SANFL 2006 ROUND 22: SOUTH
ADELAIDE v WEST ADELAIDE
Westies look to finish season on a
high
By DALE CLARKE
IT WOULD be forgivable for any
Having won just two games for the year, the team's only obvious
motivation heading into the last round is to avoid the wooden spoon - a tough
ask given that a win against reigning premier Central is required to do so.
The Bloods suffered another big loss on Saturday, losing to
West coach Wayne Weidemann admitted it was a
challenge for him and the players to stay motivated when the carrot of finals
is not in front of them.
“It's frustrating for me because most of my (playing) career (with
Woodville-West Torrens) we played in finals footy so you looked forward to the
end of the season and getting in the finals action,” Weidemann
said.
“Knowing we've got three training runs to go and one game, we've got
two ways to go.
“We either fight it out and have a good crack at Centrals next week and
finish off the season on a really good note, or take the attitude that it's the
last game and we throw it in, which is not what we want to do.”
Weidemann said it would be a lighter week on
the training track, to freshen up for the Central match, in which the result
was not a given.
Saturday's game saw West stay with South for a half of football, before
the Panthers blasted away in a nine-goal-to-two third quarter.
Ben Haynes put in a brilliant effort in the forward lines for West,
kicking six goals.
Ben Hollands was impressive too, picking up
33 touches and grabbing 16 marks.
The win for South meant it would play Glenelg this Saturday in a
do-or-die clash – the winner progressing to the finals.
West Adelaide could play a role in the finals make-up - if it can beat
Central, not only will the Bloods avoid the wooden spoon (if the Eagles beat
Sturt), but they would leave the door open for Glenelg or South to jump into
third position and receive the double chance.
However that scenario also requires
SCORES:
BEST: South - Davey,
Clarke, Smith, Handby, Parry; West - Haynes,
GOALS: South - Davey
6, Warren 5, Wright, Iljcesen, Twomey
2, Ellis, Thewlis, Handby, Williams, Cupido, Clarke; West
- Haynes 6, Bonaddio 2, Hollands,
Buckley, Bricknell.
North v Central