Round 3: South v West. Friday 12 April @ Hickinbotham Oval

Ive supported my club for 55 years. Over that time Ive witnessed some horrible hidings embarrassments and capitulations. last night was one of the most lame inept and feeble performances Ive ever seen from my club. Honestly it was embarrassing. I was so disgusted I left at halftime, people who know me will find that very hard to believe... but I was so ashamed of my club last night.
Yes the club is doing well off field, we've got to be pleased with that in the current climate. But something must be horribly rotten with the playing group and the football operations to keep dishing up that sort of crap.
No one in their right mind would support South Adelaide , just look at the clubs dismal history. But you know what???? -there are people who do and will do forever, they are made of strong stuff too-loyal, proud and with strong backbones and big hearts..they do not deserve to be let down by the playing group time and time again. They do not.

Adelaide Hawk wrote:I haven't seen West play as yet, but clearly from reports they are playing a much more attacking game. If this is true, they'll be a real handful for anyone wanting to compete for the 2013 flag.

Tongue in cheek: It's interesting to see people excited by the new style when last season they howled down anyone who dared suggest West were too defensive

As a Norwood supporter, I'll be very interested to see West and North to assess our chances for the flag this year.

It's only early days but I think Norwood and West are at least 5 goals better sides than North at this stage.

Interesting comment, rig.

I went to Prospect to see the last half today and enjoyed the game.

Gordon looks all class and the forward line looked dangerous with the talls up there. I thought Craig was well on top in ruck and Campbell, Thiele, Ryswyk and Blee were dangerous.

The backline was OK, without being great.

West and North on Friday night should be very entertaining. Tippett, Ferguson and Mangan against Stewart, Johnston and Langford might determine the result.

Any West supporters out there give a frank assessment on what they thought of South last night???

Be honest. Just like to see what other clubs think of us.

I could not get there last night but am interested to hear.

I've heard it all so can take it.

redandblack wrote:Interesting comment, rig.

I went to Prospect to see the last half today and enjoyed the game.

Gordon looks all class and the forward line looked dangerous with the talls up there. I thought Craig was well on top in ruck and Campbell, Thiele, Ryswyk and Blee were dangerous.

The backline was OK, without being great.

West and North on Friday night should be very entertaining. Tippett, Ferguson and Mangan against Stewart, Johnston and Langford might determine the result.

Pretty much spot on.

In the first half the Sturt rucks dominated. Craig must have been given a rocket at half time because he did dominate the second half. He was clearly helped when Pearce from Sturt got a head knock and had to come off for a while, but I thought that Craig was already getting on top.

I thought Miles was outstanding in defence and other than a couple of monumental turnovers Ivens was good as well. Ivens kept Vitkunas to one touch.

Sturt's pace worried North in the first half and I just think that West might be a bit quick although North obviously do have some pacy players.

Yes, Miles looks an improved player to me.

I thought K Thompson was fairly quiet and hardly sited O'Sullivan?

Southee,

Many times the end result does not reflect the endeavour -- to me the main difference between the two teams in the first half was Westies back 6 were great and they were given great support by other players working hard to assist the back 6 plus the forward players were on thier game when the ball went forward (tradesman like would be my description of Westies first half) --- ------ in comparison during the first half South had a dysfunctional forward line - the ball went to 50m enough for South to be competitive but that where it stopped whilst in Westies case many of the first half goals (not all) came from 50m.

The third quarter was totally dominated by South except in one area 3 goals to 2 -- again IMO the issue was the same as the first half.

The last quarter Westies had their pride hurt and played with emotion and intensity however I honestly felt that many South players went missing and let themselves (and club) down.

I make no stupid statements about Westies in the rest of the season but at this minute they are a very good side of team players.

OK, Southee, I understand where you're coming from.

I thought we would win, but would be given a strong challenge and early I thought that would be the case. I thought until the last quarter that it was more our good play than South's weaknesses that had us where we were, but I was really surprised with the last quarter. That was pretty bad from South.

This is what I think South's problem might be. West had a host of players who had played a lot of league football now and a lot of that together. They'd come through the juniors together and had a bond with West Adelaide. They'd had success at junior level, but had tough times at league level. I think we had 11 players like that last night, supplemented by several recruits who have made Westies their home.

When I look at South, I don't see that. I see a lot of good players, but there seems to be a different lot every couple of years. How many South juniors played last night?

I saw a bit of all South's grades this weekend. There's an overall weakness, IMO, with South's junior program and I don't think that can be put down to boundaries.

To me, it comes down to culture. The talent is there, but there often seems to be a lack of passion.

Long-suffering supporters have a right to expect a better fight for the jumper than what we saw last night.

I'm not saying I'm right, that's just my feeling.

I read your post and the one from Blue and White. That feeling for the club is what is missing and you deserve better.

I'll think about it more, too.

Gee I rate Southee as a footy supporter, to ask that sort of question asks for ridicule but he is prepared to take it in the chin.

Well done mate

Excellent posts R&B and oldfella.

Appreciate the time you replied to my post.

I agree with them. R&B , I think you are right. We have not juniors that have come together through the grades who have that passion for the area (community) and the jumper. Players who I can think of are Brooksby, Veide, Crabb (who was dropped which I don't understand!) and Murphy. The rest are pretty much players who are there for coin and really need to ask are they there for the benefit of the club.

The club took this direction with Ronnies 5 year plan but I am not sure if it has worked. Players in the Southern Zone comps would rather play with mates and for good cash without the training and commitment to South.

If something does not change soon we are in Dire Straights and we just seen to be going around in this merry go round year after year. It gets very tiring.

The players should hang themselves in shame after that last 1/4 performance.....

West , Sturt, Centrals and Norwood are 4 clubs who took a few years to get themselves out of the poo.......I seriously dont see South doing this.

Thanks again guys

brodlach wrote:Gee I rate Southee as a footy supporter, to ask that sort of question asks for ridicule but he is prepared to take it in the chin.

Well done mate

Cheers brodlach. Appreciate it a lot.

Skin of stone here mate

blueandwhite wrote:Ive supported my club for 55 years. Over that time Ive witnessed some horrible hidings embarrassments and capitulations. last night was one of the most lame inept and feeble performances Ive ever seen from my club. Honestly it was embarrassing. I was so disgusted I left at halftime, people who know me will find that very hard to believe... but I was so ashamed of my club last night.
Yes the club is doing well off field, we've got to be pleased with that in the current climate. But something must be horribly rotten with the playing group and the football operations to keep dishing up that sort of crap.
No one in their right mind would support South Adelaide , just look at the clubs dismal history. But you know what???? -there are people who do and will do forever, they are made of strong stuff too-loyal, proud and with strong backbones and big hearts..they do not deserve to be let down by the playing group time and time again. They do not.

To be blunt, two things really $*&t me right off about being a South Adelaide supporter, 1, is the constant updates from the club on how well they are doing off field, just once I would like to get a letter that says "gee sorry guys, were x no of dollars in the hole, yet we actually won matches this season", the second is the "Next Season" letter you get at the end of the year with all these grandiose plans that the club has in mind and how its all going to be different and so on. I have to agree that no one in their right mind would support South Adelaide as a club, I have tried to walk away once before, yet as other SAFC supporters know, you just cant ever do it. I picked South for Sixth place this season, as it goes I think we will be lucky if we can do enough to dodge another wooden spoon. Ron Fuller has my full support, but its bloody hard at the moment I must say!

Don't envy you Ben W - Hard enough over the years being a Westies Man but we've had it easy compared to you guys - Got to give a lot of credit to Andy Collins for the culture change though - Fuller has the same task still ahead of him!