ADELAIDE 3.8
5.10 11.11 19.11 125
ST KILDA
3.6 7.11 9.13 13.16
94
BEST - Adelaide: McLeod, Jarman, Ellen, Hart, Rehn, Koster Bickley,
Goodwin, Pittman. St Kilda: Burke, Harvey, Jones, Daniels, Wakelin,
Keogh, Sziller, Hall
GOALS - Adelaide: Jarman 6.2, Ellen, 5.1, Bond 4.0, Rintoul 1.1,
Goodwin, Caven, Smart 1.0, Edwards, Bickley, Koster 0.1, rushed 0.4.
St Kilda: Heatley 3.3, Hall 3.1, Loewe2.2, Jones, Burke, Winmar 1.1,
Peckett, Harvey 1.0, Thompson 0.2, Keogh, Cook, Lappin 0.1,rushed 0.2.
UMPIRES - Hayden Kennedy, Bryan Sheehan, Mark Nash.
CROWD - 99, 645.
NORM SMITH MEDAL - Andrew McLeod (Adelaide).
My Personal Reflection
'This is the sweetest
victory of all.
This is a victory for
the true believers'
Paul Keating, March 1992
Much was said in the lead up to this match on how it would be fitting for St Kilda to win given their 1 in 100 years record. But from where I sat, South Australian football had a 0 out of 100 record. We've produced some of the best players (paticularly in the modern era) who have been snapped up by VFL/AFL clubs to the detrement of our SANFL competition. While AFL expansion has virtually wiped out the SANFL as an exciting competition (after all, North Adelaide has not done that well in recent years) it has provided South Aussies throughout Australia with teams that we can be proud of. We've lost so much that is good from our Adelaide competition over the last century. After all this time, we deserve this.
Living in Sydney, the weeks leading up to the premiship were low key. I had the impression that the Preliminary final was a night match, and didn't realise it was on until I arrived back at home mid afternoon to discover we were 31 points down. Knowing that I had much work to do, I contemplated switching it off and trying to get ready for Sunday church. However, thinking that this would be my last hour of AFL for the year I decided to sit and quietly watch my team be thrashed. What was to follow was the most incredible turn around since Essington humiliated the crows in a similar fashon in 1993. As Jarman (an ex North Adelaide Premiship player) goaled to put the crows in front at the 25 minute stage of the final term, I found myself bursting into tears in complete and utter disbelief.
I remained a complete emotional mess for the next week, unable to contentrate on anything. I physically felt sick most of the time, wondering whether Adelaide had played its grand final one week too soon, and generally wishing that the one of those two Bulldog players had had engouh sense to sheperd through that potential match winning goal during time on.
Grand final day was also my daughters 3rd birthday. This gave me a multitude of distractions. However, my wife forced me to wear my Crows cap as a reminder of the day. I was unable to watch the first half - I wanted to vomit. Sneaking a look at half time while preparing for Kaain's birthday party, I fell into a mad panic. I drifted into the lounge room during the 3rd quarter, and to my complete astonishment, the Crows took the lead. It should have been clear by that stage that the crows would murder any team that gave them a sniff - they had the game won. However, given my emotional state, I felt ill as I imagined the game being thrown. Oh me of little faith. Had I forgotten that Jarman magic (which he mastered so well at North Adeliade with his brother Andrew) that occurs when you place him a full forward in the second half of a game. He singlehandedly sunk St Kilda, and for my money, should have been the Norm Smith Medalist. Think about it - if Adelaide won by 31points, and Jarman kicked 6.2, what would the result have been? A one point victory to St Kilda? (please understand, this opinion is in no way related to the fact that I was a completely fanatical supporter of his former SANFL club North Adelaide while growing up in S.A.)
Anyway, it was a great day, and I look forward to more of the same in
the future.
By the way, Kaarin had a great birthday party after the match, though
my minister laughed when I thanked God for the Crows win during grace -
I wonder if he takes me seriously all the time??