Semi-Final Preview: Blackwood v Hahndorf

The business end of the season has arrived. Saturday the 9th of September is Hills Football League Division One Semi-Final weekend. After a 33 point victory over the Uraidla District Demons in the Qualifying Final, the Blackwood Football Club has progressed to the semi-final against the Hahndorf Football Club. The match up at Uraidla Oval has big implications with the winner booking one of two lucrative places in the 2017 Grand Final.

We preview the A-Grade match up below along with the B-Grade, Senior Colts, Junior Colts and Mini Colts who are also playing on the day.

Previous encounters

Like all other teams, Blackwood and Hahndorf have met on two previous occasions throughout 2017. The ledger currently stands at one win each for both sides. In the Round 8 at U-Install-It Kitchens Oval, the Woods clipped the Pies by twenty-nine points to record their first victory over Hahndorf since Round 11 of 2014. On that day Ryan Dijksman kicked four majors whilst Michael Minuzzo was named best-a-field. In Round 17, the sides played off for the 2017 A Grade Courier Cup Final. After leading by one point at half time, the Woods were restricted to three second half goals to end up losing the game by twenty-eight points. Nick Homburg was named best for the Woods whilst defenders Daniel Bennetts and Brad Jones also received acknowledgement for their efforts.

Looking at the results back to 2006, the sides have met on 28 separate occasions with Blackwood winning sixteen matches compared to Hahndorf who have won twelve matches. In these twenty-eight games, Blackwood has a differential of +2 with the biggest win across the 28 matches occurring Round 9 of 2007 when Blackwood won by ninety-eight points. On that day, John Allen kicked six goals and Daimon Jones was named best-a-field.

Across the twenty-eight matches since the start of 2006, Blackwood and Hahndorf have met in four finals. The results from those games are as follows:

2006 – (Elimination Final) – Blackwood 14.17.101 defeated Hahndorf 10.7.67 – J. Allen and A. Silvy kicked three goals each

2008 – (Preliminary Final) – Blackwood 13.15.93 defeated Hahndorf 9.12.66 – J. Sidebottom kicked four goals

2009 – (Preliminary Final) – Blackwood 19.1.115 defeated Hahndorf 12.7.79 – D. Gigney & A. Roche kicked six goals each

2016 – (Semi Final) – Blackwood 6.4.40 defeated by Hahndorf 8.8.56 – P. Hopton three goals

Daniel Bennetts losing his footing at the wrong time

Jan Warbout competes in the ruck

Statistics against Top 5 sides

Below is a table which summarises the statistics which both sides have against fellow top 5 sides.

Against top 5 sides
Winning %	56% (Also has two draws)	88%
Points for	79	83
Points against	63	49
Differential	+16	+34
Quarters won	56%	75%
Best quarter	3rd (7 from 9)	4th (8 from 8)
Shots on goal	23	24
Accuracy	49.8%	48.5%

Games won

Blackwood has won 56% of matches against top five sides. Hahndorf has won 88% of matches

Attack, Defence and Differential

Blackwood: 79 points for, 63 points against, Differential: +16

Hahndorf: 83 points for, 49 points against, Differential: +34

Compared to the whole of 2017: Blackwood has a differential of -18 on differential, Hahndorf has a differential of -19 on differential. Hahndorf score 18 points less against top 5 sides.

Quarters won

Blackwood: Has won 56% of quarters played against top 5 sides. The 3rd quarter is their best quarter winning seven of nine.

Hahndorf: Has won 75% of quarters played against top 5 sides. The 4th quarter is their best quarter winning eight from eight.

Compared to the whole of 2017: Blackwood have won 64% of quarters, Hahndorf have won 81% of quarters.

Shooting accuracy

Blackwood: Averages 23 shots on goal kicking at 49.8%.

Hahndorf: Averages 48 shots on goal kicking at 48.5%

Compared to the whole of 2017: Hahndorf averaged 28 shots at 51.1% across Rounds 1 to 18. Against the top 5 sides they averaged four less shots on goal and are 5.1% less accurate in front of goal in these games. This compared to Blackwood who average 2 less shots on goal and are 1.8% less accurate in front of goals against top 5 sides.

Nick Homburg comes under pressure as Levi Grigg watches on

Matt Waldron spoils the ball from Hahndorf forward Darcy Hourigan

The key players to watch for Hahndorf

With last weekend off the Hahndorf players will be raring to go. Here are some key players the Woods must watch:

Darcy Hourigan (#2) – The power forward of the competition is a key man of the Magpies having kicked 268 goals for the club . In 2017 he has kicked 81 goals (5.1 per match) including a bag of six majors in Round 17 against Blackwood.

Jay Shannon (#6) – A midfielder / forward who has played seven matches for Hahndorf since moving from North Adelaide and has been in the best players 100% of the time. Positions include: 1st – 0 times, 2nd – 1 time, 3rd – 1 time, 4th – 1 time, 5th – 4 times

Josh Wittwer (#9) – The half back he been down the hill playing for the Adelaide Crows SANFL side during the year. Returned in the Round 17 match where he was awarded the MVP for the game by the 88.9 Hills FM Radio team.

Daniel Roberts (#10) – The ruckman is a notable player on the field due to his large frame. Has played twelve matches in 2017 being in the best players on eight occasions. Not an overly big goal kicker with only three goals for 2017 and 27 since 2010. This suggests he plays behind the ball helping out the defence.

Scott Purling (#16) – A smooth moving centre-half back who is critical for the Magpies as he makes countless intercepting marks and spoils across the half back line. Has only been named in the best players on three occasions for the year but two of them have been in the last two games.

Dylan Matsen (#25) – A junior of the Hahndorf club, he missed the Round 8 game between the sides as he was travelling overseas. Played in the Round 17 match where he was awarded fourth best player. Has been named in the best players on eight of ten matches in 2017.

Steve Woods appears to be tackled whilst not in possession

Ryan Anderson looks to get a handball away whilst Brad Jones watches on

Final Thought

Blackwood must make it count in the first quarter. Hahndorf have lost the first quarter in both games they have lost for the season and only average 11 points in the first quarter against top five sides.

Other grades

B Grade – Blackwood v Hahndorf

This game should be a tight and tough affair with the results two matches played to date having Blackwood winning by a combined six points. In Round 8, two goals and a best-on-ground from Jason Pope saw the side hold on for a two point victory, whilst in the most recent match in Round 17 a late goal from ever-green forward Matt Thomas saw the side come back from 15 points down at three-quarter time to record a four point victory.

Senior Colts – Blackwood v Hahndorf

Hahndorf is the only side which the senior colts have not beaten to date in 2017. From the two matches played Blackwood lost by 17 points in Round 8 and 10 goals in Round 17. Despite losing the Round 17 game, Tom Brown had a day out picking up three mail-medal votes in Round 17.

Junior Colts – Blackwood v Mt Lofty

After a 35 point victory in Round 9, the sides played off for the Courier Cup in Round 18. Blackwood came out on top in that game by 38 points. From both games, Jordan Cock has picked up the maximum of six mail medal votes.

Mini Colts – Blackwood v Hahndorf

The mini colts are yet to beat Hahndorf going down by 32 points in Round 8 and 18 points in Round 17. The side played well last weekend to defeat Onkaparinga Valley by three points and will be raring to go against Hahndorf who had the weeks rest. Will Torode is a key player for the Woods kicking nineteen goals and being named in the best players on nine occasions.