Australian Football

Round 22

Premiership season 2005 - Round 22 Review

Total Crowd 11,121 (Avg 2,780)

In two weeks, five SANFL clubs will contest for premiership glory. With one round to go for the minor season, the final five has already been decided. As for the other four, all they can do now is play for whatever pride is left. The Bulldogs and the Eagles are in a deadlock at the moment, both tied on 28 points a piece with the reigning premiers holding the top spot. Both have games against sides that caused problems for them earlier in the year. The Dogs want that week off for the first major round, after all, their last bye was in Round 15!

So lets see how the weekend went in this edition of the SANFL Wrap-Up for Round 22...

On Saturday afternoon, it was over to Richmond as the Bloods hosted the Eagles. It has been a sad and sorry year for the Westies mob, and the Eagles weren't about to let it get any better. They blew the game open early, kicking 10.4 to West's 3.1 in the first term. The visitors slowed it down a little for the second term, adding 4.1 to their score while West added 3.3. At the long break, it was the Eagles by 49 points. The punishment resumed for the third quarter, they missed more shots in this term adding 6.8 to their score while keeping West to two behinds. The Eagles ran out of steam in the final term, but still managed 3.4 to 2.1. Wayne Weidemann has a big job ahead of him for next year, his side going down by 100 points.

Over at the Bay, the Double Blues headed over to play the Tigers. The Blues had a lot to fight for, they were clinging to fifth spot by a thread. But any doubt about Sturt's power was thrown out the window as they powered off to a four goal lead at the end of the first term, kicking 8.1 to 4.1. Glenelg reduced that lead to 19 points before half time, bagging 4.1 to Sturt's 3.2. The Tigers fell backward again when play resumed in the third quarter, the visitors kicked 6.1 to Glenelg's four goals, once again widening the gap out to 32 points. The Bays just couldn't close in on the Blues after that, 3.4 to Sturt's 4.3 saw the home side go down by 37 points.

The ABC Match of the Day had the cameras head over to the neutral turf of Adelaide Oval, a northern derby between 1st and 3rd placed Bulldogs and Roosters. In a day marred by poor umpiring, a spirited first term started things off for the afternoon, the Dogs taking out a nine point lead at the first change. The current champs then ran rampant, holding the Roosters to 1.4 whilst adding 5.5 to their own tally in the second quarter. After the long break, Centrals remained in control, but more poor shots on goal allowed North to mount an attack. After adding 4.4 to 3.1 in the third term, the Dogs where then held to 1.5 in the final quarter. But North's 4.2 wasn't enough to steal the win, the Dogs still won by 28 points. Danny Schell climbed and stumbled back to the top of the goalkicker's ladder, he kicked 5.8 for the day.

On Sunday afternoon, SA's original football rivals in Port Adelaide and Norwood went into battle at Alberton Oval. The Redlegs had already secured the Williams-Gallagher Trophy earlier, but for the Magpies it was all about keeping their spot on the ladder. The Pies started things off by taking a quarter time lead of 14 points, 5.3 to Norwood's 3.1. The lead changed hands before the long break, Port added 1.4 to their score while the visitors booted 5.3 to lead by nine points at half time. Norwood had a horrible third quarter, they were kept to three behinds while the home team bagged 6.5 to be ahead by 29 points at the last change. Port ran away with it in the final quarter, kicking 6.3 to 5.1 to win by 37 points. That loss effectively ended the Redlegs season, even with a win next week and a Blues loss, they will not enter the five.

Final scores from Round 22 of the SANFL...

Saturday August 27
Woodville-West Torrens 23.17 (155)
West Adelaide 8.7 (55)
Crowd: 1,378 at Broadspectrum Oval, Richmond

Sturt 21.7 (133)
Glenelg 15.6 (96)
Crowd: 2,457 at Glenelg Oval

Central District 15.20 (110)
North Adelaide 12.10 (82)
Crowd: 2,408 at Adelaide Oval

Sunday August 28
Port Adelaide 18.15 (123)
Norwood 13.8 (86)
Crowd: 4,878 at Alberton Oval

South Adelaide had the bye.

Injuries
Central -- Hopwood (calf), Cowan (hamstring).
North -- Ladhams (shoulder).
Sturt -- Thomson (thigh).
Glenelg -- Sherwood (hamstring), Herbert (knee).
West -- Fisher (shoulder).
Port -- J. Clayton (kicked shin), Fitzgerald (knee), Stevens (shoulder).
Norwood -- Dawes (hamstring).

Reports
Central -- Slade (striking).


Next week, its Round 23... the final home and away fixtures to be played out. Two games are still to be arranged around the AFL finals. The Bulldogs have to win this week against Glenelg to secure the minor premiership and a week off, the Eagles are hoping that doesn't happen as well as a win against South. Sturt is home free for finals football but a win against West would be icing on the cake, and things wont be very neighbourly between the Redlegs and the Roosters!

Saturday September 3
South Adelaide v. Woodville-West Torrens; Noarlunga Oval
Central District v. Glenelg; NAP Oval, Elizabeth

Subject to AFL Finals schedule
Sturt v. West Adelaide; Unley Oval
Norwood v. North Adelaide; Adelaide Oval

Port Adelaide have the bye.

So until next weekend... see you at the Footy!

R-22, Ladder