National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors Grand Final Previews

Sunday September 27
Port District Black v Phantoms at Thebarton Oval – 3pm

Port District will take on Phantoms (PHOS Camden) in this Sunday’s National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors Under 16.5 Division 1 Boys grand final at Thebarton Oval.

The season decider will cap off what has been an extraordinarily close 12-round season with all four finalists concluding the home-and-away campaign on nine wins.

In an interesting final three rounds, Port District entered Round 9 in fourth place and came storming home to claim the minor premiership.

In last Sunday afternoon’s knock out semi final, Port District hosted Henley and claimed a comfortable 64-point win to progress through to the grand final.

Port District junior president David Rose said it was an exciting prospect for the boys to experience playing on the big stage.

“We are very excited to be in the position of making the grand final because a couple of weeks ago we were sitting fourth and in a battle to qualify for finals,” he said.

“The boys are very excited to be playing this weekend, especially since with Covid we thought we maybe wouldn’t be playing football at all this year – there is big excitement around the club and everyone is raring to go.

“We got to have a look at the Phantoms play before our game last week and hopefully we can get our match-ups right and go from there.”

Rose said his side’s key players included midfielders Bailey Hahn and Hunter Carter, and forward Blake Hansen.

Port District has been the most effective team in defence this season, averaging 30.8 points against.

The two sides met in Round 6 this season with PHOS Camden winning by 35 points.

The Phantoms finished in third place after the minor round season and won their semi final against Payneham Norwood Union last Sunday by 15 points.

PHOS Camden possess the league’s most productive forward James Reuther, who booted seven goals in the 11.6-72 to 8.9-57 win.

Reuther has kicked 32 goals from eight matches, averaging four goals a game and seems the key man to stop for Port District.

Phantoms assistant coach Nigel Roberts said this Sunday would make for a fantastic match and was hoping to turn around some unfortunate grand final results in recent years.

“This weekend is so special for those boys to be able to enjoy finals footy and enjoy the moment,” he said.

“The boys have developed so well since we came back from the Covid break.

“Some of these young lads have had a hard time in finals, a few of them have played in four losing grand finals so hopefully the boys can win this Sunday and get that reward.

“It means a lot to them, you can see it in their eyes that it does because a lot of them haven’t felt the success of a grand final win.”

The match will take place at Thebarton Oval from 3pm.

Sunday September 27
Henley Blue v Henley White at Hisense Stadium Richmond – 1.20pm

It is an all Henley showdown in the National Pharmacies SANFL Juniors Under 16 Girls Division 1 grand final on Sunday afternoon.

Henley Blue will be taking on Henley White in what the club’s female football director Danielle Robran said was a fantastic reflection of the girls’ development program.

“The trophy will be coming back to Henley, it’s just a matter of which team,” she said.

“It is fantastic having that much talent within the club which has developed over the years, and next season will be some of the girls’ fifth year of football so it has shown how much growth they have had.

“The first quarter will be interesting because it’s not just a grand final, it’s a grand final against your teammates, but they will go in prepared and it should be a really good game to watch.”

It will be an interesting season decider as both sides entered the finals rounds in third and fourth position.

During the opening round of the finals last Sunday, both Sharks sides upset their more fancied opponents.

Henley White – which qualified fourth – defeated minor premiers Blackwood by 24 points at Blackwood Oval.

White’s best forward this season has been Georgie Blades who has kicked eight goals, while Robran said the teams’  possessed a strong midfield core of Marlie Fiegert, Chloe and Jemma Whitington-Charity, Hayley Conlon and Tayla Dawkins.

Qualifying in third place, Henley’s Blue team also enjoyed a trip out to Blackwood to face Golden Grove, winning by 23 points.

The Blue side’s damaging players include Shineah Goody, Kayleigh May, Ella Boag and Kayla Robran.

The Henley sides met once during the home-and-away season and it resulted in a comprehensive victory to the White team, winning by 40 points.

The Division 1 Under 16 Girls grand final will take place at Hisense Stadium from 1.20pm.

Division 2
Plympton v Lockleys at 1pm

Division 3
Athelstone v Golden Grove at 11am

Division 4
Morphettville Park v Fitzroy at 9am

Division 2
Hectorville v Brighton at 11.40am

Division 3
Edwardstown/Colonel Light Gardens v Flinders Park/Lockleys at 10am