2023 Adelaide Footy League - Division 7

[The Bedge]

Fair. Thought Schroeter was excellent in the games I saw - but he wasn’t in the best rucks in the comp, and there were a swag of key forwards who have had better returns in the goals tally, so had to squeeze him in a key position somewhere.

Similar to Matty Travis - quality player, but hard to slide him in front of the mids I picked.

[RHM 17]

Trevor rigney was sent off on the weekend for umpire abusive language ...

[Lightning McQueen]

Feel free to have a go at it.

Just thought someone who has played chf and ruck all year wouldn't be getting a gig at chb

He’s a fair defender though.

[morell]

Any side that doesn't have Lachlan Pike in it is no side I want to be a part of. Played a role few could this year and is criminally underrated.

[The Bedge]

Any side that doesn't have Lachlan Pike in it is no side I want to be a part of. Played a role few could this year and is criminally underrated.

No one rides the pine like Pike.

[The Bedge]

QUALIFYING FINAL - Para Hills vs Houghton Districts
18 degrees, partly cloudy, dry day and hopefully a dry oval - all the perfect ingredients fitting of this blockbuster encounter between two premiership contenders.

Pre-season most punters would've had these two meeting later in the finals series, contesting for the Holy Grail - and that may still well be the case - but for now, they square off for an opportunity to progress to the Preliminary Final and one game closer to that last Saturday of the season.

Houghton started all guns blazing back in Round 1, smashing Ingle Farm on opposition soil, but a mid-season fall away had them in danger of missing the 5. Like all good clubs, they got their affairs in order, worked through a difficult wet period and heavy grounds, before coming home strong winning 6 of their last 8 matches to earn the double chance.

Para Hills on the flip side have been firmly entrenched in the top 2 for the entire season and look every bit the side that many expected and hoped for leading into the season.

Both these teams come in almost full strength - Roos missing reliable defender and ball user Jason Nuske whilst Raiders are without midfielder Andy Read. That aside, it's two stacked sides full of weapons and match winners. The question as has been all season will be can Weetra be stopped? Part of a dynamic forward line that includes Cree and young gun Stroud, fed by experienced Travis, Weetra casts an imposing prescence deep for the Roos.

Houghton aren't without goal scoring options either though - captain Jake Martin formidable on his day and with tall timber Jake Sinclair and Dylan Male it's bound to cause headaches all round.

Brad Anderson, Kye Vandermoer, Kodi Sparks, Wade Vandermoer all enjoying likely first use from experienced ruck Cam Schutz set to go toe to toe with Schroeter, Thach, Power, Hart and Manning. Toss a coin, both quality on-ball brigades.

The return of Karim Hrynkiw and Tyson Bywater-Nemeth may help tip the scales in the favour of the Roos, especially on their home deck.

Houghton got the points the last time they met, but Para Hills were comprehensive the two occasions previous to that. Both sides are capable on their day of blowing an opposition away - and each has claims to go all the way.

Contrasting build ups to this match though - Houghton have been quiet and tight lipped, whilst Para Hills have been across almost every social media platform I've seen - interviews to Power, Weetra and coach Forby - they've clearly embraced this time of the season and the challenge ahead.

Promises to be a cracking encounter, but gut feel is that Houghton may be a little too quick on the outside, should the conditions suit.

Previous encounters:
Houghton 103 def Para Hill 96
Para Hills 114 def Houghton 74
Para Hills 97 def Houghton 46

Tip: Houghton by 27 points

[The Bedge]

Strong Para Hills B grade named tomorrow!

[Yank Man]

Any side that doesn't have Lachlan Pike in it is no side I want to be a part of. Played a role few could this year and is criminally underrated.

No one rides the pine like Pike.

His moment of truth came in the 2015 premiership when he laced out the captain 30 out. The skip kicked the goal to nail the game and caused Houghton to end up in tears.

I’m sure morell has watched that a thousand times since.

