won him two Fos Williams Medals within a month this year in picking up 26 touches and 11 marks.

While Doggies fans will be happy with their side’s form, Sturt has won a staggering 13 games in a row. Dual premiership coach Mattner’s reputation continues to blossom as his team continues to be incredibly tough to score against. The Blues lead the league in conceding less than 50 points a game and Central has managed just 93 points in two games against them this year. But it’s the midfield that looms as Sturt’s biggest weapon. Will Snelling has had a monster first season with the Blues, leading the league for disposals despite missing two games, averaging 29 per game, and also No. 1 for tackles (topping 10 per game) and handballs (16). Iron Man skipper James Battersby keeps on keeping on, up to an incredible 145 games without a miss in the longest streak in the league. And it’s not like he isn’t right there in the thick of it, fourth in the league for disposals, second for handballs, fifth in tackles and fifth in clearances. Then there’s midfield monster Tommy Lewis and skilful Jared Dakin and a multifaceted forward line. They deserve to be favourites. But we all know finals are a different ball game. sanfl.com.au

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STURT’S STANLEY Sturt has secured its fifth Stanley H. Lewis Trophy and first in 16 years as SANFL’s bestperformed club in 2024.

In the fourth year of points being awarded for women’s and under-16 matches, the Double Blues finished with a significant tally of 3800, ahead of runner-up Glenelg with 3600.

With its league and reserves teams finishing second, Sturt’s tally was also boosted by its under-16s finishing on top of the table.

Central District tallied 3400 to round out the top three, finishing clear of Norwood on 3150 in fourth and fifth-placed South on 2475.

Sturt most recently won the Stanley H. Lewis Trophy in 2008 with other successes coming in 1968, 1978 and 1983.

The Blues only claimed the lead for the first time after Round 18 after Glenelg had led for all but two rounds through the home-andaway season. It’s the second year in a row these clubs have slugged it out for the prestige award. The Bays last year had won their third Stanley H. Lewis Trophy in five years with 3625 points, as Sturt, which made the league, reserves, under-18 and under-16 grand finals, was runner-up on 3475.

The Trophy, named after past SANFL chairman Stanley Heathcote Lewis, has been awarded since 1962 to the club which has displayed excellence across all grades. Points are awarded for each win across the minor round, with 100 points allocated for a men’s and women’s league victory, 50

points for the reserves and under-18s and 25 points for the under-16s. In the event of a draw, half the points allocated for a win in that grade are awarded to each club involved.

Stanley H. Lewis Trophy wins: Norwood 14, Port Adelaide 12, Glenelg 11, North Adelaide 8, Woodville-West Torrens 7, Sturt, Central District 5, South Adelaide 1.

PAGE 22: Final 2024 Stanley H. Lewis Trophy rankings

TOPSPORT

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TEAM-FIRST EAGLE

BY ZAC MILBANK

Jack Firns had every reason to consider leaving Woodville-West Torrens at the end of the 2016 season. Having graduated through the junior grades at Oval Avenue, the versatile utility had played two full seasons in the reserves without a look-in at league level.

“I wasn’t going to be the bloke who quit,” said Firns, who played his milestone 100th league game against Norwood at Maughan Thiem Kia Oval last Saturday.

Fortunately for his beloved Eagles, Firns did anything but throw in the towel as he dug in to force his way into the league line-up in Round 10, 2017. “I got a little bit frustrated (with being stuck in the reserves) but I knew at the time you had to earn your spot and I just kept plugging away and I had some really good mentors like Scotty Lewis, Michael Wundke and Marc Borholm who were my sounding board, I would always go to them and they reinforced in me, ‘just keep doing what you’re doing’ and it all paid off and I debuted against the Bays and went from there.”

Right from his first outing, the 29-year-old displayed the selfless attitude which has become a hallmark of his career, as he was tasked with tagging the Bays’ Jack Oatey Medallist Matthew Snook.

“I went to him and I’ve had some pretty good battles with him and we’ve become pretty good friends throughout the years. We had a good win.” There was a shaky early moment – “my first possession, I had the ball and I got run down and I said, ‘this is a lot quicker than the twos’” – but he turned that around as he chased down and stopped a Tiger in his tracks and “it felt good, it was just confidence … each week I got more and more confident after that.”

Firns thrived on being trusted with the tough stopping jobs by then coach Michael Godden, as he also put the clamps on fellow star midfielders Sturt’s Aidan Riley and South’s Joel Cross. Since then, he

When Eagles 100-gamer Jack Firns has his eyes on the ball he will run through anything or anyone, as Sturt’s Connor McFadyen discovered.

Photo: Scott Starkey

has evolved into a third tall forward option, wingman and big-bodied midfielder who played in the club’s back-to-back premierships of 2020-21. “It was pretty surreal – you always dream of playing in it (a winning grand final) but to be able to do it twice back-to-back … (coach) Jade (Sheedy) really pulled it all together.” Firns continues to cherish every game he dons the gold guernsey, now performing his role as a reliable defender under first-year coach Sam Jacobs, who Firns credits with “keeping everybody upbeat” as the Eagles have struggled to find their best form in the build-up to the

elimination final against Glenelg.

Firns was a Woodville-West Torrens fan as he started out with the Grasshoppers at Seaton Ramblers, where he won a couple of junior flags, and despite the best attempts of his grandmother to convert him to the Double Blues, started at the Eagles in 2011 in the under-16s. “It’s very special – the club has sort of been my home for the past 13-14 years,” he said. Asked how he would like to be remembered at Oval Ave, he said: “As a team-first player – if I could leave the club with that, that would be a good thing.” There’s not much doubt that will be the case. sanfl.com.au

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MITCH’S MEDAL North Adelaide’s Mitch Harvey steers through another goal and is clapped from Prospect Oval after winning the Ken Farmer Medal. Photos: Sam Dougherty

North Adelaide’s Mitch Harvey has become the first Rooster in 22 years to win the Ken Farmer Medal as SANFL’s leading goalkicker at the end of the minor round.

Booting three goals against West Adelaide in Round 19, Harvey finished with a tally of 45 majors, three ahead of Central District’s Aiden Grace, who kicked four against Port Adelaide.

Harvey, 29, who has kicked 222 goals from 196 SANFL league games, joins fellow Roosters John Roberts and Daniel Hargraves as the only players from Prospect to win the Medal. A master at nailing his set shots, Harvey kicked an accurate 45.19 in his 18 appearances in 2024.

Glenelg’s triple Ken Farmer Medallist Liam McBean kicked five majors against South Adelaide to place third with a haul of 38 goals. Fellow Tiger Luke Reynolds was equal fourth on 32 goals, with Connor Ballenden (Eagles) and Connor McFadyen (Sturt).

Forward-ruck Harvey, who kicked three goals in the Roosters’ winning grand final against Norwood in 2018, has been an incredibly durable player, having racked up 135 games in a row – only Sturt skipper James Battersby (145) is on a longer run.

