The Blackwood Football Club has marched into the semi final of the Hills Football League Division One A Grade after recording a thirty-three point victory over the Uraidla Districts Demons at Able Storage Oval in Mt Barker. The win was the first ever victory for Blackwood over Uraidla Districts in a qualifying final and only the third win (in the A Grade) since the infamous Grand Final of 2011.
Both sides entered the Qualifying Final in a great position after finishing second and third position on the ladder after the completion of the minor rounds. Statistically both sides ranked in the top three in most categories before the game and if you looked at the numbers against fellow final contenders, the Woods started the game on paper leading by four points. Goal kicking presented itself as a major factor in the game with Blackwood kicking at only 47.8% in Rounds 10 to 18 compared to Uraidla Districts who were kicking at an amazing 63.6%.
The Woods made one change to their line up from the previous week bringing Daniel Benson back into the selected twenty-one whilst the Demons replaced Tom Worley with Dale Liebelt. Uraidla started kicking towards the northern end of the venue and almost made the perfect start. Star midfielder Nick Amato received the ball kicking a long raking left boot into the forward. The ball drifted into the 50 and found Tim Halliday on the lead who marked successfully. Unfortunately he was unable to convert truly to give his side the initial momentum.
Blackwood then moved the ball down the interchange wing from the kick out with immense speed. They entered the forward 50 and found a free Adam Ridley 25 metres out. A small fumble allowed the pressure to just be enough as he put the ball across the face of the goals to record a behind. This behind saw coach Damien Salievic rather frustrated in the raised coaching box above the interchange bench. The match then entered a lull with neither side able to gain any free ball movement. With the defences holding strong it took until the eighth minute for Matt Tuck to bob up inside 50 for Blackwood and take a mark about 35 metres out on a 45 degree angle. He went back and converted truly much to the pleasure of the large Blackwood contingent around the Able Storage Oval.
Blackwood then got the next major of the match through Ryan Dijksman after a left foot snap from crumbing the pack. The Woods were taking the most of their opportunities when they went forward which was not the case for the Demons as they had kicked four behinds. When Dijksman kicked his second goal in the 19th minute of the match the Woods supporters were in a jubilant mood. Making a good start was critical as the Demons has won their previous five opening quarters by an average of 28 points. The Demons fought back in red-time with two goals to take a one point lead into the first change.
Best on ground Matt Tuck fires off a handball
Kurt Thompson looks to move the ball downfield
Blackwood coach Damien Salievic urged his players to continue to play the way they had done for the first twenty minutes of the match. They had let themselves down with some skill errors in the back end of the quarter and they needed to fix this area in the second quarter. For the Demons, playing coach Luke Ivens stated ‘we are this close to breaking the game open. Continue to play a physical game and they will give in.”
The opening seven minutes of the second quarter was what you would have expected from a match between second and third on the ladder, an arm wrestle. Neither side was able to find any clear ball movement into the forward 50 their wasn’t a score raised for the opening six minutes of the term. Defender Haydn Kenny drifted forward to find space at the top of the arc in the seventh minute after he was hit up with a quick pass over the top. Unfortunately the ball just fell short and was put through by the Uraidla defenders. Blackwood was able to turn the ball over from the kick out and once again the ball found Matt Tuck 35 metres out on a 45 degree angle. Like the first quarter he went back and converted truly to kick the Woods fourth goal of the match. The rest of the quarter went goal for goal as both sides looked to gain the moment going into the half time break. When the half time siren blew, the match was level with both sides sitting on forty-two points. For the Woods they contented their trend of winning second quarters against top five sides, making this the seventh time in nine attempts.
The large crowd in attendance refreshed during the main break with a Roo Burger and a kick on the oval. The outcome of the match was not known at this point. The Woods supporters knew if they could get their ball movement going they would run over the top of Uraidla but still had the Round 16 match in the back of their mind when Uraidla finished off the game kicking seven goals in the final quarter.
