SA Footy

I was at Thebby today and was most impressed by the Bays start but for the rest of the game they played like they did in the 2nd half of the Norwood game on Monday, I just wondered if perhaps they stuffed up by shuffling the side and resting players at half time last Monday as momentum seemed to be lost and it carried throught of most of today's game.
I was really disappointed with the standard of today's game. After seeing the Eagles belt the living daylights out of North a couple of weeks ago and seeing Glenelg kicking Norwood's arse last Monday I was expecting a blockbuster but was sadly confronted with a low skill leve game with lots of errors.
Eagles seemed to have the Bays measure for most of the game, Glenelg started beautifully and looked great and then stopped, the Eagles then looked awesome, took the lead but also looked fairly ordinary after that.
Passador was the big difference IMHO with perhaps a couple of midfielders thrown in.
I thought both attacks beat the respective defences with the Eagles defence being slightly better.
A slightly disappointing crowd for a heritage game of sorts, I would have estimated 3000 fans, there were lots of people there that weren't regulars which was good to see (could tell by their comments, I'm sure most people that go every week would realise who Passador is!!).
Funniest comment of the day was a Bays fan when someone asked if he could read the "scoreboard" and he replied "Slow down as there's a fog on the down track of the South Eastern Freeway!".
And on that matter, why does that traffic "scoreboard" spend most of the game welcoming us to Thebby and not putting the scores up?
Very disappointed with the Eagles catering when for the first time this year I had to endure West End Draught as no Tooheys New was on sale.

Be interested to read other people's summaries of other games, it seems the Bloods were winning most of the day at Richmond and a big thanks to the Dogs who kept North in top spot for another week!

I forgot to add, I saw one of the most bewildering umpiring decisions of all time.

A Bays player got rid of the ball but in the process smacked an Eagles player (it could be the other way around but you'll get the point) in the process.
The umpire blew the whistle, stopped play, brought the ball back, checked the Eagles player was OK and then got the Bays player to take the kick.

WTF?

It's either a free to the Eagles player or play on, since when do umpires stop the play to see if a player is injured or not (and no it wasn't anything serious, nothing like a stretcher or anything like that).

Caught Centrals v Port today, and the Bulldogs moved the ball very well today and ran Port off their feet at times. Port seemed a bit lost without Waterhouse up forward again, and they desperately need a key forward - that they can leave as a forward without swinging them to either end of the ground (eg. an AhChee) to step up to take the mantle. Miekeljohn was excellent in the first half, but faded, so another ruckman also needs to take the step.

Slade easily BOG, but J. Gowans right back to his best (although conceded a number of frees in the first half, possibly 5?) and very damaging. Wilson running right into form also, with Thomas having his moments too. McCabe has some worries with the shirtfront on Butcher, as he clearly had Butcher lined up, with eyes only for him and not the ball at any stage. Much was also made of a brawl in the 3rd term that was said to have spectators joining in, but the fans generally moved right back from things, with only one or two staying permanently in the vicinity.

Port have some worries ahead. Too much left to J. Clayton and M. Clayton, with some players very quiet again today. A great grab by M. Clayton later matched by Schell's grab also.

J. Westhoff quieter today, but still looks a real player of the future with an astonishing 17.2 so far in league football.

Anyone who thinks Central are on the slide may need to think again. They looked very good today. Schell and Cowan well held and yet they still dominated Port Adelaide.

Adelaide Hawk

Anyone who thinks Central are on the slide may need to think again. They looked very good today. Schell and Cowan well held and yet they still dominated Port Adelaide

I DONT WANT TO HEAR THAT

I heard there was an incident today at Elizabeth when the crowd actually got involved in a melee, anyone expand on that?

just watching the news i think it was when butcher got hit 3m off the ball, the port players retaliated and the scrum ended up on the boundary line fence where you could see some of the supporters pushing the players.

Didnt see the whole lot.

Went to Thebby today and loved the ground, great viewing from the terraces.

thought the bays were OK considering the 5 day break without backwell and gibbs. Hate to say it but Passador was the difference today

Backwell had quite a limp, hope he is OK

Dutchy wrote:Went to Thebby today and loved the ground, great viewing from the terraces.

thought the bays were OK considering the 5 day break without backwell and gibbs. Hate to say it but Passador was the difference today

Backwell had quite a limp, hope he is OK

Good point about the break and Backwell and Gibbs missing, I really noticed the difference without Gibbs.
With clubs relying on younger players these days should we really be letting them play in underage comps of a lesser standard to miss league footy?

Wedgie wrote:I heard there was an incident today at Elizabeth when the crowd actually got involved in a melee, anyone expand on that?

It was an aftermath of the McCabe/Butcher incident. A fight broke out in the forward pocket right in front of a group of Port supporters (could have been the cheer squad). The crowd wasn't really involved, they were just there. A couple of fans were mouthing off, but that was all.

apparently mouse will be back next week. missed him today there was plenty of opportunity for him to get plenty of possessions

Port's #8 threw some punches at Adrian Wilson escalating the melee into a brawl that spilled against the fence in the Northern forward pocket. The Port Cheersquad surged forward like seasgulls to a chip and got involved. It's a concern when flag poles have the potential to cause serious injury to players and spectators alike. Richard Cochrane was struck by a spectator. A sad indictment.

