Gaelic Football in South Australia

[Major Gun]

Watched a bit of the SA Men train last night. Very impressive. A big chance to break the duck this year.

The Gaffer certainly has the lads up and about, and some nice weather saw our biggest turn out yet, all bar 3 players there I think! We have “Irish Danny” on the scene who brought out his Irish mate Keith, which massively helped with our point kicking. With their efforts I think we raised our teams kicking accuracy from our usual appalling 4% to a personal best of at least 13%...!! Think I even saw MBK put one over the bar… tho it might have missed at the last moment.

Just under 4 weeks till kick off! I had a peek at the first “draft” of the program and it has SA first up against Queensland, in what is a hugely important game for us finals wise. Distressingly, I see its scheduled for 9am Auckland time… now I had a super quick look at the time zones, but wouldn’t that be about 6:30am Adelaide time…?! Doesn’t really give us long to deal with jet-lag and to get the body clocks set properly!

It is a tradition that SA gets a googly first day up! A win that first morning will put SA in the box seat. I noticed it is a big double header the next morning against Auckland for the Men and Women.

The SA boys were slick and hard at it last night. I have a good feeling this is the year. It would be awesome to take home all three cups

[Swooper16]

Biggest problem with the early kick off on Monday is that a few of the boys will have to leave the Auckland nightclubs earliar then planned

On a serious note tho the mens team looks to have a good mix of players. Might not be the 20 best players in the comp but could well be the 20 best players for those positions. The biggest concern will be the squad size (or lack of). A few early injuries and that would have a devastating effect.

Has any state ever pulled off "the treble" before Major Gun...?

[schimma]

still think no wristy no sa. haha, Serious lads massive year for SA after what has happened in the off season. when u lads are over there please post scores asap. as i have no contact over there this year. Good luck to all three sides

[the milky bar kid]

Watched a bit of the SA Men train last night. Very impressive. A big chance to break the duck this year.

The Gaffer certainly has the lads up and about, and some nice weather saw our biggest turn out yet, all bar 3 players there I think! We have “Irish Danny” on the scene who brought out his Irish mate Keith, which massively helped with our point kicking. With their efforts I think we raised our teams kicking accuracy from our usual appalling 4% to a personal best of at least 13%...!! Think I even saw MBK put one over the bar… tho it might have missed at the last moment.

Just under 4 weeks till kick off! I had a peek at the first “draft” of the program and it has SA first up against Queensland, in what is a hugely important game for us finals wise. Distressingly, I see its scheduled for 9am Auckland time… now I had a super quick look at the time zones, but wouldn’t that be about 6:30am Adelaide time…?! Doesn’t really give us long to deal with jet-lag and to get the body clocks set properly!

One may have just snuck over the bar!
A good night by the boys even if MBK was still shaking off a little rust due to missing the previous session for reasons that certainly didn't include events such as mad monday.
I think the boys need to inlist help from my old man when it comes to jet-lag... The only man i know who got off a plane from the US to Adleaide & came straight to work... Only quoting "ljet-lag is a state of mind"

[Major Gun]

Biggest problem with the early kick off on Monday is that a few of the boys will have to leave the Auckland nightclubs earliar then planned

On a serious note tho the mens team looks to have a good mix of players. Might not be the 20 best players in the comp but could well be the 20 best players for those positions. The biggest concern will be the squad size (or lack of). A few early injuries and that would have a devastating effect.

Has any state ever pulled off "the treble" before Major Gun...?

I cannot remember anyone ever pulling off the treble. A double or two yes and maybe even a treble with a hurling trophy but to the best of my knowledge never the triple crown of football.

The SA men certainly have a good mix of height, speed and skill. I could think of Phillips/Jolly/K.Fay (as keeper)to add and it would almost be a certainty. Qld and Hutt V will not be any tougher than last year and Auckland must have diluted their squad to form two teams.

Just make the semis and then fear nobody!

