Zane Williams a mid season draftee to Geelong has been delisted, hope he comes back to the Eagles, we need a bit of pace and goal kickers.

So, we had three taken from the 2021 GF team to the AFL. Hayes (3 games), Psitas (1 game), Williams (0 games). Part of the implosion this year.

Balance of the team was destroyed by losing these three at the start of the season and during it. Ballenden missing six games, Clay Cameron 14 games, McFarlane 8 games and Redden 8 games also contributed to a disjointed season . I'm sure coach Sheedy has the desire and personality to effect another exciting overhaul.

You'd have to imagine Norwood will need all of their 22,000 capacity if they are holding 2 AFL games there next April. Should be very interesting times given the likely submission of a Tasmanian entry into the AFL makingit a 19 team competition.
Still enjoying the SANFL grand final win and still can't fathom that Norwood weren't really given much of a chance of any success earlier in the season, they weren't that bad .

Yes they were

My understanding is there were some whispers in an ear about "it's not working - fix it or else"

Probably got the script from Richmond, Collingwood and Melbourne

Our biggest loss was 28 points against Sturt at Unley and we more than matched every other team either home or away. Given the ammount of experience we lost in the off season I always thought we would take a few rounds to settle into a rhythm. Even after the qualifying thrashing to Adelaide i still refused to accept that we would go out in straight sets. That game seemed to give us the reset we needed. I'm certain that we were the only club to beat every other team in the competition, but each to their own. Rawlings has been a revelation to this club.

We went from highly defensive to attacking football trying to kick goals
Highly defensive means defence at all cost

IIRC last year our 2 highest kick getters were on the half back line - kicking to each other helped those stats

I thought Rawlings was going to be good after the 1st half of 2021 until he changed to the good old proven Norwood (Bassett) model
That brought down Ben Warren as well

You win premierships by kicking goals not waxing in the backlines until you stuff it up and lose the ball

Where delisted AFL players will play in 2023

SANFL
Brett Turner - Glenelg
James Rowe - Woodville-West Torrens
Connor McFadyen - Sturt
Ely Smith - South Adelaide
Jack Madgen - Adelaide
Zane Williams - Woodville-West Torrens
Jez McLennan - Central Districts
Rhys Nicholls - West Adelaide
Zach Sproule - South Adelaide
Jackson Callow - Norwood
Jack Saunders - Norwood
Patrick Walker - Norwood
Martin Frederick - Sturt
Sam Mayes - North Adelaide
Sam Skinner - South Adelaide
Riley Collier-Dawkins - Woodville-West Torrens
James Bell - Glenelg
Charlie Parker - Sturt

And the Eagles won back to back premierships, but not even mentioned .....

ChatGpt seems a bit more bullish about our chances this year than I am ;) :

As an AI language model, I cannot predict future events or outcomes with certainty. However, Central Districts Football Club has a history of success in the SANFL, having won the premiership six times in the past. Therefore, they certainly have the potential to win the 2023 SANFL Premiership with the right preparations, performance and team spirit in place. But ultimately, it would depend on various factors such as the form of their players, the strength of the opposition, injuries, and other unanticipated circumstances in the lead up to and during the season.

Not sure why it thinks we have only the 6 premierships though.

Eagles back to their 2020/2021 form playing with intensity and speed of ball movement. Rowe's quick hands were outstanding and Mitch Hardie has got better each season he has been here, culminating in his best performance for the club on Friday. A good blend of youth and experience at present with some key players still to come back. We will be in trouble though, if too many big men go down as there is little depth in that department.
South will be another excellent test this week.

Eagles set the template for tackling and pressure. Superb all game. Having the class of Rowe and Williams in the team will make a big difference. Hardie has taken his game up several levels over the last two seasons and dominated last night. Lukac very good in ruck and I liked what Weckert brought in his short stint in the ruck in the last quarter. The defence held up well lead by Thompson and Rowland (who is much better in defence than on ball). Bruce has a huge task this season and played well - benefitting from a tough initiation in the last half of last season at league level.

Bruce at Full Back, Lukac in Ruck, Beattie as small forward and Hardie as main midfielder all played above expectations. Sheedy has a track record of getting the best out of individuals and if these four can take their Round 1 output and reproduce it consistently, the Eagles have enough class and experience elsewhere to match it with the best.

