2020 2nd Semi Final

[Robran]

And 19th player not required mighty win boys. North vs south in the big dance

[Pseudo]

And 19th player not required mighty win boys. North vs south in the big dance

Not by your mob, no. But by the Eagles in the U/18s 1st semifinal, well.....

[Brett]

What's the deal with all the banadges hanging off of North #2's shoulders? He looks like an extra from a Boris Karloff movie...

Just goes to show it is useless for shoulders.

[Computer Crashed]

Very disappointing from an Eagles point of view. As I said last week, Eagles have done nothing this season to suggest they can guts it out when things aren’t going their way. North purely harder at the ball and wanted it more. The North big men so much harder than Redden and Jack Hayes. Those two have been nursed through the last few weeks and it showed today. Very few Eagles can hold their head high. Thought McNeill, Jones and Rowland were ok, but not many more.

Definite big man issues for the Eags, Redden pretty much offered North a free player in general play, he can't cover any ground.

[Brett]

At least the GF will get 25000 now. If South make it they will get plenty of neutrals as well . Redden is a waste of time I reckon and gee did Hender take in some small steps in the second quarter .
Im pleased North made it as they play good footy and not so defensive . Couple of very quick skillful players . Well done North !

[Wedgie]

When the going gets tough North get going!

[Wedgie]

Sweet geezus, if you had told me 5 years ago North would be final specialists I would have laughed in your face.
Is that 8-0 at AO since it's been re-developed or more?
Who's going to tell me what suburb AO is in tonight?

[mal]

North Adelaide playing at North Adelaide [AO] this century
13 played
10 win
3 lose

NA have won their last 6 finals at AO
Last loss was in 2007
CD 10-16
NA 7-14

In the last 3 finals series NA have competed in 2013/2018/2020 at all finals venues
9 played
8 wins
1 loss

The loss was the 2013 Grand Final v NW

Incredibly NA have won 10 of the last 12 finals they have played in at all finals venues

[Wedgie]

North Adelaide playing at North Adelaide [AO] this century
13 played
10 win
3 lose

NA have won their last 6 finals at AO
Last loss was in 2007
CD 10-16
NA 7-14

In the last 3 finals series NA have competed in 2013/2018/2020 at all finals venues
9 played
8 wins
1 loss

The loss was the 2013 Grand Final v NW

Incredibly NA have won 10 of the last 12 finals they have played in at all finals venues

Crazy. People used the call us soft in finals, now noone is close to our record in finals.
Life is so good!

Bloody glad too as I might not have many years left in this world!

[Wedgie]

Standing outside the Strathmore thinking that we're going to be in another GF and probably the most important GF of the last few decades is amazing.
Please don't wake me up. Life is so good.

[Mr Fuller]

My observations on the match:

North Adelaide stepped up to play finals tempo footy from the opening bounce whereas the eagles were playing footy at tempo you’d expect mid-season. As a result they were first to ball, harder at the ball and harder at the body. Why do the eagles have this mentality come finals time year after year? They seem to think it’s just going to happen based on past results and never seem to be able to adjust to being the hunted.

Redden unfortunately decided to have his worst game of the season today though the conditions were never going to suit him today. But very disappointing performance from him and the midfielders, particularly in the first quarter how he was dominating the hit-outs yet North would get the ball out of centre time and time again.

Mansell’s loss in the opening minutes was a huge game issue for us. Without any other recognised small defender in our side who has speed North’s small forwards ripped us to shreds.

Not quite sure what was going on with Sheedy today but he seemed to be playing players out of position. For long periods Pudney was on the half-forward line and he cannot play this position. Similarly if you are going to play Firns then he can only play in the centre square – these conditions suited him. But for long periods he was playing on the wing.

Poole. Time for him to go. I am struggling to see what his role is in our team this season? He doesn’t kick goals and he rarely gets more than a handful of possessions. Yet he has held his position in the team all year.

All up a very disappointing yet typical performance from the eagles at finals time. Jones and Weir were by far our best and the fact they were our defenders is telling. The Hayes boys both had reasonable games I thought. Not sure what Mansell’s injury is but if he doesn’t come up for next week then we will need to replace him. Pudney, Firns and Poole all need to be dropped. Jungfer should be a certainty to come in and from there it is anyone’s guess. Will we risk Lowson given his injury despite playing well in the seconds? Does Sheedy take a punt and elevate some of the impressive untried players who have played well in the reserves during these season such as Mead and Beecken? Or do we recycle players like Westbrook, Haylock, Sharrad, Moore and Carcuro who we know aren’t up to consistent League standard but have more experience ?