[wristwatcher]

The biggest inclusion of the Australasian Titles will be if Qld take Dolf (i think that is his name) Easily the best Gaelic Football Ref in Australasia. Both he and i were offered the Senior Final last year and he did it in his solid consistent unbiased manner. Looking at the draw SA Men could and should make the final and it is likely to be against either Hutt-Valley who will probably be lead by Co-Co again but will surely be stronger across the board or the stronger of the 2 Aukland teams. Say your prayers now that Jimmy Connolly is not one of the 2 coaches.
In a final against a New Zealand team he is the only Ref of recent times at National titles with the integrity of being able to handle the pressure and associated challenges of being on foreign soil but still making all decisions on their merits.
Lets not forget last years Hutt Valley ref who had never reffed a game of Gaelic in his life and was employed through the wisdom of the GAA to make his debut at the NATIONALS.
For years we have copped a very raw end of the stick and i would not expect that to change. I hear on the Grape Vine that last years SA Mens Ref actually had the oppurtunitie to change a result and allow SA Men a passage through to the Semis but refused to cheat despite some of the farcial officiating seen earlier in the week. (Ask Millsys Collarbone as an example-did not even get a free kick)
The window of oppurtunitie is indeed open and my point to all of this is....Dont expect an even playing field. To break a 27 year drought you will need superior skills, fitness, teamwork and discipline to a level you would never have been challenged to apply before.
Good Luck Boys and Milko

[BJ Ernest]

Good luck to the SA boys over in Auckland! Will be a fantastic week away and hopefully bring home the title.

Best of luck to Coach Millsy and the rest of the squad.

[BFG]

have they got dates for when the pre christmas comp starts?
got knocked out of footy finals last week and wanna know when gaelic starts up again?
cheers

[the milky bar kid]

have they got dates for when the pre christmas comp starts?
got knocked out of footy finals last week and wanna know when gaelic starts up again?
cheers

Round 1 starts Oct 15-17

Also good to welcome some new posters to the gaelic thread!

[Major Gun]

have they got dates for when the pre christmas comp starts?
got knocked out of footy finals last week and wanna know when gaelic starts up again?
cheers

Is there a Pre-Christmas comp anymore? Isn't one season now from Oct-March?

[Zelezny Chucks]

That's what I was led to believe MG. Could make it interesting for the reigning champs as we are generally slow starters!!

[the milky bar kid]

have they got dates for when the pre christmas comp starts?
got knocked out of footy finals last week and wanna know when gaelic starts up again?
cheers

Is there a Pre-Christmas comp anymore? Isn't one season now from Oct-March?

You guys are on the money, the competition is now one season from Oct-March. Also a revised finals system played over three weeks where 1st & 2nd get a double chance.

[Zelezny Chucks]

I hope my match payments will be adjusted to reflect the more gruelling season...

[Major Gun]

SA teams nationals draw

Monday; Men v Qld @ 9am--Women v Qld @ 1pm
Tuesday; Men v Auck @ 9am--Women v Auck @ 10.15am
Wednesday; Men bye--Women v WA @ 1.30pm
Thursday; Men v Hutt Valley @ 12pm--Women bye
Friday- Semi Finals
Saturday- Finals

[Major Gun]

SA teams nationals draw

Monday; Men v Qld @ 9am--Women v Qld @ 1pm
Tuesday; Men v Auck @ 9am--Women v Auck @ 10.15am
Wednesday; Men bye--Women v WA @ 1.30pm
Thursday; Men v Hutt Valley @ 12pm--Women bye
Friday- Semi Finals
Saturday- Finals

SA men also play Northland (North Coast of NZ) @ 3.30pm on Tuesday!

All games will be played on a field 10m shorter and 8m narrower than usually allowed...

[Cheese Twisties]

SA teams nationals draw

Monday; Men v Qld @ 9am--Women v Qld @ 1pm
Tuesday; Men v Auck @ 9am--Women v Auck @ 10.15am
Wednesday; Men bye--Women v WA @ 1.30pm
Thursday; Men v Hutt Valley @ 12pm--Women bye
Friday- Semi Finals
Saturday- Finals

SA men also play Northland (North Coast of NZ) @ 3.30pm on Tuesday!