Only downer last night was the amount of marks dropped. Perhaps the midget light towers and ridiculously bright electronic fence advertising contributed? I arrived on the western side to watch the first quarter and it was awful viewing. Stood on the eastern wing and it was much better. Do we really need to have all that electronic signage on the fence? The turf was great and Norwood Oval is the best oval to watch footy at I reckon - just not if you’re facing that advertising.

PS. Forgot to mention D’Aloia who had a good first game also. Physically ready. Does all the tough in and under stuff and will be one that goes under the radar, but important to have a player fighting for the ball at the coalface and releasing those around him with quick hands.

Great game to watch if you were an Eagles supporter! Lots of encouraging signs, particularly from our new additions and young kids who maybe only played a handful of games from last year.

It's a nice position to be in when the team plays so well then trying to squeeze in 4-5 players key players who were injured and didn't play Friday night.

That being said, Norwood clearly well down in the first match of the season and you'd expect them to be a bit rusty. They also missed 3-4 gettable goals in the first 10mins of the first quarter which should have put them a few goals up. From then, who knows how the game would have gone?

But we will take the win. Full credit to coach and players.

Glenelg's league and reserve teams finished with the same scoreline, 15.10 (100)

I bet that doesn't happen very often, hey spell_check ?

15.10 (100). A thing of beauty. Only 11.11 (77) comes close.

Eagles whacked by Glenelg again.

After Glenelg's dominant start failed to materialise on the scoreboard and the Eagles found themselves in front at quarter time, I was hopeful, but the last half was like the last half of last season all over again. Glenelg way too good and the Eagles lacking any sort of inspiration to stop them.

I think Ballenden needs to play as a ruckman. It gets him into the game. He lacks the will to make a presence from half forward - minus a nice clunk and long goal from outside 50 once per game. Having him on the ball gets him near it and when he's near it he can do some damage. He can rest forward, where he's likely to get as many opportunities as he creates as a permanent forward anyway.

The Eagles might have to go small and clever in attack. They need more out of Pearce (who is back from suspension next game) and Williams. Let's hope D.Menzel still has it, despite him winning the Ken Farmer last year, his last 6 games have produced 5 goals and he's looked no where near it. He's too good to find form in Reserves and he has only played one game this year, so can be excused this time.

Menzel, along with Knight (who I though got better as the game went on), Toumpas, Lehmann, Collier-Dawkins and Brinker-Ritchie all played their first games of the season. I'm a touch worried there are more surnames, than tricks, from the new recruits from across the border. Of course, Brinker-Ritchie is young and like Cooke, Lukac and Weckert, will need time.

Hardie continued his excellent start to the season. Let's hope his form begins to rub off on some others. I do think Bruce has also been good in defence so far and has improved enormously from last season. Big test against North at Prospect next week. I'd like to see Studham back in the side - another who has been hampered by injury to start the season, but was the most promising first year player last year and played Reserves yesterday. D'Aloia back in for his intensity/tackling and Pearce back from suspension, who is so far more promise, than performance, but is the exact type we need a lift from to start turning these L's into W's.

Despite the score-line I didn't think there was a great deal of difference between the two teams overall. North fractionally better and simply were able to finish better in front of goals.

This is the third game in a row where the eagles have got out to a couple of goal break either in the late 1st quarter / early second quarter with the momentum yet have been unable to kick away. The opposing team has eventually steadied then kicked a few and we have not been able to go with them in the last half.

A massive game next game for the Eagles. To be 1 wind / 4 losses would make it very difficult for us to contest anything other than 5th spot come finals time.

Let's be fair, his body is shot, he's more than done his time with the injuries he's had.
The guy could have been anything on million dollar contracts if not for his knees.
If he can get a couple of bucks out of the game then we'll deserved I say.
Such a good bloke too.

After missing the last 2 games, was hoping for an improved performance from the Eagles but was left disappointed again. Sturt too intense, too polished and too systematic for a dysfunctional Eagles team. Strut's first win against the Eags since 2019 so they were well and truly due and probably should have won by more. Ballenden played his best game for the club kicking 5 and Sinor battled hard once again. Thin pickings after that. on that form, Central will have few problems next week.

