The Blackwood Football Club has made four massive changes for Round 9 to face the Echunga Demons. The first of the changes sees James Hopton become the tenth player to debut in the A Grade during 2018. It will be the first time brothers James and Phil line up in the same side in their careers.
Finishing in the senior colts in 2013 being part of the premiership side, the 22 year old Hopton has earnt his colours playing in the B Grade (60 games) and C Grade (15 games) for three and a bit seasons. Across these 75 matches he has an 80.0% winning ratio, has kicked 23 goals (0.31 per match) and been named in the best players on 13 occasions (17.3% of matches). A remarkable statistic from these games is that the teams Hopton has played in have kicked 889 goals at 55.5% accuracy compared to the opposition which have kicked 327 goals (562 less) at only 48.0% accuracy.
The Round 9 side also sees the two Ryan’s return with Ryan Anderson and Ryan Dijksman selected after missing the match against Mt Lofty through niggles. Harry Darcy also returns for his first A Grade game since the 2016 Preliminary Final some 643 days ago. Coach Damien Salievic said on Thursday evening it was good to have football back. “Most of us have had a weeks rest. We must turn up ready to play and not give them a four goal lead like Round 2.”
In the B Grade, the side once again makes multiple changes. Coming into the side are Deqlhan Files, Troy Hocking, Denam Moore and Zac Murar selected to play.
For Hocking it will see him make his senior debut in the red and the green. The current Under 18s player is a natural forward and bringing some real x-factor to the game. The selection of Hocking makes him the eleventh senior colt to play senior football for the Woods in 2018. This is the highest of any club in the Hills Football League with Lobethal (8), Echunga and Onkaparinga Valley (6) being the next closest.
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