On North – congratulations and thought your Coach did an excellent job picking a team suitable for the conditions and loading it with speed to rip us apart. Sheedy played a style designed to beat North during the season whilst the North coach learnt from pass losses and brought out a different gameplan that we were powerless to adapt to. Lebois very good player. Never great seeing any player stretchered off but Young is a serial sniper so hard to feel too much sympathy.

[arcadefire]

Good post Mr Fuller..summed it up perfectly...firns and poole way to slow and get continually found out in finals..time for some changes

[Wedgie]

What an amaziing day, great to be at Adelaide Oval for the best year of the comp in decades thanks to no AFL crap.

Umps tried to keep Glenelg in the game but South were too strong, were clearly the better side and most of the crowd loved it.

2nd game noone gave North a chance after the Eagles smashed them twice this year.
North keep their amazing record at AO.

A really good day with fans of all sides enjoying a few beers at the Strathmore tonight.

Really looking forward to next week, go the mighty Panthers!
Going to be a fun week for North supporting bar tenders working at pubs close to Woodville Oval this week.

[Reddeer]

Definately the premiership Cup is South Adelaide's to lose on current form. Will smash North in the Grand Final so North fans should celebrate todays win cause there wont be anymore!!

[Wedgie]

Definately the premiership Cup is South Adelaide's to lose on current form. Will smash North in the Grand Final so North fans should celebrate todays win cause there wont be anymore!!

Odds Before today:
Eagles $1.80
North $4.00
South $4.50

[arcadefire]

Probably have to find a replacement for toumpas as well as he didn't come back after half time..ribs i hear

[Wedgie]

In 4 of the last 5 finals North have played in they've been outsiders and won.
The only one they wern't favs in was when they flogged Sturt in the 2018 SF.
North have won 8/8 at the redeveloped Adelaide Oval.

[Trent Plucktrum]

I assume your suggesting that no one's bothered following up on The Beagles cheating in the U18s, what you expect from the SANFLs biggest sooks, it only an injustice when it happens to them but not when they do it to someone else

[Magellan]

Definately the premiership Cup is South Adelaide's to lose on current form. Will smash North in the Grand Final so North fans should celebrate todays win cause there wont be anymore!!

Ha ha, haters gonna hate. But it's odd that you'd hate to the extent of absolutely writing off your own team, which is the best in the comp and has a realistic chance of winning next week. But, whatever gets you through the night.

Celebrate? Of course! We just won a final and jagged a grand final spot that we had absolutely no right to. The Eagles were spoilt for choice with reasons to win yesterday - previous form against North this year, the top side with a massive percentage, a spot in a grand final with the ideal preparation for your first flag in almost a decade, a genuine chance to atone for previous finals disappointments, and a chance to stick it up North for 2018.

Will keep an eye on that prediction. The thing is that the Eagles IMO could be playing North again in a fortnight, and with better conditions, they might probably stand a better chance.

[Mr Fuller]

Some further thoughts from me.....

There were quite a few occasions during the match where North had possession and would kick the footy long to one of their players. We would often have one of our own players nearby who could have made the contest if they really busted their guts running over, however, would make a decision to hold back. Only a small thing but it sets the tone for the intensity the game needs to be played at.

I thought the one player in our team who really stood out with his intensity and attack on the footy was Jones which is pretty disgraceful given he is the youngest in our team. He seemed to be shuffled around by Sheedy and put on whichever North player was giving us the most trouble. Too bad we don’t have two of him! I would really like to see Sheedy role the dice and start him in the midfield this week against South because his explosive, hard at it approach is something we lack and no one will be expecting him to line up there. I think we can cover his absence in the backline by bringing in Jungfer who will be very good.

Any young kid that we elevate from the reserves this week – Beecken, Mead, Williams (if he has overcome his injury) or even the U18s Poulter, Burgoyne or Litser from the U18s is going to want to seize their opportunity in front of AFL scouts and therefore will not die wandering with their attack on the footy. Therefore I would strongly urge Sheedy to make a strong statement by dropping Poole, Firns, Pudney and possibly even Goldsworthy as an example and bypassing the obvious replacements - Lee, Sharrad, Westbrook etc - who will not be able to take us where we need to go.

Despite the gloom from eagles supporters and expectations from the wider footy community I actually don’t think we will bow out in straight sets and will go onto beat South. However, if we do go out I am going to be furious if in a week’s time I am writing about the insipid, weak performances of the same core group of senior players who have put in sub-par performances in the finals over the past few years when big games are needed.