SANFL 2006 ROUND 14:
STURT v PORT ADELAIDE
Sturt battling to avoid spoon
By ROB BIDMEADE
AFTER yet another lacklustre display against Port at Adelaide Oval last
Saturday, Sturt faces its moment of truth in the battle of the cellar dwellers
at Broadspectrum Oval this Sunday.
The Double Blues have to beat West to regain
some badly needed confidence and to boost their chances of avoiding the wooden
spoon.
The tenure of coach Brenton
Phillips may be threatened if Sturt drops to bottom position at the end of the
minor round.
When these teams met earlier in the season, Sturt won the round six clash by 52 points.
But since then the Double Blues have only had one other victory - by
one point against Glenelg in round nine.
Sturt also has suffered a series of big defeats, with Saturday's
75-point loss against the Magpies following the 90-point drubbing by South at Noarlunga Oval.
Sturt is a club in turmoil and the coaching staff
faces a big challenge to revive the flagging spirit of the players.
The Double Blues lack the mental and physical strength to match it with
the big boys in the competition.
This was highly evident in last Saturday's match against Port when
Sturt capitulated badly after half time.
The Double Blues drew to within four points of Port early in the second
half but then the floodgates opened and Sturt failed to stem the tide.
After leading by 17 points at the long break, the Magpies scored 15
goals to five in the second half for a runaway victory.
After half-time the Sturt players were brushed aside too easily by
their more aggressive opponents and also were indecisive with their use of the
ball.
Turnovers proved costly under the relentless pressure from Port and the
Magpies poured on the goals.
Midfielder Sean O'Keefe played a lone hand for the Double Blues in
gathering 28 kicks and 13 handpasses.
The 24-year-old can hold his head high in a team of non-performers.
Andrew Whiteman was another solid contributor for Sturt because of his
hardness at the ball and his fierce tackling.
The midfielder/defender had five out of Sturt's 18 tackles and while
his disposal was sometimes suspect his endeavour could
not be questioned.
Tom Hurley, 18, who is expected to be selected in November's AFL draft,
had a game he would like to forget.
The teenager had trouble adapting to the quicker pace of league
football after playing in the national under 18 carnival
last week.
Sturt wore its commemorative guernsey
for the 1926, 1966 and 1976 premiership teams but after its spirited second
quarter Sturt played more like its wooden spoon days in the 1980s and 1990s
than its glory years.
After its must-win game against the Bloods this Sunday, Sturt will meet
the Eagles at Unley and then have the bye which should give plenty of time for
some soul searching.
Clearly, the Double Blues are looking to rebuild for the next few
seasons and young players need to be promoted to the challenges of league
football.
SCORES: Port
BEST: Port - Poulton,
AhChee, J. Clayton, M. Clayton, Morrison, Harry,
Waterhouse, Ilett; Sturt - O'Keefe, Whiteman, Sheedy, Wicks,
Paley, Colreavy.
GOALS: Port - AhChee
4, Waterhouse, Poulton 3, M. Clayton, Slattery 2, J.
Clayton, Davis, Harry, Elstone, Ilett,
Baird, Summerton, DePasquale, Biacsi;
Sturt - Paley
3, Chambers, Squire 2, Whiteman, Weatherald, Rischbieth, Thurstans.