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CENTRALS WINS 2009 GRAND FINAL

Central 12.6 (78) def Port 8.15 (63)

Best: Central – M Fuller, J Dodd, A Fullerton, J Quigley, S Dawson. Port – C Stephens, T Clarke, K Johnanson, C Smith, M Burford. Goals: Central – R Morris 3, S Dawson, J Reid 2, R Clayton-Waye, S Curnow, M Fuller, M Harvey, A McKenzie. Port – G Phillips 3, S Treloar, T Clarke, J Clarke, M Gale

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SGL Week 1 Finals preview

by Angus Dearlove

1st Semi final- South Augusta vs West Augusta
South Augusta take on West Augusta in Saturday’s first semi final. This should be a good match between the two best performing teams of 2010. South enter the match favourites after finishing the season as minor premiers. Spirits will be high at the club after popular midfielder Ryan Struck took out the Madigan medal, tying on 18 votes with Solomontown’s Tyrone Price. West Augusta will be sweating on the fitness of key utility Jordan Warren, whether he can return from a hamstring strain. His brother Hayden Warren has been in great goalkicking touch late in the season and South will need to stop him in order to give themselves the best chance of winning. I am going to tip South to win this one, they have looked the better side all year. West will lose and take on the winner of Lions vs Central Augusta.

2nd Semi final- Lions vs Central Augusta
Lions host Central in the second semi final in Port Pirie on Sunday. Central just scraped into the finals but were there on the last day in September last year so it would be foolish to write them off. Patrick Byron-Boles has been a revelation this year along with the imposing tall forward line of Ryan Morris, Darren Shillabeer, and Ashleigh Grantham. That said, Lions have had their measure so far this year and would be confident of their chances in this match. Despite losing Dean Steele to a broken wrist they still have the capability to go deep into September. Tyson Horsnell finished second in the leading goal kickers award for the league, while Clinton O’Connor and Kane Irvine also finished the season well. These players are most important to Lions chances in this game. I am tipping Lions to win by a couple of goals and knock the reigning premiers out of the finals race.

2010 MADIGAN MEDAL IS SHARED

2010 Madigan Medal Top 8 Vote Getters

Ryan Struck (South) & Tyrone Price (Solomontown) 18

Brett Jones (South) 13

Adam Grantham (South) 12

Dean Steele (Lions)12

Clinton O'Connor (Lions) 11

Ryan Noll (West) 10

Brock Laube (South) 9

Round 18 review with Angus Dearlove

South Augusta end Solomontown’s season

Minor premiers South prevented the up and coming Sollies team from locking up a finals spot with a comfortable 51 point victory in Port Augusta on Saturday.

The 18.16 (124) to 11.7 (73) victory meant Sollies lost valuable percentage, enough to see them miss the finals after Central Augusta’s win over Port.

Brock Laube, Michael Heron and Brodie Cox were South’s best, while Jason Lukich kicked four goals.

Sollies were well served by Tyrone Price, Zak Siemer and Steven Swayne.

Graham Cooke kicked two goals for Sollies.

Central pip Port and sneak into the finals.

Reigning premier Central Augusta just managed to scrape a 7 point win against bottom side Port in Port Pirie on Saturday.

Central kicked 18.14 (122) to Port’s 18.7 (115) to win one of the most entertaining games of the season.

The win means that Central finish in fourth spot, just .23% ahead of Solomontown, and claim a finals berth.

Port have the dubious honour of collecting the wooden spoon in a year that they will soon want to forget, despite a much better showing in this final game.

Ryan Morris and Ashleigh Grantham each kicked six goals for the visiting Bloods, with Patrick Byron-Boles best on ground.

Bradley Weston was Port’s best player while Matt Gale played more up forward and was rewarded with a bag of five goals to end the season.

Lions edge out West in a one point thriller

The final match of the 2010 home and away season in the Spencer Gulf league had Lions beat West in a thrilling one point encounter.

The 14.9 (93) to 14.8 (92) win will be a big confidence booster for Lions heading into finals.

Making matters worse for West, star utility Jordan Warren went off with a hamstring injury during the first quarter.

Round 18 scores - August 28 & 29, 2010

Best: South - B. Laube, M. Heron, B. Cox, J. Lukich, M. Skull. Sollies -  T. Price, Z. Siemer, S. Swayne. Goals: South - J. Lukich 4, R. Johnson 3, T. Kernahan 3, M. Heron 3, J. Warren 2, B. Cox , D. Crombie , C. Reid. Sollies - G. Cooke 2, L. Bearman , C. Tee , D. Patterson , R. Saracino , S. Swayne , B. Goodridge , R. Hayes , A. Malchow , A. Johnson

Best:  Central - P. Byron-Boles, P. Jackson, N. Callary, A. Grantham, R. Morris. Port - B. Weston, A. Fetherstonhaugh, Z. Hutchinson, K. Johanson, B. Schumacher. Goals: Central -  R. Morris 6, A. Grantham 6, D. Shillabeer 2, J. Reid , D. Culbertson , K. McKenzie , L. Archibald. Port - M. Gale 5, J. Sykes 4, K. Johanson 2, A. Casey 2, A. Fetherstonhaugh 2, C. Carey , J. Murphy , B. Weston

Best: Lions - K. Irvine, T. Ley, D. Seiber, C. Marsland, T. Dunkley. West - R. Noll, H. Warren, R. Dadleh, J. Scharenberg, R. Hobbs. Goals: Lions - T. Horsnell 5, C. Marsland 2, T. Harmer 2, A. Slattery , T. George , D. Seiber , T. Dunkley , B. Lavis. West - H. Warren 7, R. Stapleton 2, M. Foote , D. Dodd , K. Miller , J. Warren , J. Coulthard  

Round 18 preview with Angus Dearlove

Friday 27 August 2010

South Augusta vs Solomontown

With the minor premiership sewn up, South Augusta host Solomontown who are desperate to maintain fourth spot and play finals footy.  South might be resting a few players to ensure they are fresh for finals so this is a big chance for Sollies to wrap up their finals berth.  Last week Sollies beat a contender in Lions and have already beaten South once this year so they very well could take the game to South.  Todd Kernahan has been in handy form over the past few weeks and if he plays he will be a key player in South’s forward set up.  Tyrone Price is arguably the favourite for the Madigan Medal and gives the Solomontown midfield an extra boost of class and skill.  If he has a day out he will be tough to stop.  I am going to tip Sollies to win here in a close and lock up a finals spot.

Port vs Central Augusta

The final 2009 grand final replay of 2010 has Port hosting Central Augusta.  Port have just the one win for the year and that is not likely to change.  Central need to win by a fair margin here and Sollies to lose against South in order to make the finals.  Patrick Byron-Boles and Darren Shillabeer have been in great form this year and should have a field day against a Port side which has been anything but competitive for the greater part of the year.  It’s one last chance for the Port players to instil some pride in their Guernsey.  Players such as Kieran Johanson, Jayden Corrieri, and Aaron Casey have played well in just about every Port game this year despite some bad results and they have been some of the only Port players who can hold their head high over the whole year.  I am going to tip Central to win and win big here, giving them a slim chance of playing finals footy.

Lions vs West Augusta

Sunday’s match has third placed Lions coming up against second placed West.  Given the magnitude of the other two games this round it is easy to forget this match between two of the more entertaining sides of the 2010 season.  A win or a loss means little aside from momentum for these two so expect both teams to rest any player who is not fully fit.  The absence of Dean Steele is a big blow for Lions going into the finals and they will need to find a way to make up for his absence.  West had a big win over Port last week with Hayden Warren bagging eight goals, so another win here would give them some important momentum heading into the finals.  I am tipping West to win by two or three goals here as they look ahead to September action.

Round 17 review with Angus Dearlove
South Augusta overcome Central Augusta

South Augusta put a big dent in Central’s finals aspirations with a 27 point win at Port Augusta’s Central Oval on Saturday.

The 13.11 (89) to 8.14 (62) win capped off what has been a dominant season from the South Augusta Bulldogs.

Central Augusta are a game and percentage behind fourth placed Solomontown after the loss and are now likely to miss the finals.

Jason Lukich kicked three goals for South with Rick Johnson, Brock Laube and Brodie Cox starring.

Jared Reid also kicked three in a losing effort for the Bloods while Patrick Byron-Boles played a good game.

Gritty Solomontown down Lions

Solomontown put one foot into the finals with a handy 39 point win over a depleted Lions outfit in Port Pirie on Saturday.

The 14.13 (97) to 8.10 (58) win gave Sollies a handy buffer over their nearest rivals Central while Lions will be worried after another poor showing against less-fancied opposition.

The Cats led most of the day through some great contested footy, leading their Lions counterparts to the ball time and time again.

The match was soured with Sollies’ key defender Riley Bateson entering the umpire’s book for striking a Lions’ opponent.

Solomontown recruit Tyrone Price found plenty of the ball and was clearly a cut above all day, claiming best on ground honours.

Ben Goodridge kicked four goals in a rare A grade appearance for the Cats.

Tyson Horsnell kicked five for Lions whilst young ruckman Lachie Pole played one of his best games for the year to be best afield for the Lions.

Hayden Warren kicks eight as Wet thump Port

West Augusta easily accounted for Port to the tune of 87 points in the league’s Sunday game in port Augusta.

The Hawks finished 18.10 (118) to Port’s 4.7 (31) in what was a dominant display by the home side.

The win means West will finish second on the ladder with a double chance in the finals.

Hayden Warren followed up his nine goal effort against Port earlier this year with another bag of eight, taking him to the top of the league’s goalkicking ladder with one game remaining.

Richie Hobbs and Jordan Warren were West’s best players.

Port captain Ben Luteria played well for his side while the goals were shared one apiece to Matt Fitzgerald, Kieran Johanson, Zak Hutchinson and Aaron Casey.

Round 17 - August 21, 2010

Best:  South - R. Johnson, B. Laube, B. Cox, M. Grantham, J. Wingfield. Central - P. Byron-Boles, N. Callary, P. Jackson, R. Elley, J. Jackson. Goals: South - J. Lukich 3, R. Johnson 3, S. Feltus 2, M. Morse , B. Laube , B. Cox , T. Kernahan , B. Jones. Central - J. Reid 3, R. Morris 2, A. Grantham 2, D. Myles

Best:  Sollies - T. Price, G. Cooke, C. Tee, Z. Siemer, A. Johnson. Lions - L. Pole, S. Edwards, T. Horsnell, D. Pine. Goals: Sollies - B. Goodridge 4, N. Redman 3, A. Johnson 2, C. Sawyer , G. Cooke , C. Tee , J. Davies , T. Price. Lions - T. Horsnell 5, C. Marsland , C. O''Connor , C. Wood

Best:  West - R. Hobbs, J. Warren, H. Warren, R. Noll, R. Dadleh. Port - B. Luteria, C. Smith, T. Hall, K. Johanson. Goals: West - H. Warren 8, R. Stapleton 4, K. Miller , J. Nunn , J. Warren , J. Scharenberg , R. Dadleh , J. McKenna. Port - M. Fitzgerald , K. Johanson , Z. Hutchinson , A. Casey

Round 17 SGL preview with Angus Dearlove

South Augusta vs Central Augusta
South and Central do battle in Port Augusta on Saturday in what is sure to be an enticing encounter. South have one hand on the minor premiership but will be out to make sure that Central do not get fourth spot. Players like Daniel Dohnt and Todd Kernahan will also be hoping to get some form coming into the finals. Central are coming good at the right time of the season after a slow start but are still no certainty to make the finals. Much of their turnaround has been due to players such as Patrick Byron-Boles and Matt Harvey finding form. These two will need to have good games for Central to win here. I am tipping South to come out and win here, just to keep their red and black rivals down.

Lions vs Solomontown
Another important game in the finals context is to be played on Saturday in Port Pirie. With spots one to three on the ladder already decided, it is the race for fourth which will interest most. Solomontown are sitting fifth, only percentage keeping them from fourth spot which is being occupied by Central Augusta. With Central playing the top side in South, the game against Lions is a perfect opportunity for Sollies to jump up a spot. Last time these two met it was in wet conditions and Sollies caused an upset, which they will be hoping to re-create. Ryan Saracino and Tyrone Price have been excellent for Sollies recently and will be hard to stop. For Lions, the returns of Tyrone George and Brodie Lavis have added just a bit of class to an already good Lions team. I am tipping a close one with Lions to win.

West Augusta vs Port
Sunday in Port Augusta has West taking on Port. Both these sides were disappointing in defeat last week and will hope to erase that with a good showing here. West are shaping up as the team most likely to challenge South for the premiership. Players such as Ryan Noll have hit form at just the right time and Hayden Warren has been consistently kicking goals all year. These two will be a major factor in what should be an easy West victory here. Port have gone from bad to worse over the year, with only one win to their names. The form of the courageous Jayden Corrieri has been one of their only highlights. There have been too many passengers at Port this year and they will need to turn around if they are to salvage some respect from this season. I expect West to have an easy time here and come away with a big win.

Round 16 review with Angus Dearlove

Central surprises West
Central Augusta comfortably beat it’s Port Augusta rival West Augusta by 20 points in an upset on Saturday.
Central’s led all day to claim an accurate 12.4 (76) to 8.8 (56) win.
Ryan Morris was the chief destroyer up forward, kicking five goals for the Bloods.
Patrick Byron-Boles was best on ground for Central, with Mark Fuller also contributing.
It was a day to forget for West, with Ryan Noll their shining light and small forward Ray Stapleton their only multiple goalkicker with two.
The win meant Central held onto the fourth and final berth for the finals but still remain equal on points with nearest rival, Solomontown.
Sollies belt Port in the wet
Solomontown kept its finals hopes alive with a convincing 57 point win over Port on Saturday in the wet.
The 13.13 (91) to 5.4 (34) victory ensured Sollies would remain equal on points with Central Augusta who also won their round 16 match.
Sollies controlled the match from the outset but took a while to register their first goal, 15 mins into the quarter after a free kick to Craig Tee.
Port were missing Matt Gale, who withdrew with a heart complaint, and this showed with inexperienced big man Brett Schumacher shouldering the ruck against the three time Madigan Medallist in Tee
The rain was making goals hard to come by, Sollies kicked two for the first quarter and took a 12 point lead into the first break.
Lindsay Bearman goaled either side of an Ashley Johnson set shot to have Sollies five goals up before Cody Brooke registered Port’s first major 20 minutes into the second quarter.
The third quarter heated up, with Sollies’ Chuck Sawyer and Port’s Ben Luteria going into the umpires book after some fists were thrown in an altercation between the two.
Port managed to kick a couple of goals through Josh Sykes and Terry Hall but Nick Redman steadies the ship for Sollies and Johnson kicked his second to give Sollies a 38 point lead at the final change.
Port had a goal on the board through Josh Sykes again moments into the final quarter and it looked like Port might have a sniff.
Solomontown’s captain, Jarrad Davies, put his hand in for goal of the year with a fantastic checkside soccer kick from deep in the left forward pocket as the rain began to get heavier.
Sollies kicked four of the next five goals of the game in the driving rain to finish what was a great team effort from the boys in blue and white.
Tyrone Price and Ryan Saracino were Sollies best, while Lindsay Bearman and Ash Johnson shared three goals apiece.
Josh Sykes kicked two goals and midfielder Campbell Smith took the honours as Port’s best on a day that capped off a season to forget for the Bulldogs.
South send a message
South firmed as premiership favourites after accounting for Lions to the tune of 33 points on Sunday in Port Augusta.
In what was a close match all day, South kicked away in the last to register a 11.15 (81) to 7.6 (48) victory.
Exciting forward Todd Kernahan kicked a bag of five in a terrific effort which set up the win for South, with Mathew Grantham playing very well for his side.
Tyson Horsnell kicked three to keep his hopes of the Ken Farmer Medal alive with just two games remaining in the home and away season.
Young Anthony Slattery was Lion’s best on the day, which they will be keen to forget heading towards finals.
The win all but assures South of the minor premiership after their closest rival on the ladder, West Augusta, lost the day before.

