VFL defeat WAFL in Perth, Future of State Footy?

[PhilH]

VFL beat WAFL in 2010 who beat SANFL last year who beat VFL in 2008.

Like last year, again poor weather.

Again poor crowd, approx 2,000

Again scheduled head to head with a Dockers game on TV.


Perth Now report follows

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VICTORIA blew home side Western Australia away by 55 points in a lop-sided State League contest at Medibank Stadium.

The visitors bought their east coast foul weather with them and made the best of those conditions, producing a seven-goal to one opening term in setting up the 20.11 (131) to 11.10 (76) victory.

Full-forward Matthew Little proved the best target on the ground, kicking seven goals for Victoria, while Box Hill's Ed Curnow outstanding with 38 possessions.

Captain and former Carlton, Hawthorn and Swan Districts' on-baller Brett Johnson had it 33 times, Myles Sewell 31, Stephen Clifton 30, Jarryd Blair 28 and Marcus Marigliani 23. Defenders James Wall, Peter Faulks and Jarrod Dalton were outstanding, as was Cory McGrath with 22 disposals.

Big ruckman Orren Stephenson worked hard on the big ground for 11 touches, 27 hit outs and a goal. The only sour note was a suspected fractured jaw to Adam Iacobucci after a bump from WA’s Ryan Brabazon.

Luke Blackwell led the way in the midfield for WA with 37 possessions and his Tigers forward teammates Chad Jones and Ian Richardson kicked four and three goals respectively.

Michael Warren did well at centre-half-back keeping Cameron Pederson quiet and Aaron Sweet, Andrew Krakouer, Kyal Horsley, Shaun Hildebrandt and Brabazon won plenty of the ball, but didn’t have the impact they would have hoped.

The Vics made a fast start without WA even touching the ball when former Perth fairest and best winner Jarrod McCorkell snapped truly inside 30 seconds. WA answered through Brabazon, but it was the only bright spot of the opening quarter for the Black Swans.

Little booted two goals and Rose another two, then Ben Davies and Michael Stockdale kicked truly as the Big V cruised out to a 37-point quarter-time lead.

Things didn’t get better in the second with Luke Breust kicking a goal inside two minutes and Little added his third before Hildebrandt got one for WA when alone in the goal square.

That was the home side's first goal in over a quarter, but it couldn’t put a halt to Victoria's dominance, the visitors opening up a 56-point half-time advantage.

WA kicked the first goal of the second half through Jones, but any chance of a revival was snuffed when Davies added his second and Little his fifth. Toby Pinwill snapped another to stretch the lead to 71 points and it was 77 when Pederson added his first before Richardson booted two quickly for WA.

Little kicked his sixth and seventh just before three quarter-time to take the lead back out to 77 points. WA booted the first four goals of the final term but the Vics cruised to the 55-point win.

Victoria will play South Australia now in 2011 and WA will likely face either Queensland, Tasmania or the Northern Territory before a rematch with the Croweaters in Adelaide in 2012.

WA showed improvement with wins over Queensland and South Australia the past two years, but has still not beaten a VFL/VFA representative side since the win at Subiaco Oval in 1988 or any Victorian side since the State of Origin victory in 1991.

Victoria has now won twice at the Leederville venue, having also won by 11 points in 2004 and Saturday’s game had similarities to the 119-point thumping at Melbourne's TEAC Oval in 2007.

Earlier in the day, the WA State 18s A side beat a State 20s side by 12 points with Peel Thunder's Harley Bennell showing why he is a likely high draft pick later in the year with 29 possessions and three goals mostly off the wing.

VICTORIA 7.3 12.7 18.11 20.11 (131)
WESTERN AUSTRALIA 1.2 3.5 6.6 11.10 (76)

BEST
Victoria: M Little, E Curnow, B Johnson, M Sewell, C McGrath, T Pinwill, S Clifton.
WA: L Blackwell, M Warren, S Hildebrandt, A Krakouer, R Brabazon.

GOALS
Victoria: M Little 7; P Rose 3; L Breust, B Davies 2; J McCorkell, M Stockdale, M Marigliani, O Stephenson, T Pinwill, C Pederson.
WA: C Jones 4; I Richardson 3; R Brabazon, S Hildebrandt, J Salecic, A Krakouer.

UMPIRES: C Hendrie, S Parry, M Brown.

CROWD: About 2000, played at Medibank Stadium.