Introduced in 1981, the Ken Farmer Medal is named in honour of North Adelaide’s legendary goalkicking champion Ken Farmer. He played 13 seasons with North from 1929-41 and kicked 1417 league goals, a record that surely will never be threatened. In 11 consecutive seasons Farmer broke the 100-goal milestone and was league leading goalkicker in each.

The Ken Farmer Medal is for the minor round but the SANFL’s leading goalkicker for the season includes finals, so Grace is still a shot to earn that distinction. As an example of how this works, in 2017 Port’s Brett Eddy won the Ken Farmer Medal (with 53 goals in the minor round) but Sturt’s Kory Beard was SANFL’s leading goalkicker, with 62 (including a successful finals campaign).

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KEN FARMER MEDAL Mitch Harvey Aiden Grace Liam McBean Connor McFadyen Luke Reynolds Connor Ballenden Lachlan Gollant Jackson Callow Liam Fitt Nigel Lockyer

North Central Glenelg Sturt Glenelg Eagles Adelaide Norwood South North

45 42 38 32 32 32 29 28 27 27

SNELLING’S SIZZLING SEASON Sturt ball magnet Will Snelling has cruised to an emphatic win in the SANFL Now Player of the Year Award.

Snelling’s impressive tally of 28 votes was too much for powerhouse Norwood ruckman Harry Boyd, who earned 23 votes.

North Adelaide’s Campbell Combe finished third on 19, while Glenelg’s Matt Allen jumped into fourth place on 17 after polling best-on-ground votes in the Bays’ thumping win against South Adelaide in Round 19.

Returning to South Australia after playing 64 AFL games for Essendon, Snelling’s win was even more impressive considering he missed matches in Round 13 and 14.

Averaging 29 disposals, seven clearances and 11 tackles, the Double Blues’ No. 14 polled five first preferences after attracting votes in 12 matches.

Snelling receives $500 courtesy of SANFL for the award, which is judged

by SANFL Now commentators under a 3-2-1 voting system.

The highest-profile SANFL recruit for this season, Snelling was an AllAustralian under-18 in a memorable 2015 when he was the youngest member of West Adelaide’s drought-breaking league premiership team and was rookiedrafted by Port Adelaide.

The 175cm pocket rocket played one AFL game for the Power in 2016 but spent the majority of his three seasons at Alberton lining up for the Magpies. Essendon gave him an

AFL lifeline in the mid-season draft in 2019 and he snapped a 1056-day drought – the longest span

between a player’s first and second AFL match – when he made his debut for the Bombers.

SANFL NOW PLAYER OF THE YEAR LEADERBOARD

SANFL NOW PLAYER OF THE YEAR HONOUR ROLL

28 23 19 17 16 15 14 12 10

2019 2020 2021 2022

Will Snelling (Sturt) Harry Boyd (Norwood) Campbell Combe (North) Matt Allen (Glenelg) Harry Grant (Central), Baynen Lowe (Norwood) Tom Lewis (Sturt) Kobe Ryan (West), James Rowe (Eagles) Sam Frost (West), Billy Cootee (Norwood) Adam D’Aloia (Eagles)

2023 2024

Luke Partington (Glenelg) Richard Douglas (Norwood) Matthew Snook (Glenelg) Nik Rokahr (Norwood)/ Aaron Young (North) Harry Grant (Central) Will Snelling (Sturt)

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Photo: Cory Sutton

S A N F L

S TA R S

JEZ McLENNAN CENTRAL

2024 SANFL RESERVES ELIMINATION FINAL

11:30pm Saturday 31st August @ Flinders University Stadium Live scores at www.sanfl.com.au and SANFL App

SOUTH

EAGLES

COACH: Alex Pigou

COACH: Shane Hancock

8

Cooper Rogers..........................

45 Dayne McGary..........................

8

Will Neumann...........................

48 Jay Watson................................

17

Darnell Tucker...........................

46 Hayden Kernahan....................

12 Harrison Dawkins....................

50 Archer Charles..........................

18 Zachary Dumesny...................

48 Riley Jones.................................

13 Will Pearce.................................

21 Dakota Sterzl............................

49 Tate Lovering............................

54 Bailey Arthur.............................

25 Jacob Collins.............................

51 Chester Forster........................

20 Jack Boyd....................................

27 Jacob Sheean............................

52 Ethan Roberts...........................

34 Zak Keir.......................................

54 Bailey Pilmore..........................

37 Blake Rodrigues.......................

55 Dylan Draper.............................

41 Harvey Lambert.......................

57 Oliver Goss.................................

38 Carter Norman.........................

42 Scott Bedford............................

59 Darren Walters.........................

40 Brody Mair.................................

61 Riley Davey................................

43 Lachlan Scott............................

60 Ryan Borlace.............................

42 Isaac McGrath..........................

63 Jordan Tilbrook.........................

44 Benny Barrett...........................

62 Hugo Hoeck...............................

44 Callum Fairall............................

64 Joshua Capogreco...................

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Points

32 Ryan Bruce................................

33 Deakan Jackson........................

RESERVES UMPIRES

RESERVES SOUTH EAGLES

25 Jordan Lukac.............................

FIELD: Henry Lodge Henry Klemm Zack Brittan (E) Thomas Kelly

57 Mishai Wollogorang...............

58 Charlie Blair...............................

59 Jake Andrews............................

60 Sebastian Menta.....................

BOUNDARY: Blayde Harten James Haskard Fraser Town Nathan Becker

GOAL: Jake Marnie Jared Murton Thomas Fahey (E)

2024 SANFL RESERVES QUALIFYING FINAL 2:50pm Saturday 31st August @ Thomas Farms Oval Live scores at www.sanfl.com.au and SANFL App

STURT

GLENELG

COACH: Chris Trapp

COACH: Jared Millington

46 Henry Maerschel.....................

6

Hugh Stagg................................

42 Noah Sims..................................

10 Charlie Molan...........................

47 Hugo Kittel.................................

10 Declan Carmody.......................

43 Todd Reid....................................

50 Will Torode.................................

24 Cooper Horsnell.......................

44 Sam Dunn...................................

53 Marcus Pavlic...........................

25 Darcy Scott................................

45 Darcy Porter..............................

37 Alex Holt.....................................

54 Ted Newman.............................

28 Xavier Vallejo............................

46 Beau Symonds..........................

38 Thomas McCourt.....................

55 Jayden Adams...........................

29 Connor McLeod........................

52 Cam Kiel......................................

56 Fraser Greaves.........................

30 Marco Rossmann....................

53 Ryan Wurfel...............................

58 Jesse Landers...........................

35 Hayden Brokensha..................

55 Harry Francis............................

43 Brad Jefferies............................

59 Tommy McCormack................

38 Lachlan Scannell.....................

56 Lachie Hall.................................

44 James Richards........................

60 Oli Duffy......................................

41 Anders McShane......................

57 Izayah Kean...............................

21 Liam Puncher............................

28 Charlie Parker...........................

33 Heath Wingard.........................

40 Ned Walter.................................

41 Seb Crisafi..................................

42 Willa Taylor................................

RESERVES STURT GLENELG

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Points

RESERVES UMPIRES

Sam Breuer................................

