Sport Back Page Insight A GAME The last hurrah The 2012 Hills Football League Central Division minor rounds season will conclude this Saturday with a looming question mark. The lingering question is whether Onkaparinga Valley can produce a Manchester City style renaissance and grasp a top five berth at the final hour. Mt Barker should charge into the finals with an OF WORDS unblemished record, as it confronts the stagnating Bulldogs this Saturday at Mt Barker. By Jeff Pistola unique character who has traversed Commencing the season with five victories from their Australian sport and media. opening six matches, the Valley Bulldogs have won just Several recently released For over half a century, Richards two of their past 11 matches, and will require a minor has made an immense contribution miracle to defeat Mt Barker, let alone play finals. books offer a keen insight to the game of Australian Rules Mt Barker and Onkas have met on 24 occasions since into the game of Australian Football, and the book captures 2002, with the Barkeroos holding a 15-9 leeway. Rules Football and would Richards’ journey from a knock- The Bulldogs won two of the three 2011 meetings, be a great acquisition any about kid reared in the back including the semifinal clash at Uraidla Oval. library ... particularly with streets of Melbourne’s toughest Uraidla Districts and Blackwood have formed a fierce working-class suburbs, to being rivalry over recent seasons, however, the clubs have Father’s Day on the horizon. Collingwood premiership captain encountered differing fortunes this season. The South Australian Country in 1953, followed by a successful The combative duo have locked horns in two of the Football Digest provides a further post-football multi media career. past three Central grand finals, including last season’s account of the rich history of regional Richards played 250 games for the football throughout the State. Magpies over 15 seasons, including unforgettable stoush at Hahndorf Oval. being skipper for four seasons, and Plenty has changed since then, and the Woods will The book is the second offering from Cowell resident Peter Lines, the courageous and gifted rover miss the finals for the first time since 2003. following the success of his initial also twice represented Victoria. Blackwood upset Uraidla in Round 9, however, publication Encyclopedia of South After his retirement as a player the Demons currently maintain second spot with Australian Country Football Clubs in 1955, Richards – affectionately 14 victories and they should have few problems four years ago. known as ‘Louie the Lip’ – forged a accounting for the Woods. Since being released last early successful career in newspapers and Lobethal last defeated Mt Lofty by 25 points on April month, Lines’ latest labor of love has television, acting as commentator in 16, 2005, as Colin Hackett was named best for the already outsold the previous edition a number of grand finals. Tigers. at a rate of three-to-one, leading to Honored for his services to sport Both clubs have endured periods of flagging fortunes, a reprint being commissioned to with a MBE in 1982 and inducted with Mt Lofty slumping to the floor during the early arrive in time for the major rounds in the Australian Football Hall of period of the decade, and the Tigers during the latter in the various country competitions, Fame in 1996, Richards is one of stages. together with interest generated the game’s all-time greats and his In 2002 Mt Lofty failed to win a game ... ironically towards availability for Father’s Day. story is fully documented in Lou: My thrashed by Lobethal in Round 18 by 317 points. Lines has been involved in SA Wonderful Life, which is co-written The Devils won three successive premierships country football for over four by accomplished sports journalist Stephen Phillips. from 2006-08, during a period in which the Tigers decades, initially as a player in Slattery Media have also commenced their spiral down the ladder. various regions and nowadays acts as an umpire on the Eyre Peninsula, recently released Legends, which Lobethal were a dominant force in the late 1990s, but as well as being a dedicated student Eyre Peninsula resident Peter Lines has recently released his documents the story of 24 players success comes in cycles ... ebbing and flowing like a of the game’s history. inducted as legend status into the roller coaster. “My first book concentrated second regional football history book entitled South Australian Australian Football Hall of Fame The Tigers are once again highly competitive, on club history and grand final Country Football Digest which is now available within the since its introduction in 1996. however, they haven’t played finals since 2004. appearances, so with this book I Adelaide Hills.. Chapters on such greats as Ron After recording consecutive wins against Blackwood have included player achievements