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John Dimmer calls for more state football

Chris Pike From: The Sunday Times May 22, 2010 6:24PM Increase Text SizeDecrease Text SizePrintEmail Share
Add to DiggAdd to del.icio.usAdd to FacebookAdd to KwoffAdd to MyspaceAdd to NewsvineWhat are these? ON THE ATTACK: WA forward Chad Jones flies for a mark against Victoria. Picture: Daniel Wilkins Source: The Sunday Times



RATHER than shying away from playing Victoria after two straight defeats, WA coach John Dimmer wants to play the VFL and South Australia more.
The Big V dominated the WAFL side in all areas of the game at Medibank Stadium to win by 55 points following the 119-point drubbing it handed WA in 2007 in Melbourne.

The biggest difference between the two teams was the skill level. WA’s squad was full of players that look skilful when playing in the WAFL football, but under the pressure applied by Victoria, their abilities fell away drastically.

In contrast, Victoria moved the ball tremendously well, had strong structures and dominated the contest.

Dimmer is in no doubt that the VFL is stronger than the WAFL, but wants to look at playing more than the one game a year - even if that means the WAFL doesn’t have a general bye at the time.

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``I think we should play the VFL more often and then we will learn quicker. We should play them and South Australia more, even have two state games during the year. Playing South Australia later in the year would be good because that would improve the players and the WAFL,’’ Dimmer said.

``The only problem is looking after the domestic competition and one way would be to not have the bye for the competition like happened when I played. You would pick teams based on an even distribution from clubs and that's a concept that could easily be looked at.’’

Dimmer found himself in awe at times of Victoria's play, but it is hard to find fault in the team selected given they were all in good form at WAFL level and there was hardly a player that missed out that could consider himself overly unlucky.

``They were outstanding, absolutely completely outstanding in every aspect of the game. They were hard at the footy and won the contested ball more than we did, and then when they had it they had won it their decision-making and skills were brilliant to watch,’’ Dimmer said.

``Once they got it to the free players, his ability to once again use it to the advantage of their forwards made it very difficult for our back-line.

"You could have put Stephen Silvagni down there and it would have made no difference. Their ability to use the ball was as good as I've seen.’’

Dimmer believes that the game will help younger players in the group improve when they go back to their WAFL clubs and he couldn’t fault the game of Simpson medallist Luke Blackwell.

``Blokes like Aaron Sweet, Kyal Horsley and Andrew Strijk are young blokes trying to make their way in football and will now understand that there is another level up that they have to go to,’’ he said.

``Luke was fantastic. He had a great game, was in and under most of the day and had 30-odd disposals. He just kept working and he has been rewarded with a Simpson Medal so good on him.’’

Victoria coach Gerard Fitzgerald, who was ably assisted by Peter German and Gary Ayres, was full of praise for his team's outstanding performance and the concept of State football.

``It's an endorsement to the quality of the group to perform like that, but also to the support the team has had. The pride the players can have is enormous on this unique occasion and I often say to them that in many ways it can be a life changing moment for them,’’ Fitzgerald said.

``The fact that we have got State football is the thing that impresses me more than anything.

"If we could see the same genuine excitement in a group as we saw in this team and the fulfilment and bond they have established, then it's something that will live with them for the rest of their lives.’’

[Lynwood]

I would like to see more state footy as well only if there was a way to do it at the end of the season and not during.

[Adelaide Hawk]

I know some of the players enjoy it, and my sense of history and nostalgia says yes, but in reality a vast majority in today's footy world simply don't rate state footy. It's an anachronism, and it's days are sadly numbered.

[GWW]

State Footy was great in the 80's and perhaps 90's, personally i don't think its relevant any more.

[Bluedemon]

where would we be playing Victoria next year?

[Big Phil]

where would we be playing Victoria next year?

Over in Melbourne kookas...

Hopefully it will be at Etiad but I'd say it would be at Port Melbourne like it was a few years ago...

Hopefully, like our trip to Perth last year for WA v SA, the LifeFM crew will be able to head over and call this game back into Adelaide...

[Bluedemon]

where would we be playing Victoria next year?

Over in Melbourne kookas...

Hopefully it will be at Etiad but I'd say it would be at Port Melbourne like it was a few years ago...

Hopefully, like our trip to Perth last year for WA v SA, the LifeFM crew will be able to head over and call this game back into Adelaide...

i might look at going across, i would think a few from other sanfl clubs might look at making the journey. would be happy to help the crew if you want.

[Thiele]

I'am thinking of going next year to the state game

[PhilH]

Once the date is finalised (say early December) would be good to have an unofficial SAFOOTY.NET Tour.

