Country Footy Wrap – Grand Final glory

By Peter Argent | September 24

Finishing third on the ladder at the end of the minor round, the Hummocks-Watchman Eagles made their way through to the Grand Final from the elimination to collect ultimate glory, defeating the second- placed Two Wells Roosters by 35 points.

Just to get to Grand Final day, they fought hard to overcome Mallala by 19 points in the first semi and then defeated minor premiers Balaklava by 14 points at Mallala Oval on preliminary final day.

The season-decider, played on Two Wells Oval, was tight until half-time with the Eagles only up by four points at the long interval.

They kicked six goals to two after the half-time interval, including the final three of the game at the seven,  11 and 19 minute mark of the last term to win by comfortable margin, with the final scores being the Hummocks Watchman Eagles 9.12 (66) to Two Wells 4.7 (31).

Leading the way for the Eagles was Shaun Light, followed by Jordan Bailey, Quinton Mackay and Henry Johnson.

Luke Forest and marking forward Sam Roads also had their moments while Nathan Studham kicked four of the winner’s goals.

For the Roosters, Pat Binyon, Luke Tryfopolous, Harry Gameau and Andrew Hardiman were their better players.

A James Sellar master-class was the catalyst for Langhorne Creek winning the 2019 Great Southern Football League Grand Final.

In an outstanding individual display, Sellar kicked five goals and dominated in the game played at McLaren Oval.

Langhorne Creek was just one point up at half-time against Mitch Portlock’s Willunga Demons, before Sellar dominated the contest in the third, kicking four of his five goals and taking eight contested marks in that quarter alone.

As expected, he won the West End medal as best on ground in the Great Southern Grand Final.

The “Creeks” led by 35 points at lemons before going on to win the game 14.13 (97) to 9.11 (65).

Along with Sellar’s performance, Tom Derham (a former SA state Second XI quick bowler) in defence was outstanding, as was mid fielder Jarrod Kellock, Ben Arbon, Caleb Howell and the industrious small man Curtis Perrey.

Gifted Hawks small forward Lockie McGregor kicked a pair of goals as well.

Best for the Willunga side was Brett Miegel, followed by James Collier and Tyson Hoffmann.

Nick Scanlan and Sam Tregenza were also serviceable while the competition’s Mail Medalist, Daniel Bass, kicked three goals.

Langhorne Creek’s road to winning the 2019 title included beating minor premiers Willunga in the second semi-final by nine points after defeating Mount Compass by the same margin on qualifying final day.

This win gives “The Creeks” back-to-back Great Southern Football League titles. The Hawks also won consecutive titles back in 2011 and 2012.

South Augusta continued its control of the Spencer Gulf football league with a fourth consecutive flag at Central Oval last Saturday.

They consigned the Solomontown Cats to the position of bridesmaids for the third consecutive year.

The match had many ebbs and flows and scores were level at half-time before South Augusta kicked three goals in the third quarter and four to one in the last to win by a comfortable 34-point margin, 11.11 (77) to 5.13 (43).

Caleb Ritter led the way for the Bulldogs along with Jaylen Wingfield and Craig Shirley.

Big man Matthew Downey, Greg Shirley and dual Madigan Medalist Darcy Kildea also had an impact on the game.

Gary Warren kicked South Augusta’s first two goals early in the second quarter and finished with four for the contest while Kahran Mckenzie snaffled three.

For the Cats, Corey Davey was their leading performer, followed by Mason Munzberg and Jono Hayes.  Live-wire Lindsay Bearman and Kaleb Head also had their moments.

In what is best described as the ‘James Moss show’, the Mypolonga Tigers won their second flag in the past three years.

The former Willaston junior, Central District and CMS Crows premiership player has a habit of standing up in finals.

For the CMS Crows on the Yorke Peninsula, Moss famously kicked 12 goals in the grand final win of 2012, but this was a more telling individual effort.

After being 11 points down early in the last quarter, the Moss-inspired Tigers went on to win the River Murray Football League premiership by 26 points.

Mypolonga kicked three goals to one in the first quarter, but only five points separated the teams at half time after an inaccurate second quarter for the Ramblers with 1.6.

After a Matthew Rankine goal late in the third term, Ramblers took a slender four-point lead into the last quarter of the season before James Moss stepped up again.

His heroics lead the Tigers to a 12.7 (79) to 7.11 (53) flag win.

In the best on ground in effort that included the Mark of the Year in the first quarter and critical goals in the last, Moss kicked eight majors for the game.

Other key performers for the Tigers included Rory Taggart, Lachlan Butler Tommy Hooper and Nathan Wright, who competed manfully in ruck.