9

FIELD: Daniel Rogers (E) Paul Ventura Jake Cuming Jake Bateman

BOUNDARY: Jayden Dunning Joshua Thunig Ben Wilson Steven Evanson

GOAL: Michael Lombardi Justin Thai Patrick Backshall (E)

Proudly partnering the journey of footy in SA for 70 years. sanfl.com.au

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ELIMINATION FINAL 12:15PM SUNDAY 1 SEPTEMBER – ADELAIDE OVAL Broadcast: Live & free on Seven & 7plus | Live and on-demand on SANFL Now App www.AFL.com.au or the AFL Live Official App #SANFLTigersEagles

GLENELG COACH: Darren Reeves No

PLAYER

1 Will Gould 2 Jonty Scharenberg 3 Matthew Snook 4 Cole Gerloff 5 Liam McBean (C) 7 Luke Reynolds 8 Corey Lyons 9 Darcy Bailey 11 James Bell 12 Max Proud 13 Oscar Adams 14 Brad McCarthy 15 Jake Walker 16 Alex Martini 18 Billy Stretch 19 Cameron McGree 21 Chris Curran 22 Matthew Allen 23 Riley Holder 26 Liam Wisdom 27 Nick Stevens 33 Austin Kitschke 34 Will Stockman 36 Will Chandler 37 Hunter Window 39 Archie Lovelock 40 Ben Ridgway

EAGLES COLOURS: Black and Gold

COACH: Sam Jacobs

COLOURS: Gold, Green and Blue

AGE..... HT. . .... GP...... GK......G......... B

No

PLAYER

AGE..... HT. . .... GP...... GK......G......... B

23......191......28........4.......................

26..... 184..... 118.......15......................

32..... 182.....203..... 46......................

25..... 185.....102..... 56......................

30.....202....129.... 307.....................

29..... 188.....152....204....................

26..... 182......56...... 24......................

30......176.....145..... 90......................

25..... 184......37...... 23......................

32..... 192.....187......17......................

21...... 199...... 18........2.......................

25......176...... 71.........3.......................

20..... 186...... 10........2.......................

25......181......90........7.......................

27......181...... 81...... 20......................

25.....200.....39....... 11......................

33..... 189.....156......13......................

26..... 193......94...... 88.....................

21...... 192......56.......27......................

24..... 185......22........0.......................

22..... 192....... 5.........0.......................

22..... 189...... 19.........5.......................

22..... 189....... 2.........0.......................

22..... 183...... 14........9.......................

21.......172....... 7..........4.......................

19.......178......27........6.......................

19...... 182.......4.........1.......................

1 2 4 5 6 9 10 14 15 16 21 22 23 24 26 27 28 29 30 34 35 37 39 51

Luke McKay Zac Buck Cameron Fleeton Adam D’Aloia Luke Thompson Dane McFarlane Connor Ballenden Blake Hansen Joshua Morris James Rowe Max Beattie Troy Menzel Sam Nicholls Sam Rowland Joshua Mawson Jack Wheare Jordan Moore Matthew Goldsworthy Zane Williams Lukas Cooke Joseph Sinor (C) Nathan Barkla Jack Firns Max Litster

27..... 183...... 18...... 20......................

22......172......49.......14......................

22......191...... 16.........0.......................

20..... 186......34........7.......................

33..... 193.....255......19......................

31.......178......27.......10......................

25.....200.....48.......74......................

20......181....... 5.........0.......................

22......187...... 18........2.......................

24......173......82......122.....................

20......174......30.......27......................

29..... 188.....100.....147.....................

21.......172......23.......18......................

30......187..... 155..... 22......................

23..... 180...... 21.........1.......................

21...... 192....... 6.........9.......................

23......197...... 19.........1.......................

33......178.....259.....211.....................

23..... 183......53...... 48.....................

20..... 196.......8.........6.......................

30..... 180.....138..... 28......................

20..... 185......25....... 11......................

29..... 190.....100......12......................

22..... 184......48........3.......................

Rushed ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

55 Jarrad Redden

33.....204....160......75......................

Rushed �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

All figures on team sheets are official SANFL records for League games and goals.

LEAGUE GLENELG EAGLES

1st

2nd

3rd

RD13 2024 @ STRATARAMA STADIUM Glenelg 9.13 (67) d Eagles 8.7 (55)

4th

Points

LEAGUE UMPIRES

BOUNDARY: Benjamin B Williams Tobin Dolman Martin Elsegood Benjamin Sieben

FIELD: Giles Lewis Ben Williams Corey Bowen (E) Mitchell Harris

RD7 2024 @ MAUGHAN THIEM KIA Glenelg 11.12 (78) d Eagles 10.7 (67)

GOAL: Matthew Cummins Thomas Oxford (E) Thomas Sharpe

RD17 2023 @ MAUGHAN THIEM KIA Eagles 16.8 (104) d Glenelg 12.10 (82) BRING THE WAVE

WHITE CLAW HARD SELTZER ®

SPARKLING WATER WITH ALCOHOL

12

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STAT CHATS – ELIMINATION FINAL

BY ROBERT LAIDLAW

Will it be Luke Thompson’s last game in the blue, green and Matt Allen in full flight is one of the most exciting sights in SANFL footy and if he’s celebrating like this in the elimination gold? It’s the Eagles great’s last season but he’s hoping he has some more games to play after the elimination final. final it sure won’t be good news for the Eagles.

The Tigers need to turn around a run of outs against the Eagles to advance to the first semi-final and stay in the hunt for back-to-back flags.

There have been six clashes between Woodville-West Torrens and Glenelg in finals, the Bays winning the first – the 1992 preliminary final by a thumping 64 points – but the Eagles winning the five major round encounters since – the 1999 qualifying final, 2007 and 2010 first semis and 2021 second semi and grand final to wreck the Tigers’ centenary celebrations.

While this will be the first time Glenelg and the Eagles have met in an elimination final, the Bays have played and won against West Torrens (1974) and Woodville (1987).

Glenelg has won seven of its 10 elimination finals, while the Eagles have a four-win, two-loss record. Woodville and West Torrens appeared in three elimination finals each, with the Warriors’ 43-point win against Norwood in 1986 the only success.

Winning the elimination final has often sparked a Glenelg finals charge, five times advancing to the grand final but losing the premiership decider each time.

Going all the way from the elimination final to grand final has only been achieved a further eight times, with three teams going on to win the flag – Norwood in 1984, Port in 1998 and North in 2018.

Since elimination finals were introduced in 1973, Norwood has the most appearances (19) and victories (13), with North second in both categories (11, for eight wins).

Sturt beat Norwood by 65 points in the 2000 elimination final, incredibly its only success in 10 of these finals. With a record nine losses, Double Blues fans are delighted their side is not playing in Sunday’s early game.

The highest elimination score and margin came when Glenelg 24.22 thumped Woodville 9.10 by 102 points in 1987. There was a scoring frenzy when Norwood 25.13 beat West 20.10 in 1981. But the Redlegs were kept to a record low 4.11 in losing to Central by 44 points in the 2015 elimination final.

