FOOTBALL Fortunes weigh heavily Seventh ranked Torrens Valley Reflecting on his side’s 2013 campaign, Torrens Ironbank lacked goal scoring options without the completed its 2013 Hills Football League Valley coach Dale Eichner believes the foundation presence of playing coach Chris Ladhams and the has been laid for a successful future. Valley Lions led by 20 points at quarter time. Central Division A-grade campaign with “The guys played really well on Saturday in testing It was Ironbank’s turn to kick with the wind during mixed emotions. conditions ... it’s frustrating we couldn’t do it earlier the second term. The Valley Lions encouragingly ended their minor in the year,” outlined Eichner. Yeomans and Jarrod Tagliaferri combined out season campaign with eight victories and a 11-9 to “I’m happy where we are going and the direction of the centre and experienced campaigner Matt 3-6 victory against Ironbank last Saturday. that the club is heading. Smith took a strong mark and goaled. However, they ultimately missed playing in a “We will make a few changes heading into next The Thunderers were using the wind well and consecutive finals campaign by two matches. year. Daniel Desengo teamed with Smith for another The Valley Lions and Ironbank met in last season’s “The club has improved massively, we are major, this time to Nick Van Den Berg off the elimination final, however, such aspirations were showing that both on and off the field. ground. over heading into last Saturday’s final Round 18 “Injuries and not having everyone on the park all Will Muirden was coming into the game and the contest. year cost us in a few games. visitors were keeping their faint finals chances The sixth ranked Thunderers struggled during the “All in all we look forward as a club with the Senior alive. second half of the season, winning just three of Colts playing in the finals.” Tom Eichner, Tyrone Price and Dane Thompson their final nine matches. Torrens Valley won the crucial coin toss last have been three of the most consistent and reliable Ironbank were positioned in fourth after the mid Saturday and kicked with the assistance of a five- contributors for the Valley Lions this season. season break, having won five matches. goal breeze at Mt Pleasant. The trio were again putting their bodies on the The Thunderers struggled when it mattered most, Extremely heavy conditions greeted both sides line as the ground was becoming churned up. winning one first quarter during the second half of and it was Ironbank first into attack through Simon Ironbank trailed by 15 points at half-time and the season. Hulme working with Brad Yeomans. coach Ladhams had the interchange working over It appeared the Thunderers had come to play, Ironbank had 11 more shots than opposition sides time during the initial stages of the third quarter. during the opening nine rounds, averaged 103 however, their attack was repelled by Valley Lions defenders Matt Press and Jacob Broad. The Valley Lions were committed and desperate points per game and capitalised on 58 percent of during the third term with goals to John Pratt and its opportunities. Second-gamer Jake Sutton forced the ball forward through heavy mud, assisting spearhead Braedon Renshaw. The Thunderers struggled from Round 10-18, Torrens Valley continued to push on during the averaging 65 points and had 38 fewer shots than Dale Ellis (four goals) with a soccer goal. Anthony Cooper returned from a lengthy injury closing stanza with five final-quarter majors, while opposition sides, at a disappointing conversion the Thunderers were held goal-less. rate of 48 percent. lay off and kicked two goals inside five minutes for Murray and Yeomans continued with their attack Torrens Valley’s two biggest defeats for the the hosts. season came against Onka Valley (88 points) and Ironbank were under pressure, as it struggled to on the ball, while Andy Adams was also strong. Mt Barker (83 points). Dale Eichner .... foundations set in conjure a score into a strong wind. Torrens Valley’s Round 18 triumph was highly Excluding those two losses the Lions average 2013 toward future success for the Adam Shearwood and Yeomans kept the visitors impressive, however, supporters and players were losing margin was just 26 points, whilst they lost Torrens Valley Lions club. in touch with hard attack around the centre region left pondering on an inconsistent and ultimately three matches for the season under three goals. and Clae Murray was strong in defence. unsuccesful campaign.