Round 16 - August 14 & 15, 2010

Best: Central - P. Byron-Boles, M. Fuller, R. Morris, D. Shillabeer, N. Callary. West - R. Noll, J. Warren, N. Collins, R. Hobbs, J. Nunn. Goals: Central - R. Noll, J. Warren, N. Collins, R. Hobbs, J. Nunn. West - R. Stapleton 2, H. Warren , J. Nunn , S. Page , J. Warren , M. Foote , J. McKenna

Best:  Sollies - T. Price, R. Saracino, C. Mudge, L. Bearman, N. Redman. Port - C. Smith, J. Corrieri, K. Johanson, C. Tobin, A. Casey. Goals: Sollies - L. Bearman 3, A. Johnson 3, N. Redman 2, J. Davies 2, M. Kendall , C. Tee , G. Cooke. Port -  L. Bearman 3, A. Johnson 3, N. Redman 2, J. Davies 2, M. Kendall , C. Tee , G. Cooke

Best: South - M. Grantham, M. Curley, B. Laube, T. Kernahan, R. Johnson. Lions - A. Slattery, D. Pine, C. O''Connor, S. Edwards, D. Steele. Goals: South - T. Kernahan 5, J. Warren 2, R. Johnson , D. Dohnt , C. Heron , C. Reid. Lions - T. Horsnell 3, T. Bradley , B. Pine , C. Marsland , T. Ley

Round 15 review by Angus Dearlove (Mon 9 Aug 2010)
South Augusta all but seal minor premiership
South Augusta put one hand on the minor premiership with a handy 32 point win over their close rivals, West Augusta.  South controlled the game from the outset, kicking 4.7 to 1.1 in the first quarter to lead by 24 points at the first break.  West staged a mini-comeback in the second, kicking three goals to one to bring the half time margin back to nine points.  South got on top and continued along their merry way, kicking seven more goals for the game while holding West to just three and running out comfortable victors in the end.  Ryan Struck, Dwayne Crombie and Brodie Cox were best for South while Todd Kernahan kicked three goals.  Hayden Warren, Dylan Dodd and John McKenna kicked two goals each for West, with Jordan Warren, Ryan Noll and Damien Kroes playing well.
Lions trounce Port
Lions came out and effectively dominated a disgraceful Port to claim an easy 59 point win in sunny conditions on Saturday.  Lions started the better of the two with Anthony Slattery kicking a pair of goals in the first couple of minutes.  Chris Carey got his team on the scoresheet but that was quickly cancelled out by Tyson Horsnell who kicked his first.  Josh Sykes and Matt Thornton each kicked a goal for Port after this, allowing the underdog Bulldogs to take a one point lead into quarter time.  This is where any Port resistance ended. A 6 goal to one behind quarter crushed any spirit Port had and gave Lions a handy boost. Brad Pine opened the quarter with a snap from an impossible angle near the left hand goal post before Tate Bradley popped up with an inspiring three goals in three minutes.  Tyson Horsnell and Brad Pine each kicked their second after that to round out the quarter.  Horsnell and Nick Saunders opened the third quarter with another pair of goals before Terry Hall and Matt Thornton replied for Port.   Ash McNicol kicked Lions’ 12th goal before his captain Brodie Lavis chimed in with another in his first match back from a long injury layoff.  Tyson Horsnell kicked his fourth as the Lions forwards continued to feed off of some excellent delivery from their midfielders and half backs.  Simon  Treloar bagged a goal in the dying stages of the quarter for Port which brought the margin back to 51 points.  Chris Marsland broke through a couple of weak tackles before kicking truly to have another Lions goal on the board just seconds into the final quarter.  Treloar marked and snapped truly at the other end, the first of his three for the quarter, but it wasn’t enough as Brad Pine kicked his third and Matt White slotted another to kill off the game.  Anthony Slattery finished the game on a high with a third goal as the Lions romped home with a 59 point win.  Tyron George was Lions best, ably backed up by Dean Steele with his run and carry off half back and Brad Ley who was able to do as he pleased around the ground.  Tyson Horsnell kicked four in yet another outstanding effort from him.  Port’s best player was Brad Weston, who tried hard all day for his side.  Simon Treloar kicked four goals, all in the second half when the game was well and truly over, in his first decent hit out for the year.
Central Augusta jumps into top four
In a match that was set to define both teams’ seasons, Central Augusta comfortably beat Solomontown, overtaking the Cats thanks to a superior percentage.  Central never really were in trouble, kicking six goals to three in the first and two to one in the second to lead at half time by 22 points.  A seven goal to three third term gave the Bloods a heavy boost and let them just cruise along for the rest of the game.  Sollies outscored Central three goals to one in the last but it was not enough as the reigning premiers won by 28 points.  Darren Shillabeer kicked four goals for Central Augusta, a massive positive as he is a real confidence player and will certainly benefit from this hit out.  Nathan Khan and Patrick Byron-Boles were Central’s best, finding plenty of the ball in the midfield.  Ryan Saracino and Ben Goodridge kicked a couple each while Tyrone Price was Solomontown’s best.

Round 15 scores - August 7 & 8, 2010

Best:  Lions - T. George, D. Steele, B. Ley, B. Pine, C. O''Connor. Port - B. Weston, K. Johanson, B. Luteria, J. Corrieri, C. Carey. Goals: Lions - T. Horsnell 4, T. Bradley 3, B. Pine 3, A. Slattery 3, M. White , N. Saunders , C. Marsland , A. McNicol , B. Lavis. Port - S. Treloar 4, M. Thornton 2, T. Hall , J. Sykes , C. Carey

Best:  South - R. Struck, D. Crombie, B. Cox, B. Laube, C. Heron. West - J. Warren, R. Noll, D. Kroes, S. Foullis, N. Collins. Goals: South - T. Kernahan 3, D. Crombie 3, B. Cox 2, R. Johnson 2, D. Collins , B. Jones. West - H. Warren 2, J. McKenna 2, D. Dodd 2, J. Coulthard

Best: Central - N. Khan, P. Byron-Boles, D. Shillabeer, P. Jackson, K. McKenzie. Sollies - T. Price, R. Saracino, R. Bateson, G. Cooke, C. Tee. Goals: Central - D. Shillabeer 4, K. McKenzie 2, M. Harvey 2, J. Reid 2, P. Byron-Boles , D. Culbertson , P. Jackson , S. Wilson , A. Ruffles , N. Khan. Sollies - R. Saracino 2, B. Goodridge 2, R. Talbot , B. Schutte , J. Moyse , J. Davies , T. Price , C. Tee

Round 15 preview with Angus Dearlove (Fri 6 August 2010)
West Augusta vs South Augusta
A massive game beckons for these two sides in Port Augusta on Saturday.  Top placed South have been looking good of late- returning to their early season form.  Players like Michael Heron and Daniel Dohnt have really been stepping up and providing the Bulldogs from Augusta with plenty of run around the midfield.  West Augusta have been just as good but were made to work last weekend for the first three quarters.  Hayden Warren continues his form as the league’s leading goalscorer, but will be relying on his midfield and guys like Ryan Noll and Josh Scharenberg to get the ball down to him.  I am tipping South to win this one, but it’s going to be a great, close contest.
Port vs Lions
It’s a Port Pirie showdown on Saturday with bottom side Port taking on the 3rd placed Lions. This is the kind of game where form goes out the window, as there is no love lost between these two.  Port may be struggling this year but they will certainly be looking to instil some pride here against a Lions side looking to keep in touch with the leaders.  Kieran Johanson has been Port’s standout performer this season and he will need to continue his form if Port are to win.  Dean Steele and Michael Lagoudis were outstanding for Lions last week.  Dean’s pace and balance combined with Lagoudis’ strength and power have worked well for their side’s run and carry game style and they will keep this up in an attempt to run over the top of Port.  I think Lions will win this easily, but I would not be surprised if Port didn’t give it a real go.
Central Augusta vs Solomontown
Sunday’s Port Augusta match sees the Bloods take on the Cats, in a match that may shape the finals hopes for these two.  Sollies hold on to the 4th and last finals spot but Central are only a couple of games behind and a win here will make the race for 4th very interesting.  Central Augusta was well served by Simon Watts last week, and he will hopefully take that form into this week.  Tyron Price has been the Rolls Royce of the Solomontown midfield this year and if he has a good game Sollies will be hard to stop.   I am tipping Central to win this and make the race to the finals very interesting.

Round 14 review with Angus Dearlove (2 August 2010)
South Augusta roll on
South Augusta registered a huge win over bottom side Port on Saturday, cruising to a 73 point win.  It was bad from the start for Port, losing Ben Madigan before the game to a knee injury which forced Dylan Sykes to come into the side as a replacement straight from the B grade.  South led by 22 points at quarter time after kicking five goals to one in the first quarter, establishing their dominance early.  They added another three goals in the second, whilst Port kicked two of their own to ensure a glimmer of hope still existed in the green and white camp.  The margin at half time was 29 points in favour of South.  The third quarter saw South hold Port scoreless while they added five goals of their own to take the game completely away from their opponents.  The lead at three quarter time was a hefty 63 points.  With the game in the bag, South just coasted home with a five goal to three final term to end the game ahead by 73 points.  Brodie Cox kicked four, while Daniel Dohnt was instrumental in the midfield on return.  Kieran Johanson was Port’s best while Chris Carey kicked two goals to lead all comers for Port.
West fight back to overcome Solomontown
West Augusta kept their top spot hopes alive with a come from behind win over Sollies on Saturday in Port Pirie.  Sollies were celebrating midfielder Richie Cable’s 100th game and started the better of the two in the overcast and breezy conditions.  Tyrone Price opened the scoring with a long set shot before Craig Tee, starting up forward, marked strongly and played on to give Sollies a two goal lead.  A stoppage in the Sollies forward 50 allowed Riley Hayes to grab his first goal, and it was looking like it was going to be the Cats day when Lindsay Bearman drilled a clever checkside goal from deep in the pocket.  A slick chain of handballs allowed Riley Hayes to get free and goal again before the first break.  West Augusta appeared shell-shocked and trailed at the break by 32 points.  West came out much more alert in the second as they went on the attack.  Hayden Warren got his team on the board within the opening moments of the quarter, before Ryce Dadleh goaled to start a run for West.  Sollies appeared to have stopped and West were capitalising.  Hayden Warren kicked another two goals to bring his total to three for the term, as he singlehandedly looked to bring his team back into it.  Shannon Page kicked an easy goal from the square in the dying minutes of the first half to bring the margin back to a solitary point at half time.  After the main break, Josh Scharenberg kicked his first to put West in front for the first time in the match.  Craig tee goaled at the other end to break the drought for Sollies, and Rhyleigh Myles kicked another soon after as Sollies looked to regain control.  Shannon Page kicked his second from a set shot to cut the margin to four points at the final break.  It was down to the last quarter, which started well for West as Hayden Warren bobbed up for his fourth.  Chuck Sawyer kicked a goal for Sollies in his return from a knee injury before Dylan Dodd answered with his first for West.  Dadleh kicked his second after marking strongly and West looked to have the game in hand.  Ray Stapleton sealed the win before Dodd snapped a second goal in the dying minutes as West ran out 22 point victors.  Hayden Warren’s four goals consolidated his spot as the league’s leading goalkicker, while Scott Foulis performed well in a good win by West.  Solomontown recruit Tyrone Price showed once again why the club pays big bucks for him with another solid performance in the midfield while Craig Tee and Riley Hayes shared a couple of goals each.
Lions run all over Central
A windy Sunday afternoon saw Lions host Central Augusta in Port Pirie in what was expected to be a good game.  Central’s captain, Mark Fuller, won the toss and gave his team first use of the breeze.  It took 15 minutes for them to kick a goal, through Ryan Morris, as poor kicking for goal haunted them.  Centrals kicked one goal seven, compared to Lions one behind, to lead by two straight kicks at quarter time.  Lions came out and used the breeze much better than their opponents in the second.  Kurtis Edwards kicked his teams first before Tyron George kicked another from a left foot snap to level the scores.  Dylan Culbetson marked and goaled to put Central back in front but majors to Lachie Pole, George, and Chris Marlsand saw Lions take a 17 point buffer into the half time break.  The third quarter was a tight affair, with Lions held scoreless while Gary Hull kicked one at the other end as Central once again wasted opportunities in front of goal.  The margin at three quarter time was eight points and the match looked in the balance.  Tyson Horsnell was having a quiet day but goaled early in the last.  Darren Shillabeer answered right back for the Bloods but from then on Lions took control.  Travis Ley kicked a good goal before Tyron George kicked his third as Lions looked to bury their opponents.  Pole kicked his second, followed by a fourth to George, and Horsnell kicked a second to bring the Lion’s final lead to 41 points.  Dean Steele was Lions best, running off the half back line with typical poise and balance.  Tyron George impressed with four goals on return from a broken arm sustained early in the season.  Simon Watts tried hard all day for Central Augusta, whose four goals were evenly shared among Morris, Culbertson, Hull and Shillabeer. 

Round 14 - July 31 & August 1, 2010

Best:  South - D. Dohnt, R. Johnson, B. Cox, R. Struck, B. Laube. Port - K. Johanson, M. Gale, B. Luteria, A. Casey, C. Smith. Goals: South - B. Cox 4, T. Kernahan 3, D. Dohnt 2, D. Crombie 2, D. Collins 2, C. Heron 2, R. Johnson , J. Warren , C. Reid. Port - C. Carey 2, C. Smith , J. Sykes , Z. Hutchinson , D. Sykes

Best: West - S. Foullis, J. Scharenberg, R. Hobbs, J. Coulthard, D. Dodd. Sollies - T. Price, R. Talbot, L. Bearman, C. Sawyer, R. Saracino. Goals: West - H. Warren 4, S. Page 2, R. Dadleh 2, D. Dodd 2, R. Stapleton , J. Scharenberg. Sollies - C. Tee 2, R. Hayes 2, L. Bearman , C. Sawyer , T. Price , R. Myles

Best:  Lions - D. Pine, D. Steele, K. Edwards, T. George, A. McNicol. Central - S. Watts, N. Khan, P. Byron-Boles, M. Fuller, N. Callary. Goals: Lions - T. George 4, T. Horsnell 2, L. Pole 2, T. Ley , C. Marsland , K. Edwards. Central - R. Morris , D. Shillabeer , G. Hull , D. Culbertson

Round 14 preview with Angus Dearlove
South Augusta vs Port
South Augusta host Port at Central Oval in Port Augusta on Saturday in what should be a convincing win for the top of the table South.  Port look resigned to the wooden spoon this year and would be hard pressed to match it with a South team priming itself for finals football.  Jak Kerin played well for South last week and looks to be in a decent vein of form.  For Port, Kieran Johanson has been their most consistent player and he will need to have a good game for Port to even get close to their opponents here.  South to win by a big margin.
Solomontown vs West Augusta
West Augusta travel to Port Pirie to play an out of form Sollies team.  West have been playing well of late, thanks largely to the form of Ryan Noll and the Warren brothers in Hayden and Jordan.  Sollies have been poor for the last two weeks and will be keen to turn that around in order to sure up their spot in the four.  Sollies will be hoping ruckman Craig Tee can return, which always makes them a much more dangerous side.  I am tipping West to win here and keep their good run going.
Lions vs Central Augusta
Lions vs Central Augusta is shaping up as this week’s match of the round.  The Lions have been up and down this year, looking good for a few consecutive weeks before falling over and losing some key games.  They will be hoping to win here and remain in the race for top spot.  Central Augusta need to win every game from here on in you would think in order to make the finals so there is alot on the line for both sides here.  Tyson Horsnell has been kicking plenty of goals for Lions, and his speed and agility should stretch the Central defence.  Nick Callary has arguably been Central’s stand out player for the season and Lions will need to shut him down if they are to win.  My tip is Lions, but in a close one.

