The Blackwood Football Club recorded its first A Grade victory at Uraidla Oval in over 2,000 days with a 14-point victory over the Demons in Round 10 of the Mortgage Choice Hills Football League. The match was set up with a blistering start with the Woods kicking five goals to one in an opening quarter onslaught.
Post match Blackwood coach Damien Salievic applauded the effort of his players to get the win. “It was a sensational effort to win today. We needed to bounce back and get the points after last weekend and we did that today.”
The Woods made one change to their line up from Round 9 with Mitch Smith returning in the place of James Hopton. It was a significant weekend for milestones in the Woods with Matt Waldron playing his 100th senior match and Salievic coaching his 150th match. In his eighth season at the helm, Salievic is the longest serving A Grade coach at the Woods since 1945 and the second longest current serving coach in the HFL behind Brett James from Kersbrook.
Travelling to Uraidla, the statistics were against the Woods having not won an A Grade game at the ground since Round 9 of 2012. With the challenge set during the week overcome this as a group, the Woods made all the early play in the first term using their speed and skill to cut the Demons apart. The first goal of the match came in the fourth minute through small forward Matt Tuck. The ball was kicked long into the forward 50 where Jak Baldissera managed to find space and hit a handball to Tuck who was able to snap the ball through the middle of the big sticks. The speed of the Woods was evident in the first term pushing up on their Demons opponent and getting ‘out the back’ on regular occasions. Four further goals from Ryan Anderson, Daniel Benson, Ryan Dijksman (x2) saw the Woods have their best start of 2018 and take a 24 point lead into the first break.
Damien Salievic was pleased at quarter time reinforcing several key points at the break. “We were able to get on top around the ground and execute our skills well. Keep taking the game on and using our assets to break the game open.”
The home side made a better start in the second term kicking a goal after the three minutes. The goal came through recruit Braedon Renshaw who was able to go back and convert truly after receiving a free kick. The Woods controlled the middle part of the term recording several inside 50 entries. With playing coach Luke Ivens taking several intercepting marks in the defensive 50, the Demons were able to stop the Woods scoring any goals until the 10th minute when Ryan Anderson bobbed up for his second major of the match. When Phil Hopton received a free kick and converted truly in the 17th minute the Woods were up by five majors and in complete control. Some inaccuracy cost the Woods a greater lead at the main break.
Switching forward for the third quarter, Haydn Kenny got the first goal of the third quarter after five minutes. Finding space in the 50, Ben Macreadie was able to turn onto his left boot and hit up Kenny 20 metres out directly in front. Kenny was able to go back and kick straight for only his second A Grade goal in his 44th A Grade match. The sides then went score for score for the rest of the term with both sides kicking two goals three behinds. With the margin remaining at 35 points, Blackwood supported were confident they could secure their first victory at Uraidla in six seasons. Salievic said at three quarter time that the Woods must continue to take the game on in the last quarter. “The game even out in that quarter. We must keep competing and winning the contest. We need to keep running them off their legs and break the game open.”
Despite trailing the Demons were very positive and believed they could get themselves back into the match. Buoyed by a small but vocal crowd the Demons got on top around the contest in the early period of the quarter recording numerous forward line entries at the start of the last term. Helped by some free kicks the Demons got on a run kicking four goals in the first 12 minutes of the term. With all the momentum the match had turned at the Woods were now defending to hold onto the lead. Pumping the ball deep into the 50 the ball bobbled around the goal square coming to Kyle Sutton who kicked his first goal of the quarter.
The margin was now back at a goal the Blackwood supporters were very nervous. With the match entering the 26th minute, the Woods turned the ball over moving the ball down the clubroom wing. Getting over the back, the ball found its way to Matt Tuck who had no players between him and the goals. Taking three bounces, Tuck ran to 30 metres out and kicked straight much to the delight of the Blackwood players, coaches and supporters. The final siren then sounded with the recording a 14 point victory, their first at Uraidla over in 2,198 days.
The Woods set up the match with their exceptional first half leading by 35 points at the main break, completely dominating with 15 scoring shots to 5. The game evened up in the second half with the Woods having 9 shots compared to 11 for the Demons. Inaccuracy has been a problem across the opening nine matches and it was once again an issue with the Woods keeping the Demons in the game kicking at 33.3 percent in the second half compared to 63.6 percent for the Demons. Despite the Demons coming back in the last quarter it was all positive in the rooms after the match from Damien Salievic happy with securing the two points at Uraidla Oval.
Final scoreboard
Blackwood 5.2 7.8 9.11 10.15 (75)
Uraidla Districts 1.2 2.3 4.6 9.7 (61)
Goals – Anderson 2, Benson 2, Dijksman 2, Tuck 2, P. Hopton 1 and Kenny 1
Best – Bennetts, Anderson, Dijksman, Macreadie, B. Jones
Other Hills Football League results
B Grade – Blackwood 3.8 (26) defeated by Uraidla Districts 7.7 (49)
The B Grade faced a tough challenge against the ladder leading Demons where they were beaten by 42 points in Round 3. It was an even match in the first three quarters with the Woods trailing by 13 points at the final change. The Woods ended up going 23 points with only three less scoring shots. Coach Nick McCarthy was happy with the improved performance compared to Round 3 but stated there is still lots of areas to work on. In a positive sign for the club, three of the top five best players were current Under 18s players with Jonah Duperouzel, Zac Grantham, Bryce Semba, Harry Bailye, Deqlhan Files named the best players. The side remained in fourth position on the ladder and is a game behind the third placed Hahndorf
Senior Colts – Blackwood 7.7 (49) defeated Uraidla Districts 5.7 (37)
Second versus fourth on the ladder before the match, the sides produced an even match in the first term tied at 1.1 (7) at quarter time. Trailing by 8 points at half time, Coach Matt Thomas urged his side to start using the ball better coming into the forward line. Producing an improved second half, the Woods kicked 5 goals to two in the second half to run out 12 point winners when the final siren sounded. Troy Hocking had an outstanding match kicking two goals to be named best player whilst Sam Zevenboom, Matt Wicks, Ethan Dinning and Luke Hocking also featured in the top five players. The win sees the side remain in second place with a top of the table clash against Hahndorf to come in Round 11.
Junior Colts – Blackwood 16.11 (107) defeated Uraidla Districts 2.2 (14)
The Under 16s recorded their sixth successive victory with a 93 point victory over the sixth placed Demons. The match was set up in the first quarter where the side kick 6 goals to none to blow the game wide open. The victory saw the side improve their attack to the best in the competition averaging 86.3 points per match whilst the defence also jumped into number 1 position only conceding 20.6 points per match. Goal scorers and best players were not provided at the time of writing.
Mini Colts – Blackwood 4.3 (27) defeated Uraidla Districts 2.8 (20)
The Under 14s recorded a seven point victory in a close match against the seventh placed Demons. Trailing by 8 points at three quarter time, the side took advantage of their opportunities in front of goal in the last quarter kicking three straight goals to three behinds. Max Jones, Anthony Spreitzer, Luis Riley, Matthew Guthleben and Callum Finlayson were named as the best players in the victory.