Steve Woods competes in the ruck against an opponent
Ryan Dijksman take a mark ahead of his opponent
Uraidla made the perfect start to the third term when they got the initial centre clearance to Tom Kluvanek who went back and kicked straight after only 40 seconds. It looked like it was a key focus for the Demons to kick the first goal of the term as all players came and celebrated. Blackwood senior colt captain Levi Grigg then entered the game laying a strong tackle of Uraidla Districts veteran Darren Loffler catching him holding ball. He went back from the tight angle to kick his first goal of the match. Like the second quarter the game went goal for goal in the next fifteen minutes as neither side was able to gain a clear break. When Blackwood’s Jess Watchman worked himself into the game in the nineteenth minute the Woods were coming in the back end of the quarter. With the three pronged attack of Jake Atkinson, Phil Hopton and Watchman started to clunk marks up forward the Woods were looking dangerous.
Watchman then impacted the game again breaking clear of his opponent to take a mark 40 metres out on a slight angle. Since coming back up the hill from West Adelaide in the second half of the season, he has slowly worked himself into form. Watchman went back and kicked his second goal of the game to see his side take a six point lead into the final change.
Coach Salievic contented to be positive during the final change pointing out how dangerous the forward line looked when the three towers were taking marks. He pulled his players into a tight huddle providing a message only they could hear. For Uraidla, the same message was repeated again as they looked to continue to win the ball around the middle and hoped Blackwood would eventually cave in.
Adam Ridley comes in to spoil the ball from an opponent
Vice captain Phil Hopton looks downfield in front of some ‘Woods supporters
Whatever was said by Blackwood coach Damien Salievic at the final change seemed to inspire his players in the final quarter. The Woods completely dominated the final quarter winning the centre clearances and inside 50’s by a clear margin. Atkinson was able to kicking a goal in the first minute much to the delight of the supports on the sidelines. When Matt Tuck was able to kick his third of the game in the third minute the Woods were coming home with a very wet sail. Uraidla was unable to clear the ball from their defensive half with Blackwood pressing up very high. With the game in complete control the Woods stepped on the accelerator kicking two more goals for the final quarter to see a 33 points margin when the final siren sounded. The win was the first qualifying finals victory for the side from Blackwood over Uraidla Districts having lost on the previous three occasions.
For the victorious Woods, Matt Tuck was named best on ground kicking three goals and providing energy around the forward line, Kurt Thompson who took numerous intercepting marks across the centre line, and midfielders Nick Homburg, Ryan Anderson and James Catford were credited for their hard work around the stoppages.
Summary
Overall, as summarised by coach Damien Salievic after the match, “it was great to be able to play our brand of football for much of the match. We came into the game wanting to play our way and we executed that for longer periods.” With the conditions helping the Woods, they were able to use their speed and skills on the outside, and with numerous options up front, it simply became to much for the Demons to handle in the last quarter. This was shown in the statistics with Blackwood winning the inside 50 count 45 to 33. Coach Salievic urged his players the job wasn’t done yet saying “we have ticked off the first box, we must recovery now and prepare well to have a crack at Hahndorf next weekend.”
Nick Homburg takes a strong overhead mark
Blackwood players celebrate after kicking a goal
Other results
Senior Colts: Blackwood defeated Onkaparinga Valley by 39 points
Having defeated the Bulldogs in the previous two matches during the season, the Woods continued their dominance. After leading by one seven points at half time the Woods stepped on the gas after the main break kicking seven goals to two to run out 39 points winners. Zac Town bagged six majors whilst Sam Zevenboom was named best on ground for his efforts in the ruck.
Mini Colts: Blackwood defeated Onkaparinga Valley by 3 points
After losing by 26 points in the Round 13 match, the Woods took a two goals into three quarter time. Onkaparinga Valley came home with the aid of a breeze and despite conceding two goals, Blackwood held strong to claim a three point victory. Eddie Bok kicked three goals whilst Clayton Town was named best-a-field.
Senior Colts Qualifying Final action
Mini Colts Qualifying Final action
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