South Australia v Western Australia, Saturday 26 May

Played at Glenelg Oval and shown live on ABC1 and broadcast on Life FM, state pride is on the line when South Australia take on Western Australia.

Both sides can still make late changes to their squads, but barring that, and allowing for injuries in the last round, my thoughts as to how both sides may lineup:

South Australia:

F. Sam Gray, Michael Wundke, Tim McIntyre
HF: James Boyd, Adam Grocke, Jeremy Clayton
C: Leigh Ryswyk, Brett Zorzi, Jonathan Beech
HB: Luke Jarrad, Ryan Ferguson, Eddie Sansbury
B: Daniel Caire, Sam Rudolph, Paul Thomas
1st ruck: James Mieklejohn, Nathan Batsanis, Nick Liddle
Inter: Craig Parry, Ben Greiger, Joel Cross, Tom Collier

Western Australia

F. Ian Richardson, Josh Smith, Paul Medhurst
HF. Trinity Handley, Callum Sinclair, Brad Holmes
C. Kane Mitchell, Luke Blackwell, Craig Wulff
HB. Andrew Stephen, Aidan Parker, Dion Fleay
B. Stephen Dodd, Dan Hunt, Kyle Hams
1st ruck: Paul Johnson, Kristian Thornton, Garry Moss
Inter: Tom Lee, Ryan Cook, Mark Hutchings, Max Duffy


The WA squad is not to be underestimated. Plenty of experience through that lineup, particularly with in-form local players.

Feel free to post your thoughts on how South Australia, or Western Australia, may line up.

Tipping Western Australia by 13 points.

Not sure Brett Zorzi would be lining up in the centre, he's played all this season on the last line of defence.

Here is my side, after taking out Jimmy Allan...

SOUTH AUSTRALIA:

FF: J.Clayton (PA) - M.Wundke (SA) - T.McIntyre (ST)

HF: A.Grocke (EA) - R.Kirkby (GL) - S.Gray (PA)

CL: L.Jarrad (VC) (EA) - J.Cross (NA) - L.Ryswyk (NA)

HB: E.Sansbury (CD) - T.Collier (CD) - D.Caire (WA)

FB: S.Rudolph (GL) - B.Greiger (EA) - P.Thomas (C) (CD)


1R: C.Parry (EA) - J.Boyd (CD) - N.Liddle (SA)

INT: J.Meiklejohn (PA) - B.Zorzi (NW) - J.Schiller (CD) - N.Batsanis (NW)

Adelaide Hawk wrote:Not sure Brett Zorzi would be lining up in the centre, he's played all this season on the last line of defence.

i reckon he'll (Zorzi) be full back & Sammy Rudolph to miss out on the match.....this will be the first time ever i'll be barracking for the gold & black team to lose playing at the bay oval

bayman wrote:

Adelaide Hawk wrote:Not sure Brett Zorzi would be lining up in the centre, he's played all this season on the last line of defence.

i reckon he'll (Zorzi) be full back & Sammy Rudolph to miss out on the match.....this will be the first time ever i'll be barracking for the gold & black team to lose playing at the bay oval

Sam Rudolph has been in great form for the Tigers though Bayman - I reckon he will make the final 22...

Big Phil wrote:

bayman wrote:

Adelaide Hawk wrote:Not sure Brett Zorzi would be lining up in the centre, he's played all this season on the last line of defence.

i reckon he'll (Zorzi) be full back & Sammy Rudolph to miss out on the match.....this will be the first time ever i'll be barracking for the gold & black team to lose playing at the bay oval

Sam Rudolph has been in great form for the Tigers though Bayman - I reckon he will make the final 22...

yes (imho) up to two weeks ago but against Central he was clearly beaten (no orphan though he did have about 17 mates that night) & last friday C.Wilson also clearly beat him, so they say they are picking inform players so that's why i think that Sammy will miss out & btw i hope i'm wrong

Adelaide Hawk wrote:Not sure Brett Zorzi would be lining up in the centre, he's played all this season on the last line of defence.

I would completely agree, AH, had both Allan and Sheedy been available. With neither being there, we know he can play onball and has played plenty of footy in the middle over the years.

Why aren't Allan and Sheedy available?

Both have withdrawn from the squad.

I gather that, but why habe they withdrawn?

Adelaide Hawk wrote:I gather that, but why habe they withdrawn?

Both have said with older bodies, they want to make the most of having a week off to rest up...

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/allan-out-of-state-squad/story-e6freckc-1226360115231

Even though they have three byes during the season? Not pleased with that. Allan's only 27, Brett Zorzi must be a miracle man

They're just a little soft.

