Round 11 of the Mortgage Choice Hills Football sees the mouth-watering clash between heavyweights of the competition, Blackwood and Hahndorf. The match up at U-Install-It Kitchens Oval is the second of three times the sides meet in 2018 and is poised to be a fierce contest with the Woods currently in second position and the Magpies in top position.
Blackwood and Hahndorf have meet on two occasions during Round 11 (since 2006) with the Woods winning on both occasions. Both of these matches have been at U-Install-It Kitchens Oval where the Woods won by 17 points in 2011 and 47 points in 2014.
Assistant coach Zac Grantham was buoyant about the upcoming match at Tuesday’s training session. “Coming up against Hahndorf is always a tough match. It’s going to be a big day at the club with an Axemen’s and Ladies Luncheon. As a team we are looking forward to the challenge.”
Round details
Who – Blackwood vs Hahndorf
When – Saturday, 30 June
Where – U-Install-It Kitchens Oval
Start times – U14s (8.45am), U16 (9.55am), U18 (11.10am), Bs (12.50pm), As (2.30pm)
U-Install-It Kitchens Oval
The opponent
From their opening ten matches in 2018, the Hahndorf Football Club have recorded nine wins and one loss. From these matches, the Magpies have both the best attack in the competition averaging 103.9 points for and also the best defence averaging only 48.0 points against. This compares to the Woods who average 69.0 points for and 56.3 points against.
The Magpies have used a total of 30 players (third least in competition) with 40.0% (12) having played every match. This compares to the Woods who have used 35 players with 20.0% (7) having played every match. The competition average across the same period is 26.4% (or 8.5 players) playing every game.
Of the matches the Magpies have played, a total of 18 different players have featured in the best players (40.0%). Ashley Eckerman and Darcy Hourigan have featured the most times (60.0% or 6 times).
Of the 153 goals kicked by the Magpies, Hourigan has kicked 42.48% of them (65 goals). This is the highest percentage of leading goal kickers from any club with the next closest being Joel Aish from Echunga (33.6%). This compares to Blackwood where the leading goal kicker (Ryan Anderson – 13 goals) has kicked 13.5% of the 96 goals the Woods have kicked.
Of the 168 country football clubs in South Australia, Hahndorf currently rank as the 18th best side with a differential of +55.9 (the Woods sit in 69th position with +12.5). The Magpies have the 28th ranked attack and 16th ranked defence. This compares to the Woods who have the 107th ranked attack and 28th ranked defence.
Historically in Round 11
Since 2006 the Blackwood Football Club has played a total of 11 Round 11 matches (plus one bye in 2017). From these matches the Woods have won eight times (72.3%) by an average margin of 34.6 points. Across the 11 matches, the Woods have kicked 696 points at 49.3% accuracy compared to their opponents which have kicked 419 points at 47.6%.
Of the 11 matches, six have been played at U-Install-It Kitchens Oval where the Woods have a 100% winning record. The highest score in these six matches came in 2009 where the Woods kicked 23.15 (153) to defeat Mt Barker by 69 points. The lowest score came on a muddy day in 2013 where the Dave Benson coached side defeated Mt Lofty 7.7 (49) to 3.16 (34).
Across the Hills Football League competition, there have been 58 matches played during Round 11 since 2006. Of these matches the average winning margin is 54.1 points with teams kicking 78.8 points at 51.7% accuracy. Uraidla Districts have been the most successful club in Round 11 winning 91.7% of matches (11 of 12) whilst Lobethal and Onkaparinga Valley have been the least successful winning 25.0% (3 of 12 matches).
Last 5 matches Round 11 fixtures for Blackwood
2017 – Bye
2016 – Blackwood 9.14 (68) defeated Mt Lofty 4.6 (30)
2015 – Blackwood 8.5 (53) defeated by Uraidla Districts 13.10 (72)
2014 – Blackwood 9.12 (66) defeated Hahndorf 2.7 (19)
2013 – Blackwood 7.7 (49) defeated Mt Lofty 3.16 (34)
Key Target
57 points or less. Across the six matches which the Magpies have lost since the start of 2016, they have only scored on average 57.3 points for. This will be a key target to meet.
Other HFL matches
The other HFL matches poise to be quality battles with all sides currently placed within the top five:
B Grade – Fourth v Third, the Woods will be look to secure a victory and close the three point gap between third and fourth spot. In Round 4 the Magpies kicked five goals to one in the third quarter to record a 33 point victory. In the statistics both sides are similar in defence conceding 48.3 points and 46.3 points retrospectively but Hahndorf are averaging +16.2 in attack (51.6 to 67.8).
Under 18s – Second v First, this game in Round 4 with the Woods ruing there goal shooting kicking at 28.6% to lose by 21 points. This game will be determined on the side which can take their opportunities in front of goals Blackwood averaging 64.3 points for compared to the Magpies which average 87.9 points for.
Under 16s – Second v First. Coach Waldron will have the young Woods at the top of their games looking to atone for the 33 point loss in Round 4 at Hahndorf Oval. This match is sure to be a close game with Blackwood leading by +3.4 in the differential (+65.7 to +62.3).
Under 14s – Fourth v Second. In Round 4 the Woods kicked more goals than their Magpies opponents but ended up losing by two points, 3.1 (19) to 2.9 (21). Both sides rank close in attack (45.1 points to 45.7 points) but the Magpies have the slightly better defence end (21.9 to 15.8 points against).