Only twice has an elimination final been won by less than a kick, with the Redlegs beating Glenelg by five points in 1989 and the Tigers pulling off a one-point boilover against Sturt in 2007. Three times an elimination final has been decided by seven points, twice by North over Sturt (1997 and 2005) and last season, when Central edged out Port Adelaide.

ELIMINATION FINALS RECORDS TEAM

P

W

L

HS

LS

ADELAIDE 1 1 19.11 19.11 CENTRAL 8 3 5 17.13 7.11 GLENELG 10 7 3 24.22 8.9 NORTH 11 8 3 20.16 6.11 NORWOOD 19 13 6 25.13 4.11 Sturt’s Abe Davis is a danger up forward.

PORT 8 3 5 22.15 11.7 SOUTH 10 6 4 19.18 10.10 STURT 10 1 9 16.15 6.4 WEST 9 2 7 24.13 5.9 WEST TORRENS 3 3 12.11 9.15 WOODVILLE 3 1 2 21.14 9.10 EAGLES 6 4 2 20.7 10.9 [HS – highest score, LS – lowest score] PAST 10 ELIMINATION FINALS 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

North 20.16 (136) d Central 10.14 (74) South 13.11 (89) d Eagles 10.9 (69) Central 12.7 (79) d Norwood 4.11 (35) Adelaide 19.11 (125) d Central 7.11 (53) Central 17.13 (115) d Norwood 10.7 (67) North 14.6 (90) d South 10.10 (70) Norwood 16.14 (110) d Sturt 15.6 (96) Not played South 15.11 (101) d North 8.10 (58) Glenelg 8.13 (61) d Sturt 6.9 (45)

2023

Central 12.10 (82) d Port 11.9 (75) sanfl.com.au

13

QUALIFYING FINAL 3:15PM SUNDAY 1 SEPTEMBER – ADELAIDE OVAL Broadcast: Live & free on Seven & 7plus | Live and on-demand on SANFL Now App www.AFL.com.au or the AFL Live Official App #SANFLDoubleBluesBulldogs

STURT

CENTRAL

COACH: Martin Mattner

COLOURS: Double Blue

COACH: Paul Thomas COLOURS: Red, White and Blue

No

PLAYER

AGE..... HT. . .... GP...... GK......G......... B

No

PLAYER

AGE..... HT. . .... GP...... GK......G......... B

1

Sam Conforti

22......173...... 18.......21......................

2

Tom Lewis

24......178......70.......15......................

4

Joel Thiele

26..... 184......80.......14......................

5

Joshua Hone

28......175.....185.... 233....................

6

Connor McFadyen

23......191......37...... 45......................

7

James Mathews

28......174......62.......61......................

8

Angus Anderson

3 4 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 15 16 19 20 21 23 24 25 26 28 29 30 31 32 33 35 38 42 43 47 59

Kai Pudney Leyton Chisholm Mani Liddy Kyle Presbury (C) Jai Larkins Zac Buechner George Kendall Jez McLennan Dayne Posthuma Billy Iles Adam Deakin Marcus Barreau Wilson Barry Tyson Richard Dyson Sharp Hugo Munn Ryan Pickering Oliver Shaw Brinn Little Nick Lange Isaiah Dudley Luca Whitelum Aiden Grace Kade Dittmar Rhett Montgomerie Jarrod Schiller (C) Anzac Lochowiak Harvey Howe Louie McLennan Beau Thomas

24......187......67........4.......................

24..... 194...... 18........5.......................

22..... 184......42........9.......................

27..... 182.....148......77......................

25..... 183......32.......10......................

26......191......42........3.......................

23..... 194......48........7.......................

23..... 184...... 41........2.......................

20.....200..... 10........0.......................

29......178...... 57........4.......................

20......191...... 10........1.......................

26..... 188......73...... 33......................

21.......187...... 18........6.......................

22..... 186....... 5.........3.......................

17...... 188....... 2.........1.......................

24......197......56.......41......................

21...... 199....... 9.........0.......................

23..... 189......52........9.......................

21...... 196......38........0.......................

26..... 186...... 61........76......................

21...... 168......25...... 29......................

21.......187......49...... 26......................

27..... 189......74......129.....................

21.......187...... 15.........0.......................

24..... 190......46........2.......................

32......176.....252.... 100.....................

23..... 183...... 15........ 11......................

19......203..... 10........0.......................

20..... 184....... 3.........0.......................

20..... 193...... 14........9.......................

21...... 189...... 17........10......................

13 Flynn Perez

23......187.......11.........1.......................

14 Will Snelling

27......175......84.......25......................

15 Luke Edmonds

26..... 194.....107.......0.......................

16 Jared Dakin

23......181...... 57.......17......................

17 Zac Becker

20..... 190...... 21.........1.......................

18 Daniel Fahey-Sparks

26..... 196......88...... 42......................

22 Will Coomblas

26..... 193......80........1.......................

23 James Battersby (C)

28......178.....213..... 45......................

25 Guy Page

30......177.....205......13......................

27 Charlie Fryer

20..... 190...... 19.........0.......................

30 Oliver Grivell

23..... 192......53...... 49......................

31 Lachlan Burrows

23......195......59...... 63......................

32 Rory Illman

25..... 180......73........3.......................

34 Casey Voss

23..... 182...... 91........14......................

35 Nick Sadler

20......179....... 5.........2.......................

36 Luke Giacometti

21...... 186......20........5.......................

39 Steven Slimming

26..... 182.....148......52......................

45 Amos Doyle

22......197......34........7.......................

Rushed ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

Rushed �����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

All figures on team sheets are official SANFL records for League games and goals.

LEAGUE STURT CENTRAL

1st

2nd

3rd

RD17 2024@ THOMAS FARMS OVAL Sturt 12.14 (86) d Central 8.4 (52)

4th

Points

LEAGUE UMPIRES

FIELD: David Sobieraj Sam Morgan Michael Sboro Zachery Packard (E)

RD6 2024 @ X CONVENIENCE OVAL Sturt 11.10 (76) d Central 6.5 (41)

BOUNDARY: Damian Robinson Dylan Speck Jake Creasey James Sutton

SF 2023 @ ADELAIDE OVAL Sturt 13.11 (89) d Central 8.9 (57)

Official General Insurance Partner 14

sanfl.com.au

GOAL: Matthew Williams Braden Ford Michael Button (E)

STAT CHATS – QUALIFYING FINAL

BY ROBERT LAIDLAW

There’s no more exciting small forward in the league than Sturt’s Josh Hone and if he has his kicking boots on, beware Bulldogs.

Central District skipper Jarrod Schiller celebrates as the Bulldogs beat Port Adelaide at Elizabeth to lock up a qualifying final spot.

Sturt will be hoping for third-time lucky after Central District triumphed in qualifying final thrillers against the Blues in 2008 and ’09.

In the only previous qualifying final match-ups between these sides Central won by three points in ’08 and six points in ’09. In the 2008 qualifying final, Sturt’s Brant Chambers kicked his 100th goal of the season, the second year in a row he topped the ton. It seemed like thousands of the crowd of 15,825 stormed onto the ground in wild celebrations for a stunning feat that has not been achieved since.

