SANFL 2006 ELIMINATION
FINAL: SOUTH ADELAIDE v PORT ADELAIDE
Pies' wasted season
By DALE CLARKE
TIM Ginever was left to rue a season of
underachievement in his first year as coach of Port Adelaide on Sunday.
The Magpies' shaky premiership dreams came to an end at the hands of
South Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on Sunday, 18.12 (120) to 16.8 (104).
I just said to the guys that you don't get a very long time in
football as a player, Ginever said.
At best you might get 10 years, so don't waste one.
I just feel like we've wasted a year.
The club has not played in a Grand Final since its premiership win in
1999, its seven-year absence from October action the longest in the club's
129-year history.
The next longest Grand Final drought was between 1947 and 1950.
The Magpies' 2006 season seemed to flirt with derailing after the state
game, as the team went about life without key defender Steven Eichner, who will also miss most of next year for a knee
re-construction.
Before that game, Port was top with a 6-1 record, before finishing
11-9.
The Magpies had set themselves up for a comfortable win on Sunday,
leading by 38 points in the second quarter. They set up that lead by being
harder at the ball and more desperate for front position in the forward lines,
while South was lacking in second efforts, with most forward 50m entries being
quickly punched out by the Magpies and rebounded.
But as South turned up the defensive pressure, Port coughed up the ball
time and again, allowing the Panthers the momentum needed for the 16-point win.
Magarey Medal favourite Jeremy Clayton
seemed to do something super-impressive for Port every second time he touched
the ball on Sunday tough contested marks, or the brilliant goal he kicked in
the second quarter after spoiling a routine South defensive mark.
But even he made some costly mistakes.
He conceded 75m worth of penalties in one play to hand the Panthers a
goal in the first quarter, and, in the third quarter, bewildered team mates
with a play-on handpass straight to Panther Leigh Kruger, a play which resulted
in a goal.
Corey Ah Chee finished the year with another
solid performance in the backlines.
Clive Waterhouse looked dangerous early, kicking Port's first four
scoring shots for 2.2, but was kept quiet for most of the match.
SCORES:
BEST: South Davey,
Smith, Archard, Kenna, Carlile, McGlone, Thewlis; Port J. Clayton, Looby,
Ah Chee, Lokan, Maric.
GOALS: South Ellis 4, Warren 3, Handby, Iljcesen, Archard 2, Davey, Sinkunas, Bennett, Parry, Carlile;
Port J. Clayton 4, Waterhouse 3,
Jenner, Wait, Poulton 2, M. Clayton, Maric, King.