Round 13 review with Angus Dearlove
West Augusta topple Lions by 10 points
The Saturday game in Port Augusta was a tight encounter, with West Augusta just coming up on top over Lions.  The first quarter was indicative of how these two teams stack up against eachother, with neither able to establish clear ascendancy.  Two goals and three behinds to each team had the scores tied at 15 when the quarter time siren went.  Lions picked up in the second, kicking four goals to two and taking a 13 point lead into the main break.  West Augusta pulled their way back into it during the third and only trailed by three points at the final change.    An inaccurate final quarter cost Lions as West Augusta ran over the top kicking four goals to two, holding a 10 point lead.  Hayden Warren kicked three goals in a fairly low scoring encounter, proving yet again how valuable he is to West’s season.  Ryan Noll was best on ground for the second week running, accumulating plenty of touches in the midfield.  Tyson Horsnell kicked four in a losing effort, with Ash McNicol playing a very good game for his team.
South Augusta overruns Solomontown
A fine, sunny and cool Saturday afternoon was the setting for another clinical South Augusta display.  This time it was against a young Sollies outfit who had already tasted victory against South this season.  Sollies were without their standout ruckman Craig Tee, while South Augusta was missing full forward Scott Feltus and key midfielder Daniel Dohnt.  Sollies started brightly, kicking to the Cathedral end, with Riley Hayes opening the scoring after running into an open goal.  The crowd was brought to its feet near the end of the quarter as Graham Cooke unleashed a massive torpedo punt that bounced through for a goal.  South were unable to get much forward movement for the quarter and didn’t even manage a goal.  The margin was 11 points at quarter time with Sollies up.  South came out in the second and got on top.  Michael Heron grabbed two goals for South, before Dion Patterson goaled at the other end for Sollies.  Dwayne Crombie and Greg Shirley each kicked one more that quarter for South, who took a 14 point lead into half time.  A free kick minutes into the 3rd allowed Ryan Saracino to goal and edge Sollies closer, as tempers started to fray.  Ricky Johnson kicked two more for South, while Greg Shirley kicked his second to extend South’s lead.  Riley Hayes drilled his second major for Sollies late in the quarter to cut the margin to 29 points at the 3 quarter time break.  Matt Kendall opened the scoring in the last with a good running goal and Sollies looked to be in touch, but South hit back and ran away with the game.  Ricky Johnson kicked his 3rd, while Brett Jones added his name to the scoresheet with a clever snap.  Just minutes later, Jones had a second and it was starting to look ugly for Sollies.  Dion Patterson goaled again for Sollies but that was cancelled out by South’s Christian Reid, who goaled after some slick work from the South forward line.  Ricky Johnson put an exclamation mark on the game with his fourth in time on, stretching the lead out to 54 points, which was the final margin.  Johnson’s four goals was the most by any player on the ground, while Jak Kerin, Greg Shirley and Adam Grantham played well for the Augusta Bulldogs.  Dion Patterson and Riley Hayes kicked two each to lead all comers for Sollies, with midfielder Tyron Price being their best.
Port’s season of misery continues
Central Augusta convincingly beat their 2009 grand final foe in Port to the tune of 56 points in the league’s Sunday afternoon game.  The result further stretched the gap between 5th placed Central and 6th placed Port, all but guaranteeing the wooden spoon for last year’s runners up.  It looked ominous from the start for Port, with Central kicking 5 goals to two in the first quarter to lead by 22 points at the first change.  They continued their assault in the second, adding seven goals to their total while Port could only manage three.  The half time margin was 47 points and again it was looking ugly for Port.  To their credit, they outscored Central in the third quarter five goals to four.  This reduced the 3 quarter time margin to 42 points.  Centrals kicked three goals in the last quarter while Port only managed six behinds, bringing the final margin to 56 points.  Ashleigh Grantham had a day out for Central, kicking seven goals in his best outing for the season.  Nick Callary continued his great form with a best on ground performance for the Bloods.  Kieran Johanson was Port’s best while Simon Treloar kicked two goals, the most for the Bulldogs from Port Pirie.

Round 13 scores - July 24 & 25, 2010

Best:  Central - N. Callary, A. Grantham, D. Myles, R. Taylor, K. McKenzie. Port - K. Johanson, B. Luteria, M. Gale, A. Casey, C. Carey. Goals: Central -  A. Grantham 7, R. Morris 5, M. Harvey 2, P. Jackson 2, D. Myles 2, P. Byron-Boles. Port -  A. Grantham 7, R. Morris 5, M. Harvey 2, P. Jackson 2, D. Myles 2, P. Byron-Boles

Best: West - R. Noll, J. Coulthard, J. Scharenberg, J. McKenna, M. Hannan. Lions - A. McNicol, D. Seiber, T. Horsnell, D. Steele, T. Edwards. Goals: West - H. Warren 3, M. Foote 2, R. Dadleh 2, J. McKenna , S. Page , R. Stapleton , J. Scharenberg. Lions - T. Horsnell 4, B. Pine , M. Peek , A. McNicol, B. Ley , T. Bradley

Best: South - J. Kerin, G. Shirley, A. Grantham, B. Cox, M. Grantham. Sollies - T. Price, R. Hayes, A. Malchow, G. Cooke, D. Patterson. Goals: South - R. Johnson 4, G. Shirley 2, B. Jones 2, D. Crombie 2, M. Heron 2, C. Reid. Sollies - D. Patterson 2, R. Hayes 2, M. Kendall , R. Saracino , G. Cooke
Round 13 preview with Angus Dearlove
West Augusta vs Lions
The match of the round sees 3rd placed Lions take on second placed West Augusta in Port Augusta.  Lions had a wakeup call last weekend against a Sollies and will want to get a win here to make up for that.  They are supposed to be one of the favourite sides but have shown a tendency to fall over under the weight of expectation.  A win this week would do a lot to get that monkey off their back.  Tyson Horsnell was quiet in conditions that did not suit him last week, but he is not the type to have two bad games in a row.  Expect him to be right among the goals if Lions are to win.  West, on the other hand, accounted for Port pretty easily.  They showed that they are a real contender this year.  Ryan Noll, after suffering some severe leather poisoning last week, is set to have another big game and will be a key factor for West.  My tip: West Augusta to win by a couple of goals.
Solomontown vs South Augusta
Both these sides had morale boosting wins last week and are looking like they will feature in September action this year.  Sollies played well in the wet and beat a much more fancied opponent last week, much like they did in their previous meeting with South this year.  If Sollies are to win, then players such as Craig Tee and Tyrone Price need to have good games.  South had a big win last week vs Central Augusta and sit clear on top of the ladder.  It has been a very even contribution across the board for them, but the imposing presence of Scott Feltus up forward has definitely impacted well on the playing group.  If Feltus is up and firing I cannot see any Sollies defender containing him.  My tip is that South will get the points here comfortably.
Centra Augusta vs Port
Another Grand Final rematch and neither of these teams have managed to climb the ladder since their last meetings.  Both teams now have wins on the board but it is still 5th meets 6th and likely to be a wooden spoon battle.  Centrals are two games clear of Port right now but this margin could well be cut.  Jayden Corrieri has been one of Port’s shining lights this year and they will hope he is fit to play as he offers their midfield some much needed grunt.  Central Augusta will be hoping their tall forwards in Shillabeer, Morris and Grantham can stretch Port’s defence.  I am going to go with home ground advantage here and say Central will stretch the gap between these two, perhaps sealing the wooden spoon for Port.

Round 12 review with Angus Dearlove
South thump Central
South Augusta went clear top after comprehensively beating cross-town rivals Central Augusta in Port Augusta on Saturday.  South came out firing in the first, kicking the only four goals of the quarter to lead by 29 at quarter time.  A three goal to one second quarter extended their lead to 39 points at the half time break.  Central gave a better show of it in the third quarter, kicking three goals.  But South had an answer for everything, they kicked four of their own to lead by 48 points at the final change.  South ran away in the last with six goals to finish the game on a high and overcome their opponents by a hefty 73 point margin.  Ricky Johnson kicked five for South with Michael Curley and Christian Reid starring.  Brad Baker and Ryan Morris got two goals apiece for Central with Nathan Khan playing well.
Westies return to form with a win over Port
West Augusta overran Port on Saturday in Port Pirie in one of the more entertaining matches of the year.  Both teams were lively early but West were able to get their noses in front, with Jordan Warren especially running rings around his opponents.  The margin was 5 points at quarter time.  The second quarter saw West get on top- Hayden Warren bagged two goals in a minute and Ryan Noll began to find more and more of the ball.  Port’s skills were beginning to let them down, with a few dropped marks costing them around the ground.  Their chances were further soured when Jayden Corrieri left the field with an injury late in the quarter.  West led by 23 points at the main break and were looking the better side out on the field.  They began to seize control in the third as Port continued to turn the ball over and make basic skill errors.  Jordan Warren kicked one of the better goals of the season from deep in the pocket after spinning out of a tackle and regaining his balance before slotting the ball calmly through the big sticks.  Another four goals in the quarter meant West had kicked five goals to Port’s one behind and the margin at the final break stood at 59 points.  Both teams seemed to be just going through the motions in the last, spent after 3 quarters of high intensity football.  Port cut the margin back to 49 points at the final siren, but always looked up against is compared to their much more fancied opponents.  Ryan Noll was West’s best, along with Jordan Warren and Jared Bulman.  Joel Coulthard kicked four goals.  Campbell Smith, Matt Gale and Bradley Weston were Port’s best players.
Sollies teach Lions a lesson in wet-weather football
A rainy day on Sunday in Port Pirie greeted these two teams both looking to consolidate their positions in the top four.  A loss to Central Augusta yesterday meant Sollies could give themselves some breathing space within the four while Lions were looking to go to top spot with a win.  Sollies welcomed back ruckman Craig Tee while Lions were without Tate Bradley, who was dropped.  The breeze was blowing to the bowling club end of the oval and Sollies had first use of this.  They peppered the goals for the first quarter for a return of one goal, courtesy of Ryan Saracino, and nine behinds.  Lions were struggling to get the ball out of their defensive half.  By the end of the quarter, Lions had failed to score and Sollies led by 15 points at the break.  Lions came out stronger in the second, with Tyson Horsnell goaling within the first few minutes.  The wet weather was nullifying the Lions high possession game style and their running players could not get up and going.  A goal against the run of play by Graham Cooke saw Sollies maintain a 12 point lead at half time.  Sollies were on the board within a minute of the restart with Nick Redman kicking truly on the run from near the 50m arc.  Riley Hayes bobbed up for Sollies two goals in quick succession, one from a clever snap in the goal square and the other after some good tackling caused a spillage in the forward 50.  Three goals in a row to Sollies had Lions on the ropes and some poor discipline began to creep into their play.  Matt White kept his side in touch with a set shot for Lions deep from the pocket as the third quarter drew to a close. Lions knew they had to chase the game and when Michael Lagoudis soccered a goal at the beginning of the last quarter they had some sort of a sniff.  Sollies held strong, however, and best on ground Ryan Saracino kicked his second to seal what was an inspiring 23 point win by Sollies.  Lions would be very disappointed as they let this opportunity to go top slip through their fingers.  Full credit to Sollies who were often first to the ball and were much tougher at it than their Lions counterparts.  Along with Saracino, midfielder Tyrone Price and tall utility Graham Cooke shone for Sollies.  Kane Irvine was one of the few Lions players who played well in the wet, along with Dan Pine and Dean Steele.

Round 12 - July 17 & 18, 2010

Best: South - M. Curley, C. Reid, R. Johnson, A. Grantham, R. Struck. Central - N. Khan, J. Jackson, M. Fuller, S. Watts, R. Taylor. Goals: South - R. Johnson 5, C. Heron 3, B. Cox 2, M. Heron 2, J. Kerin , D. Collins , J. Menzies , R. Struck , J. Warren. Central - B. Baker 2, R. Morris 2, L. Rathman , S. Curnow

Best: West - R. Noll, L. Mackintosh, J. Warren, D. Kelly, J. Bulman. Port - M. Gale , M. Thornton , C. Brooke , D. Sykes , C. Smith. Goals: West - J. Coulthard 4, H. Warren 2, D. Dodd 2, J. Warren , R. Dadleh , L. Mackintosh , R. Stapleton. Port - M. Gale , M. Thornton , C. Brooke , D. Sykes , C. Smith

Best: Sollies - R. Saracino, G. Cooke, T. Price, R. Bateson, R. Hayes. Lions -  K. Irvine, D. Pine, D. Steele, T. Horsnell, D. Seiber. Goals: Sollies - R. Hayes 2, R. Saracino 2, N. Redman , G. Cooke. Lions -  T. Horsnell , M. White , M. Lagoudis

Round 12 preview with Angus Dearlove

South Augusta vs Central Augusta

South meets Central in Saturday’s Port Augusta showdown.  South had have the better of these teams past meetings in 2010 but Central have hit some form and look to be on the up.  South are coming off a tough draw with Lions last week and will be keen to put that behind them and have a shot at going clear top.  Nick Callary has been in great form for Central, as has Patrick Byron-Boles.  These two midfielders are a key part of Central’s top four hopes and will need to have a good game to set their side up for victory.  South’s imposing full forward Scott Feltus has been intimidating most defenders he has played on this year and if he is up and firing then South will be hard to stop.  That said, I am tipping Central to win this one.  They appear to be back in their premiership form and will be too much for a South outfit that has seemingly begun to slide back to the pack. 

Port vs West Augusta

Port takes on West in Port Pirie looking to make it two on the trot.  Despite still being bottom, Port looked more like they wanted it last week and came away with the points.  A highlight this year has been the form of young Jayden Corrieri, who has thrown everything at the opposition week in week out and has done very well for such an inexperienced player.  He is obviously relishing the chance to play A’s at a club that has lost so many premiership stars.  West Augusta had a chance to go clear top last week but lost to Centrals and will be keen to erase the memories of that with a win here.  Last time these two played, Hayden Warren kicked nine goals in a dominant display that brought West the win.  He will need to have a good one here because Port will come out firing and looking for win number two.  It is hard to go past West in this one but I expect Port to put up a real fight.   

Solomontown vs Lions

Sunday’s clash sees Sollies shape up to Lions in what should be an entertaining encounter between a young team looking to break a losing streak and the number one place side looking to solidify their position.  Sollies last two games have not been in keeping with their much improved start to the season and the 22 players who run out there on Sunday will be hoping to get a win and put their club back on the right track.  Tyrone Price started to regain some form last week and will need to find plenty of the ball for Sollies to win.  Lions will be hoping the out-of-form Tate Bradley can snag a few goals this week.  Word around is that the coaching staff have been unhappy with his output of late and he may be up for a spell in the B’s if his form doesn’t improve.  I expect Lions to win this easily.  They have too many winners across the park for Sollies and should be able to account for their younger opponents.  That said, stranger things have happened but I still think Lions will be much too strong.