I think you are being a little harsh "wedgetail". Looking at the line up the Eagles put out against Sturt there appeared to be a distinct lack of SANFL experience. I went through the numbers for the "Eagles" to find out what experience they went in to the game with. The 22 players totalled 834 league SANFL games this averages out to 37.91 games a player. If the four most experienced players are removed (521 games) the total becomes 313 league games between 18 players at an average of 17.39 games....less than a season average a player for 18 players. Sixteen players had played less than 35 SANFL games. The games experience could be enhanced slightly by including 185 AFL games played by Toumpas, Knight, Thompson, Rowe, Cameron Collier-Dawkins, and Ballenden but this would take the average senior games played to 46.32.
Over the past five years in the SANFL it's been very hard to keep a stable, consistent list. Of the 22 Eagle players who played against Sturt, there were only 8 from the Eagles 2021 premiership team. The ability to integrate new players is not easy and takes time, all clubs seem to go through ups and downs, we just have to be patient, Just look at Norwood, premiers last season now currently bottom.
Just as a comparison Sturt's 22 had 1,359 SANFL league games experience at an average of 61.77 games, against the Eagles 834 games at an average of 37.91. Excluding Sturt's four most experienced players the 18 remaining players had an average of 41.16 games experience compared to the Eagles 17.39 games. I think the result has a lot to do with experience. Just keep faith in our leaders.

Today was going to be my return to footy . Now before anyone digs at me only posting when Eagles win I’m a bad loser spit the dummy ect I’ll say it save everyone else saying .
I was going told my adult kids yep they agreed
However hospital called me Thursday had to go in for my scan to make sure cancer hadn’t returned
But I got to watch from half way through the second quarter
Eagles looked a improved team today

Gritty win by the Eags. Our pressure on the ball carrier was a highlight and there were passages of play ( 10 min patch in second quarter) where we moved the ball with speed, skill and efficiency. The backline was terrific today, ably led by Luke Thompson with capable support from Lehmann and Beecken. Special mention to the inexperienced Josh Bruce who held Grace (normally one of Centrals best forward in my opinion) to only 5 touches and no goals.
Sinor, an inspirational captain's game, especially with an unusually quiet Jimmy Rowe (playing under duress with illness or injury??) not figuring as much as usual. Brinker-Richie looks a real find in the ruck, tapping beautifully against a credible opponent in McCormack. Hopefully his knee injury is not serious.
The test now is for the team to continue this improvement after the break with hopefully Knight, Goldy and D Menzel putting themselves up for selection.

Forgot to mention Adam D'Aloia, another youngster blooded by Sheeds. His strength, toughness and 1 %ers were invaluable around the ball.

A gutsy win by the Eagles. By the "eye and "front bar test" the Eagles appeared to be in control for the first three quarters ( despite final hit outs 19 to 54 and inside 50s 31 to 63) before desperation by the the magpies for a win seemed to open up the game. Ten goals were scored in the last quarter compared to seven in the previous three quarters. The Eagles found the combination of Hayes and Narkle hard to stop, giving the magpie forwards many opportunities. Early on the magpies failed to use local knowledge to kick goals and possibly cost them the match. I thought the Eagles defence was superb, fantastic desperation and clinical spoiling. It was good to see some lesser knowns for the Eagles stand up when given extra responsibilities to cover for the departure of Mitch Hardie and the loss during the game of captain Joe Sinor. Most probably Rory Lehmann's best game for the year.
Luke Beecken also played very well, his last two games have been very good, hitting top form at the right time. A timely win for the Eagles.

The lottery that is playing AFL Reserve sides is against the Dogs tomorrow.
Play them in the opening 4 or 5 rounds and it's a W... play them atm and it's unlikely.
The teams currently 4 thru 8 are all a chance of making finals.
It's a travesty that for those teams, the results against the AFL Reserve teams (and how strong they are when you play them) ultimately determines whether you make Finals or not.

