Australian Football

Finals, Week 1

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QF

Premiership season 2006 - Finals, Week 1 Review

Total Crowd 23,804 (Avg 11,902)

Finals footy has begun in the SANFL and it has taken its first casualty. One team has joined the other four teams in finals exile for 2006 and it came as a rude shock for many SA footy-heads. A nice sized crowd assembled at Adelaide Oval last Sunday, but despite the fact that there was no Adelaide Crows finals on in SA it was still far from satisfactory to many SA football traditionalists. And they are right. Where are all those people? Do they not give a damn about the competition from where their AFL teams sprang from? Thank you Andrew Jarman for highlighting this.

Welcome to the SANFL weekly Wrap-Up.

First up it was the Elimination Final encounter between the Panthers and the Magpies. Some sense of deja vu could be felt at Adelaide Oval this day, these two sides squared off in the season decider almost 30 years ago with Port coming up trumps. The Panthers had not tasted a finals victory in 16 years, their last win was in the elimination final of 1990 against the Redlegs. The weather was absolutely perfect for footy, but trigger happy umpiring threatened South Adelaide's day as the Magpies started off proceedings with a one goal lead at quarter time. That lead was extended to four goals by half time, the physical pressure by the Magpies along with the slick skills of Ivan Maric (17 disposals and 19 hit-outs) and Jeremy Clayton (34 possessions) seemed to put Port in the drivers seat.

But when play resumed after the long break, whatever was said in the South changerooms must have had an effect. The Panthers came back onto the field with real hunger. It wouldn't be long until the Panthers dominated the ball-up clearances, whatever Port's game plan that worked in the first half, was starting to unravel. Thanks to men like Stephen Kenna and Alwyn Davey, South's 6.3 to Port's 3.1 saw the Panthers close to within a goal of the lead at three-quarter time and it didn't stop there. A further 5.3 to Port's 2.1 would end the Magpie dream, as the Panthers proceeded to next week's first semi-final with their stirring 16 point win. Jarrad Wright was named best for South, while Port named Jeremy Clayton as their best. South will regain Damian Cupido from suspension next week, but will lightning strike again with Craig Parry? See you next year Port Adelaide.

The Qualifying Final was up next, the Roosters voted as favourites to topple the third placed Bulldogs. Its been a long time between drinks for the North Adelaide mob, the groggies and the other loyal red and white fans not seeing a premiership since 1991. On the other hand the Bulldogs are in the middle of what is hoped to be a decade of dominance. Centrals seemed a little underdone this year after losing several of their star players, but all their rivals always said beware of the finals switch that the Dogs have. Having several star players out for North -- Steven Koops, Danny Hargraves and Chris Ladhams -- would not help the Rooster cause, who at quarter time would be down by 11 points. The Dogs were definitely not troubled with injuries, the new recruits of 2006 in Chad O'Sullivan and Adrian Wilson making real trouble for their North Adelaide opponents. At half time, the Dogs would be ahead by 26 points, which could have been bigger had they been more accurate -- 4.7 to 2.4 -- in the second term.

The devastating punch was yet to come, after the long break the Bulldogs were unleashed and away as they kicked 7.6 to 3.1 in the third term, setting up a nine goal lead by the final change. Daniel Schell, Leigh Westhoff and Luke McCabe were all handy at goal there, Schell having one of his good days with his five goal tally for the day. The Dogs relaxed it a bit in the final term, the Roosters' 6.1 was not enough to bridge the gap in the final term. The Dogs did enough in the last quarter to secure an encounter with the Eagles next weekend to win by 38 points. Has the Bulldog machine got enough to tackle the minor premier? Probably!!! Chad O'Sullivan was the stat star for the match and was Central's best afield, while Matthew Krieg was voted North's best.

FINAL SCORES FROM SANFL FINALS WEEK ONE

Sunday September 17
Elimination Final
South Adelaide 18.12 (120)
Port Adelaide 16.8 (104)

Qualifying Final
Central District 18.16 (124)
North Adelaide 13.8 (86)
11,902 @ Adelaide Oval


Injuries
South -- Clarke (calf)
Central -- C. Gowans (hip)
North -- Koops (shoulder), Hargraves (back), Ivens (finger), Ladhams (ankle), Coulter (concussion)

Reports[/i]
South -- Parry (striking)


OTHER GRADE FINALS
U-17's 1st Semi-Final -- West Adelaide 22.17 (149) def. Woodville-West Torrens 7.5 (47)
U-17's 2nd Semi-Final -- Port Adelaide 19.25 (139) def. Sturt 11.8 (74)
U-19's 2nd Elimination Final -- South Adelaide 14.11 (95) def. Central District 13.6 (85)
U-19's 2nd Qualifying Final -- Port Adelaide 13.19 (97) def. Woodville-West Torrens 8.6 (54)
Reserves Elimination Final -- Woodville-West Torrens 26.10 (166) def. Glenelg 7.8 (50)
Reserves Qualifying Final -- Norwood 26.12 (168) def. West Adelaide 11.7 (73)


Next weekend in Week 2 of the SANFL Finals...

Sunday September 24
1st Semi-Final
North Adelaide vs. South Adelaide; 12:05pm

2nd Semi-Final
Woodville-West Torrens vs. Central District; 3:10pm
Adelaide Oval

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

R-23, Ladder