Barassi, Jack Dyer, Graham Farmer, and Bridgewater, the Tigers pushed Uraidla last and written about the careers of over 100 team photographs, particular season, having kicked Ted Whitten, SA’s own Barrie Robran Saturday at Uraidla Oval. individual players, coaches and player profiles and the histories of 164 majors during 1976. and 2012 inductee Barry Cable are They will be keen to respond this Saturday against a even umpires,” outlined Lines. more than 150 SA country football Past Hills regional players Max included in the 368-page hard cover young Devils combination which will implement their “It has taken a lot of work once leagues and associations. Brown, Graham Klose and Alf book. chip and run game style. again, but I have been able to Within the latest publication are Skuse are also featured among Grand Finals Volume II charts Ironbank currently hold fourth position and remains a provide a records section in the over 20 pages of Adelaide Hills the 50 individual profiles contained the four decades of premierships mathematical chance of claiming third spot. latest book which includes the football history, together with seven within the book. contested from the outbreak of The South Australian Country The Thunderers will play finals for the first time since highest goal kickers to most games team photographs, while many WW2, when the VFL increased 2007 and confront bottom ranked Bridgewater on played, long serving coaches and Football Digest is available for from a 12-team Victorian based Hills players are included in the purchase at Pages and More in Mt Saturday at Ironbank. even compiled lists of long serving overall records section, including competition towards a professional Barker or by direct mail order from national league. The Raiders have certainly improved, with competitive administrators. current Gumeracha playing coach “I have also included lists under the author at bplines@bigpond. The edition, part of a trilogy of recent displays against Lobethal, Torrens Valley and Quinton Graham who established Blackwood. SANFL and AFL club banners of com or by phone on 0438 819 391. grand final history, covers the the benchmark of most goals in an Torrens Valley will venture to Hahndorf, and the Valley every player who commenced culture of the times, the great individual match within SA country Lions can smell finals. their football careers as a country Elite level football characters and champions, football after booting 40 against The Valley Lions are capable of testing the leading player.” For those who closely follow the many who forged reputations on Callington in 2010, while past Onka sides, exemplified last Saturday against Ironbank. The digest contains 391 pages of game at the elite level, Lou: My that last day in September, as well Valley spearhead Phil Howlett sits Torrens Valley tested Hahndorf for three quarters country football history, statistics, Wonderful Life is an autobiography as supplying full statistical accounts as the second highest scorer in one on the life of Lou Richards, a of title deciders from 1939-78. earlier in the season, before the Magpies stormed records and stories, and features home with a powerful final stanza. Hahndorf must win to maintain a one-game buffer ahead of Ironbank and claim the all important double chance. Tips: Mt Barker, Uraidla, Hahndorf, Lobethal, Ironbank. Packing down for State By Josh Marton represented the State each season, and appears to relish the opportunities Mylor teenager George to play at a more competitive level. “The State fixtures would have Campbell continued an been the hardest games I have ever impressive development in his played,” assessed Campbell. chosen sport of rugby union “However, they were more enjoyable by recently representing SA than club games, both in the game play and having billets of players from for the third consecutive year. the opposition team.” The 14-year-old enjoyed his best Standing an imposing 182cm with a interstate performance to date, and solid frame, the promising Hills player was named as overall best forward is hoping to convert his developmental during the 2012 national Under 14 successes into a career, realising that tournament held on Queensland’s making the State side each season is Gold Coast during June. the first step to fulfilling his dreams of In another highlight, Campbell was playing at the elite level. also a member of SA’s maiden victory “My intentions are to make it at a in the age group during the carnival. professional level, and with a lot Playing as a loosehead prop, of effort I think that dream could be Campbell’s dominant performance at reached,” Campbell said. that level also earned him a position “On a smaller scale, I want to in the SA Under 15 Invitation side in make the State representative team which he was voted best afield by the every year, as I have since I started Victorian opposition in the second playing”.