Lions and South draw

Round 11 review with Angus Dearlove (Mon 12.7.10)

Lions and South could not be split in their match in Port Pirie on Sunday.  It was a low scoring and tense encounter that went right down to the last kick of the game.  Scoring was tough for both teams and this showed with only three goals kicked in the first quarter, two goals to Lions and one to South with Lions leading by eight points at quarter time.  South pushed in front with two goals to nothing in the second.  Five points was the lead at half time with the league’s two best attacking sides struggling to get any real flow going in their game styles.  The strong crowd was beginning to get a bit restless as the third quarter remained the same, with Lions just scraping in front by a point at the final break.  The final quarter was an exciting period of play with neither team able to get clear ahead.  Lions were a goal ahead deep into time on and looked like they might pinch the win until South’s Daniel Dohnt goaled, levelling the scores at 45 each.  That goal turned out to be the last kick as the siren went as soon as the ball was bounced back in the centre.  Dohnt was best on ground for South with Scott Feltus impressive, kicking four goals out of the team’s six.  Young ruckman and forward Brad Ley played well for Lions with experienced midfielder Matt Promnitz kicking two goals.

Central Augusta returns to form

Central Augusta faced off with West Augusta on Saturday in Port Augusta and it was Central who came away with the points, registering their second win in a row.  They controlled the game from the outset, kicking four goals to two in the first quarter and leading by 15 points at the break.  Both teams managed two goals apiece in the second but it was Centrals who were clearly dominating their West Augusta opponents.  The windy conditions didn’t do much good for accuracy around the ground, and this was probably something that kept West in the game.  Central’s were doing the bulk of the scoring but had kicked six goals six to half time and took a 17 point lead to half time.  A five goal to three third quarter saw Central extend their lead to 26 points.  The last quarter was played out similar to the first three, with Central really controlling the game to run out 32 point winners.  Patrick Byron-Boles was Central’s best, aided by vice captain Nick Callary and Braden Allen.  Ryan Morris kicked five for the victors.  It was a dirty day for West who slip two points behind the leaders.  Ray Stapleton and Joel Coulthard kicked three each while Ryan Noll was the best for West.

Port notch first win of the season

On the day of their Past Player’s Reunion, Port finally got a win on the board against a depleted Solomontown outfit.  The match was played in blustery conditions with a strong wind favouring neither team.  Port did all the attacking early and led at quarter time by eight points.  Sollies were really missing ruckman Craig Tee and midfielder Ben Goodridge.  This showed as they struggled to get the ball in their 50, managing just two behinds for the quarter.  The second quarter continued to be a scrappy encounter with Port on top.  Sollies were beginning to work their way back into it but were making mistakes with their disposal.  The margin remained the same at the half, with eight points separating the two sides.  Sollies came out in the third more fired up, as they began to run over their opponents.  The windy conditions probably saved Port from being further behind as Sollies took a six point buffer into the final quarter.  Tempers began to fray as the last quarter went on. Solomontown’s Ryleigh Myles went into the umpire’s book for striking as a bit of a melee halted play.  Port worked their way back in front and held out to take the game by two points.  Josh Sykes continued his decent run up forward with a telling three goals in a low scoring game.  Kieran Johanson found plenty of the ball for the Bulldogs and was deservedly best on ground with Aaron Casey and Jayden Corrieri also playing well.  A couple of goals each to Solomontown youngsters Ashley Johnson and Steven Swayne was enough to see them top the score sheet, with gun recruit Tyrone Price returning to form.

Round 11 scores - July 10 & 11, 2010

Best: Central - P. Byron-Boles, N. Callary, B. Allen, R. Morris, M. Fuller. West - R. Noll, J. Warren, J. Nunn, D. Kroes, N. Collins. Goals: Central - R. Morris 5, A. Ruffles 3, J. Reid , K. McKenzie , G. Hull , P. Byron-Boles , K. Crabbe , M. Harvey. West - R. Stapleton 3, J. Coulthard 3, L. Mackintosh , D. Kroes , D. Kelly

Best: Port - K. Johanson, A. Casey, J. Corrieri, B. Weston, T. Hall. Sollies - T. Price, G. Cooke, R. Myles, M. Kendall, R. Hayes. Goals: Port - J. Sykes 3, M. Gale , S. Treloar , T. Hall , D. Sykes. Sollies - A. Johnson 2, S. Swayne 2, R. Bateson , Z. Siemer , L. Bearman , M. Kendall

Best: Lions - B. Ley, D. Seiber, D. Steele, C. O''Connor, C. Wood. South Augusta - D. Dohnt, B. Laube, B. Jones, D. Crombie, J. Kerin. Goals: Lions - T. Horsnell 2, M. Promnitz 2, T. Bradley , A. McNicol. South Augusta - S. Feltus 4, C. Heron , C. Reid

Round 11 preview with Angus Dearlove
West Augusta vs Central Augusta
Central Oval in Port Augusta sees the return to normal SGL action and two teams at the opposite end of the ladder facing off.  West Augusta were full of momentum before the break and are sitting as one of the three teams in equal top spot.  Key to their season so far has been the form of the super-talented Warren brothers, Hayden up forward is leading the goal kicking for the league with 40 goals and Jordan has been controlling the ruck.  Central Augusta has not had a great premiership defence thus far this season but they were beginning to look better before the week off.  Nick Callary has been one of their better players this year along with recruit Darren Shillabeer and young forward Ashley Grantham.  West should win this one comfortably and take top spot, at least until Sunday when the other two teams sharing the lead do battle.
Port vs Solomontown
Port and Solomontown do battle at Memorial Oval in Port Pirie on Saturday.  It seems that pride is all that is on the line here for Port, who are rebuilding after losing so much talent in the off season.  Their gameplan has looked slow, and their players disheartened after copping some heavy defeats throughout the first part of the year.  On a positive note, Aaron Casey has had a great year and at times has looked the only player at Port willing to take the game on.  Josh Sykes’ form in front of goal has also been promising in a year where goals have been hard to come by.  Solomontown on the other hand have enjoyed a promising season in 2010.  They are getting games into youngsters and amazingly are winning more than they are losing.  This is a complete turnaround from 2009 where they failed to win a game.  Much credit has to go to Coach Bob Boston and the recruiting staff at the club who have brought in players to complement the list that Sollies were already building.  Young midfielders Nick Redman and Ashley Johnson have shown maturity beyond their years and have become solid league level players.  They will be sweating on the fitness of star recruit on-baller Tyrone Price and ruckman Craig Tee, who were missing in the loss to Centrals before the break.  If these two manage to play then I can’t see Sollies being troubled.  Without them it should be a close one but I’d imagine that the Cats would still manage to get a win and keep Port winless.
Lions vs South Augusta
The Sunday game in Port Pirie sees the top of the table Lions and South Augusta clash.  Along with West, the two sides are on 14 points for the year with Lions claiming top spot on percentage.  These two teams have been in sparkling form throughout the first half of the year.   Dean Steele has been in Madigan Medal form running off the half back for Lions and his pace and distribution will be a key factor for Lions if they are to win.  Tyson Horsnell has been in electric form playing the small forward role this year and has an impressive goal tally of 37 at an average of over five goals a game.  South Augusta set the league on fire early in the year, playing the game at high pace and entertaining the crowds.   They have since slowed down but are still sitting pretty at the peak of the ladder.  It is hard to pinpoint a single player for South who has been the standout, with contributions all over the field.  When one player has had a form slump, another has stood up and the team has continued in its winning ways.  This is a huge match with the loser certain to drop from the equal top position.  I will go with the home ground advantage and say Lions to win in a close and entertaining encounter.

Brothers in arms

Josh (left) and Dylan Sykes are two brothers making a mark on the SGL By Angus Dearlove

In what has been a forgetful season at A grade level for the Port Football Club, there are two players who are just happy to be playing on the same field.
Josh and Dylan Sykes have spent much of their lives playing footy but this is the first year they have consistently lined up together at senior level.
Josh, 21, is a strong medium sized utility who came to the club four years ago from Salisbury North in Adelaide and was a member of Port’s 2007 and 2008 A grade premierships.
Younger brother Dylan, 19, is a product of Port’s junior ranks and has been a leading goalkicker at under-18 level, highlighted by a 100 goal season in 2008.
The family has history traced back through the club with their link to the Pollard family, through Great Uncles and older relatives who have been premiership players at the club.
One of these is their second cousin, Chris Pollard, who is a former champion goal kicker and premiership player for the club.  Dylan looks back at old tapes of “Polly” playing as inspiration for how he wants to play.
Both brothers also look up to club legend and premiership captain Jamie McNamara, who coached Dylan at under 15 level and played with Josh in the A grade.
When Josh came to the club he was mentored by Norm Wombat, who he sees as a great influence on his football at Ports.
According to Dylan both boys are enjoying playing under new coach, Matt Ganley.  “It’s a new beginning, a good chance for us to prove ourselves again to a new coach.  Matt helps me a lot as well, because he used to be a forward”.
When asked if they had a special bond on the field, Dylan said “we have a good understanding of how the other plays so we both know what the other is going to do”.
On what it’s like to play on the same field as each other, Josh said “I’m always helping him (Dylan) so it’s good that we are out there together now, it’s easier”.
So close is the bond between these two brothers that they don’t even share much rivalry out on the field.  Dylan said “We both like helping each other to play our best”.
There is a bit of cheek between the two, however.  “I call Josh dad because he’s always telling me what to do, even on the footy field” Dylan laughed.
The two brothers are looking forward to the break this weekend before they line up for Port again the weekend after against traditional rivals, Solomontown.
“I guess we are just looking to get some respect back this year” Dylan said when asked about his hopes for the rest of the season.
Josh looks even more to the future with his comments.  “We need to keep getting games into our young guys because that is going to be better for us in the long run”.

Round 10 review with Angus Dearlove

West Augusta triumphs over South

Central oval in Port Augusta hosted the match between the two higher placed Port Augusta teams.  A tight opening quarter saw neither team establish dominance, with a point in it at the first change.  The second quarter was much the same with both teams finishing the quarter on five goals.  It was clear that both these teams had come to play.  South Augusta got their noses in front during the third quarter and led by five at the final break.  The final quarter turned out to be a beauty with West kicking four goals to South’s two, running out eight point winners.  Hayden Warren kept up his brilliant goal-kicking form with another bag of five.  Ryan Noll, Nic Collins and Ray Stapelton were the best players for West.  South Augusta had an even spread of goal kickers with Christian Reid, Scott Feltus, Ricky Johnson and Daniel Dohnt kicking two apiece.  Dohnt was South’s best, aided by Adam Grantham and Todd Kernahan.  This result sees West join South and Lions on 14 points, in a three way tie for first spot on the ladder.  Percentage sees South remain top, followed by Lions, but It seems that West Augusta are in the best form of the top three.

Lions cruise to victory

Saturday’s Port Pirie encounter saw Lions do enough to earn a 42 point win against a Port side which was looking to win back some respect after a dismal year so far.  The first quarter saw Lions start slow as they appeared surprised by Port’s application of pressure around the ground.  Despite this, the Lions went into the quarter time break with an eight point buffer.  The pressure seemed to be getting to the Lions in the second quarter as they were not as clean as usual.  But, as all good sides do, they managed to continue to kick goals and they began to stretch their lead.  Port’s single goal from the quarter would have been a highlight for their day.  Brett Schumacher knocked the ball beautifully from a centre bounce into the waiting arms of Aaron Casey coming off the wing who delivered a bullet pass to forward Matt Gale who goaled.  This type of clear centre clearance has been missing for Port this year and the inclusion of Schumacher may help it become a more regular occurrence.  Some questionable decisions from the three umpires, on exchange from the North Eastern Football League, affected the game as a spectacle as the crowd and players seemed frustrated with certain calls.  At half time the lead was 28 points to Lions.  In the third quarter Lions really began to hit their straps and kick away.  Tyson Horsnell was looking dangerous up forward, cementing his title as the league’s premier small forward.  Port’s intensity dropped off and this proved costly as Lions went into the final break 50 points ahead.  Lions seemed to just walk out the last quarter, allowing Port to outscore them five goals to four.  In the end it was an easy win to Lions who are now equal on points with South and West Augusta at the top of the ladder.  Horsnell kicked six goals in another dominant display.  He was well supported by his team’s acting captain, Matt Peek, and midfielder Kane Irvine.    Josh Sykes kicked four in his side’s loss.  Aaron Casey continued his good season and was Port’s best.

Central Augusta wins second game of year

Sunday saw a depleted Solomontown host Central Augusta who, like Port, were looking to instil some respect in their season.  With Craig Tee and Tyrone Price heading the outs for Sollies, this was always going to be a tough ask against Central who have started to improve in attitude and performance of late.  Central controlled much of the possession early but it was Sollies who goaled first.  The match was quite fiery early on, with a bit of push and shove in the centre resulting in a free kick which was reversed and then reversed again as both sides got a little hot under the collar.  Central’s height was causing a problem for Sollies but it was also some newly discovered leg-speed which gave the Bloods an advantage.  After trailing by eight at quarter time, Solomontown found themselves struggling further as they were unable to get their hands on the ball.  Central took control of this- hitting the man and ball hard which seemed to shake up the young Cats.  The half time margin was 26 points and it looked like last year’s premiers were back.  The third quarter effort from Sollies was reminiscent of last year, with little fight or effort shown as they let their opponents get to the ball first time and time again.  The crowd was getting into the game now, which seemed to spur on the Central Augusta players especially as they responded to abuse from the home crowd.  This was highlighted with the not-so-popular Central’s big man, Darren Shillabeer, gesturing to the crowd after another goal by his team.  Centrals were 44 points ahead at three-quarter-time and looking to ease comfortably towards victory.  The final quarter was relatively tame given the feeling in the rest of the match, with two goals apiece to each team.  When the final siren blew it was Central Augusta who could celebrate, notching up a 42 point win.  Ryan Morris kicked four, with Matt Harvey and Nick Callary starring.  Young Steven Swayne kicked a couple for Sollies.  Matt Kendall tried hard all day and was probably Solomontown’s best.

Round 10 - June 26 & 27, 2010

Best: West - R. Noll, N. Collins, R. Stapleton, J. Warren, S. Page. South - D. Dohnt, A. Grantham, T. Kernahan, J. Warren. Goals: West - H. Warren 5, C. Jonas 2, J. McKenna , N. Collins , D. Dodd , R. Stapleton , D. Kelly. South - C. Reid 2, S. Feltus 2, R. Johnson 2, D. Dohnt 2, A. Grantham , J. Warren , B. Jones

Best: Lions - T. Horsnell, M. Peek, K. Irvine, C. Jamar, C. O''Connor. Port - A. Casey, C. Stephens, J. Murphy, J. Adams, A. Fetherstonhaugh. Goals: Lions - T. Horsnell 6, B. Ley 2, A. McNicol , K. Irvine , B. Pine , T. Bradley , D. Seiber. Port - J. Sykes 4, J. Bullen , D. Sykes , M. Gale

Best: Central - M. Harvey, N. Callary, R. Morris, N. Khan, D. Shillabeer. Sollies - M. Kendall, R. Myles, A. Johnson, M. Baker, A. Mitchell. Goals: Central - R. Morris 4, D. Shillabeer 3, A. Grantham , A. Ruffles , N. Callary , P. Byron-Boles , K. McKenzie. Sollies - S. Swayne 2, G. Cooke , B. Goodridge , A. Johnson

Round 10 SGL preview with Angus Dearlove (25.6.10)

South Augusta vs. West Augusta

Top plays third in what should be a fairly good match on Saturday in Port Augusta.  South had a good game last week vs. Port but they were not really challenged while West ran over a Sollies side in the second half of their last match.  West will be hoping Hayden Warren can continue his goal kicking form in order to get his team over the line while South will be banking on their running brigade in Ryan Struck and Jason Lukich to find the ball and send their side forward.  I am going to tip an upset here and say West will win, they have been in terrific form of late and look to be a side that has really come together. 