A more committed showing this week by the Eagles who were valiant but got over-run in the last quarter. Pleasing showing from youngsters Buck, Williams, D B-R, Beecken, Litster and Mawson who has nice disposal skills. Missed the experience of Knight, Toumpas, Lehmann and Mitch Hardie is proving to be a very hard gap to fill. Ballenden was good in conditions that didn't necessarily suit him.

Sounds like the effort they put in against the Crows Reserves. Woodville Oval is a big problem IMO. A large mudpit.

Speaking of Menzel's
Gary "Alby" Menzel played 100 + games and a life member for the Norwood Football Club
One of nicest and popular footballers the club has produced

I wonder if he's related to Troy & Dan?
Don't think so, Alby came from Victoria and Dan and Troy's Grandpa on his Dad's side (my Uncle) was always a Northern suburbs boy when I was born and I'd imagine the Adelaide Hills before that.
I'm sure my Mum would have told me if there was a connection as she was a big Norwood/Alby Menzel fan and she was always very close to Dan and Troy's grandparents.

From "Alby"'s profile from the Norwood Museum player profiles

Born in Pinaroo, Gary "Alby" Menzel was recruited by Norwood from the Ngallo Football Club (Victoria), in the Lameroo and District Football League.
Talked to Alby at lunch today (and got a photo with him and Michael Aish) and my suspicions were correct, absolutely no relation to Troy and Daniel.
What an awesome guy Alby is.

So did I overestimate the Eags or underestimate the Crows? Or both.

As each season comes and goes I fear that the overall quality of the “real” clubs reduces..leaving half strength AFL Reserves teams clearly superior in quality.

Again will be interesting to see the attitude of the Crows ressies once the AFL minor round is complete and the A grade finished..

This game will be on at the same time as South Korea v Morocco FIFA Women's World Cup match at the other Coopers Stadium.

Probably good that FIFA use the non-sponsored names for venues - could you imagine 10,000 South Korean/Moroccan fans getting the venues confused and rocking up to Norwood instead of Hindmarsh :D

So glad i was wrong super proud of the boys .
Easily the best win under Thommo and the last quarter showed the footy we are capable of playing .
Really pleased for Shay Linke easily his best game at league level he is an enormous talent just have to get rid of the injuries that have held him back.
Hopefully we get some real belief and confidence to take on Port again next week .
From where we have been in the past 3-4 seasons to make the finals has been great.

I'm putting it down to the feelings I gained from the last two Grand Finals we played against them, but I'm finding myself hoping the Dogs go all the way this September. Both games were good to watch last weekend. Often the higher ranked team bounces back from a loss, so Sturt would go in favourites but Central might have found their mojo under Bulldogs legend Paul Thomas and if they have, they'll take some beating.

Was alerted to this by the great Bayman


First week of finals
CD beat PA by 7
AC beat ST by 7

Second week of finals
ST beat CD by 32
GL beat AC by 32

SANFL need a Glenelg vs Sturt Grand Final or it could be a very low crowd.

Very little support for the Cows at the Second Semi

Those two clubs will bring a decent crowd and it could be a double in the GF if the Double Blues get up in the Ressies as well.

Hoping its Sturt. Should be no AFL in the SANFL.

With the poor crowd on Sunday it does ask the question again why not home finals in the first two weeks.
90% of the Sturt & Central District supporters left after their match. Very empty stadium for the next game.

Look at WA decent crowds for their finals and played at home grounds.

Imagine the Bay, Elizabeth, Unley packed for home finals would give it more of a finals atmosphere.

Why do you think the ADFL have home finals. Great crowd's fantastic atmosphere.

Ravens will fold like a deck of cards. Seen a couple have booked flights for next week

Watched from the Cornes Deck last year and trying out the Bodyline Bar package this time. As a child I was taken to many of the Grand Finals by my Grandparents. Always a great occasion. As an adult, have been lucky enough to see plenty with the Eagles involved, but up until last year hadn't gone to a Grand Final not involving my club. It was thoroughly enjoyable and as my mate and my birthday is in September, we made a pact it will be our annual birthday present to each other. Will be interesting to see the crowd size now we are on the other side of Covid. 2017, 18 & 19 were all around the 40k mark. Hopefully the SANFL bounces back with attendances, with perfect Spring weather and two well supported clubs, hopefully we see in excess of 40,000. I loved the Tim Rogers video on the Sturt socials page - reminiscing of those Tigers and Double Blues battles he witnessed as a kid in the 70's/80's.