[Whatsfordinner]

Went along to the C6 match up between Houghton and Ingle Farm last night, only to witness a brutal king hit after the siren, teams appeared to be shaking hands and moving on with things and all of a sudden bloke from Ingle farm floored his Houghton opponent. Quite confronting to see, can’t imagine he’ll be playing finals and into early next year. Friday night footy under lights at Ingle farm, an interesting place. Crowd got quite rowdy, but all seemed to disperse as the player was helped off the field.
Hopefully nothing further after I left when teams went into their rooms.

[Brodlach]

Houghton beat Para Hills

[Lightning McQueen]

.

[Bluedemon]

Saturday 2nd September
Paddocks Oval
Div 7 - 1st SF - Para Hills v O'Sullivan Beach Lonsdale (2:15pm)
Div 7R - 1st SF - Mitchell Park v Para Hills (12:15pm)
C6 - EF - Marion v Para Hills (10:15am)

Rowe Park
Div 7 - 2nd SF - Ingle Farm v Houghton Distrcits (2:15pm)
Div 7R - 2nd SF - Ingle Farm v Houghton Districts (12:15pm)

[Arch44]

Why is Ingle Farm Cgrade v Salisbury at Greenacres and not Ingle Farm?

[Down the Hill]

Your answer may be related to the post about 4 above. Plus C6 is part of the Division 6 cluster so Salisbury being aligned to their A grade would likely take precedence.

[Arch44]

Your answer may be related to the post about 4 above. Plus C6 is part of the Division 6 cluster so Salisbury being aligned to their A grade would likely take precedence.

More to do with the earlier post than the Salisbury line up from what I have been told.

[carey]

Went along to the C6 match up between Houghton and Ingle Farm last night, only to witness a brutal king hit after the siren, teams appeared to be shaking hands and moving on with things and all of a sudden bloke from Ingle farm floored his Houghton opponent. Quite confronting to see, can’t imagine he’ll be playing finals and into early next year. Friday night footy under lights at Ingle farm, an interesting place. Crowd got quite rowdy, but all seemed to disperse as the player was helped off the field.
Hopefully nothing further after I left when teams went into their rooms.

No discussion on this? Hmmm interesting

[The Bedge]

No discussion on this? Hmmm interesting

What's to discuss? Player was reported and red carded end of game for striking, will go through normal tribunal process.

[carey]

Culture

[RHM 17]

Culture

Should change there name to the cats....surely used there 9 lives this year....just dont go near car parks and service stations and dont hit your head on someones fist......god help those if they actually lose....run quick

[The Bedge]

Yes, we have continual work that is required to culture and behavior. We aren't naïve to it, or turning a blind eye. As a club we are constantly trying to improve, do the right things but most of all educate and make our members understand. It's actually not easy.

This year we have experienced incredible growth, and obviously on field success - success that frankly is foreign to a lot of people.. but with winning comes greater attention, scrutiny and often antagonising from opposition. No one gave two shits when we were easy beats, now we are winning. We have members who struggle with that, members who come from low socio-economic backgrounds, members who come from dysfunctional broken families and members who are "old school"... members who struggle to regulate their emotions or feel they need to display some "staunch" persona.

That's not to make excuses for peoples behaviour, drunken carry on, or on / off field incidents - we don't condone it.. but we are trying., and we will continue to try.. and we will weed out the bad eggs in time, and we will hopefully build something sustainable.

Don't claim to be perfect, don't justify peoples actions or behaviours.. but there are a LOT of good people at Ingle Farm, a lot of passionate, hard working people who want to do the right thing and have the best interests of the club, community and competition at heart.. and we have a lot of good people who want the same but aren't very good at knowing how to deliver that or cant regulate their emotions or struggle with zipping their mouths when drinking.

Personally, I think it's great seeing all the clubs in our area having success, I love seeing Para Hills having a good season (as well as Gepps, Kilburn and then up the road Modbury etc).. having been in the same position (as PH) I'm proud of them getting through some tough seasons finally getting reward, and it's good for competition and it's good for our communities.

No one is perfect, especially us.. but we aren't bad either. Please, don't let minorities dictate your perceptions on the club, give the good folk a chance to fix it. The weight of other peoples **** ups at the club sit heavily on the shoulders of those who care and invest effort, not just people involved in any incidents.