I'd be surprised if it rates a mention in the media. However if it were Centrals supporters on another ground the condemnation would be deafening.

Grand Central wrote:Port's #8 threw some punches at Adrian Wilson escalating the melee into a brawl that spilled against the fence in the Northern forward pocket. The Port Cheersquad surged forward like seasgulls to a chip and got involved. It's a concern when flag poles have the potential to cause serious injury to players and spectators alike. Richard Cochrane was struck by a spectator. A sad indictment.

I'd be surprised if it rates a mention in the media. However if it were Centrals supporters on another ground the condemnation would be deafening.

Oh it'll get a mention on 5AA, KG and Cornsey will blame the Centrals fans, they'll say they dressed up as Port fans to confuse people!

After Rd 11 we have 1st and 2nd on 14 pts separated by %.
We have 3rd and 4th on 12 pts separated by %.
We have 5th and 6th on 10 pts separated by %.

What a sensational season of SANFL!!!

F***in' wonderful...

Will be watching the replay with eagle eyes.

Wedgie wrote:I forgot to add, I saw one of the most bewildering umpiring decisions of all time.

A Bays player got rid of the ball but in the process smacked an Eagles player (it could be the other way around but you'll get the point) in the process.
The umpire blew the whistle, stopped play, brought the ball back, checked the Eagles player was OK and then got the Bays player to take the kick.

WTF?

It's either a free to the Eagles player or play on, since when do umpires stop the play to see if a player is injured or not (and no it wasn't anything serious, nothing like a stretcher or anything like that).

Years ago - I reakon it was 1992, when the Bays were half decent and the dogs were still crap - I witnessed a Central player granted a free for copping the ball full in the face from a Glenelg player's kick. Reakon his nose was busted, 'coz he took his kick and then left the ground. Since when frees get awarded for smothering a kick?

Grand Central wrote:Port's #8 threw some punches at Adrian Wilson escalating the melee into a brawl that spilled against the fence in the Northern forward pocket. The Port Cheersquad surged forward like seasgulls to a chip and got involved. It's a concern when flag poles have the potential to cause serious injury to players and spectators alike. Richard Cochrane was struck by a spectator. A sad indictment.

I'd be surprised if it rates a mention in the media. However if it were Centrals supporters on another ground the condemnation would be deafening.

If any club other than Central would be in the news, it would be Port.

Pseudo wrote:Years ago - I reakon it was 1992, when the Bays were half decent and the dogs were still crap - I witnessed a Central player granted a free for copping the ball full in the face from a Glenelg player's kick. Reakon his nose was busted, 'coz he took his kick and then left the ground. Since when frees get awarded for smothering a kick?

*

Wedgie wrote:Very disappointed with the Eagles catering when for the first time this year I had to endure West End Draught as no Tooheys New was on sale.

I don't think I've seen Tooheys New at any ground in the last couple of years? They had plenty of Extra Dry at both bars on the western side.

Grand Central wrote:Port's #8 threw some punches at Adrian Wilson escalating the melee into a brawl that spilled against the fence in the Northern forward pocket. The Port Cheersquad surged forward like seasgulls to a chip and got involved. It's a concern when flag poles have the potential to cause serious injury to players and spectators alike. Richard Cochrane was struck by a spectator. A sad indictment.

I'd be surprised if it rates a mention in the media. However if it were Centrals supporters on another ground the condemnation would be deafening.

Having never seen Port (as a youngster) week in, week out out-muscle teams it was great to see them touched up today. Waterhouse injured himself, justice. Not sure what triggered McCabe's actions, but there was a lot of spite between a number of pairings on the field. And sniping against a modern Dog team won't win you a game, it'll just stir our lads up even more.

James Gowans is as tough as nails - even when he had the jab and came back on in the 1st quarter he was still seething. But the add a certain ominous presence when both out there, and they're had to nullify as a duo.

Slade best afield (best game for 2006). Westhoff, Cowan and Schell all presented, but (and our back-men aren't immune to this either) this is an era for defenders - they can get away seemingly with all the grabbing and physical scrounging they like and forwards never get a fair go. Westhoff should have received numerous frees for being held and jumper tugged - instead the first time he was caught out in the same fashion the free went against him. Turned what should have been a 10 goal game into a 6 goal game.

Cameron Ilett had a fairly good game too - this guy impressed me last year too; did plenty to keep us at bay in the opening quarter. Mark Clayton's leap was a beauty, as was Chad Davis' snap from near the boundary (45m out) in front of the members.

Good physical hard footy - I'm sure that's what the majority of people want to see the SANFL present - just don't umpire the beejeezus out of it when it comes along (cue Sturt and North fans telling me how a "45 goal free-style of high-skilled football" is much better!).

Looking forward to the Glenelg game next week. They touched us up after we met Port earlier in the year, so it'd be nice to square the ledger with them at the Bay...

FWIW I think it'll be North and The Eagles in the big dance in 2006 - I think we'll smash the crud out of ourselves and Port in a final to let the other two clean us both up!

ST...