Lions vs. Port

Lions face up to Port on Saturday in Port Pirie for what is usually a very heated encounter.  In previous years it has been clear that these two sides do not like each other and, while it has been subdued this year with Port missing many players from previous seasons, tempers always seem ready to boil when these two teams meet.  Lions will be ruing the loss of young utility Tim Dunkley, who broke his collarbone whilst training with the club’s under-18s on Thursday night.  On the other side of the coin, Port welcome back Brett Schumacher who has been cleared from Gumeracha in the Hills Football League. Schumacher, who stands around 195cm tall, is literally a massive in for Port considering their ruck stocks have been much depleted this year.  I’m still tipping Lions to win this one easily, as their team has been a much stronger side throughout the year. 

Solomontown vs. Central Augusta

Sunday sees Solomontown and Central Augusta lock horns in a match that could be indicative of their respective clubs’ seasons.  Central have looked better in the past couple of weeks but still only have one win for the year while Sollies have had some losses recently but are still well in finals contention.  Central’s big forward line comprising of Morris, Shillabeer and Grantham shape up as the most important cog in the Bloods machine.  If one or two of these players do not fire then Centrals have found it hard to kick goals with a lack of quicker players around the ground this season.  Sollies will want boom recruit Tyrone Price to start getting some of his early season form back and this game is as good an opportunity as any given Central’s lowly standing.  I am tipping a win to Sollies here as they have the home ground advantage and have looked much better this season.

Round 9 review with Angus Dearlove

Lions return to winner’s circle

Saturday’s A grade game saw Lions etch out a comfortable 25 point win against Central Augusta in Port Augusta.    Lions were welcoming back forward pair Tyson Horsenell and Tom Harmer from injury and this match showed just how much they have been missed.  At quarter time Lions led by 11 points, kicking four goals to Central’s two.  Both teams were having some troubles in front of goal, with lions kicking four goals three behinds and Central kicking two goals four.  Both teams kicked four goals in the second quarter, but Central had more of the opportunities.  Lions kicked four straight while the Bloods managed four goals four and still trailed at half time by eight points.  Lions seized control in the third quarter, adding another four goals to Central’s solitary behind to lead by 33 points at the final change.  The final quarter saw Lions add five goals to their tally while the Bloods came home with a flurry to kick six for the final quarter, but it wasn’t enough to worry the team from Port Pirie.  Inaccuracy cost Central Augusta dearly in this game; if they had kicked straight they would have really given Lions a run.  Tyson Horsenell celebrated his return to league action with seven goals, yet another brilliant haul for a player of his small size and stature.  Dan Sieber played very well in the midfield and was Lion’s best alongside Horsenell and Brad Pine.  Ashley Grantham kicked four goals for Central Augusta, well serviced by midfielder Gerard Kenny.

Dirty day for Port in battle of the ‘Dogs

Memorial Oval on Saturday saw the battle between Port Pirie’s Bulldogs, Port, and their Port Augusta counterparts, South Augusta.  It was always going to be a difficult task for Port, sitting bottom with no wins, against South who are leading the competition at the moment.   Port’s growing injury list meant that their leading goal kicker from last season, Matt Gale, was starting in the ruck with Matt Thornton at full forward and Dylan Sykes at centre half forward.  South welcomed back the ever-imposing Scott Feltus to their forward line, in what proved to be a handy boost.  South controlled the game from the outset, with five goals on the board before Port even got started.  Time and time again South were winning the clearances and making their opponents look slow.  At quarter time the lead was 41 points in favour of the Port Augusta team and it was looking ugly for Port.  With no recognised ruck there were constant rotations for Port which had them struggling for options.  South started the second quarter where they left off but where slightly inaccurate.  Port were being outclassed and South kicked out to a 78 point lead at half time.  The match was soured as some South players took exception to what was a crude effort at a bump from Port’s Jayden Corrieri.  The incident was deemed a free kick but it seemed the South players wanted more.  The start of the third quarter saw the match get physical, with the Port Augusta team looking for square-ups and going for the man instead of the ball.  This allowed Port to be more competitive and get a few goals on the board to try and make up the deficit.  South extended their lead to 81 points at the final break despite this mini-comeback.  The final quarter saw Port play much better footy than they have so far this year, as they outscored South six goals to five.  South dropped off in the second half as they continually tried to play the man, but walked away with a 78 point win which gave them another percentage boost for the year.  Jason Lukich was best on ground for South, supported well by Jack Menzies and Corey Finlay.  Scott Feltus marked his return with five goals.  Chad Tobin was Port’s best along with Matt Gale and Josh Sykes, who kicked six goals in one of his best performances at A grade level.

West Augusta gets the points

In a hard fought encounter on Sunday, Westies were able to come from behind and overcome Solomontown by 17 points to remain in solid contention for the top two.  Sollies kicked 5 goals in the first quarter while West Augusta failed to register a goal, bringing the margin to 31 points at quarter time.  The second quarter saw West kick five of their own while Sollies added another four to take a 21 point lead into the main break.  It was looking as if Sollies might pull off another win on the road and continue their steady improvement.  However, West came out in the third and took control, kicking five goals to nil for the quarter, to emerge with a nine point win at three-quarter-time.  The last quarter was tightly battled out, with West Augusta pushing on and finally beating the Cats for the second time this year.  Ryan Noll was best afield and Hayden Warren celebrated a return to form with six majors.  Solomontown youngster Riley Hayes was best for his team, assisted by Craig Tee and Ashley Johnson.  Dylan Hansen kicked three goals.

Round 9 - June 19 & 20, 2010

Best: Lions - D. Seiber, T. Horsnell, B. Pine, K. Edwards, C. Wood. Central - G. Kenny, D. Myles, A. Grantham, D. Shillabeer, J. Jackson. Goals: Lions - T. Horsnell 7, T. Bradley 5, T. Harmer 2, T. Dunkley , C. Marsland , M. Lagoudis. Central - A. Grantham 4, D. Shillabeer 2, R. Taylor 2, G. Hull , J. Reid, D. Myles , A. Struck

Best: South - J. Lukich, J. Menzies, C. Finlay, D. Dohnt, B. Jones. Port - C. Tobin, M. Gale, J. Sykes, J. Corrieri, K. Johanson. Goals: South - S. Feltus 5, J. Warren 3, C. Reid 3, C. Heron 3, B. Jones 3, T. Black 2, D. Dohnt , M. Gill , T. Kernahan. Port - J. Sykes 6, M. Gale , K. Johanson , M. Thornton , D. Sykes

Best: West - R. Noll, H. Warren, R. Stapleton, N. Collins, J. Warren. Sollies - R. Hayes, C. Tee, A. Johnson, L. Bearman, R. Cable. Goals: West - H. Warren 6, R. Dadleh 2, J. Warren , N. Collins , R. Stapleton , J. Coulthard. Sollies - D. Hansen 3, N. Redman 2, S. Swayne , L. Bearman , A. Johnson , G. Cooke , J. Moyse

Round 9 preview with Angus Dearlove 
Central Augusta vs Lions

Central Oval in Port Augusta sees the reigning premiers, coming off their first win last week, facing up to the wounded Lions.  Last week the Lions were given a footballing lesson by a West outfit that was hungrier and more accountable than they were and will be hoping to make a statement in this match.  On the other hand, Centrals will want to try and get a second win in a row to make up for what has been a disastrous start to their premiership defence.  Ashleigh Grantham kicked five last week and has looked in decent touch this year.  He will need to have another good game if the Bloods are to win.  For Lions, Dean Steele has had an outstanding season and shapes to be the x-factor with his pace against Centrals who have lacked leg speed to this point.  My tip is Lions to return to the winners circle here, but not without a fight. 
Port vs South Augusta

In the biggest mismatch of the round, the bottom side Port hosts top side South Augusta at Memorial Oval in Port Pirie.  Port’s season has gone from bad to worse and it looks like there will not be any easing of the misery as they face South who suffered a shock loss last week to Sollies.  Port need more goals from their forward line but due to a very weakened midfield the ball has hardly been up there this season.  They look to be in even more trouble now with young ruckman Nelson Magor out with a broken jaw.  South ruckman Brock Laube should be able to take advantage of this and give the lion’s share of hit-outs to his teammates.  South forward Todd Kernahan has been quiet in recent weeks after a brilliant start to the season and will relish the opportunity to have a run against a weaker opponent this week.  I am tipping South to win this one easily as they have too much talent around the field for Port who are very much in a rebuilding phase. 
West Augusta vs Solomontown

The Sunday match has West taking on Sollies in Port Augusta.  This one is possibly the match of the round, given the very close nature of the last meeting between these two sides.  Both are coming off victories against highly rated opponents.  West will be hoping star forward Hayden Warren can get among the goals again after a quiet game last week.  Sollies will be hoping for their young brigade to step up as they have been the driving force behind the success of the Cats this year.  My tip is for West to win this one in a close encounter.  While both these teams have been in good form, West are a little more consistent and should be able to take advantage of this.

Round 8 review with Angus Dearlove

Upset of the season- Solomontown beat South in Port Augusta

In an amazing result, Sollies knocked off the previously unbeaten South in Port Augusta.  Sollies started the brighter of the two, kicking three goals to one in the first quarter to lead by 12 points at the first break.  It was obvious this was going to be a low-scoring affair as both teams struggled to kick goals.  It was five goals to two at half time with the Cats jumping out to a 16 point buffer.   The third quarter saw South get on top but fail to make any impact on the scoreboard and when the three quarter time siren blew the margin was still eight points in favour of Sollies.  Sollies kicked away again in the final quarter to run out winners by26 points.  In a low scoring match they took their chances more than South who were wasteful in front of goal.  Jarrad Davies kicked three goals while evergreen ruckman Craig Tee played well for Sollies.  South were well served by Christian Reid while their goals where shared one apiece to Michael Curley, Jason Lukich, Brett Jones, Jack Menzies and Matt Skull.    

West Augusta teach Lions a lesson

In swirly conditions on Saturday at Port Pirie’s Memorial Oval, Lions were dealt a wakeup call to the tune of 33 points.  Lions made all the running early with their opponents missing some targets during the first few minutes.  As the first quarter rolled on West began to get better and Lions became unaccountable, allowing their opponents to kick a couple of goals and lead by 12 points at quarter time.  West stepped up their intensity in the second, attacking the ball and man with lack of fear and began to get on top.  Rhys Dadleh was beginning to find more and more of the ball and using it very effectively to set up forward movements.  Late in the quarter their intensity dropped off, which allowed the Lions to keep in touch.  Clint O’Connor began to step up, finding space time and time again.  Dean Steele was moved from half back to half forward to try and create something for the team in blue and gold.  Despite this, West were able to extend their lead and went into half time 20 points clear.  Lions’ coach Duck Davies was clearly not impressed with his team’s effort and kept them on the ground at half time.  Lions began to claw their way back into it during the third term and closed the gap to ten points at the final change.  It looked as if the home team was going to run over West but to the Hawks’ credit they stuck in there and wrested control back.  Lions once again became unaccountable and lazy, with their young players making some uncharacteristic errors.  This was highlighted particularly with Tim Dunkley, who had a bad day, being run down after taking three bounces running into the forward 50.  No teammate offered a shepherd and Dunkley himself showed no awareness of urgency to get rid of the ball.  The West Augusta players were first to the ball time and time again, and if they weren’t then they made their opponents earn it.  The final siren blew just in time for Lions as the game was beginning to look embarrassing for them.  West Augusta was by far the better side and it showed.  Jordan Warren and Ray Stapleton kicked four each for the victors with Ryan Noll starring.   Michael Lagoudis and Deane Steele played well for the Lions and Tate Bradley kicked four majors, but was lacking help up at the business end of the field.  

Dean Steele (Lions) Kicks the ball under pressure from Wests' Ray Stapleton

Clinton O'Connor (Lions) is outnumbered by three West opponents

Michael Lagoudis of the Lions gets a kick away

More action from Lions vs West Augusta

Centrals break the duck while Port now outright bottom

Sunday’s Grand Final replay saw the two winless sides of the league meet in with only pride on the line.  It turned out to be a rather one sided affair with the Bloods of Port Augusta easily accounting for the Port Bulldogs.  Nine points was the margin in favour of Central at quarter time.  The second quarter saw Centrals exert their dominance as they ran over the top of port, kicking nine goals to two and showing some of their 2009 form which has escaped them thus far this season.  Central Augusta led by 55 points at half time and it was starting to look nasty for Port.  Surprisingly the Bulldogs were able to prevent Central from extending their lead and the margin remained 55 at three quarter time.  Centrals cruised to victory in the final quarter as most of the Port side looked like they would rather be somewhere else.  The match ended with Port being comprehensively thumped by 85 points.  The most successful team of the modern era of SGL certainly does not look it as they now sit clear bottom after eight rounds of football.  For Central Augusta, this win will give them a little bit of confidence but they still have a fair bit of ground to make up in order to be in finals contention.  Ashleigh Grantham kicked five in a winning effort, with Lachlan Archibald and Gerard Kenny playing well in the midfield.  Matt Gale was Port’s best and contributed two goals as did young teammate Matt Thornton

Round 8

Best: West - R. Noll, M. Hannan, L. Mackintosh, R. Stapleton, J. Bulman. Lions - M. Lagoudis, D. Steele, B. Ley, C. O''Connor, A. McNicol. Goals; West - J. Warren 4, R. Stapleton 4, C. Jonas 2, H. Warren 2, L. Mackintosh , J. McKenna , P. Bowey. Lions - T. Bradley 4, D. Seiber 2, B. Ley , T. Dunkley , C. Marsland , N. Saunders

Best: Sollies --  C. Tee, R. Cable, R. Myles, C. Mudge, C. Sawyer. South - M. Curley, J. Lukich, B. Jones, J. Menzies, M. Skull. Goals: Sollies - J. Davies 3, C. Sawyer 2, A. Johnson 2, D. Clinton , D. Hansen. South - C. Reid , T. Kernahan , T. Black , B. Jones

Best: Central - L. Archibald, G. Kenny, N. Callary, R. Morris, D. Shillabeer. Port - M. Gale, A. Casey, K. Johanson, B. Luteria, M. Thornton. Goals: Central - A. Grantham 5, A. Ruffles 4, D. Shillabeer 4, G. Hull 2, R. Morris 2, K. McKenzie 2, P. Byron-Boles , G. Kenny. Port  - M. Gale 2, M. Thornton 2, B. Weston , A. Fetherstonhaugh , M. Thomson , K. Johanson

ROUND EIGHT PREVIEW WITH ANGUS DEARLOVE

South Augusta vs Solomontown

The Spencer Gulf League resumes with ladder leaders South Augusta taking on the improving Solomontown outfit. South has looked like the team to beat in 2010 so far and should be able to account for the young Sollies side. I’d expect midfielders Ryan Struck and Daniel Dohnt to continue their good form for the red and whites, and the imposing Scott Feltus to be a handful for the Sollies defenders. On the other hand, Sollies have exceeded everyone’s expectations so far and will offer a fight. Lindsay Bearman has continued to raise his profile this year and is now firmly entrenched as one of the league’s best midfielders. Coach Bob Boston will be hoping big Jack Clarke returns for Sollies to give them that extra presence up forward. My tip in this game goes to South, who should be too strong on their own turf.

