The Blackwood Football Club has had a successful Round 3 encounter taming the Torrens Valley Lions to run out 84 point winners, 17.16.118 to 4.10.34 at Blackwood Hill Oval.
Having met on 14 times since 2011, the Woods trailed 5 to 9 in the head to battle. It was a key match for both sides as they were both forecast to be the pace setters of the competition. After pausing for the last post and a minutes silence to commemorate those past and present who have fought for our country, the match got under way.
Blackwood named Dustin Head from West Adelaide and local product Jack Murphy to make their A-Grade debuts for the club. The home side started kicking up the Hill with the aid of a slight breeze. Statistics from the 2016 season showed that whoever won the first quarter was statistically more than likely to win the game. As a result the pressure was on from the opening bounce. Torrens Valley’s Scott Mazzone attempted to follow Ryan Anderson from Blackwood and nullify his influence around the stoppages in the early play. It took until the 5th minute for Blackwood’s Matt Tuck to register the first goal of the match after the ball spilled from big collision between Adam Ridley and Brad Walkley from Torrens Valley. Both players left the ground holding their heads as a result.
Dustin Head (left) and Jack Murphy (right) after making their A-grade debuts
Johnny Boras who has kicked 154 goals since 2015 for the Lions looked to get an immediate reply when he took a strong mark. He failed to convert the opportunity as he hit the post from the set shot. Blackwood moved the ball swiftly up the ground to result in Paul Magarey scoring the second major for the home side. Blackwood then scored again through Phil Hopton to take a 15 point lead into the first break.
Torrens Valley coach Dale Eichner let loose on this players at quarter time questioning where their accountability was and asked them to start winning the ball around the contest. It seemed to work as Jack Press scored a goal inside the first minute of the quarter. The flood gates then opened for the Woods with goals to Ryan Dijksman (x2), Hopton (x2), Ridley (x2) and Steve Woods to extend the lead to 46 points at the major break. The scoreboard read, 10.7.67 to 3.3.21.
Both sides came out after the main break with a refocus on defensive efforts. Phil Hopton scored a behind at the 2 minute mark of the quarter and it took until the 13th minute of the quarter to get the next score. That came through Adam Ridley who took a strong overhead mark and converted from 45 metres out. Blackwood were running all over the Torrens Valley side out numbering at most contests and situations. Further goals to Daniel Benson and Ryan Dijksman in the 24th and 26th minutes extended the lead even further heading into the final change.
The players take a well earned rest during the half time break
Coach Damien Salievic told his players to finish the game off and be ruthless whilst his counterpart looked for his side to show something, be unsocialable and win the scoreboard in the last quarter. The Woods kicked the first 5 scores of the final term, all being behinds. Torrens Valley then attempted to move the ball forward but with exceptional pressure around the ball, key forward Johnny Boras was unable to have any influence on the game as he was covered like a glove by Matt Waldron. Daniel Benson, Jacob McCarthy and Nick Homburg kicked goals in the final quarter as Blackwood ran out the game 84 point winners, 17.16.118 to 4.10.34.
The better players for the home side were Steve Woods, Matt Waldron, Phil Hopton, Michael Minuzzo and Matt Tuck whilst there were numerous players who received a special mention after the game.
Coach Salievic said “it was good for the players to put on a performance like that in front of the large Axemen crowd today. We need to maintain these standards for the upcoming games if we want to achieve our aims this season.”
The A-Grade singing the song after defeating Torrens Valley, 17.16.118 to 4.10.34
In other results:
- B Grade – won by 105 points, 20.17.137 defeated Torrens Valley 5.2.32
- Senior Colts – won by 124 points, 22.16.148 defeated Torrens Valley 4.0.24
- Junior Colts – won by 116 points 22.11.143 defeated Torrens Valley 4.3.27
- Mini Colts – won by 90 points, 14.14.98 to 1.2.8
This means the total score for the day was: Blackwood 95.74.644 to Torrens Valley 18.17.125. That is a 519 point win across the 5 grades!
Click the following to view detailed results including best players and the ladders.
Next up:
We travel to play the Lobethal Tigers at Lobethal Recreation Ground on Saturday the 29th of April.
The C-Grade also starts this weekend with an away fixture against Uraidla Districts at Milang on Sunday the 30th of April.
The SANFL competitions for both boys and girls also start. Keep an eye out on your fixtures page for where and when you are playing.
#honourthecolours
Follow us
