Australian Football

Finals Week 3

Premiership season 2019 - Finals Week 3 Review

Total Crowd 8,974 (Avg 8,974)

Hi Footy fans...

Is it time for the SANFL to consider taking the finals to the suburbs? Despite the overall popularity of the Adelaide Oval, the crowds for the first three weeks of the finals haven't been flattering towards the iconic ground. Since the return of the league finals to the Oval, from the Elimination Final to the Preliminary Final, crowd numbers have only gone no higher than 14000. Remember that those numbers are across two or three games in that one day, so imagine if these finals were played at a home ground across two days! Clubs could fill their grounds and for some it could generate much needed revenue. What if you got 7000 at Prospect, or 10000 at Norwood or Thebarton? The issue has been raised before and its one that isn't going away. Oh and by the way, folks... its Grand Final week!

Welcome to the Week 3 edition of the SANFL Finals Wrap-Up.

This is the Preliminary Final... one last chance at a Grand Final spot and it's been left to the Tigers and the Crows to decide the other half of the premiership decider, with the Magpies hierarchy no doubt watching intently. This was Adelaide's second appearance in a Preliminary Final in their short state league history, their 2016 finals tilt brought to an end by the Double Blues by 35 points. The Tigers have played in 19 such games, their last was back in 2008 which was to date their most recent finals victory. They defeated the Double Blues that day, but would go down to the Bulldogs in the decider. Even worse, Sturt got their revenge in the following season's prelim. Glenelg have won the flag twice from a Preliminary Final, their first was in their inaugural premiership year of 1934 and then again in their last successful season in 1986. In fact, 31 winners of past prelims have gone on to win the flag, including the last four. The record score is held by the Magpies with their 28.14 (182) in the 1990 season, while the lowest is Norwood's 3.5 (23) from 2011. Port Adelaide hold the record for most appearances with 16 win from 31 games, Norwood are second with only one less game and a 15-15 record. The worst record is currently held by the Bulldogs, having lost six from a possible seven.

This year's minor round outings between these sides were both won by the Tigers, starting with a 53-point pummelling in Round 2 and then having it go right down to the wire in Round 15 as they escaped with a two-point win. After sending the Redlegs packing in emphatic fashion it was probably expected that Adelaide would take advantage of a perhaps vulnerable minor premier that went down by four points to the Magpies. Those fears were soon put to rest as the Tigers burst out of the blocks early, running through four goals in eight minutes before the Crows got one themselves. The Tigers did waste some opportunities later in the term, but were still ahead by 13 points at the first change with the board reading 4.3 to 2.2. Some vulnerabilities were exposed by the Crows in the second term though and soon enough they were the ones in front. Adelaide kept the Tigers to just 2.1 and bagged 5.4 for themselves to take an eight-point lead into the rooms at the long break. With their first chance at a Grand Final in over 10 years at risk, the Bays had to respond and it had to stick. They scored a goal with just over a minute played in the third term, then a run of goals late in the quarter saw them jump back into the driver's seat by three quarter-time. Glenelg scored 5.3 to 1.1 to take a three-goal lead into the final change. The Tigers had all the momentum and opened the last quarter as they did the third, while the Crows' couldn't find the big sticks enough. Glenelg added a further 5.2 to Adelaide's 3.5, romping to a 33-point win and guaranteeing a renewal of old hostilities next weekend. Brad Agnew was named Glenelg's best, while Patrick Wilson was voted as Adelaide's best.

FINAL SCORES IN WEEK 3 OF THE SANFL FINALS...

Sunday September 15
PRELIMINARY FINAL
Glenelg 16.9 (105)
Adelaide 11.12 (78)
8,974 @ Adelaide Oval

INJURIES
None known at time of post.

REPORTS
Glenelg -- Scott (striking)


U-18's -- EAGLES WIN BACK-TO-BACK FLAGS
Woodville-West Torrens has successfully defended their 2018 title with a 23-point win over the Panthers in the U-18 Torrens University Cup Grand Final at Adelaide Oval on Sunday. The Eagles opened the game with a 5.2 to 3.1 opening quarter, but then had a shaky time in front of goal in the second term. Despite that, the Eagles went into the long break with a 28-point lead after scoring 3.4 to South's 1.1. The Panthers managed to reel the Eagles back to within a couple of kicks late in the third quarter, but a pair of goals to the Eagles either side of time-on put it back to a 22-point deficit at three quarter-time. The Eagles held firm in the final term, keeping the Panthers at arms length long enough for a 23-point victory and a successful U-18 title defence. It was 20 disposals, nine marks and one of those ship-steadying third term goals that helped Michael Frederick bag the Alan Stewart Medal as the best on ground, no doubt the AFL will come calling early next season.

U-18 TORRENS UNI CUP GRAND FINAL -- Woodville-West Torrens 12.11 (83) def. South Adelaide 9.6 (60)


RESERVES -- EAGLES TO MEET REDLEGS FOR FLAG
After going down to the Double Blues two weekends previous at Unley in their Qualifying Final, the Eagles returned serve at Adelaide Oval on Sunday morning with a 46-point hiding in their Preliminary Final match-up. Last time it was a third quarter surge of seven goals to three that got Sturt the victory, this time around the Eagles kept the Blues goal-less in the opening term, scoring 4.1 to three behinds to lead by 22 points at quarter-time. The inaccuracy continued for Sturt in the second term, but drew the gap back to 13 points come half-time. The Blues kept coming when play resumed, the Eagles' lead reduced to a single goal going into the final change, but that was where Sturt's charge stopped. Instead it was the Eagles that ran rampant, bagging 7.5 to 1.1 to book their place in the Grand Final against Norwood next week, who have redemption on their minds after dropping the Reserves flag last season to North Adelaide.

RESERVES PRELIMINARY FINAL -- Woodville-West Torrens 14.7 (91) def. Sturt 6.9 (45)


So this is it people... who will walk away with the richest prize in SA football?

Sunday September 22 @ Adelaide Oval
RESERVES GRAND FINAL
Norwood vs. Woodville-West Torrens; 11:25am

2019 SANFL STATEWIDE SUPER LEAGUE GRAND FINAL
Port Adelaide vs. Glenelg; 3pm


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

R-18, Ladder