All games will be played on a field 10m shorter and 8m narrower than usually allowed...

Hmmm dont know what i make of this, on one hand its good as its probably less distance to run for our small-ish squad (who straight after landing will have to play 3 games in 24 hours whilst jet-lagged) but on the other hand a more confined space, and the fact most our team wont be used to 15-a-side football, means theres not gonna be much space out there!

And how do they not have enough room for a regular sized pitch over there in Middle Earth?? The country was big enough to contain t3 x Lord of the Rings epics - surely they can fit a regulation sized pitch in some where! One would assume they have a million rugby ovals in NZ... rugby pitches and gaelic pitches look sorta similar to the naked eye??

[the milky bar kid]

SA teams nationals draw

Monday; Men v Qld @ 9am--Women v Qld @ 1pm
Tuesday; Men v Auck @ 9am--Women v Auck @ 10.15am
Wednesday; Men bye--Women v WA @ 1.30pm
Thursday; Men v Hutt Valley @ 12pm--Women bye
Friday- Semi Finals
Saturday- Finals

SA men also play Northland (North Coast of NZ) @ 3.30pm on Tuesday!

All games will be played on a field 10m shorter and 8m narrower than usually allowed...

Hmmm dont know what i make of this, on one hand its good as its probably less distance to run for our small-ish squad (who straight after landing will have to play 3 games in 24 hours whilst jet-lagged) but on the other hand a more confined space, and the fact most our team wont be used to 15-a-side football, means theres not gonna be much space out there!

And how do they not have enough room for a regular sized pitch over there in Middle Earth?? The country was big enough to contain t3 x Lord of the Rings epics - surely they can fit a regulation sized pitch in some where! One would assume they have a million rugby ovals in NZ... rugby pitches and gaelic pitches look sorta similar to the naked eye??

Middle Earth
Any confirmation on the possible 'astroturf' situation? Looking over the minutes for the next committee meeting it looks like astroturf is a probable situation...

[wristwatcher]

Northland? Astro turf? Smaller Pitches?
"Excuse me Mr Roe but are you taking the P*ss????????????"

[Swooper16]

I think any host state requires a facility with enough space for 2 pitches. Sounds like they cant quite fit both them on the same site so have shortened one..??

I must say I will be a little nervous on the Tuesday we play "Orkland".

[Cheese Twisties]

SA teams nationals draw

Monday; Men v Qld @ 9am--Women v Qld @ 1pm
Tuesday; Men v Auck @ 9am--Women v Auck @ 10.15am
Wednesday; Men bye--Women v WA @ 1.30pm
Thursday; Men v Hutt Valley @ 12pm--Women bye
Friday- Semi Finals
Saturday- Finals

SA men also play Northland (North Coast of NZ) @ 3.30pm on Tuesday!

All games will be played on a field 10m shorter and 8m narrower than usually allowed...

Hmmm dont know what i make of this, on one hand its good as its probably less distance to run for our small-ish squad (who straight after landing will have to play 3 games in 24 hours whilst jet-lagged) but on the other hand a more confined space, and the fact most our team wont be used to 15-a-side football, means theres not gonna be much space out there!

And how do they not have enough room for a regular sized pitch over there in Middle Earth?? The country was big enough to contain t3 x Lord of the Rings epics - surely they can fit a regulation sized pitch in some where! One would assume they have a million rugby ovals in NZ... rugby pitches and gaelic pitches look sorta similar to the naked eye??

Middle Earth
Any confirmation on the possible 'astroturf' situation? Looking over the minutes for the next committee meeting it looks like astroturf is a probable situation...

The South Australian Team - or the South Australian "fellowship" as its now known - nor any other teams will not be playing on Astroturf, as these smaller pitches are a result of wanting to avoid the astroturf situation.

What the heck is astroturf? Sounds like something the bloke who wrote Lord of the Rings used to hook into before thinking up some of his characters?