Australian Football

Round 8

Premiership season 2012 - Round 8 Review

Total Crowd 11,498 (Avg 2,875)

The talk of the past week has been on the possibility of State of Origin making a return in 2013. In a move instigated by the SANFL, there are hopes that the South Australian colours will fly once more at the highest level in an AAMI Stadium swansong. With the move to Adelaide Oval in the following year, the league is hoping to farewell the near 40-year old ground with a match against Victoria. But of course, the coaches of the Victorian-based AFL sides are so far unsupportive of the concept, while a few powerful voices in those circles have spoken in support of the re-introduction of representative footy. With all the premier state leagues in the country preparing to face-off on May 26, its rather coincidental they're talking about it now, eh? Stay tuned.

Welcome to the Round 8 edition of the SANFL Wrap-Up

First up in this week's wrap, once again we find ourselves sucking up the Friday Night Mayhem atmosphere at Coopers Stadium as the Redlegs faced the Bloods. After their disposal of Glenelg last week and West's win, for the second week in a row, the Redlegs were again in a top-two stoush. Late last season, the Bloods fell short by 15 points at the same venue, a fourth win in a row for Norwood against the red & blacks. Scores would be level just over half way through the first term, but some hard chasing and tackling by the home side would push them toward a quarter-time lead of 11 points after kicking 4.1 to 2.2. That gap was reduced by a point by the long break, the Redlegs getting a little case of the wobbles as several kicks into attack found Bloods instead. West kicked 2.1 to Norwood's two goals, at half-time the home side was up by 10 points. But it was from here that the Redlegs left the Bloods in the dust, when play resumed in the third term they would restrict West to just 1.1 while adding 4.1 to their score. At the final change, the Redlegs held a 28-point lead. A horrible run of inaccuracy by the visitors saw it kick five behinds in the final term, Norwood weren't kicking much better but still scored 3.6 to win by 47 points. Jaryd Cachia was named best afield for the 'Legs, while Chris Schmidt was voted West's standout.

Saturday afternoon football crowds were going to suffer a tad with Black Caviar continuing to draw people into Morphettville, but the show must go on and the ABC cameras headed to Alberton where the Magpies hosted the Roosters. The Magpies have not tasted victory against the Roosters in two years. The last five matches have been all gone North, the last at this same ground in Round 19 last season after Port's woeful shooting saw them lose by 34 points. A win for Port would probably have been far from many tipsters minds, but that thinking took a back seat when the Magpies opened proceedings with a 5.4 to 2.2 first term to lead by 20 points at the first change. Some poor shooting by the Roosters in the second term prevented them from overtaking the 'Pies, but the gap would be reduced to 15 points by half-time after they kicked 3.5 to three goals without a miss. It became an arm-wrestling match from here, the two sides trading blows on the scoreboard as North chipped another point off Port's lead by the final change. The visitors added 3.3 to 3.2, the gap down to 14 points. The Roosters kept on coming in the final term as inaccuracy started to really trouble the home side, who kicked 2.5. But North's 3.3 would not be enough, as the Magpies took a hard-fought 10-point win. Luke Slattery was named best for Port, while the Roosters named vice-captain James Bennett as their best.

Next up we head up north for some Saturday night action, the Playford Alive Oval lighting up for the clash between the Bulldogs and the Tigers. The Dogs have taken 10 wins from the last 11 matches against the Bays, interrupted only by a draw in late 2009. The last encounter was one to forget for the Tigers, who kicked six goals from 20 shots as the Dogs ran rampant at Elizabeth to lose by 93 points. The Dogs up to this point havent been entirely convincing, but that was about to change... drastically. Centrals kept the Bays scoreless in the first term, only inaccuracy on goal preventing a bigger gap. They kicked 5.5 to lead by 35 points at quarter-time. Their shooting was far better in the second. The Tigers finally got on the board with 2.3, but a further seven goals without a miss saw the gap stretch to 62 points by the long break. The third term saw the Tigers show a bit more fight, the Dogs seemingly taking it easy as the visitors scored five goals to three to bring the deficit back to 50 points by the final change. But Centrals sealed the deal with authority in the final term, keeping the Tigers to just 1.1 whilst adding 5.2 to their score to take a 75-point win. James Boyd pushed his state selection case hard with his best afield honours for the Dogs, while Brad Agnew was named as Glenelg's standout.

In the final match for Round 8, the action continued into Sunday afternoon as the Eagles hosted the Double Blues at Unleash Solar Oval in Woodville. Its been a bit of tit-for-tat between these mobs lately, the last four games have been split between them. A single kick was the difference in mid-2011, the Eagles escaped Unley with a six-point win in Round 11. In the match before that in Round 3, the Blues humiliated the eventual premiers with a 58-point hiding at Adelaide Oval. After finally breaking through for a win last week, the Eagles had to keep it up to truly jump-start their season. They began the afternoon's proceedings by kicking 6.4 to Sturt's 3.2, taking a 20-point lead at quarter-time. Inaccuracy crept into the Eagle attack in the second term, but would still extend their advantage to 25 points after scoring 3.6 to the Blues' 3.1. For some reason the Eagles must have thought they had it in the bag, because at that time, they seemed to just switch off their attack mode. The Blues were not entirely able to take full advantage, but they would bring the gap back to the quarter-time margin of 20 points after they scored 2.3 to the Eagles' 1.3. But a win for the Blues would still fall out of reach, after coming within a kick of victory with their 3.1, a last minute goal along with two behinds to the home side would ensure the Eagles a second win for 2012 to the margin of 10 points. Jimmy Toumpas was named best for the Eagles, while Sturt named Danyle Pearce as their best.

INJURIES Sturt - Hansen (concussion), Hurley (corked thigh)

REPORTS North - Allan (striking)

FOXTEL CUP - First Round / Match 7

South Adelaide 6.12 (48) d Williamstown 6.7 (43), M.C.G

Earlier in the day some history was made, as for the first time in over a century South Adelaide returned to the Melbourne Cricket Ground for a Foxtel Cup match-up with reigning champions Williamstown. It was back in 1892 that the Panthers last fronted up in Victoria, playing Carlton and Melbourne on the hallowed turf. This wasn't a tour match though, the Panthers not bagging a goal in the opening term. But the Seagulls could only manage one goal from their three scores, South's three behinds saw the 2011 VFL runner-ups ahead by five points at the first change. The Panthers overtook the 'Gulls in the second term after they scored 3.2 to two goals, at half-time the visitors were up by three points. The inaccuracy bug came back to the Panthers camp in the third term, but would extend their lead to 15 points after they scored 2.6 to the Seagulls' single goal. The finish was tense as Williamstown made a last ditch run at the Panthers, but their shots were now spraying wide much like South's third term. The Seagulls added 2.5, but South's 1.1 was enough to secure them a spot in the next round with a five-point win. Nick Liddle was named best for Souths, like Bulldog James Boyd he is also pushing for selection for SA. The Panthers will face the winner of the Northern Territory (NEAFL Nthn) vs. Port Melbourne (VFL) match in late June.

R-8, Ladder