Lions vs West Augusta

These two teams are battling to be up there with South so this match is shaping up as an absolute beauty in Port Pirie on Saturday. Lions accounted for Sollies in their last match which was played in the wet but not without a fight, so they’d be hoping for better conditions to suit their game style. The return of the quick and agile Tyson Horsenell up forward should provide a dangerous crumbing option to complement the Lions’ talls in the attacking 50, and this may be the difference in the match. Hayden Warren is coming off a five goal haul in the inter association match last week, to add to his nine the week before in round seven of the SGL. The Lions’ midfielders must shut down his supply as in the form he is currently it does not look like any defender can hold him back. My tip is for Lions to win in a close one and keep pace with South at the top of the ladder.

Central Augusta vs Port

Any other year the Grand Final rematch would be the match of the round and the game everyone is pumped and excited for. Not this year. Both these teams are sitting on the bottom, yet to register a point after eight rounds of football. 2008 Port won the flag vs Central, which was reversed last year in 2009 so there is an intense rivalry between these two sides. Both will be hurting after such disastrous seasons so far and you would think that one team will break the duck this weekend. Port have lacked any goal kicking power up till now, with Matt Gale struggling in the games he has played and Dylan Sykes still finding his feet at league level. On the other hand, Central Augusta has been exposed time and time again for their lack of pace. I’m tipping Centrals for this one, as their tall forward line of Morris and Shillabeer should be too much to handle for Port.

SPENCER GULF TRIUMPH IN

INTER-LEAGUE CLASH

PLAYED AT BENNETT OVAL, WHYALLA - JUNE 5, 2010

Best: Spencer Gulf FL - D.Steele, J.Warren, L.Bearman, C.O'Connor, A,Zubrinich. Whyalla FL - D.Sims, D.Storic, B.Kelly, J.Parker, M.Jaritz. Goals: Spencer Gulf - H.Warren 5, R.Morris 3, R.Stapleton 2, L.Bearman 1, D.Sieber 1, T.Kernahan 1, D.Dohnt 1. Whyalla FL - D.Colson 3, J.Parker 3, D.Sims 2, D.Hanneman 2, D.Storic 1, C.Menzies 1, S.Winders 1

Round 7 review by Angus Dearlove - May 31, 2010
Lions cruise past Solomontown

In wet conditions on Saturday, Lions came up against Sollies in what was an important clash for both sides.  Sollies were looking to keep up their winning form while Lions were keen to return to the winners circle after defeat at the hands of South in round six.  Solomontown captain Jarrad Davies won the toss and elected to kick with a strong breeze towards the Cathedral end.  Early on it appeared that the conditions were going to suit Sollies as they got on top while the Lions usual running game stalled in the slippery conditions.  Wasteful kicking saw Sollies kick two goals five for the opening quarter while Lions failed to register a score to lead by 17 points at quarter time.  It was clear that the Lions highly skilled ball carriers were going to have to adjust to what Mother Nature had thrown up to them.  Lions stepped up in the second and kicked five goals to nothing to take a 14 point lead into the half time break.  In two quarters of football there had been no score at the Bowling Club end and it looked like Sollies had shot themselves in the foot through their inaccurate first quarter.  The rain picked up as the teams ran onto the field for the second half and the match slowed down to a muddy slog.  Neither team was able to establish clear dominance with the Lions players not able to be as clean with the ball as usual and the young bodies of the Cats struggling to keep their feet.  Lions led by two goals going into the final break.  The last quarter followed in the same mould as the third with both teams relieved when the final siren blew to signal a 27 point win to the Lions.  Dan Pine was solid for Lions down back, supporter by youngster Anthony Slattery and the in-form Dean Steele.  Brad Pine and Chris Marsland kicked two apiece for the Lions.  Zak Siemer tried hard all day and was Sollies best, backed up by big Chuck Sawyer and evergreen ruckman Craig Tee.   Sawyer, Tee, and Adam Mitchell kicked a goal each in a low-scoring encounter. 

Port stunned by the Hayden Warren Show

In Saturday’s Port Augusta game, Port came up against West and showed alot more fight then they had in previous weeks.  Unfortunately for them, their best game of the season to date coincided with an absolute blinder by West Augusta’s Hayden Warren.  Warren was on fire, kicking an unbelievable nine goals straight in difficult conditions for forwards.  Port did not have an answer for his brilliance, with both Chad Tobin and Chris Stephens having a go at standing him but not having too much effect.  At the other end Port’s goal kicking troubles continued with leading forward Matt Gale failing to kick a goal for the entire match.  Port actually led by nine points after a rain-soaked first quarter before West hit back to take a nine point lead as both teams broke for half time.  Port came out and dominated the third quarter but failed to put the game away, kicking three goals and seven behinds to go into three quarter time with a three point lead.  They would rue this inaccuracy as West blew them away kicking with the wind in the final quarter.  West kicked six goals in the final quarter, including four to Hayden Warren, to close out the match by 34 points.  Warren’s nine big ones were enough to secure best on ground votes for him with Nic Collins and Jordan Bulman also starring.  Kieran Johanson and Aaron Casey were best for Port with Adam key kicking two goals. 

South Augusta rolls on.

Top side South Augusta continued on their merry way with an easy win on Sunday in Port Augusta.  Centrals were looking to lift themselves off the bottom as their nightmare premiership defence continued but a scoreless first quarter had them battling from the get-go.  South kicked three goals six for the quarter to be in front by 24 points at the first change.  Another three goals in the second quarter saw South cruise into the half time break with a 28 point lead. It was déjà vu as South kicked yet another three goals for the third quarter while Central hit back with four of their own to trail by 22 points at three quarter time.  In the final quarter South put another three goals on the board to ice the game, with the final margin standing at 34 points.  Veteran forward Scott Feltus kicked four goals while Jak Kerin, Christian Reid and Mathew Grantham won plenty of the ball for the South Augusta Bulldogs.  Central Augusta’s twin towers up forward in Darren Shillabeer and Ryan Morris kicked two goals each while their Captain, Mark Fuller, played his usual honest game of football in the ruck. 

There are no games next week due to the representative game in Whyalla so stay tuned for round 8 of the SGL which resumes the week after. 
Round 7 scores -  May 29 & 30, 2010

Best: West - H. Warren, N. Collins, J. Bulman, R. Noll, S. Foullis. Port - K. Johanson, A. Casey, A. Fetherstonhaugh, T. Hall, N. Magor.  Goals: West - H. Warren 9, C. Jonas , J. Carn , D. Stapleton , R. Stapleton. Port- A. Key 2, Z. Hutchinson , K. Johanson , J. Sykes , D. Sykes

Best: Lions - D. Pine, A. Slattery, D. Steele, B. Pine, M. Peek. Sollies -  Z. Siemer, C. Sawyer, C. Tee, N. Redman, R. Cable. Goals: Lions - C. Marsland 2, B. Pine 2, D. Seiber , T. Dunkley , D. Steele , T. Harmer. Sollies - C. Tee , C. Sawyer , A. Mitchell

Best: South  - J. Kerin, C. Reid, M. Grantham, M. Curley, J. Lukich. Central - M. Fuller, J. Jackson, P. Byron-Boles, R. Paynter, N. Khan. Goals: South-  S. Feltus 4, R. Struck 2, C. Reid , T. Kernahan , R. Johnson , D. Dohnt , J. Warren , M. Heron. Central - D. Shillabeer 2, R. Morris 2, A. Grantham , G. Hull , R. Waye

Round 7 preview by Angus Dearlove 
West Augusta vs Port

West take on Port in Port Augusta to kick off round 7.  This seems to be a case of how much West will win by rather than who will win, but stranger things have happened.  Port will really be hoping Matt Gale finds some form after he looked out of touch on return last week.  If he can kick some goals then Port may stand a chance.  For Westies they will be looking for the usual suspects in the Warren brothers, Hayden and Jordan, to fire along with Peter Bowey and Ray Stapleton.  I expect West to win this once comfortably, by about 5-10 goals. 

Lions vs Solomontown

Saturday’s Port Pirie game sees Lions come up against Sollies in what should be a tough encounter for the team in blue and gold.  The Cats were not especially convincing in their win against Port last week but will take confidence into this game.  Lions are coming off a loss to ladder leaders South Augusta and will be keen to return to the winners circle.  Tyrone Price has been down on output for Sollies in the past two weeks and they will need him to have a blinder if they are going to knock off the Lions.  I am tipping Lions to get the choccies as, even though Sollies have improved greatly, they are still behind the Lions who are true premiership contenders.  Lions by 2-3 goals for mine. 

South Augusta vs Central Augusta

Who would have thought that Central Augusta would be winless at the round seven mark of the season?  The answer would be not many.  About the same number of people would have tipped South Augusta to be sitting pretty at the top of the ladder as the only undefeated team.  But these things happen.   South Augusta have been in hot form this season and should easily account for their rivals here.   Ryan Struck has had a very good couple of weeks and will be looking to continue this streak.  For Centrals they will be hoping that their running players can get up and firing because this is what they have been lacking so far this season.  I’m expecting the South juggernaut to roll on here with at least a 5 goal victory with the possibility of much more on the cards.

SGL MOURNS THE PASSING OF KEVIN McSPORRAN

This week the SGL mourned the loss of one of its greats.  Former West Augusta, Woodville, and West Torrens great Kevin McSporran died on Wednesday aged 60 after a long battle with illness.  Kevin was a four-time Madigan Medallist playing for West Augusta in the SGL as well as a champion player for both Woodville and West Torrens when they were separate clubs.  The league honoured his passing with a minute of silence before each game. 
ROUND 6 WRAP WITH ANGUS DEARLOVE

Cats continue ‘Dogs misery

Solomontown recorded their second consecutive win with a 17 point win over a lacklustre Port on Saturday.  It was a dour and scrappy game with neither team establishing clear dominance.  Both teams came out hard at the man in the first quarter with Sollies scoring the only goal to lead by seven points at quarter time.  The arm wrestle continued in the second quarter as it was clear goals would be hard to come by.  Sollies led at the main break by 11 points.  Sollies got on top in the third quarter to take a 27 point lead into the last quarter.  The match was effectively over as a contest and the last quarter just seemed to fizzle out.  Lindsay Bearman kicked three goals for Sollies with Zak Siemer, Aiden Malchow and Graham Cooke playing well.  Matt Gale kicked two on return for Port along with Simon Treloar.  Aaron Casey continued his good form backed up by Ben Luteria and Campbell Smith.  This was a good win by Sollies who are really starting to come together, while Port are still languishing on the bottom of the ladder and clearly rebuilding. 

West honour the death of legend McSporran

Central Augusta’s poor start to the season continued on Saturday as they were soundly beaten by West Augusta.  The margin at quarter time was 12 points with West getting the jump early.  A seven goal to two second quarter in favour of West saw them take a handy 42 point lead into half time.  The third quarter slowed down a bit with both sides kicking two goals.  West’s lead stood at 44 points at three quarter time.  Centrals outscored their opponents in the final quarter to restore some dignity, trailing at the final siren by 26 points.  Peter Bowey, Leon McKintosh and Ray Stapleton played well for West, with Joel Coulthard kicking four goals.  Anthony Ruffles kicked three for Central Augusta with Patrick Byron-Boles, Joel Dodd and Shannon Wilson playing well.  Central Augusta are still looking for their first win of the year and never looked like getting it against a West side that is developing very nicely. 
South Augusta comes out the winner in top of the table clash

The Sunday game of round six saw the competitions pace-setters meet each other for the first time this season.  The first quarter was a low scoring affair with South leading by two points at quarter time.  The match continued to be close in the second, with South leading by eight at half time.  The third quarter was again tight as the wet conditions made scoring hard.  South led by five points going into the final term and it was anybodies game.  South came out in the last quarter and kicked away to win the match by 25 points.  For the winners, Ryan Struck claimed his second best on ground in a row supported by Jason Lukich and Daniel Dohnt.  Christian Reid kicked four goals.  For the Lions, Dan Sieber, Brad Pine and Kurtis Edwards were among the best with Tyson Horsenell and Tom Harmer kicked three each.  These two teams may feature highly in September action so South Augusta will take this win as a big confidence boost for the rest of the season, knowing that they can beat another major contender. 

Round 6 - May 21, 22 & 23, 2010

Best·- West: P. Bowey, L. Mackintosh, R. Stapleton, N. Collins. Central - P. Byron-Boles, J. Dodd, S. Wilson, D. Shillabeer, M. Fuller. Goals: West - J. Coulthard 4, H. Warren 4, D. Stapleton 2, C. Jonas , S. Page , M. Hannan , R. Stapleton. Central - A. Ruffles 3, D. Shillabeer 2, J. Reid 2, S. Wilson , K. Crabbe , P. Jackson.

Best·- Sollies : Z. Siemer, A. Malchow, G. Cooke, R. Myles, L. Bearman. Port - A. Casey, B. Luteria, C. Smith, K. Johanson, J. Corrieri. Goals: Sollies - L. Bearman 3, M. Scollin 2, R. Myles , D. Hansen , J. Davies , K. Wallace , G. Cooke. Port - M. Gale 2, S. Treloar 2, K. Johanson , A. Key , Z. Hutchinson 

Best: South - R. Struck, J. Lukich, D. Dohnt, B. Laube, M. Grantham. Lions - D. Seiber, B. Pine, K. Edwards, T. Dunkley, S. Edwards. Goals: South - C. Reid 4, S. Feltus 2, J. Warren 2, T. Kernahan , B. Cox , B. Trewartha. Lions - T. Horsnell 3, T. Harmer 3, T. Bradley

Round 6 preview by Angus Dearlove 
Central Augusta vs West Augusta

This looms as an important clash for the out of form Central Augusta side.   Being winless after the opening five rounds is not a scenario that coach Ray Hayes and his charges would have been expecting, but they are and they must turn their season around as soon as possible if they want to make a run for this year’s flag.  There have been rumours of discontent among the side and it will be interesting to find out whether they are true.  Regardless of team disharmony, they need to show up and get a win vs West this weekend.  Westies took it to competition leaders South last week and would want to play a similar style of football this weekend.  If the Warren brothers, Hayden and Jordan, play as good as they have been in recent weeks then West should win this one by about five goals. 

Solomontown vs Port

Again these two proud clubs meet on Saturday in Port Pirie but, unlike previous seasons, Sollies are this time the heavy favourites.  They knocked off the reigning premiers last week and will be looking to bag two in a row.  I have been amazed by the amount of development in this young Sollies side, from a winless rabble last year to a slick contender this year.  Credit must go to coach Bob Boston for his efforts in turning this club around on-field.  Particularly young players like Ashley Johnson and Nick Redman have really begun to step up this year and become regular contributors at league level.  On the other side of the coin, Port will be licking their wombs after back to back poundings at the hands of South and Lions.  They might regain big forward Matt Gale this week, who should give them some firepower up forward which they desperately need.  Regardless, I am tipping Sollies to continue Port’s woes and win this one comfortably. 