With just four wins from 15 qualifying finals, the Double Blues have one of the worst records but they have rebounded four times to make the grand final, winning the flag in 1976 and 2017. Over the past decade Sturt has played in five qualifying finals but only won once, against South in 2016, while last season the Blues lost to Adelaide before beating the Crows in the preliminary final.

The Bulldogs have not been in a qualifying final since losing to West in 2012, ending a run of four successive wins, against Port in 2000, North in 2006 and the two victories over Sturt. Previously Central had lost all five qualifying finals.

Port Adelaide has the most appearances (17) and wins (12) in qualifying finals, while West has a strong record of four wins from five games, including three from 2012-15.

Port kicked 23.17 to beat Central 9.16 in 1989 for the highest score, while in 1992 the Eagles rammed on 24.10 against North’s 7.10 for the biggest margin – 102 points.

The highest losing score was Sturt’s 16.17 against Glenelg (20.16) in 1976, with the Double Blues then going all the way to win the flag. Sturt also has the lowest score, with 6.4 in 2018, when it lost to the Eagles (8.13).

There have only been four qualifying finals decided by a kick or less – the two clashes between this year’s combatants, as well as Norwood’s four-point victory

over Sturt in 1983 and the Blues’ six-point win over North in 1973.

There have been 19 qualifying final victors go on to win the premiership, while four times the loser has rebounded to win the flag – Sturt in 1976 and 2017, the Eagles in 2011 and Norwood in 2022. The qualifying final combatants have met in the grand final three times – Port and South in 1979, Central and Sturt in 2009 and Port and Sturt in 2017.

QUALIFYING FINALS RECORDS TEAM

P

W

L

HS

LS

ADELAIDE 3 2 1 18.9 8.7 CENTRAL 10 4 6 22.11 8.8 GLENELG 12 7 5 21.13 5.9 Sturt’s Abe up forward.

NORTH 6 Davis2is a danger 4 15.14 7.10 NORWOOD 16 8 8 17.12 7.8 PORT 17 12 5 23.17 6.5 SOUTH 3 3 15.9 7.9 STURT 15 4 11 16.23 6.4 WEST 5 4 1 14.5 10.10 EAGLES 11 6 5 24.10 8.5 [HS – highest score, LS – lowest score] PAST 10 QUALIFYING FINALS 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

West 14.5 (89) d Eagles 11.16 (82) Norwood 10.6 (66) d Sturt 8.9 (57) West 10.10 (70) d Port 6.5 (41) Sturt 11.12 (78) d South 7.9 (51) Port 13.11 (89) d Sturt 11.8 (74) Eagles 8.13 (61) d Sturt 6.4 (40) Port 12.13 (85) d Adelaide 8.7 (55) Not played Eagles 8.9 (57) d Norwood 7.8 (50) Adelaide 18.9 (117) d Norwood 9.8 (62)

2023

Adelaide 11.9 (75) d Sturt 10.8 (68) sanfl.com.au

15

STEP BACK IN TIME Scott Salisbury only regrets three incidents in his career. One of them, a crude tackle on Greg Anderson, had a post script that endured well beyond the final siren of the 1986 qualifying final. It penned a new chapter in the boiling rivalry between Port Adelaide and Glenelg.

So often the victim, Glenelg this time played the aggressor and victor, steeled by the ruthless enforcers who led them to back-toback premierships. Among them was Salisbury, who had a profound impact on the game at the 17-minute-mark of the first quarter with Glenelg leading 2.3 to 1.2.

The 20-year-old Port centreman had already had six kicks and swept up the ball on the half-back boundary when in an attempt to tackle, the inside of Salisbury’s arm cannoned into Anderson’s neck. The momentum forced Anderson across the boundary line where he was knocked out when his head hit the turf. “I regret hitting Ando and doing that to him,” Salisbury said. “There was a whole lot of chat around that I was sent out to take him out and it was planned before the game which is absolute rubbish.” The aggressive defender conceded “it wasn’t pretty” but said a KO was not his intent. “I didn’t plan it, didn’t really mean to do it either but it probably helped us win the game.”

Anderson has no recollection of the incident. “I never saw it until about 20 years later,” he said. “I came across it on Facebook and I thought, ‘wow, that was a big hit’. But, yeah, I played the next week, which is quite astonishing. Whether that was a little bit crazy or not I’m not sure but we just didn’t know back then what we know now.”

Salisbury didn’t have to wait long for retribution as the irate Magpies went about squaring the ledger as the Tigers stretched their lead. It began just 40 seconds after Anderson left the field on a stretcher, courtesy of Port’s captain in an incident later highlighted by Lawrie McCauley in The News.

“I don’t really remember it but I can see it on the video,” Salisbury said.

16

sanfl.com.au

SALISBURY’S REGRET

BY DION HAYMAN

A Footy Budget poster of Scott Salisbury on the rebound.

Glenelg defender Scott Salisbury was always happy to sign autographs after a tough afternoon at the office.

Magarey Medallist Greg Anderson in the thick of it for the Magpies.

Port Adelaide’s Greg Anderson and Glenelg’s Peter Carey, opposed in the 1986 qualifying final at Football Park, deliver the premiership cup to Adelaide Oval before the 2019 grand final. Photo: Sarah Reed

“Russell Johnston just stood alongside me and hooked me. It put me in fairyland for a while but that was what footy was in those days.

He was lucky he got away with it.”

Salisbury, too, was fortunate to escape sanction although both field umpires saw the incident and neither deemed it reportable. That task fell to umpires’ official Fred Bear, who laid a charge of unduly rough play after a video review. “I thought I had an argument because I felt I hit him in the shoulder,” Salisbury said. “But when you watch the video, I was probably thinking, ‘I’m gone’. I was lucky to get off.”

Brian Martin QC found Salisbury not guilty, agreeing his intent was not to injure Anderson, declaring an “attempted hard and fair tackle that in the speed of the moment ended up being around the neck is not unduly rough play”. Moments later, Salisbury gave evidence to help acquit Port’s Dale Laube of a similar charge from the same incident.

Two days after the game, Anderson, still suffering the lingering effects of concussion, won the Magarey Medal. He now sees a silver lining in his clash with Salisbury. “Some things are hard and you have to pick yourself up off the ground but I look back now and I think, ‘my God, because of that, I’ve gone to the Magarey Medal with Russell Ebert’,” Anderson said. “One of the greatest things for me is Russell Ebert picked me up. There are little things like that in life after you’ve played your career and you just pinch yourself.

Russell Ebert, who’s got a statue outside the front of Adelaide Oval,

has picked me up and taken me to the Magarey Medal and dropped me back home and I celebrated with him. Just unbelievable to have that story as part of my life. Like all Port supporters growing up, he was my superhero.”

Anderson and Salisbury played in State teams together and have crossed paths occasionally in the building industry. But never have they spoken about 1986. “I’ve shared a few beers with him,” Anderson said. “I just think we probably both didn’t need to talk about it. We knew it happened, you shake hands and you get on with it.

Sometimes I wish he wasn’t a nice bloke so you could just hate him but he’s a really nice bloke.”

