SA Footy

South held on against West last week in what some people described as a game of football but not me. It was a game of mistakes.

Norwood looked like they would bust the Bay bubble but were overrun to lose by 2 points.

Norwood have no new reported injuries and look set to welcome back Michael Knoll.

South have no such luck. Cailotto and Brown will miss and join a long list on the sidelines. Freitag should come in and perhaps Kappler.

First time around Norwood beat South with the winning goal kicked at the 20 minute mark of the second quarter.

I think we can reverse the result and get up by a point.

South Adelaide champion Joel Cross has revealed his father’s passing in 2018 was a ”very, very dark time” in his life which forced him to reassess his glittering SANFL career.

As he approaches his 200th Statewide Super League game against Norwood at Flinders University Stadium on Monday, Cross admitted he was extremely emotional when thinking about his dad, and best mate, Mark upon returning from his personal leave three years ago.

And it has only been in the past 12 months that the well-spoken 34-year-old has felt comfortable enough to share his challenging experience publicly.

”It was a really dark, a very, very dark time for myself and my family,” said Cross, who made his SANFL League debut for South in Round 1 of 2011.

”I was dad’s best mate, we spoke to each other just about every day. He was a huge influence on my football and I think I cried on my way to every single game for the rest of that (2018) season.

”I’ve only just got to the point where I can talk about it openly and try and share to help people through it.”



As a result, Cross used his emotional journey to proactively assist his teammates following the sudden death of former Panther Alex Aurrichio, in a bicycle accident, in June last year.

”We were all pretty broken and were really struggling leading into Round 1 (last year),” said Cross, who won the Magarey Medal in 2012 and 2015.

”But I was able to leverage a lot of what I learned from my father’s passing and help out everyone else, to get through that time.

”I remember we were playing the Eagles in Round 1 and we had Alex’s funeral that week but we were all enthusiastic and able to play for Alex as much as we were all hurting.”

It is an example of the close-knit bond currently prevalent at Noarlunga, which Cross has presided over in his role as captain from 2018 to 2020.

Recruited from Scoresby in suburban Melbourne, the dual Magarey Medallist has a bulging cabinet of individual honours as a dual Shearman Medal winner, four-time West End State representative and eight-time member of The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year.

But none of it would mean as much to the four-time Knuckey Cup winner as being a part of a drought-breaking South Adelaide premiership team, as the club chases its first flag since 1964.

”It would mean everything – it would be justification for all of the hard work we have done,” said Cross, who will join fellow South greats Jim Deane and Mark Naley as a SANFL Player Life Member.

”It’s been such a long time so it would be the ultimate for us and all of the people involved with the club. You spend 11 years at a club and you realise how much something like that would mean to so many people.”

SOUTH

South Adelaide will make at least three adjustments for Joel Cross’ milestone match against Norwood at Flinders University Stadium.

Ball-carrying pair Tyson Brown and Luke Bogle have been forced out with injuries while big man Daniel Nobes was omitted.

Ruck Damon Freitag, utilities Danny Juckers and Jesse McKinnon, defender Jaidan Kappler, forward Darnell Tucker and possible debutant Jake McCreery were all named on the extended interchange bench.

McCreery (23, 174cm and 80kg), from Hallett Cove, is the older brother of former Panther Beau McCreery, who is now playing with AFL club Collingwood.

Dual Magarey Medallist Cross will play his 200th League game after making his debut in Round 1 of 2011.

League

F: Heaslip, Skinner, Schwarz

HF: O’Neill, Overall, Cross

C: Turner, Sampson, Milsom

HB: Broadbent, Haren, Gibbs

B: Haines, Summerton, Elsworthy



R: Cailotto, Horne, Sawford

INT: Tarca, Juckers, McKinnon, Freitag, J. McCreery, Tucker, Kappler

IN: McKinnon, Juckers, Freitag, J. McCreery, Tucker, Kappler

OUT: Brown (ankle), Bogle (finger), Nobes

NEW: Jake McCreery (Cove)

MILESTONE: Joel Cross 200 games

Reserves
Coleman, Douglass, Draper, Dumesny, Flett, Gaden, Griffiths, Hamilton, Hindes, Kraemer, Little, Lovering, Machin, Martins, Megins, Nobes, Nye, C. Sampson, Spacie, Whitbread

Under-18
F: K. Smith, Rogers, Barrett
HF: Rodrigues, Hoeck, Hogg
C: D. Brown, Worthley, Birt
HB: R. Brown, Galliford, Jones
B: Hayes, Miller, Schroder

R: Treloar, Bradley, Mitton
INT: Amos, Walton, Welk, Howes, Kirkland, Pilmore, Inthavong



NORWOOD

Norwood could unveil another AAMI Rookie against South at Flinders University Stadium.

Payneham Norwood Union product Sam Morris (19, 181cm and 78kg) is one of three inclusions listed on the seven-man interchange bench.

Wingman Dom Barry could return after kicking three goals in the Reserves last round while Lachlan Pascoe provides height coverage at either end of the ground.

