Australian Football

Match Report

We are now down to just one match for the 2009 Season. Next week... its the 2009 SANFL Grand Final, where the Bulldogs have already taken their place to register their 10th successive premiership playoff. This past weekend though was the match to determine their opponent in the chase for the flag and the Thomas Seymour-Hill Trophy. With the AFL season drawing the a close on the same weekend, the focus of many SA footy-heads would now be on who gets their shot at SA football glory.

Both teams playing this match had both tasted bitter defeat at the hands of Central District in the 2009 finals. Sturt were the first team to go down, beaten by a goal in a closely fought Qualifying Final. Glenelg were next on the Bulldog hit-list, the Tigers sustaining an almost demoralising two point loss in the 2nd Semi-Final. After the Blues eliminated the Eagles in the 1st Semi-Final, they would find themselves up against the Tigers here in this last shot at a Grand Final berth. In the last match-up between these sides, the Tigers conquered Unley turf in Round 21 with a four-goal win. The season opener and Round 12 encounters brought more embarrassing results at the Bay and Adelaide Oval respectively. A disappointing turnout of just under 8200 would front up at AAMI Stadium, perhaps reflecting the pull of the footballing spectacle in Melbourne the day before or those still drowning their sorrows or celebrating victory.

The Blues record against the Tigers in 2009 didn't look like improving early on in the piece, a record that stretches back to early 2007. The Tigers would take the quarter-time lead and keep Sturt scoreless, but kicked just 2.3 to lead by 15 points at the first change. The Blues kicked more truly in the second term as they kicked 5.2 to the Tigers' wasteful 2.4 to take over the lead, a single point the difference at the half-time break. More wasted chances for the Tigers would start to cost them dearly when play restarted for the second half, the Blues beginning to exercise control on the match as they stretched their lead to eight points at three quarter-time after they kicked 3.3 to 2.3 in that third term. The final quarter was a low-scoring term, an arm-wrestling match at best as both sides struggled to find goals. Glenelg started to find more of the ball at stoppages, but as was the story for most of their game, many chances would go begging and 1.3 against Sturt's 1.1 would not be enough to prevent the minor premiers going out in straight sets. The Blues booked their Grand Final spot with a five point win, setting up a 2002 replay against the Bulldogs. Sure-fire AFL prospect Jack Trengove was named best for Sturt, while the Tigers named James Sellar as their standout.

FINAL SCORES IN WEEK THREE OF THE SANFL FINALS

Sunday September 27
Preliminary Final
Sturt 9.6 (60)
Glenelg 7.13 (55)
8,184 @ AAMI Stadium

INJURIES
Sturt -- Thurstans (knee), McLeay (thigh)
Glenelg -- Mules (ankle)