Salisbury said his other two regrets were an elbow to Sturt rover Jim Derrington’s jaw at the Bay in 1985 and the infamous hit on Woodville’s Richard Champion in the 1990 Foundation Cup grand final.

“A couple of our really young blokes were getting roughed up and I probably made a mountain out of a molehill. The emotion and frustration got hold of me. There was an opportunity for me to run into him and I shouldn’t have done it. You’ve just got those couple of seconds and you make a mistake and you can regret it forever.

Although, I thought seven games (suspended) was a bit rich.”

Salisbury’s apologies end there.

“Some of the other blokes I’ve hit I’ve really enjoyed,” he smirked. “You could stand toe-to-toe with Bomber Clifford and he’d just walk away and shrug his shoulders.

Garry McIntosh was the same. But it was a physical contest back then that a lot of us took on board.”

Off the field, Salisbury is nothing like his on-field persona. “My Little Lamb” screamed The News headline after the Anderson tribunal, quoting Salisbury’s then girlfriend. He said his white-line fever probably came from his “very stubborn” mum and his determination to develop some unique attributes in his game. “I tried to make it at Glenelg for three years so I had to do something a bit different,” he said. “It was probably one of my better skills for want of a better word that I could intimidate people, even though I was only 5ft, 9in. I was really aggressive at the ball and the player but not deliberately intending to really hurt somebody. While I perhaps did a lot for the club at the time, it’s nothing I want to remember about how I played. Unfortunately, that’s how the public remembers me and I’ve just gotta put up with it.”

Salisbury’s action ignited no shortage of spot fires in that 1986 qualifying final. Port recovered to lead by eight points into time-on of the second term but two clutch goals late in the quarter set Glenelg up for what was an emphatic win.

Alan Stringer finished the day with a broken nose and ripped shorts, looking every bit the warrior. Tony Symonds drop kicked the final goal from the goalsquare in a nod to Ross Gibbs’ outrageous kick-out late in the 1985 decider. Three weeks later, Glenelg upset North in the grand final and was crowned premier again. sanfl.com.au

17

WIN

A SANFL GRAND FINAL EXPERIENCE IN THE WEST END CORPORATE BOX HOSTED BY TONY MODRA FOR YOU AND 3 MATES! 4 TO BE WON.

In 25 words or less, tell us your favourite moment from West End’s 70 Year Partnership with SANFL. ENTER HERE

18+ ONLY. TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY.

HISTOR

ICONIC MEMORY

BY PETER ARGENT

Here’s a part of South Australia’s football history holding on to an iconic slice of our great sporting heritage.

Basil Jaggard played on a halfforward flank in Port Adelaide’s 1954 grand final win against West Adelaide, the year the colours of the premiership team were first painted on top of the West End brewery chimney – originally in Hindley St – in what has become one of sport’s most celebrated traditions.

Here is the 91-year-old at Alberton holding on to the Magpies’ chimney replica, in the year SANFL and West End are proudly celebrating their remarkable 70-year partnership.

At the suggestion of Port captaincoach Fos Williams in 1954, the runner-up would also have its colours on the chimney – just below the winners. “Yes, I was at that initial chimney painting,” Jaggard recalled.

“That was a long time ago. ‘Mots’ (Geof Motley) and I would joke with Fos that he only let the West Adelaide colours be painted on the chimney because that was where he came from.

“Naturally, it was a privilege to play for Port Adelaide during that special era. It was an honour to don the Port Adelaide guernsey. We enjoyed a lot of success and Fos was uncompromising in his desire to win.”

Jaggard and Motley were close friends from the start, entering league football under Williams within a year of each other in 195253 and remaining close until Motley sadly passed away last September.

“Mots and I were good mates across our entire lives,” Jaggard said. “Like all young men we had a bit of fun.

We would train hard and often run together at the beach. We caught up with him last year before he passed and we got him to laugh a little.”

From the Port Adelaide side of the Henley Beach railway line in the beachside suburb of Grange, Jaggard had been a member of the Magpies outfit that narrowly lost the 1953 grand final to West Torrens. This was a catalyst for a stunningly successful era which shaped Port Adelaide’s creed and traditions, reaping the next six premierships in succession. But it wasn’t easy. The 1954 grand final has been etched in SANFL folklore as, just before halftime, with West looking in control, Bloods centre half-back Brian Faeshe cleaned up Dave Boyd in a brutal physical clash. A skirmish followed along with the half-time bell. “I remember it took us forever to get back through the crowd,” Jaggard said. “By the time we got through the spectators to the

changerooms it was time to come back out. There was plenty of pushing and shoving and spectators involved. After that grand final they built an underground tunnel for players to enter onto Adelaide Oval.”

Jaggard said, “after losing to Torrens the previous season, it was important to get over the line in this grand final” and the Magpies came from 25 points down at half-time to beat West by three points, earning the colours on top of the chimney.

Jaggard, who debuted when he was still a teenager, played 98 league games, kicking 124 goals and also represented SA at State level.

Between injury setbacks, which included a broken jaw, he played a variety of roles across half-forward, on a wing, or as a rover and occasionally in the centre, noted for his speed and strong skill set. He was 19th man in Port’s 1958 grand final win, also against West and also by less than a kick. sanfl.com.au

19

SANFL

MEN ’ S

LEAG UE

ROUND 19 WINNER

BREAKTHROUGH PLAYER

MILESTONES

BEN RIDGWAY

ZAC BUCK EAGLES

G LENELG

The 19-year-old midfielder added to his strong month in league ranks by using the ball nicely with his 17 disposals, four marks and four clearances against South Adelaide.

50 GAMES LUCA WHITELUM CENTRAL

50 GAMES

WATCH HIGHLIGHTS 

COLES MINI LEAGUERS OF THE WEEK Harrison Casserly

Ivy Flannagan Favourite SANFL team?

What do you want to be when you are older?

Glenelg

AFLW player

Favourite SANFL player? Lachlan Hosie

What is the best thing about playing footy?

Making friends and tackling

What do you want to be when you are older?

What would you do with $1 million?

A professional athlete

What is the best thing about playing footy?

Which SANFL match are you attending?

Glenelg v Eagles

Your local football club? PHOS Camden

Playing with friends and learning new skills

What do you like doing when you’re not playing footy?

I love playing basketball

What position do you The best piece of play on the footy field? advice given by your coach? Keep your feet Midfield

20

sanfl.com.au

Get makeup from Mecca

Which SANFL match are you attending?

Sturt v Central

What do you like doing when you’re not playing footy?

Playing netball and going

Your local football shopping in Mecca club? Glenunga Rams The best piece of What position do you advice given by play on the footy field? your coach? After Midfield

taking a mark make

Favourite SANFL team? sure you go back before Adelaide

you kick the ball

SANFL game development participation officer Finn Reed with Auskickers George Pratt, Archie Wigley, Gus Wigley and Harry Downer. Photo: Sarah Reed

AUSKICK-ING AHEAD South Australia is helping drive national all-time high AFL participation numbers, breaking an NAB AFL Auskick participation record set only last year.