South Augusta vs Lions

The match of the round.  These two teams sit on top of the ladder undefeated thus far and this will be a very interesting game.  There has been some controversy off-field for South with coach Anthony Anno resigning then being re-appointed within the past week and a bit.  This appeared to affect them last week as they were far from their best in the win against West.  If they can solve these issues and return to their early form then they will be a tough task for any team.  As strange as it sounds, Lions were not at their best last week in their 131 point win over Port.  They seemed to be just going through the motions for most of the match given the quality of opposition.  This week they will need to be fully switched on in order to overcome South.  I am tipping Lions in a close one that may well be a early rehearsal for the big one at the end of the season. 

Round 5 review by Angus Dearlove 

Lions roar while Port whimpers

For the second week in a row Port were demolished by 130 plus points, this time it was at the hands of cross-town rivals, Lions.  The match started slowly with Lions up by 13 points at quarter time.  From then on they got on top, with a handy 56 point lead at half time.  They were running rampant over Port, with numbers running up the middle every time the Lions had the ball.  After a dominant third quarter the margin was 86 points and the Port players were visibly beginning to show signs of frustration, with some poor discipline leading to silly free kicks and 50 metre penalties.  The last quarter resembled a walk in the park with Lions cruising to a 131 point victory.  Tyson Horsenell kicked seven goals in another brilliant display.  Dean Steele was best on ground running off half back, assisted by ruckman Brad Ley and half forward Chris Marsland.  Port only managed three goals for the match, with Simon Treloar, Campbell Smith and Ben Simpson sharing the honours.  Backman Chris Stephens tried hard all day along with Zak Hutchinson and Aaron Fetherstonhaugh, but Port never looked in this one. 

South just pips West

In an entertaining game of football, South Augusta came from behind to beat a courageous West Augusta by two points in Port Augusta.  It was a see-sawing encounter with South making the better of the first quarter to jump out to a 12 point lead.  West lead by 11 points at half time before South came back to score take the lead in the third, eventually holding on for a 81-79 win.  Corey Jonas kicked three for West while at the other end Scott Feltus kicked four of his own for South.  Jordan Warren continued his recent form with another standout performance for the Hawks of West Augusta.  Ryan Struck was South’s best in what was a far from convincing win.  Much credit has to go to West, who were not given much of a chance before the game but managed to show just how even this competition is. 

Reigning premiers shocked by last year’s wooden spooners.

Solomontown travelled to Port Augusta on Sunday to face an out-of-sorts Centrals outfit.  What many would have thought to be a game where Centrals could get their season on track didn’t eventuate as the Cats shocked the Bloods to register a well deserved 13 point win.  The scores were level at quarter time as neither team was able to get a break on the other.  Centrals managed to lead at half time by a goal before Sollies came back and got their noses in front to lead by 14 at the final change.  In a tense last quarter Sollies were able to keep ahead and led 74-61 at the final siren.  It was an even display by Sollies with Jarrad Davies, Ashley Johnson and Dylan Hansen kicking two apiece. Craig Tee and Tyrone Price were the engine room and set up the win out of the middle for Sollies.  Ashleigh Grantham kicked four in a losing effort for Centrals, well supplied by Mark Fuller and Nick Callary.  This was a fantastic result for the much-improved Cats while things are just not right in Central Augusta’s camp.  Their recruits are failing to deliver and there may be some discontent beginning to creep in amongst the ranks. 

Round 5 scores - May 15 & 16, 2010

Best: R. Struck, M. Curley, D. Dohnt, B. Laube, J. Kerin. West - J. Warren, S. Foullis, R. Noll, A. Zubrinich, D. Kroes. Goals: South - S. Feltus 4, T. Kernahan 3, D. Dohnt 2, C. Reid , R. Johnson , J. Warren. West - C. Jonas 3, P. Bowey 2, R. Hobbs 2, H. Warren , N. Collins , S. Page , L. Mackintosh , J. Carn 

Best: Lions - D. Steele, B. Ley, C. Marsland, T. Horsnell, A. Slattery. Port - C. Stephens, C. Smith, Z. Hutchinson, A. Fetherstonhaugh, A. Casey. Goals: Lions - T. Horsnell 7, B. Ley 6, C. Marsland 5, T. Dunkley 4, T. Bradley , C. Jamar. Port - S. Treloar , B. Simpson , C. Smith  

Best: Sollies - A. Johnson, C. Tee, T. Price, Z. Siemer, R. Cable. Central - A. Grantham, M. Fuller, N. Callary, J. Dodd, L. Rathman. Goals: Sollies - J. Davies 2, A. Johnson 2, D. Hansen 2, L. Bearman , T. Price , R. Myles , K. Wallace , C. Tee. Central - A. Grantham 4, D. Shillabeer 2, D. Culbertson , N. Callary , K. Crabbe

Round 5 preview by Angus Dearlove 
West Augusta vs South Augusta

Poor Westies have drawn the short straw this week, up against the form team of the competition in South.  South have been in awesome form this season, with last week’s 130 point demolition of Port a worrying sign for the rest of the competition.   Todd Kernahan has been in magnificent form up forward, with 16 goals in the three games South have played.  West will be relying on the Warren brothers, Hayden and Jordan, and Peter Bowey to play well in order to keep them in the contest.  I am tipping South to get up, as they just have too many winners around the ground and should take this game by at least 5 goals. 
Port vs Lions

It’s a Port Pirie showdown with the in-form Lions taking on a struggling Port outfit.  This should be an easy game for Lions who will be riding high after accounting for Centrals easily last week.  Port are struggling and alot of their chances ride on key forward Matt Gale returning, which is unlikely given the underlying health circumstances of his absence.  Another worry for Port is the loss of key midfielder Norm Wombat, who is rumoured to be heading West to Ceduna.  I am tipping a sizeable win for the Lions, whose run and carry game should be too much for Port. 
Central Augusta vs Solomontown

This should be a close one, with Sollies unlucky not to get the points last week and Centrals struggling to back up their premiership year from last year.  Tyrone Price had a quite game for Sollies last week and they will want him to step up to lead their midfield to victory.  Centrals once again will be looking to find some legspeed which is again what they were lacking last week.  I am going to stick my neck out and tip Sollies to win by a couple of goals.

ROUND 4 REPORTS AND PHOTOS by Angus Dearlove 

LIONS TOO GOOD FOR CENTRAL

Lions overran Central Augusta by 54 points in the sunshine at Port Pirie’s Memorial Oval on Saturday.  Centrals jumped to a 10 point lead at quarter time, with Anthony Ruffles standing out up forward.  Lions came back a bit in the second but were inaccurate, and Centrals maintained a two point lead at the main break.  After half time the game changed completely as Lions took control with a six goal to two third quarter which was backed up by a seven goal to two final quarter.  In total, 13 goals to four after half time was enough for the Lions to run out 54 point winners.  Among the best for Lions were Dan Sieber, Ashley McNicol and Tim Dunkley.  Tyson Horsnell kicked five in another good display by one of the competitions leading small forwards.  Centrals were well serviced by Ashley Grantham, Patrick Byron-Boles and Nick Callary.  Ryan Morris kicked four goals.  Centrals again looked slow, much the same as they did in round one, and were exposed by a Lions outfit that ran at pace all day.  Much credit has to be given to the Lions for their fitness in being able to run out the match while their opponents seemed to tire.  Centrals will be worried as their premiership defence looks very shaky with no wins and three losses thus far this season. 

Brad Ley (19) contests the ruck for Lions.

Action from the Lions v Central match

SOUTH AUGUSTA DOMINATES

The Port Augusta game was an out and out nightmare for Port as they went down by 130 points to a red-hot South Augusta outfit.  The 2009 runners up and 2008 premiers were never in the contest, with South simply dominating them all over the ground.  Souths kicked 5 goals to one in the opening term to lead by 24 points at the first break.  Another five goals in the second saw them lead by 59 points at half time.  It was becoming a procession as they added yet another five in the 3rd term while restricting Port to just one to lead by 85 points at the final break.  An eight goal to one final term put Port out of their misery and put the word out to the rest of the competition that South Augusta are here to play.  Todd Kernahan brought his season tally to 16 from three games with a bag of six, supported by teammate Ricky Johnson who also kicked six.  Best for South was Matt Grantham, Jason Lukich and Brock Laube.  Port’s goals were kicked by Simon Treloar (two goals) and Nelson Magor (one).  Jayden Corrieri, Chris Stephens and Nelson Magor played well for Port.

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SOLLIES GO DOWN TO WEST IN A THRILLER

The round was finished off in style on Sunday with two up and coming teams meeting in what was a tight and tense encounter.  West Augusta got the jump early to lead by 17 points at quarter time.  Sollies fought back well in the second to take the lead before West snatched it back.  Sollies again put the foot on the accelerator and managed to take a seven point lead into half time.  West came out and began to dominate the third quarter before Sollies hit back to trail by a goal at the final change.  Two goals to one in the final quarter was not enough for the Cats, who fell agonisingly short by two points.  Hayden Warren kicked five to help West to the win while Jack Clarke’s four goals for Sollies was not enough in the end.  Best on ground for West Augusta was Jordan Warren who, along with his brother Hayden and Damien Stapleton, made sure West finished the day on top.  In a heartbreaking result for Sollies, Ryleigh Myles, Nick Redman and Lindsay Bearman tried their hardest but could not get their team over the line.

Sollies Tyrone Price about to be tackled

Sollies and West contest a centre bounce

Round 4 scores - May 7-9, 2010

Best:  South - M. Grantham, J. Lukich, B. Laube, R. Johnson, T. Kernahan. Port - J. Corrieri, C. Stephens, N. Magor, B. Weston, K. Johanson. Goals: South - T. Kernahan 6, R. Johnson 6, S. Feltus 5, J. Lukich 2, C. Reid , D. Dohnt , B. Jones , M. Heron. Port - S. Treloar 2, N. Magor

Best: Best: Lions - D. Seiber, A. McNicol, T. Dunkley, N. Saunders, D. Steele. Central - M. Fuller, A. Fullerton, A. Grantham, P. Byron-Boles, N. Callary.  Goals: Lions - T. Horsnell 5, T. Dunkley 4, C. Marsland 3, T. Bradley 2, N. Saunders 2, T. Edwards , B. Ley , C. O''Connor , D. Seiber. Central - R. Morris 4, A. Ruffles 3, R. Waye , D. Shillabeer , M. Harvey , G. Hull , T. Colman

Best: West – R Stapledon, J Warren, A Zubrinich, R Noll, N Collins. Solomontown – G Cooke, N Redman, C Tee, Z Seimer, R Bateson. Goals: West - H. Warren 5, D. Stapleton 2, R. Dadleh, N. Collins , J. Warren , L. Mackintosh , R. Stapleton , J. Coulthard. Sollies - G. Cooke 3, J. Clarke 3, L. Bearman 2, J. Davies 2, R. Hayes , B. Goodridge , N. Redman

ROUND FOUR PREVIEW

by Angus Dearlove 
South Augusta vs Port

Central Oval in Port Augusta will play host to this match in what should be an easy win for Souths.  They have looked red-hot early on in the season, in stark contrast to Port who have lost their first two games by considerable margins.  One to watch for South is Todd Kernahan, who has kicked 10 goals in the past two games.  For Port, their forward line will also be something to take note of.  Dylan Sykes stepped up nicely in the absence of Matt Gale last week and, should Gale be able to play this match, it would be nice to see Port persist with him as a second option at the pointy end of the ground.  South Augusta being the form team should win this one comfortably, my tip is they will get up by 5 goals. 

Lions vs Central Augusta

Lions come up against the reigning premiers in Port Pirie in the round’s other Saturday match.  After a slow start in round one, they hit their straps the week after against Port and enjoyed a week off with the bye last week.  Centrals have lost their two matches to date but looked better last week against West than they did in the first round.  Lions’ captain Brodie Lavis has been in good form early on in the season and it will be interesting to see whether he can continue with this.  Centrals will want their big men in Ryan Morris and Darren Shillabeer to fire if they are to break their duck this season.  My tip is Lions by three goals. 

Solomontown vs West Augusta

Sunday sees what could arguably be called the match of the round played between two teams who are looking to distance themselves from sub-par 2009 campaigns.  Sollies scored a drought-breaking win last week and will be riding high on confidence.  West held off Centrals last round for a well-earnt win, so this match shapes up to be a tough one to tip.  If Sollies are to win, Tyrone Price needs to keep up his outstanding form.  West will look to the in-form Hayden Warren to give them a solid goal-kicking option.  I think this will be a close one, with West Augusta to take the points.

SOLLIES CAUSE A BIG BOILOVER

A look at Round 3 by Angus Dearlove

Solomontown vs Port

Sollies caused a major upset by defeating Port by 32 points in front of a large crowd at Memorial Oval on Friday night.  This was the first Cats victory over the ‘Dogs in 16 league encounters.  Things did not look good for Port from the start, with their best forward Matt Gale failing to line up, replaced in the side by Dylan Sykes.  In a tight opening quarter, Sollies were able to get the upper hand and lead 2-2 to 1-1 at the first change.  The second quarter started well for Port, as they kicked the first two goals through Sykes and started to get on top in the midfield for the first 10 minutes of the quarter.  Sollies hit back after that, and dominated the rest of the quarter with 5 unanswered goals.  New recruit Tyrone Price was beginning to show his class, kicking two goals and finding alot of the ball up the ground.  At the main break, Sollies had broken out to a 48-21 lead.  The third quarter was a tough affair as the game began to tighten up and both teams found scoring hard.  At three quarter time Sollies maintained a 54-28 lead.  The start of the last quarter began much like the second, with Port attempting to mount a late charge before Solomontown once again got on top and kicked away for a five goal win.  Best on ground was Tyrone Price, who is proving to be a boom recruit for Sollies, he was well supported by teammates Craig Tee and Matt Kendall.  An even spread of goalkickers saw Price’s two majors be enough for him to kick the most goals for Sollies on the night.  For Port, Nelson Magor, Campbell Smith, and Chris Stephens acquitted themselves well.  Dylan Sykes kicked four goals out of his team’s total of six with his brother Josh Sykes kicking one and Simon Treloar kicking the other.  Port will again need to search for some more goal-kicking options if they are to challenge this year.  Sollies will be buoyed by their first A grade win in over a year and will be looking to add a few more in the weeks to come. 

West Augusta vs Central Augusta

West Augusta overcome Centrals by 8 points in the rounds other encounter.  Hayden Warren was the standout forward for the winners with an impressive bag of six.  Anthony Ruffles kicked five for Centrals in a losing team.  Rob Stapleton, Jordan Warren and P. Bowey were best for West Augusta while Centrals best were Gary Hull and Ryan Morris.  This is the second loss in a row for Centrals who are still looking to get off the mark after winning it all last year.  It is by no means panic stations but the Bloods will certainly be looking to get some wins on the board and get their season up and running.  West’s will be basking in what was a great performance, and look to make it two in a row come next week.