GREAGREATT SOUTHERN F O O T B A L L L E A G U E Josh LOW KEY Chance goes begging Marton An opportunity to seal a top three position against the bottom Alternatively, the Hawks will rise above the Roosters on the ladder if they placed side went begging for Strathalbyn in last Saturday’s overcome Yankalilla in Round 18, due to greater percentage. FOR ‘DUGGA’ The Hawks will have to do what the Roosters couldn’t to claim the double Continued from Sport 1 Round 17 Great Southern Football League A-grade fixtures. chance, and should be bolstered by the return of Warren, Hateley, Norman Langhorne Creek’s surprise loss the previous round opened the door for and Rogers. Warren conceded that staying with the Hawks two the Roosters to forge a two-game gap over the Hawks with just a round While that’s happening 15km east, the Roosters could still claim outright years ago would have been the ‘easier thing to do’, remaining, however, they put together a lack lustre performance to fall to third with a victory over ladder leader Encounter Bay. however, he was thankful he took up Bassett’s offer, the Tigers 6-7 to 4-3 at Yankalilla Oval. Leading goal kicker Scott Welsh is unlikely to appear at Strathalbyn Oval who he rates as the best coach he has played under. With their premiership credibility on the line, the Roosters kept Yankalilla after being withdrawn with injury last Saturday, and won’t be risked as the “He’s an outstanding coach, and I’ve got no doubt scoreless in the opening term to gain a valuable 14-point lead in wet and Bays have already sewn up top spot with one match remaining. he could go to the next level and succeed,” Warren blustery conditions. The duels between the Magpies and McLaren at Goolwa Oval and the assessed. Simounds and Munn were the first term goal kickers for the visitors who Roos and Mt Compass at Victor Harbor are just as important in the context “He’s very driven, and his organisation skills and dominated the quarter, although their body language suggested otherwise of the top five. preparation and even the game style we play gives us at quarter time and was a sign of things to come. If just one side wins, they’ll be certain to appear in September, however, a an edge. Courageous Strathalbyn youngster Chris Clark was one of few Roosters win to both will more than likely leave the Roos in the top five. “The best thing about ‘Freddy’ is we train how we demanding front spot and hunting the ball before he suffered a suspected Despite having arguably the best forward combination in the competition want to play, we don’t use cones, we’ll do 12 versus season-ending collar bone injury in the second term. with Paul Smith and former West Coast Eagle forward Callum Wilson, the 12 full ground drills because that’s how you play on It only got worse for the visitors as the Tigers piled on four goals to one, Magpies have scored 200 points less than Victor Harbor in 2013. the weekend.” with Jake Ashton-Place (three majors) doing the damage, utilising his pace In the remaining match, Willunga will fine tune September preparations to give the home side a six-point lead at half-time. when it travels to Myponga to take on the Mudlarks. Plethora of talent Yankalilla midfielder Myles Warmington was the orchestrator of the Tigers Norwood’s yielding of country talent doesn’t stop at goal avalanche, proving to be a class above in the dour conditions. Warren, with several Adelaide Hills players amongst Yankalilla’s defence stood tall in the third stanza as Strathalbyn threatened the 2012 premiership side. with the wind behind it. “We’ve had a terrific run with country footballers the Simounds kicked his second goal to get the ball rolling, but the Tigers past two seasons,” Bassett said. tackling pressure was extraordinary. “We’re a bit disappointed we lost Lobethal and Luke Durdin and Thomas Fittock were outstanding in the air in Yankalilla’s Onkaparinga in our zone because I think we’ve got back half, and the loss of Clark and crumbing forward Ben Thrum (sickness) about five of those guys in our league side at the in the second half left few options at the feet of Simounds, Munn and centre moment.” half forward Mark Billington. Bassett jokingly admitted his country recruits are While the Roosters efforts were improved in the third term, they still trailed ‘good wet weather players’, however, their ability by five points at the last interval. to perform in one of Adelaide’s wettest winters has Michael Vaninetti and Randall Gale were desperate in the last term contributed to Norwood being premiership favorite for Strathalbyn in the fight for the two premiership points which would after the Round 20 fixtures. guarantee a deep role into September. Warren who has carried the nickname ‘Dugga’ Their efforts resulted in midfielder Sam George streaming towards goal