NAB AFL Auskick, which introduces kids from five years of age to footy in a weekly fun skills-based program, together with a new NAB AFL Superkick initiative, is helping fuel increased participation across SA. Auskick registrations in SA have reached a record 11,887, eclipsing last year’s benchmark of 11,866 which was the highest since 2019.

With registrations tracking nine per cent higher than at the same time last year, the 2024 NAB AFL Auskick record is expected to climb to well beyond 12,000 by the end of the year.

SANFL, which is responsible for delivering the NAB AFL Auskick program in SA, also has established more than 100 all-girls Auskick centres, helping drive female registrations for the program by 12 per cent year-on-year. The growth of NAB AFL Auskick in SA, together with the introduction this year of

the NAB AFL Superkick program and continued efforts by SANFL and AFL to grow the game locally, has seen overall footy participation numbers, including player registrations, reach more than 64,000.

Specifically designed for children aged 7-12, Superkick attracted more than 600 registrations in its first few weeks in SA, with that figure expected to double by the end of the year.

“This is a huge achievement for SANFL, the AFL and footy in South Australia,” SANFL executive general manager football Matt Duldig said.

“It really does paint a bright picture for the future of footy in South Australia, with more young Auskickers, and now Superkick participants, playing footy than ever before.

“To see a continuing rise in the number of young girls pulling on the boots at Auskick, as well as the opportunity for kids with disability to get involved through programs like Wheelchair Auskick, shows our game can be enjoyed by everyone.

These entry level programs and providing more ways to play for young boys and girls are also extremely important to ensure our community club football participation continues to thrive right across the State.”

AFL executive general manager of game development Rob Auld said he was delighted so many people are connecting with Australian Rules Football and actively participating in the game. “We’re incredibly proud and humbled more than half-a-million Australians are actively involved in footy and love our game,” he said. “From traditional ways to play such as NAB AFL Auskick and community footy, to the introduction of NAB AFL Superkick and drive to expand AFL Nines, we want to ensure we’re providing the best experiences and opportunities, so our game is open and accessible for everyone. It’s pleasing to see numbers remain strong and continue to grow in our footy heartland, especially South Australia.”

Making our mark.

sanfl.com.au

21

SEASON STANDINGS 2024 2024 HOSTPLUS SANFL MEN’S LEAGUE 2024 STANLEY H. LEWIS TROPHY

(POSITIONS AT THE END OF RD 19)

Team

P W L

D

F

A

%

Pts

Norwood

18 15 3

0 1491 948

61.13

30

Sturt

18 15 3

0 1340 896 59.93 30

Central

18 12 6

0 1267 1146 52.51 24

Glenelg

18 11

0 1426 1186 54.59 22

Eagles

18 8 10 0 1383 1288 51.78

16

Adelaide

R

U18

U16

W

1500 625

650

325

700 3800

Glenelg

1100

600

700

250

950 3600

Central

1200 325

700

275

900 3400

Norwood

1500 700

150

50

750

South

400

475

200

300

1100 2475

18 8 10 0 1290 1315 49.52 16

Eagles

800

450

500

100

400 2250

North

18 8 10 0 1306 1402 48.23 16

North

800

350

450

300

200

2100

West

18 5 13 0 1109 1433 43.63 10

West

500

75

250

100

600

1525

South

18 4 14 0 1080 1558 40.94

8

Adelaide

800

0

0

0

0

800

Port

18 4 14 0 1078 1598 40.28

8

Port

400

0

0

0

0

400

F

7

2024 HOSTPLUS SANFL WOMEN’S LEAGUE

Sturt

M

3150

(POSITIONS AT THE END OF RD 19)

P W L

D

F

A

%

A

%

Pts

South

14 11 3

0

551

288 65.67

22

Norwood 18 14 4

0 1295 934

58.1

28

Glenelg

14 9

4

1

486

485 50.05

19

Sturt

18 12 5

1 1324 997

57.04

25

Central

14 9

5

0

578

554

18

Glenelg

18 12 6

0 1336 1029 56.49

24

Norwood 14 7

6

1

501

376

57.13

15

South

18 9

8

1

977 1224 44.39

19

Sturt

14 7

7

0

490

507

49.15

14

Eagles

18 9

9

0

1175 1125 51.09

18

West

14 6

8

0

433

474

47.74

12

North

18 7

11 0 1193 1315

47.57

14

Eagles

14 4 10 0

430

479

47.3

8

Central

18 6 11

1

1079 1232 46.69

13

North

14 2 12 0

272

578

32

4

West

18 1 16 1

805 1328 37.74

3

51.06

Pts

2024 SANFL U18s Team

Team

P W L

D

2024 SANFL U16s

(POSITIONS AT THE END OF RD 18)

P W L

D

(POSITIONS AT THE END OF RD 17)

F

A

%

Pts

Team

P W L

D

F

A

%

Pts

Glenelg

18 14 4

0 1483 944

61.1

28

Sturt

17 13 4

0 1456 793

64.74

26

Central

18 14 4

0 1403 1078 56.55

28

South

17 12 5

0 1395 866

61.7

24

Sturt

18 13 5

0 1239 1070 53.66

26

North

17 12 5

0 1281

977

56.73

24

Eagles

18 10 8

0

54.16

20

Central

17 11 6

0 1282 909

58.51

22

North

18 9

0 1231 1264 49.34

18

Glenelg

17 10 7

0 1256 1089 53.56

20

West

18 5 13 0

986 1478 40.02

10

Eagles

17 4 13 0

889 1265 41.27

8

South

18 4 14 0 1091 1373 44.28

8

West

17 4 13 0

797

1321 37.63

8

Norwood

18 3 15 0

6

Norwood

17 2 15 0

660 1796 26.87

4

9

1315

1113

994 1422 41.14

LAST ROUND’S RESULTS

SANFL HOSTPLUS MEN’S LEAGUE ROUND 19

RESERVES ROUND 19

Glenelg v South (Stratarama Stadium) Glenelg 21.22 (148) d South 3.12 (30) Crowd: 2787

North v West (Prospect Oval) North 17.7 (109) d West 13.14 (92) Crowd: 1925

Central v Port (X Convenience Oval) Central 15.14 (104) d Port 5.6 (36) Crowd: 2508

Sturt v Adelaide (Thomas Farms Oval) Sturt 7.18 (60) d Adelaide 5.16 (46) Crowd: 4147

Sturt 12.11 (83) d Central 12.10 (82) South 12.8 (80) d Glenelg 10.11 (71) Eagles 11.8 (74) d Norwood 8.11 (59) North 13.10 (88) d West 7.8 (50)

Eagles v Norwood (Maughan Thiem Kia Oval) Norwood 19.8 (122) d Eagles 6.11 (47) Crowd: 2267 22

Total

2024 RESERVES

(POSITIONS AT THE END OF RD 14)

Team

Team

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THE ROAD AHEAD ROUND 1 Easter Weekend

Norwood 11.11 (77) d Sturt 7.8 (50) Central 14.9 (93) d North 9.12 (66) Adelaide 13.18 (96) d South 14.7 (91) Eagles 20.13 (133) d West 10.9 (69) Glenelg 23.12 (150) d Port 13.6 (84)