Glenelg, finishing top and straight through to the Grand Final, combined with the 105 point win last time these sides met, makes it seem they would go in strong favourites and they probably do. However, that game was back in Round 9 - early June. There was also no Tom Lewis for Sturt. He and Battersby are absolute bulls and the game can be won from their inside work. Snook, Turner, Partington and co won't back down - however, Sturt do have that inside grunt that can win a big game and Hone is a very good player up forward. Mattner has won two premierships and has built this side again to be a force. Glenelg have the quality marking trio of McBean, Reynolds and Hosie up forward. Allen is a prime mover who was targeted in the 2021 Grand Final and kept quiet. Glenelg have been the most consistent side of the last 5 years and another flag to add to 2019 would be just reward for the body of work they have put in.

Hoping for a close game and a big crowd. Sturt to win by 8 points.

Rd 1 Sturt won by five goals following 2 late ones, poor selection by the bays (4 “talls” picked - Hosie, McBean, Reynolds Leck) no real small forward picked and we had no front half turnover pressure

Post that game riot act read to the boys re no forward pressure and structure changed to include small forward for frontal pressure

Since then we’ve gone 17 and 2

Rd 9 better forward structure and repeat forward entries we smack Sturt by 17 goals with one of our key inside pressure mids missing in Gerloff.

Aerie makes good points about Sturt wanting to control the inside work but I’ll back Snooky, Lyons, Bell and Getloff in to match that. Our edge will be that with Sturt wanting it in close it will give us an opportunity to open up and transition the ball by foot on the bigger oval into our key forwards which is a key difference in our game plan compared to 2021-22, where we over used the ball by Hand (pun intended).

Over the season we’re a four goal better side per game, we win more clearances and we have more tackles - why I back our inside work.

Like Norwood in 2022. Eagles in 2020 & 2021 and us in 2019. we’ve had the best defence (scores against) all year.

Yeah we have a great forward line but it will be our team defence that gets us over the line on Sunday by 6-8 goals after a tight first half.

Booney wrote:How are you Bay blokes planning on celebrating? Back to the club?

Not sure but the word at the club is that the club has managed to source in the last week an unwanted job lot of black t-shirts at half price from some club up road….

Luke Habel, Justin Hoskin and Dylan Weaver all have officially retired. All great club men, and fantastic blokes.

Luke Habel is hands down one of the most genuinely nicest blokes I have ever met in SANFL footy.

Early in the COVID period each club sought to raise funds to keep afloat via the Australian Sports Foundation. At the time a list of donors for each club was displayed and Luke Habel had donated to every SANFL league club. I have never met the man, but what a wonderful gesture and also how much the SANFL meant to him.

I know there’s been much interest in our Premiership t-shirts on here so to appease the masses here’s a sneak peak

Congrats to Glenelg. A complete effort. Sturt had a chance to get right back in the game early in the 2nd, but missed opportunities. Glenelg kicked goals just before the quarter and half time sirens - illustrative of their attention to detail and commitment for every moment of the game. That's the difference between being 5 goals up or 3 goal up at half time. Crucial. To Sturt's credit, they hung in, but every time they got to within a goal of maybe making a game of it and getting the crowd in voice, Glenelg would answer. I did think at 3/4 time the flood gates would open and Glenelg might wipe Sturt off the park, but Sturt never gave up and neither did Glenelg ever let up. A 4 goal margin in the end, but Glenelg never gave them a sniff.

What a story Darren Reeves is. A wicketkeeper from the Blue Mountains - found his way to Adelaide chasing a cricketing dream. Joined Salisbury Footy Club in 2003 and played 9 seasons including captaining a premiership. Taken to coaching like a duck to water - after a decade, including a stint with NT Thunder, gets an opportunity very late, after pre-season has started with Glenelg and pulls off something of a miracle. I believe Chris Fagan could be the first AFL coach since 1904 to win a premiership having not played at AFL/SANFL/WAFL/VFL level - albeit he had a distinguished playing career in Tasmania. With Reeves and Fagan, it just goes to show.

