Australian Football

Round 8

Premiership season 2008 - Round 8 Review

Total Crowd 6,941 (Avg 1,735)

Finally the weather on game-day went lousy for the first time this season and its influence told not only on the game play in some games, but the attendances as well. Almost 7,000 braved the cold and windy conditions for this past weekend of SANFL football, a sharp plunge from the numbers that passed through the gates for the seven weeks prior. The highest attendance was for the game that was shown on TV, but there was no doubt where many of last week's attendees were and that would be at home parked in front of the box.

Welcome to this week's edition of the SANFL Wrap-Up.

First we head over to the House Brothers Oval in Unley for the ABC TV game between the Double Blues and the Magpies. Decked out in commemorative jumpers in 40th anniversary celebration of the 1968 team that beat Port Adelaide in the Grand Final, the Blues started off best on goals, although had the Magpies been more accurate it would have been a different story. At quarter-time it was all square with the Blues on 2.1 to Port's 1.7. The Blues finally got the better of the Magpies on the scoreboard in the second term, but were only up by one straight kick at the long break which concerned coach Rick Macgowan even after the match. Port Adelaide's inaccuracy would keep coming back to bite them for the rest of the game, but still remained in within striking range at the end of the third quarter. The Blues had extended the half time gap to 14 points by then. The visitors gave their supporters some hope early into the final term after drawing the margin back to six points, but the Blues shut them out with a 4.3 to 2.3 final term to win by 26 points. Ian Perrie bagged five goals and best afield votes for Sturt, while Steve Summerton got best on ground for the 'Pies.

Over at the Broadspectrum Oval, a paltry crowd of just over 1,200 turned out for the Bloods game against the Bulldogs. The reigning premiers were expected to tear the Bloods to pieces, one pessimistic Bloods fan heard to be uttering the phrase "lambs to the slaughter". The Bulldogs skills were not entirely impressive this week though, they started off with a two goal lead at quarter-time after kicking 4.1 to West's 2.1. The second quarter gave out the most embarrassing statistic, in a term that saw the Dogs get 75 kicks they only managed 2.3 to 1.1. The Bulldogs' lead at half-time was 26 points. Despite being in the lead, the grunt that Centrals possessed last weekend against the Eagles was missing and it was showing even though the weather conditions were average and West were still bumbling around as they have for a few years. At three quarter-time the Bulldogs were up by 36 points after kicking an inaccurate 3.4 to West's two goals. The Bulldogs won by 33 points after adding a further three goals to the home side's 3.3 in the final term. Luke McCabe was named best for Centrals, while Stephen Bailey was best afield for West.

Next up is a jaunt to the Prospect Oval for the continuing neighbourly disputes between the Roosters and the Redlegs. You'd think that with these teams there would have been a better turnout, considering they are within a few minutes of each other by car. Not today, thanks Mother Nature. Just a little over 2,100 for this one, which saw the Redlegs break out of the blocks early on. They could have done far more damage if there weren't so many behinds, Norwood kicking 5.5 to North's 1.4 to be in front by 25 points at quarter-time. The Roosters hit back in the second term, bringing the gap back to two goals by the long break after kicking 4.3 to 2.2. The third quarter was the most frustrating for the home side, not even the help of the winds could bring Norwood down as they got out to a 22 point lead by the final change after kicking 4.4 to North's three goals. The visitors put a positive spin on an otherwise sad week for the Norwood FC, another 2.2 to 1.2 gave them victory in Tim Weatherald's first senior appearance for the Redlegs. Bryce Campbell won best on ground honours for the 'Legs, while Trent Sporn was voted best for the Roosters.

In the final game of the round, the two cats of the SANFL faced off at Noarlunga as the Panthers played host to the Tigers. A rumble in the jungle this was not, as the yellow and blacks surged forward to a 19 point lead after booting 6.2 to South's 3.1 in the first quarter. The goals stopped there for South for two whole quarters, starting in the second term where the Tigers added just 2.1 to the Panthers' lousy four behinds to see the visitors up by 28 points at the long break. The third quarter was even worse for the South Adelaide faithful, watching as the Tigers put a dead stop to any Panther score. The Tigers weren't very accurate though, kicking 4.5 to extend the lead to 57 points at three quarter-time. The Panthers' 2.3 in the final term didn't add any respectability to their score, the Tigers added a further 4.2 to win by 68 points for their sixth win on the trot and further adding to South Adelaide's poor month. Adam Fisher was named best for the Tigers, South voting in Michael Handby as their best man.


FINAL SCORES FOR ROUND 8 OF THE SANFL

Saturday May 17
Sturt 12.9 (81)
Port Adelaide 7.13 (55)
2,235 @ House Brothers Oval, Unley

Norwood 13.13 (91)
North Adelaide 9.9 (63)
2,112 @ Prospect Oval

Central District 12.8 (80)
West Adelaide 7.5 (47)
1,211 @ Broadspectrum Oval, Richmond

Glenelg 16.10 (106)
South Adelaide 5.8 (38)
1,383 @ Hickinbotham Oval, Noarlunga

Woodville-West Torrens had the bye.


INJURIES
Sturt -- Bentley (groin)
Norwood -- Gallagher (hamstring), Dawes (shoulder)
North -- Ryswyk (shoulder)

REPORTS
No reports known at time of post.


Next weekend in Round 9...

Friday May 23
Norwood vs. Glenelg; Coopers Stadium, Norwood -- night match

Saturday May 24
Woodville-West Torrens vs. North Adelaide; Woodville Oval
West Adelaide vs. South Adelaide; Broadspectrum Oval, Richmond

Sunday May 25
Port Adelaide vs. Central District; Alberton Oval

Sturt have the bye.

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

R-8, Ladder