Messenger 28Aug07 : So here's how season 2007 WON'T pan out
Posted: Fri Aug 31, 2007 12:50 amhttp://www.messengernorth.com.au/article/2007/08/28/2053_north_sports.html
So here's how season 2007 WON'T pan out
28Aug07
EARLIER this year I predicted Port Adelaide to win the 2007 SANFL premiership.
Considering the Magpies are now a mathematical impossibility of playing in finals, I guess that prediction should be reconsidered.
So I'll be more conservative with my speculations from now on.
For starters, here's my top 10 things that won't happen for the rest of the year.
1. West Adelaide to sign Kevin Sheedy to fill next year's vacant coaching post. Thought I'd start with something obvious - I need the confidence boost. Wouldn't Sheeds be great though coaching at a ground called Richmond (the namesake of his former playing club) and for a red and black uniform. He wouldn't even need to get a new jacket to wave.
2. Central District to bow out of the finals in straight sets. It goes without saying that the Bulldogs are finals performers, having contested the past seven Grand Finals. But how's this for a stat - the Bulldogs in that time have not played in any other knockout final including preliminary finals, first semi-finals and elimination finals. Therefore their only losing finals have been their two Grand Final losses for a win-loss record of 13-2.
3. A flop of a crowd at Adelaide Oval in round 23. Like last year's Glenelg v South showdown in round 23, there's likely to be plenty on the line for North and Sturt when the two clubs clash in the final round. With a few results going the right way, this match could be a case of the winner takes a top three spot. This is sure to draw a big crowd for what will become in effect the first round of finals.
4. Port Adelaide announces it will no longer play home games at Alberton Oval. Perhaps they should make that decision though. The Magpies have been horrible at home this season, finishing with a 3-1-6 record, and that after scraping home against Norwood on Saturday. Shift to Port Reserve that would make it easy for us Messenger folk down the street to keep tabs on the club, or sell some home games to the Gabba.
5. Adelaide Oval security prevents fans from running onto the ground after Sturt's Brant Chambers kicks his 100th goal. That's assuming it all happens in the round 23 clash with North five goals in two games, he could do it this week at Glenelg. Fans engulfing Chambers in a sea of blue and blue the colour, the excitement, the spectacle, it's got to happen!
6. This week's Norwood v Central match to pass without incident. Last time the teams met at the Parade, there was a brawl in the crowd and Redlegs reserves player Luke McLean had his car stolen.
7. Norwood's Austin Wonaemirri to earn a Coca-Cola Star Search nomination. The 18 year old must be wondering what he has to do after booting four goals to go with 14 possessions and three tackles last week only to be overlooked. The week before he had a whopping seven tackles to go with 14 possies ... perhaps he's been too consistent. But please, he's not that hard to notice! (*disclaimer - Murphy's Law suggests Wonaemirri will receive the round 21 nomination, which was awarded after this column's deadline).
8. North's Daniel Wakelin to kick a goal. He hasn't kicked one in his 74 games so far, so it seems a safe bet that it won't happen this season for the 28 year old. Woodville-West Torrens' Joe Pedler can sympathise, he had to wait 90 games. The race for the record is on.
9. More doom and gloom for South Adelaide. A lot went wrong for the Panthers this year. Any team will hurt when your top four players from last season Damian Cupido, Alwyn Davey, Stephen Kenna, Rhys Archard go to the AFL or are injured all year. It amounted in Robert Pyman's sacking, but, perhaps optimistically for South, I would say this year will be passed off as rock bottom, and with 1991 Magarey Medallist Mark Naley making decisions on the board, the future is bright.
10. Glenelg simply makes up the numbers in the finals. The riskiest of the non-predictions, but having only lost two games since round nine, the Bays will do some damage in the major rounds.
So here's how season 2007 WON'T pan out
28Aug07
EARLIER this year I predicted Port Adelaide to win the 2007 SANFL premiership.
Considering the Magpies are now a mathematical impossibility of playing in finals, I guess that prediction should be reconsidered.
So I'll be more conservative with my speculations from now on.
For starters, here's my top 10 things that won't happen for the rest of the year.
1. West Adelaide to sign Kevin Sheedy to fill next year's vacant coaching post. Thought I'd start with something obvious - I need the confidence boost. Wouldn't Sheeds be great though coaching at a ground called Richmond (the namesake of his former playing club) and for a red and black uniform. He wouldn't even need to get a new jacket to wave.
2. Central District to bow out of the finals in straight sets. It goes without saying that the Bulldogs are finals performers, having contested the past seven Grand Finals. But how's this for a stat - the Bulldogs in that time have not played in any other knockout final including preliminary finals, first semi-finals and elimination finals. Therefore their only losing finals have been their two Grand Final losses for a win-loss record of 13-2.
3. A flop of a crowd at Adelaide Oval in round 23. Like last year's Glenelg v South showdown in round 23, there's likely to be plenty on the line for North and Sturt when the two clubs clash in the final round. With a few results going the right way, this match could be a case of the winner takes a top three spot. This is sure to draw a big crowd for what will become in effect the first round of finals.
4. Port Adelaide announces it will no longer play home games at Alberton Oval. Perhaps they should make that decision though. The Magpies have been horrible at home this season, finishing with a 3-1-6 record, and that after scraping home against Norwood on Saturday. Shift to Port Reserve that would make it easy for us Messenger folk down the street to keep tabs on the club, or sell some home games to the Gabba.
5. Adelaide Oval security prevents fans from running onto the ground after Sturt's Brant Chambers kicks his 100th goal. That's assuming it all happens in the round 23 clash with North five goals in two games, he could do it this week at Glenelg. Fans engulfing Chambers in a sea of blue and blue the colour, the excitement, the spectacle, it's got to happen!
6. This week's Norwood v Central match to pass without incident. Last time the teams met at the Parade, there was a brawl in the crowd and Redlegs reserves player Luke McLean had his car stolen.
7. Norwood's Austin Wonaemirri to earn a Coca-Cola Star Search nomination. The 18 year old must be wondering what he has to do after booting four goals to go with 14 possessions and three tackles last week only to be overlooked. The week before he had a whopping seven tackles to go with 14 possies ... perhaps he's been too consistent. But please, he's not that hard to notice! (*disclaimer - Murphy's Law suggests Wonaemirri will receive the round 21 nomination, which was awarded after this column's deadline).
8. North's Daniel Wakelin to kick a goal. He hasn't kicked one in his 74 games so far, so it seems a safe bet that it won't happen this season for the 28 year old. Woodville-West Torrens' Joe Pedler can sympathise, he had to wait 90 games. The race for the record is on.
9. More doom and gloom for South Adelaide. A lot went wrong for the Panthers this year. Any team will hurt when your top four players from last season Damian Cupido, Alwyn Davey, Stephen Kenna, Rhys Archard go to the AFL or are injured all year. It amounted in Robert Pyman's sacking, but, perhaps optimistically for South, I would say this year will be passed off as rock bottom, and with 1991 Magarey Medallist Mark Naley making decisions on the board, the future is bright.
10. Glenelg simply makes up the numbers in the finals. The riskiest of the non-predictions, but having only lost two games since round nine, the Bays will do some damage in the major rounds.
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