I think I counted about 8 Glenelg players who also played in the 2019 premiership and there must have been a fair amount who lost in 2021, having been the best side in the minor round that year also. That is a good solid core group of players who have bookended a very strong era for the Glenelg Footy Club, that may well not be over yet.

May the SANFL long continue to draw big crowds to its Grand Final on sunny spring days. Thanks to Glenelg and Sturt for their commitments, against the odds, to match and beat the cancerous AFL Reserves teams and keep a clean sheet of premiers marked on the T.S. Hill Premiership Cup and retain the SANFL competition as the best outside the AFL.

Highlights include:
Magarey Medal (1964)
9x Port Adelaide premiership player (1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1965)
4x Port Adelaide best and fairest (1958, 1959, 1963, 1965)
Port Adelaide captain (1959-1966)
28 matches for South Australia
Port Adelaide premiership coach (1959)
Port Adelaide's greatest team (right half-back)
Australian Football Hall of Fame (2002)
South Australian Football Hall of Fame (2008)
Life Member - Port Adelaide Football Club
Life Member - SANFL

They cant leave anyway because that would mean the end of this forum topic

Getting rid of the AFL reserves teams will be a good start.
Another problem is traditional SANFL fans are getting old and dying, not sure what we can do about that. Cheaper anti-aging drugs? :lol:

Whilst I'm not a fan of the AFL Reserves teams in the comp, I don't think getting rid of the Reserves teams will help crowd numbers increase.
But increasing the Salary Cap will help keep some talent in the competition as the players won't be as tempted at 25+ years of age to go to country and amateur clubs for large $$$ packages. Keeping talent in the comp will help keep crowd numbers up because who wants to watch an average brand of footy?
The competition won't survive if the mass exodus of talented players continue.
I'm also not sure why SANFL clubs continue to announce 18-year-old unknown players from interstate unless they are the next Harley Reid, this surely can't continue, it's embarrassing.
The SANFL could also spend some money in marketing the competition, and putting on some new positions in marketing.

A few suggestions, would like to hear other views?

Not sure people go to the SANFL because of the standard of football. Every season there is going to be a couple of crap teams who play average standard of football and there will be a few good teams that will have crowds interested because of their success. Unless all the coaches get together and all commit to playing a full-on attacking brand of football i can't see the standard determine crowds a whole lot. As an over 35er you either support an SANFL club or you don't and as a kid/teenager your not choosing to go to a game based on the standard its because of the marketing etc.

SANFL is in a very tough spot in the market place. Kind of in no mans land. Don't have the marketing power and presence the AFL have and never will have. Also trying to maintain the semi professional standard clubs are running on a streamline budget and having to put prices to a level that are well above the pub test of value.

Good one. Read this only recently.


A memory of English cricket commentator John Arlott, who always had a glass of red wine beside him as he worked …

This Arlott story concerns New Zealand bowler Bob Cunis.

Bob couldn’t be described as medium pace because he wasn’t quick enough. But he couldn’t be called a spinner because he didn’t spin it.

At the end of a long’s day play, after several bottles of red wine, Arlott advised his listeners:

“And, as for Cunis, his bowling, like his name, was neither one thing nor the other.”

I like it.. nothing like a bit of retro and I highly doubt it will open up any old merger wounds.. they’re long healed over surely?
I was Torrens and I’m happy to be a Woodville west Torrens member and fan hopefully there’s more from both of the clubs mind you we are getting older those of us who supported either team
Could’ve been worse Port could’ve been involved lol there was talk by a eagles fan who supported port in the afl that Port wanted the eagles as their SANFL side thankfully never happened eagles would’ve lost everyone or almost everyone

I think its awesome, the Eagles footy club has impressed me so much in the last few years with the way they're run and what they do.
The President is an awesome lady, have so much time for her.

Anyone know where to find a list with players numbers?
At the entrance.

It would be nice if there was live stats somewhere online....
The SANFL has been pathetic "marketing" the game. News item 2 days ago. No updates, stats or scores online (that I can see).
Stupid place and time for it , not helped by the fact Channel 7 has it listed as "VFL".
Why a stupid place? (Your hate for Glenelg Oval aside)