League

F: Hamilton, Binder, Tranfa

HF: Nelligan, Shenton, Puopolo

C: McKenzie, Nunn, Rokhar

HB: Saywell, Ball, Douglas

B: Collins, Talia, Bower



R: Boyd, Kennerley, Grigg

INT: Barry, B. Carroll, Pascoe, J. Richards, J. Heard, Gerloff, Morris

IN: Barry, Pascoe, Morris

NEW: Sam Morris (Payneham

Reserves
Z. Richards, Irra, Bampton, Barry, B. Carroll, Buckham, Larkins, Vardenaga, Cotter, Pascoe, Wilkins, J. Richards, Wagner, Hearing, J. Heard, Gerloff, F. Heard, Cavallaro, Chandler, Spence, Schwerdt, Morris, Murley, Haebich, Trepka, Robinson, Warton, Patrick, M. Carroll

Under-18
Murley, Bishop, Tape, De Luca, Joseph, Mead, Gale, Gal, Kelly, Jones, Kent, McShane, Barton, Chalrton, Baldwin, Belperio, Minervini, Kemp, Dobie, Ianniello, Stenchlik, Wright, Boxer, Foster, Bowman, Krollig, Lake, Dickeson

Joel Cross..what a champ. Been a privilege to watch the majority of those 199 games. Recall being at his first game at Woodville back in 2011..combined well in the centre with Nick Liddle who’d come across the year before, 'feeding' Wundke who was also playing his first game for the club. Joel's kicking was a little untidy in those early years, but that was soon addressed and he became one of the top players of the past decade.

His durability is worth noting..from what I can gather he’s only missed 2 games in his time at South- 1 in each of 2017 and 2018 (possibly due to the passing of his father as noted above..cant recall exactly).

Not many reach the 200 game milestone in the SANFL anymore. Have to respect that loyalty and commitment in the age of chasing an early pension in country footy.

saintal wrote:Joel Cross..what a champ. Been a privilege to watch the majority of those 199 games. Recall being at his first game at Woodville back in 2011..combined well in the centre with Nick Liddle who’d come across the year before, 'feeding' Wundke who was also playing his first game for the club. Joel's kicking was a little untidy in those early years, but that was soon addressed and he became one of the top players of the past decade.

His durability is worth noting..from what I can gather he’s only missed 2 games in his time at South- 1 in each of 2017 and 2018 (possibly due to the passing of his father as noted above..cant recall exactly).

Not many reach the 200 game milestone in the SANFL anymore. Have to respect that loyalty and commitment in the age of chasing an early pension in country footy.

Yep have to agree, what a star he’s been. Even though it’s not for my club, love seeing interstate recruits come across, buy in and stick around for a lengthy career. Huge respect and I hope he stars in a narrow loss this weekend

Panthers in a canter with Cross BOG in the 200th.

A great servant for Souf and a constant thorn in the Bays side over the journey. Well done, superb effort.

Looking forward to this game , however it wont be easy.
South with a mounting injury count- 9 of first 25 out injured, and a couple under a cloud....however core of the side in tact.
South to get the job done on the vast acreage of Flinders Uni Stadium..

Joel Cross will play his 200th. What a fantastic servant for the club he has been; his CV is outstanding..but sadly missing is a Premiership..

200 games
State representative multiple times, Captain on 2 occasions
South Adelaide Captain 2018-20
2 Magarey Medals
4 Knuckey cups
2 Shearman Medals
IMO 1 of the 5 greatest players to wear the Blue and White in the club's 145 years.

Darley, Morriarty, Deane and Tredrea?

DOC wrote:Darley, Morriarty, Deane and Tredrea?

Mark Naley belongs in that company. Admirable though Cross is, Naley was a champion in a much stronger era.
And on what I have read so do Diddy Munro and Jack Reedman.
It is subjective but I would say that Cross sits comfortably in South's best 8 players ever.

DOC wrote:Darley, Morriarty, Deane and Tredrea?

Cornes, Winton, Schmidt, Hams (honourable mention Rodney Campbell).

No Sawford?

Peter Johnston, Jon Symonds?

McCreerys x2, Overall, Wilkinson, McMahon, Potter?

am Bays wrote:Peter Johnston, Jon Symonds?

McCreerys x2, Overall, Wilkinson, McMahon, Potter?

All wised up and went to a more successful club.

Back to you.

DOC wrote:Darley, Morriarty, Deane and Tredrea?

Naley, but Tredrea must have been very very good.

DOC wrote:

am Bays wrote:Peter Johnston, Jon Symonds?

McCreerys x2, Overall, Wilkinson, McMahon, Potter?

All wised up and went to a more successful club.

Back to you.

How many Grand Finals have they won??

*back hand slice down the line….*

shannon snook

am Bays wrote:

DOC wrote:

am Bays wrote:Peter Johnston, Jon Symonds?

McCreerys x2, Overall, Wilkinson, McMahon, Potter?

All wised up and went to a more successful club.

Back to you.

How many Grand Finals have they won??

*back hand slice down the line….*

Overall has played in six cricket grand finals and won 4.

Wilkinson won a dance off grand final 2 years ago.

Jon Symonds has won numerous grand finals at Scared Heart. He also says he had to leave Glenelg when he did as everywhere he looked there was someone who looked just like him.

robranisgod wrote:

DOC wrote:Darley, Morriarty, Deane and Tredrea?

Mark Naley belongs in that company. Admirable though Cross is, Naley was a champion in a much stronger era.
And on what I have read so do Diddy Munro and Jack Reedman.
It is subjective but I would say that Cross sits comfortably in South's best 8 players ever.

Very. In topical comparison discussions within historically dynamic subjects, it's one consistent characteristic. Logical fallacies are another, but that is probably best left for a more appropriate thread.

Anyway, sorry folks, back on topic.

Norwood by four goals.

Going to the game today and hopefully celebrate Crossy’s 200th with a win. But South will have to play a LOT better than last week and injuries are piling up now.
This will be a close one and I think the Panthers will do just enough at home to honour the champ.

Is there a breeze ?