AFL GATHER ROUND

ROUND 6

Norwood 10.12 (72) d Adelaide 7.12 (54) Sturt 11.10 (76) d Central 6.5 (41) North 18.11 (119) d Port 5.5 (35) Eagles 11.11 (77) d South 11.6 (72) Glenelg 10.10 (70) d West 6.7 (43)

ROUND 11

Norwood 18.14 (122) d Port 5.9 (39) Sturt 10.15 (75) d North 9.9 (63) Glenelg 16.12 (108) d West 8.8 (56)

KIA STATE GAME

ROUND 16

Glenelg 11.15 (81) d Norwood 6.11 (47) Central 12.2 (74) d North 9.8 (62) Sturt 9.14 (68) d Port 6.9 (45) South 10.11 (71) d West 7.8 (50) Adelaide 11.10 (76) d Eagles 8.12 (60)

BYE WEEKEND

SANFL 10.5 (65) d VFL 7.9 (51)

Sunday 19 May SANFL 16.13 (109) d WAFL 5.16(46)

ROUND 2

ROUND 7 First Nations Rounds

ROUND 12

ROUND 17

ROUND 3

ROUND 8 First Nations Rounds

ROUND 13

ROUND 18

Adelaide 11.9 (75) d Central 5.9 (39) Sturt 11.9 (75) d South 7.12 (54) Glenelg 9.13 (67) d Eagles 8.7 (55) Norwood 17.13 (115) d West 6.5 (41) Port 13.8 (86) d North 8.9 (57)

Norwood 18.10 (118) d North 9.9 (63) Central 6.9 (45) d Glenelg 6.8 (44) Eagles 17.16 (118) d South 9.7 (61) Sturt 13.11 (89) d West 4.8 (32) Adelaide 19.10 (124) d Port 6.11 (47)

ROUND 4 Anzac Weekend

ROUND 9 King’s Birthday Weekend

ROUND 14

ROUND 19

ROUND 5

ROUND 10

ROUND 15

FINALS

Norwood 10.11 (71) d Glenelg 7.5 (47) Eagles 21.12 (138) d North 7.4 (46) Central 15.7 (97) d Adelaide 5.12 (42) West 12.11 (83) d Port 11.13 (79) Sturt 16.9 (105) d South 5.10 (40)

Central 14.9 (93) d South 10.7 (67) North 10.3 (63) d Sturt 8.9 (57) Glenelg 16.10 (106) d Adelaide 10.8 (68) Norwood 6.14 (50) d West 5.7 (37) Eagles 12.11 (83) d Port 8.9 (57)

Sturt 11.16 (82) d Glenelg 6.8 (44) West 17.10 (112) d South 6.9 (45) Central 14.6 (90) d Eagles 11.9 (75) North 12.12 (84) d Adelaide 10.8 (68) Norwood 8.13 (61) d Port 6.7 (43)

Adelaide 16.7 (103) d Port 8.14 (62) Norwood 10.7 (67) d North 8.11 (59) Central 9.12 (66) d West 6.9 (45) Glenelg 9.16 (70) d South 6.7 (43) Eagles 12.11 (83) d Sturt 11.9 (75)

West 13.9 (87) d North 8.8 (56) Norwood 16.11 (107) d Central 8.9 (57) South 17.15 (117) d Yartapuulti 7.2 (44) Sturt 15.12 (102) d Kuwarna 6.5 (41) Glenelg 11.12 (78) d Eagles 10.7 (67)

Sturt 6.15 (51) d Yartapuulti 4.3 (27) Glenelg 11.12 (78) d Central 10.11 (71) West 11.8 (74) d Kuwarna 7.12 (54) North 14.10 (94) d South 8.8 (56) Eagles 15.9 (99) d Norwood 8.12 (60)

South 8.14 (62) d Adelaide 8.7 (55) Central 8.12 (60) d Eagles 7.12 (54) Glenelg 12.12 (84) d North10.12 (72) Sturt 9.11 (65) d Norwood 5.7 (37)

Weekend of Saturday 3 August Central 12.6 (78) d Port 7.11 (53) North 8.15 (63) d Eagles 6.4 (40) Sturt 10.10 (70) d West 3.7 (25) Adelaide 15.6 (96) d Glenelg 7.15 (57) Norwood 9.16 (70) d South 4.7 (31)

Norwood 14.18 (102) d Adelaide 5.9 (39) Port 9.7 (61) d Glenelg 6.11 (47) Sturt 8.14 (62) d Eagles 8.6 (54) Central 11.5 (71) d West 10.5 (65) North 9.18 (72) d South 10.4 (64)

Central 14.8 (92) d South 4.5 (29) Norwood 12.14 (86) d Central 6.8 (44) Port 15.7 (97) d West 10.17 (77) West 12.6 (78) d Eagles 5.9 (39) Eagles 15.12 (102) d Adelaide7.7 (49) Adelaide 14.9 (93) d North 7.13 (55) Sturt 14.8 (92) d Glenelg 10.12 (72) South 14.11 (95) d Port 12.8 (80)

Legend

Norwood 16.11 (107) d South 7.10 (52) North 16.7 (103) d Glenelg 10.15 (75) Sturt 12.14 (86) d Central 8.4 (52) Adelaide 17.9 (111) d West 6.7 (43) Port 15.13 (103) d Eagles 8.11 (59)

Glenelg 21.22 (148) d South 3.12 (30) Central 15.14 (104) d Port 5.6 (36) Norwood 19.8 (122) d Eagles 6.11 (47) North 17.7 (109) d West 13.14 (92) Sturt 7.18 (60) d Adelaide 5.16 (46)

Sunday 1 September Elim. & Qual. Final

AO

Sunday 8 September Semi Final 1 & 2

AO

Sunday 15 September Preliminary Final

AO

Sunday 22 September Grand Final

AO

Key: Bold = home team

A - Alberton Oval, AO - Adelaide Oval, CO – Centenary Oval, CS – Coopers Stadium, Norwood, FUS – Flinders University Stadium, Noarlunga, HS – Hisense Stadium, Richmond, JP – Johnstone Park, MTKO – Maughan Thiem Kia Oval, Woodville, PO - Prospect Oval, R – Riverland, VH – Victor Harbor, SS – Stratarama Stadium, Glenelg, XCO – X Convenience Oval, Elizabeth Oval, TFO – Thomas Farms Oval, Unley

PUBLISHER

EDITOR Peter Cornwall

PHOTOGRAPHY Cory Sutton & David Mariuz

P (08) 8233 9433 W boylen.com.au

MEDIA CO-ORDINATOR Zac Milbank zac.milbank@sanfl.com.au

COVER

BACK COPIES | FOOTBALL & CORPORATE OPERATIONS P (08) 8424 2200 E admin@sanfl.com.au

DESIGN Henry Rivera & Patrycja Whipp

It’s Adelaide Oval, it’s finals time and there is one prize on the line.

Photo: David Mariuz

sanfl.com.au

23

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