Round 3
Solomontown 2.2 7.3 8.6 11.8 (74)
Port                     1.1 3.2 4.4 6.6 (42)
Best: Solomontown - T. Price, C. Tee, M. Kendall, M. Cox, A. Johnson. Port - N. Magor, C. Smith, C. Stephens, C. Brooke, S. Treloar. Goals: Solomontown - T. Price 3, M. Kendall , C. Tee , L. Bearman , B. Goodridge , N. Redman , A. Johnson , B. Johanson , J. Clarke. Port - D. Sykes 4, S. Treloar , J. Sykes
West       3.2 7.6 12.10 15.11 (101)
Central 7.0 8.5 11.5 14.9 (93)
Best: West - R. Stapleton, J. Carn, P. Bowey, R. Noll, J. Warren. Goals: West - H. Warren 6, C. Jonas 2, M. Woodforde 2, J. Coulthard 2, J. McKenna , R. Stapleton , A. Zubrinich

Round 3 preview by Angus Dearlove 
Solomontown vs Port

This match may be closer than many would predict, given last season’s standings.  Port finished runners up while Sollies failed to register a win in 2009.  Fast forward to 2010 and both these teams are coming off losses to Lions in their respective opening encounters.  Sollies had the week off last week and may be fresher coming into the game, but Port will be fired up after receiving a hiding last Saturday.  If Sollies are to win, their new recruits in Price and Myles must stand up and their forwards need to capitalise more on their opportunities.  Port need to find another goalkicker to help Matt Gale up forward, and simply find more of the footy because last week that is where they really struggled.  My tip is Port in a close one. 
Central Augusta vs West Augusta

Both these teams suffered comprehensive losses first up to South and will be keen to notch up their first points for the year.  A big problem for Centrals is leg-speed and they will need to find some in order to keep pace with their opponents.  Westies are a largely unknown side after they lost a fair few players from last year, so their new team will be eager to show their stuff, and what better way than fronting up against the reigning premiers?  My tip is Centrals by four or five goals.

SGL round 2 review by Angus Dearlove 
Big margins the order of the day in the SGL 
Port vs Lions

At Memorial oval in overcast conditions, two of the league’s rivals met in what many would have predicted to be a tight and tough contest.  This is exactly what it was, for the first half at least.  Port started well, kicking the first two goals of the contest through full forward Matthew Gale.  Lions started slowly but worked their way into it, kicking the last five goals of the quarter and swinging the match into their favour.  This was reversed in the second quarter where Lions broke down across half forward and Port capitalised, kicking the only three goals of the quarter.  Half time there was only two points in it, with Lions just leading five goals five to five goals three.  The third quarter shaped to be a beauty and for a few minutes the teams traded goals.  As the quarter progressed, Lions began to break away with a variety of players making an impact on the scoresheet.  At the other end, Port were being exposed as too one-dimensional with little support up forward for Matt Gale who was constantly outnumbered in marking contests.  The quarter ended with Lions leading 78-53, after kicking seven goals to three for the quarter.  The last quarter saw Lions run away with it, kicking another seven to Port’s solitary goal to record a 19-9-123 to 9-5-59 win.  Lions’ captain, Brodie Lavis, was excellent for his side, well supported by the run of Deane Steele and Clinton O’Connor.  Forward pocket Tyson Horsenell kicked 5 goals.  On a sour note, Lions appear to have lost key midfielder Tyron George to a serious shoulder injury.  In what was a dismal day for Port, the form of Aaron Casey and Zac Hutchinson could provide some comfort.  Matt Gale kicked four goals but desperately needs some support if Port are to be a threat in the games to come. 
South Augusta vs West Augusta

In the round’s other match, South Augusta played West Augusta.  South, coming off a big win against the reigning premiers in Central, continued their brilliant start to the season, jumping out to a 13-14-86 to 4-5-29 lead at half time.  This continued in the second half as South were never really challenged, running out winners 17-17-119 to 9-7-61.  This is a fantastic start for the red and whites, who are certainly atoning for a less than stellar 2009 season.  For South, Kapunda recruit Brody Cox stood out along with young ruckman Brock Laube and captain Adam Grantham.  Todd Kernahan kicked five goals, bringing his season tally to 10 after just two games.  Westies were served well by Shannon Page and P. Bowey, with Hayden Warren and Richie Hobbs kicking two goals apiece.

Round 2 scores - April 23 & 24, 2010

Best: South - B. Cox, A. Grantham, B. Laube, T. Kernahan, J. Warren. West - P. Bowey, M. Hannan, J. Bulman, S. Page, L. Mackintosh. Goals: South - T. Kernahan 5, R. Johnson 3, D. Dohnt 3, B. Cox 2, C. Heron , M. Gill , B. Trewartha , M. Heron. West - H. Warren 2, R. Hobbs 2, J. Warren , L. Mackintosh , J. Carn , R. Stapleton , A. Zubrinich

Best: Lions - M. Congdon, B. Lavis, T. Horsnell, K. Edwards, C. O''Connor. Port - A. Fetherstonhaugh, C. Stephens, N. Magor, C. Tobin, C. Smith. Goals: Lions - T. Horsnell 5, C. Marsland 3, T. Bradley 3, T. Harmer 2, B. Pine , C. Pine , B. Ley , D. Pine , L. Pole , C. O'Connor . Port - M. Gale 4, S. Treloar 2, N. Wombat , A. Casey , B. Weston

SGL round 2 Preview by Angus Dearlove 

Port vs Lions

Last season’s runners-up Port open their season against Lions after a first round bye.  It will be interesting to see how the Bulldogs cope with some key personnel missing.  Their new recruits are more than handy by all reports but have not had a taste of SGL action so far.  For Ports to win it is important that these recruits step up and help the established players at Port get going.  As for their opponents, Lions looked a little slow at times in their win against Solomontown last week.  They will need to be switched on as this match will definitely be tightly contested with the two clubs enjoying a fierce rivalry of late.  My tip is Lions to win a close one, as they have had a game to tune up and should be able to cover a new-look Port side. 

South Augusta vs West Augusta

In the Port Augusta game, South takes on West.  This is also West’s first game for the season and I think they will struggle against a South Augusta side that really looked the goods against last year’s reigning premiers in round one.  Stopping the run of Jason Lukich and Ricky Johnson will be the key for West to keep in the contest, as these two played a massive part in the opening round win for Souths.  The red and whites also had some good contributions up forward last from Kernahan and Cox so West Augusta’s backline will really need to be on their toes to keep these two in check.  For mine, South should be too strong for West and are likely to notch up another win for 2010

ROUND ONE REPORTS BY ANGUS DEARLOVE

Reigning premiers Centrals received a shock as they were comfortably beaten by South.  South Augusta won the toss and elected to kick with the breeze to the highway end of Central Oval and it paid dividends with a six goal to one first quarter.  Centrals new recruits all appeared too big and slow to match it with their much quicker South Augusta opponents.  The Bloods got right back into it in the second quarter once they settled, scoring five goals with the breeze to Souths one.  Afer the long break the game began to open up with players tiring, and South put themselves four goals ahead with 3 goals in the third quarter while holding their more fancied opponents goalless.  Some inaccurate kicking for goal kept the game alive and Centrals were going with the breeze in the final term.  Unfortunately for Centrals, South was able to get their running game up again and kicked a further three goals, restricting Centrals to one goal for the quarter.  In the end, the bulldogs ran out 38 point winners, with Todd Kernahan playing a key role with 5 goals.  Best  players for South Augusta were Ricky Johnson, Jason Lukich and Brodie Cox.  For Centrals, defender Chad Mcknight played well, supported by Darren Shillabeer, who kicked two goals against his old club, and Garry Hull. 
In the round’s other game, played at Memorial Oval in Port Pirie, Lions opened their 2010 account with a hard-fought 27 point victory over a much improved Solomontown outfit.  Sollies surprised a few early, not only matching the Lions but beating them to hold a four point lead at quarter time.  From then on, Lions began to claw their way back into it and got on top to hold a 3 point lead at half time.  Lions came out the better side in the second half, kicking four goals to two in the third.  The match wasn’t over as a contest, with the Sollies boys determined to stay in the hunt.  The final quarter saw Sollies have several chances to stay in the contest but fail to make their opportunities count on the scoreboard.  Lions kicked another two to finish the game off but would be disappointed with some of their delivery at times.  Solomontown can hold their heads high as they showed alot more fight than they did last season.  For the victors, Tim Dunkley kicked 3 goals and was among Lions best, along with Tyron George and Clinton O’Connor.  For Sollies, new recruit Tyron Price was instrumental, backed up by Craig Tee and Nick Redman.  Captain Jarrad Davies presented well for three goals.

Round 1 scores - April 17 & 18, 2010
South Augusta     6.3   7.7   10.10 13.12 (90)
Central Augusta 1.2   6.4    6.6      7.10 (52)
Best: South - R. Struck, B. Cox, J. Lukich, G. Shirley, S. Brusnahan. Central - R. Waye, N. Callary, C. McKnight, M. Fuller, L. Rathman. Goals: South - T. Kernahan 5, B. Cox 3, J. Lukich , R. Johnson , D. Dohnt , M. Gill , B. Jones. Central - G. Hull 2, D. Shillabeer 2, R. Waye 2, S. Curnow
Lions                  2.3    6.5    10.10    12.12 (84)
Solomontown 3.1    6.2       8.2         8.9 (57)
Best: Lions - D. Seiber, B. Lavis, T. Harmer, T. George, D. Pine. Lions - T. Price, C. Tee, L. Bearman, Z. Siemer, C. Mudge. Goals: Lions - T. Horsnell 4, T. Dunkley 3, C. Pine 2, D. Seiber , T. Bradley , T. Harmer. Solomontown - J. Davies 3, A. Johnson , B. Goodridge , R. Saracino , R. Hayes , G. Cooke

ROUND ONE PHOTOS BY ANGUS DEARLOVE

BRODIE LAVIS GETS A KICK AWAY FOR THE LIONS AGAINST SOLLIES

CENTRALS COACH RAY HAYES TALKS TO HIS TEAM AT 3/4 TIME

CENTRE BOUNCE AT THE START OF THE LAST TERM

CENTRALS v SOUTH

SEASON PREVIEW BY ANGUS DEARLOVE

Club: Port.    Coach: Matt Ganley

Ins: Nathan Agius (Greenacres, SAAFL), Chris Carey (Mitcham, SAAFL), Nelson Magor (Crystal Brook, Northern Areas).

Outs: Jack Clarke (Solomontown), Matt Kendall (Solomontown), Matt Cox (Solomontown), Michael Burford (Jamestown-Peterborough, Northern Areas), Tom Clarke (Lobethal, Hills Central Football League), Sam Mayes (North Adelaide, SANFL).

Last season: Runners up.

Perennial contenders Port may find themselves struggling to maintain their splendid recent record in 2010.  Some key talent in Madigan Medallist Tom Clarke and standout ruckman Michael Burford have left, which will leave a hole in the middle.  With key backman Jack Clarke also departing, the Bulldogs will be hard pressed to remain at the top.   Prediction- 3rd.

Coach’s comment:

“Obviously we’ve had a fair bit of success recently and, although we’ve had a high turnover of players, we have some good juniors coming up through the ranks and should remain competitive”. –Matt Ganley. 

Club: Lions    Coach: Adrian Davies

Ins: Craig Jamar

Out: Elijah Ware (Reynella, Southern Football League)

Last season: 3rd

Could this be the year for the boys in blue and gold?  They have been serious challengers throughout the last couple of seasons however failed to capitalise on their chances towards the business end of the season. After another year of development in their already skilful young list, as well as a low turnover of players, and they are primed to really make a run.  Prediction- 1st.

Coach’s comment:

“We’ve retained a lot of our young players, who are now around the 50-60 game mark and our team is pretty much the same side that we were last year personnel-wise, so we are settled and ready for the season”.- Adrian Davies.  
 

Club: Solomontown    Coach: Bob Boston

Ins: Jack Clarke (Port), Matt Kendall (Port), Matt Cox (Port), Rhyleigh Myles (Olympic Dam, Woomera and Districts Football League), Ryan Saracino (Olympic Dam, Woomera and Districts Football League), Daniel Rogers (Olympic Dam, Woomera and Districts Football League).

Out: Matt Turner (Broughton-Mundoora, Northern Areas), Michael Wright (Brinkworth-Spalding-Redhill, North Eastern Football League), Haydn Cox (Lucindale, Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara Football League), Trent Hoare (Crystal Brook, Northern Areas)

Last season: 6th

It’s shaping up to be a tough year for the cats.  It is hard to see much improvement in ladder position but, as they continue to develop their young players, expect some more competitiveness from Solomontown.  If they can continue to do so, there will be marked improvement and the club can hopefully begin to climb up the ladder in the near future.  Prediction- 6th.

Coach’s comment:

“We’ve got new players which will hopefully improve us, as well as another year of development in the younger boys, so I am hoping the team can gel together and at least be more competitive this year than we were last year”. – Bob Boston. 

Club: Central Augusta     Coach: Ray Hayes

Ins: Anthony Ruffles (South Augusta), Jesse Skipworth (South Augusta), Darren Shillabeer (South Augusta), Gerard Kenny (West Augusta), Trent Dolphin (Lock, Great Flinders), Trent Coleman (Hahndorf, Hills Central Football League), Liam Carr (Old Ignatians, SAAFL), David Robinson (Walkerville, SAAFL), Danny Hirschauser (Angle Vale, SAAFL).

Out: Todd Coulthard (Central Whyalla, Whyalla Football League), Jamie Jackson (South Whyalla, Whyalla Football League)

Last season: Premiers

A busy off-season has seen reigning premiers Centrals add to their already strong list.  Last year they had the hunger after a stinging Grand Final loss in 2008 and they will be around the mark again this year.  It is just a question of whether that hunger remains, and whether their new recruits can gel as a team.  If they can, expect the Bloods to be a serious chance at September glory.  Prediction- 2nd.

Coach’s comment:

“Being premiers last year we are feeling pretty good.  We’ve lost a few quality players and people from the club but we’ve got a few new recruits so we are hoping the team can gel and bond together” –Ray Hayes.  
 

Club: South Augusta        Coach: Anthony Anno

Ins: Jason Lukich (West Augusta), Brody Cox (Kapunda, Barossa Light & Gawler Football League), Matthew Skull (Booleroo-Melrose-Wilmington, Northern Areas), Corey Finlay (Booleroo-Melrose-Wilmington, Northern Areas).

Out: Darren Shillabeer (Central Augusta), Jesse Skipworth (Central Augusta), Anthony Ruffles (Central Augusta), Bradley Amos (Coober Pedy, Woomera and Districts Football League).

Last season: 5th

Would be disappointed with their finish to last year.  Improvement across the board is needed in order for the Bulldogs from Port Augusta to climb up the ladder and return to the top teams.  The loss of Bradley Amos up forward robs them of a proven goal kicker, whilst Shillabeer gave them flexibility around the ground.  These losses need to be covered if South’s are to make any headway this season.  Prediction- 5th.  

Club: West Augusta     Coach: Craig Blinman

Ins: Joel Coulthard, John McKenna, Scott McRorie.

Out: Jason Lukich (South Augusta), Gerard Kenny (Central Augusta), Brett Mckerlie (South Whyalla, Whyalla Football League), Josh Scharenberg (South Whyalla, Whyalla Football League), Wayne Milera (Andamooka, Woomera and Districts Football League).

Last season: 4th

Consistency is the key for the Hawks this year.  Last season they proved they can push the top teams and with a settled list they may be able to make the teams above them nervous.  Will probably finish around the same spot as last year, but may surprise a few. Prediction- 4th

Coach’s comment:

“Even though we have lost a few we are really looking forward to the season, we are aiming to be more competitive over four quarters with a better fitness base. We have worked strongly on our disposal and are aiming to use the ball more effectively.  We are confident of playing finals and once you are there who knows what can happen?”- Craig Blinman.

Rest of 2010 Program