Others to take the eye for the Tigers included Clint Diment, Adam Eckermann and Jack Zadow.

Big bustling and well-travelled ruckman Nick Pearce gave the Ramblers midfielders first use of the ball, while Aaron Pratt, Clinton Walker and David Wilson were all strong performers.

Others to have a presence for the Roosters included Jarrad Weyland in defence, skipper Patrick O’Neill and Mail Medalist, Matthew Rankine.

The Hahndorf Magpies completed a perfect season with the comfortable 34-point win over Onkaparinga Valley at Echunga Oval in the Hills division 1 A Grade Grand Final.

The Magpies were already 34 points up at half-time after having 14 scoring shots to five to this point, and despite being kept goal less in the third quarter, they would go on to win 9.13 (67) to 4.9 (33)

Magpies talent Daniel Roberts produced a best on ground performance, followed by Sam Hayden and 2019 Mail Medalist Dylan Matson.

Former Adelaide Crows players Kyle Cheney and Matthew Jaensch, along with Scott Purling also had an influence on the game.

A South Adelaide league footballer and state junior in his youth, Darcy Hourigan kicked three goals and finished with a yield of 73 across the 2019 campaign.
Former Norwood premiership player Ben Jefferies was the Onkaparinga Bulldogs’ best.

Other solid performers for the vanquished included his Redlegs teammate Tim Webber, big Terrance Sleep, Zachary Kuiper, Sam Ciappina and Daniel Schoell.

Riley Sinnott kicked two of Onka’s four goals.

The Kalangadoo Magpies came from fourth at the end of the minor round to collect the 2019 Mid South East flag, defeating the Glencoe Murphy’s by 34 points in the decider, played at Mount Burr Oval.

Young talent Ethan Maney produced the best on ground performance and his effort was closely followed by former Glenelg SANFL captain Ben Mules, who kicked seven goals up forward.

Kalangadoo took an 11-point lead into the half-time break and then converted a 24-point three quarter time margin into a 16.8 (104) to 10.10 (70) triumph.

Other Magpies to have an impact included Jason Bannister, Sam McManus, Brett Lindner and big Jack Casey.

Billy Galpin kicked three goals for Kalangadoo while Ben Gregory helped himself to a couple.

For the Murphy’s, Tom Edwards was their best, followed by Jesse Foster and big man Zacc Cocks.

Nick Martin and Jason Bates were solid against the odds while Alex Henschke kicked two goals.

In a battle between the top two teams on the table across the season, the Blyth-Snowtown Cats held on after a goal-less final quarter to beat the Brinkworth-Spalding-Redhill Tigers by 11 points, 7.4 (46) to 4.11 (35,) in tough conditions at Burra Oval.

Reliable defender Nathan Zweck and co-coach Gareth Ottens led the way for the Cats, while James Hunter and Cameron Andriske also produced telling performances.

Mickey Atkinson around the ball and 2019 NEFL Mail Medalist Caleb Lloyd also had an impact on the contest.

In a match where goals were at a premium, the enigmatic Scott Atkinson kicked a brace, as did Hunter.

For the NEFL premiers of 2017 and ’18, precociously talented key position player Lachlan Wilsdon was their best, followed by industrious midfielder Ben Cousins and former Woodville West Torrens Eagle Phil Raymond.

Returning local BSR Tiger Matthew Longbottom, Mallala recruit Jordan Clements and young Josh Slade also were noteworthy in the black and goal during the contest.

Despite kicking only one goal in the final three quarters, and failing to have the “two white flags” waved after the long interval, the Tasman Football Club still managed a 23-point victory against Mallee Park in the Port Lincoln Football League Grand Final.

Played at the home of Port Lincoln footy, Centenary Park, the reigning premiers had kicked 5.1 to two points by quarter time and would go on to win the game 6.11 (47) to the Peckers 3.6 (24), in a game where there were nine individual goal kickers.

Rhyce Beinke led the way for Tasmans, followed by Cody Mason, Brodie White, Nathan Frost, Rhys Kelsh and Jacob Collins.

For Mallee Park, who have played in a massive 31 Port Lincoln Football League A Grade Grand Finals since they were formed in 1981, Waylon Miller was their best, followed by former Hawthorn listed player Derick Wanganeen, Kingsley Ware and Kingsley Bilney Junior.

Ky Miller and Daryl Dudley took the eye as well in a game in tough conditions.

Rewarded for his display playing across half forward, Beinke received the Mick Hegarty Medal as best on ground in the Grand Final.