By unofficial I mean those not making it same day fly in fly out trip try and stay at the same location and arrange a pre and post match gathering. Preferably in conjcution with the state team plans.

I know the group that went to Port Melbourne in 2005 had fun at the game , the LifeFM team certainly enjoyed Perth in 2009.

[topsywaldron]

The photo of Fatal with the cop almost justified sifting through ten years of UK Fan gloating on football forums.

[Dogsbody]

where would we be playing Victoria next year?

Over in Melbourne kookas...

Hopefully it will be at Etiad but I'd say it would be at Port Melbourne like it was a few years ago...

Hopefully, like our trip to Perth last year for WA v SA, the LifeFM crew will be able to head over and call this game back into Adelaide...

I'll go to the game even if its at Etihad... but the atmosphere would suck with the kind of crowd this would pull short of making the match an AFL curtain raiser with the Crows or Power playing after. These matches need to be at true state league venues like Leederville, Fremantle or Port Melbourne. So for me, TEAC Oval FTW.

In fact, other than Adelaide Oval... I reckon Norwood would be good for future State contests in Adelaide.

[Barto]

The weather was garbage again.

[PhilH]

Another 12pm start as well Barto ?

The West said crowd around 1500, Perth Now 2000 ... your thought?

[Barto]

Originally I had planned to go, but that 12pm start killed it for me. Had a rugby carnival to work at until midday so there was no way I could get to the game.

I'd say a fair few people are in the same boat. It's a piss poor time to play a game of footy on a Saturday.

The WAFL crowd reporting is always dodgy, I'd have said there was lucky to be 400 people at Lathlain a couple of weeks back but the West reported it as "1500 approx".

[StrayDog]

The photo of Fatal with the cop almost justified sifting through ten years of UK Fan gloating on football forums.

Really?

I just typed "fatalberton" (who'd have thought it?) into the search page - took about 30 seconds. (Oh, and not a c--drinker reference in sight )

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=265&p=2860



Moving on .....

I've had a look at the results of purely non-carnival "inter-league" (non S. o. O.) matches involving the SANFL, WAFL and the VF(A)L since the WAFL's win over the SANFL 1994. The "new" VFL's regular involvement started in 1999.

During this time in matches against these leagues, as far as I can deduce -

- the WAFL has played the SANFL 6 times for 1 win (last year by one point); it has now played the VFL 3 times for 3 losses including a 20 goal drubbing in Melbourne three years ago.

- WA's scoring percentage in these nine games has been just 36.8% (in SANFL terms of score over aggregate.)

- by comparison, the SANFL's record is 9 wins from 11 matches (at 57.2%) and the VFL 4 from 8 (at 53.4%).



Many thanks to Full Points Footy

[PhilH]

I think this is the first time since we started the triangular rotation that a every state is 1-1 over a 3 year period.

For mine I would love to see each state play 2 games, 1 home 1 away each year.

This would lead to a difinitive state champion each year, we would all get the chance to watch a state game at home each year plus the die-hards could have a road trip each year as well.

Surpirsies me that this is not on the AFL agenda as surely State games is the highest level of match intensity you can get outside of the AFL itself and with Gold Coast / West Sydney leading to a greater focus on older players would this not be a great scouting exercise?

[Sojourner]

My thoughts are that it might be a good opportunity to have a break from State Football and instead have a weekend in the round where the Premiers of the WAFL and SANFL face off against each other, I am fairly certain that if on a good night a match between Central and South Fremantle would do much better than 2000 attendence, especially if it was hooked on as a double header to an existing SANFL game.

[Wedgie]

Get rid of it unless we can eliminate the bye somehow IMHO.

[gossipgirl]

My thoughts are that it might be a good opportunity to have a break from State Football and instead have a weekend in the round where the Premiers of the WAFL and SANFL face off against each other, I am fairly certain that if on a good night a match between Central and South Fremantle would do much better than 2000 attendence, especially if it was hooked on as a double header to an existing SANFL game.

I agree there would be much more interest in this then the so called state footy thats been played of late

[Barto]

My thoughts are that it might be a good opportunity to have a break from State Football and instead have a weekend in the round where the Premiers of the WAFL and SANFL face off against each other, I am fairly certain that if on a good night a match between Central and South Fremantle would do much better than 2000 attendence, especially if it was hooked on as a double header to an existing SANFL game.

There was over 6000 at Freo Oval back in 2003. One of the best days out at the footy I've ever had.