throughout his career after his middle name Douglas, with the game in the balance, but as had happened all match, it was to noted the Hills contingent have been integral members no avail. of the side since he has been at the club. The absence of genuine forwards Ben Dray and Russell Tucker continues “He might not be the standout player, but Ben to hurt Strathalbyn’s finals aspirations, while the loss of Clark could be Jefferies is fantastic to play with, plays his role every detrimental to its premiership stakes. week,” said Warren. Despite the Tigers sitting bottom of the table, their raft of 2012 grand final “Also guys like Brady Dawe, Andrew Kirwan, they’re talent were able to upset the Roosters who are now just one win ahead of all obviously great kids”. Langhorne Creek in third position. Warren has adapted well to a transition further up the After the shock loss to Victor Harbor, the Hawks contingent thought their ground in the latter stages of the season, with his one tilt at a top three position was over. goal against the Bays taking his seasonal tally to 27, Damaging utilities Greg Norman, Tom Hateley and Tim Rodgers were all and a career total of 409. absent due to injuries, while skipper Nick Warren and Loccy McGregor The accurate right-footer nailed 345 majors in his were also out as the reigning premier focused forward to the elimination 10-year alliance with South Adelaide, also including a final. stint as captain and just one final series in 2006. By Saturday night, the Hawks had registered a hard fought 5-10 to 5-2 His resilience through some tough periods at the victory over McLaren at McLaren Vale Oval, and third position is again in Panthers indicates how passionate he is about the sight. SANFL, making his decision to return an easy one. The Eagles got off to a flyer, however, their willingness to chip around and “Everyone is driven to train and prepare well and do maintain possession in poor conditions worked against them, resulting in all those little things that make you the best footballer the ball continuously being turned over. that you can be.” Trailing by eight points at quarter time, the Hawks kept the home side Niggling injuries were one of the reasons behind goal-less in the second stanza to draw level at the major break. Warren’s first retirement from SANFL ranks, and will The visitors got on top in midfield through Jarrod Kellock and Angus Lally, reassess where his body is at during the latter stages but mirrored their previous week’s performances by missing costly shots of the season. at goal. While his role as brand manager at Landmark’s Despite having 13 scoring shots to four at three-quarter time, the Hawks Cavan office gives him the ability to be fully committed only held a nine-point lead. to the Redlegs, Warren believes spending more time Youngsters Tynan Keeley and Tom Derham were strong in defence for the with his young family would be a factor to accepting a visitors before the latter led well up forward, while Matt Tonkin continues to contract extension. display career-best form on the wing. A return to the brown and gold is more a question of The margin was reduced to two points late in the final term in what was a ‘when’ rather than ‘if’ for Warren, as he reflected on his messy and tight encounter. inaugural premiership victory. As they had for most of the match, the Hawks had to find a goal from a “My first premiership was at Langhorne Creek so I midfielder to get them over the line. was very grateful, and at the time you’re just so thrilled After taking a free kick right on the boundary 30m out, Lally used his to win.” powerful right boot to convert a miraculous ‘banana’, gifting the Hawks their “It was great to play with a lot of old friends I’ve known 10th win of the season. for years, and the Langhorne Creek Football Club has supported me the whole way through my career, and Down to the wire I’m very grateful for that.” Willunga guaranteed itself second position with an 8-11 to 5-9 victory over Goolwa/Port Elliot at the Willunga Oval, while Victor Harbor were no match Yankalilla’s Michael James (3) spoils Strathalbyn youngster The Huddle is back for the Bay at Encounter Bay Oval, losing 15-11 to 7-14. Chris Clark during the Tigers upset Round 17 Great Myponga-Sellicks won the cellar dweller bout 9-7 to 2-1 over the Bulldogs with HFL finals fever! at Mt Compass Oval, earmarking a disastrous turn around for a side in the Southern Football League A-grade win on Saturday. Adding top five for the first half of the season. to the Roosters woes, Clark suffered a collar bone injury in the Podcast on The Dogs could finish bottom if Yankalilla continues its good form against second term which may have ended his 2013 campaign. www.spreaker.com/user/huddle the Hawks at Langhorne Creek. Image courtesy Andrew Batten.