Forgive my ignorance, but are either of them South Australian? I guess you'd set the bar a little lower if you weren't, the game can't mean as much to them. Still, representative footy is representative footy, you ought to be proud.

As a proud South Australian I hope our state team wins and wins well, because if they don’t, I feel the coach and selectors will owe an
apology to the ‘in form’, unbeaten club that has been quite insulted by the ridiculous lack of their players represented. It would seem undefeated domination across most positions is meaningless if you're trying to earn a state guernsey.

I’ve bitten my tongue and haven’t said anything about this earlier because it comes across as beating your own drum, or grandstanding, but I’m not. This isn't about bias. I just want S.A. to win. Honestly, if any other team in the league were riding high at the top of the table and unbeaten over 8 games I would expect them to have AT LEAST 4 or 5 representatives in the starting line-up.

Oh well, at least a few Norwood fans who find this state match a stupid disruption to the season will be very happy not having all our best players risking injury. I certainly hope future state coaches and selectors will serve us all better by rewarding players who are continually proving themselves worthy of state duties in an exceptional manner.

I’ll still be there supporting ALL Croweater’s players, but not with the same enthusiasm, joy and pride that was due.

Luv,
Sabre.

p.s. CARRRRRN S.A. !!!

So which Norwood players would go in AH ?
The main reason Norwood are top rests more with the coaching than individual players abilities .

Adelaide Hawk wrote:Even though they have three byes during the season? Not pleased with that. Allan's only 27, Brett Zorzi must be a miracle man

Its there call, if they don't want to commit they don't have to, they may just want to play and concentrate on there own club games. I have no problem with any player that has that view.

waddayamean wrote:So which Norwood players would go in AH ?
The main reason Norwood are top rests more with the coaching than individual players abilities .

I don't think any should, it wasn't me saying their should be more Norwood players. I think Zorzi and Batsanis are the two who would make the team.

testy wrote:

Adelaide Hawk wrote:Even though they have three byes during the season? Not pleased with that. Allan's only 27, Brett Zorzi must be a miracle man

Its there call, if they don't want to commit they don't have to, they may just want to play and concentrate on there own club games. I have no problem with any player that has that view.

That's fair enough, but unless we are fielding our strongest team, it's not a fair indication of the comparitive strengths of the two states. If players aren't interested, it makes me wonder why we have state football.

When is the team announced?

waddayamean wrote:So which Norwood players would go in AH ?
The main reason Norwood are top rests more with the coaching than individual players abilities .

I think ‘waddayamean’ was directing his question to me ‘AH’. Getting us mixed up must be a terrible insult for you Hawky.



Firstly, I feel all state selections from every club should only be those players who are consistently winning their positions
against all comers every week. ‘Big Phil’ had a fair crack at our state team line-up. Take a look at it.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA:

FF: J.Clayton (PA) - M.Wundke (SA) - T.McIntyre (ST)

HF: A.Grocke (EA) - R.Kirkby (GL) - S.Gray (PA)

CL: L.Jarrad (VC) (EA) - J.Cross (NA) - L.Ryswyk (NA)

HB: E.Sansbury (CD) - T.Collier (CD) - D.Caire (WA)

FB: S.Rudolph (GL) - B.Greiger (EA) - P.Thomas (C) (CD)

Based on current form, how is it possible to select a team without one Norwood player in the starting squad ?
I guess our blokes have no talent, they aren't fit, all results this year are a lie and the Premiership table is fabricated.
Something just ain’t right! And I’d say the same for ANY club in these circumstances. Plenty of non-Norwood people
are asking the same questions too. I feel guilty that players from other clubs are left ‘carrying the can’ for the state.
Given Norwood’s current form and ladder position, we should all be doing our share in bringing victory to South Australia.

Secondly, regarding your point about Nathan Bassett, I’m terribly sorry ‘waddayamean’, I’ll have to be more observant
in future mate, I simply haven’t seen ‘Bass’ pulling on his boots and winning all our matches. Silly me, I mistakenly
thought it was the players on the ground doing it.

Sabre wrote:I think ‘waddayamean’ was directing his question to me ‘AH’. Getting us mixed up must be a terrible insult for you Hawky.

Not at all, I consider it an honour to be confused with Al Bundy

I think the point is well made that Norwood have had a real team this season, and not many players are really standing out, whereas some other clubs have had that 2 or 3 players who have been their stars week in, week out. McGuinness certainly would have made the team had he been fit.

The fiinal Squad of 25 decided upon after 2 hours of deliberation...

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/sa-state-squad-announced/story-e6freckc-1226362845391



So, based on the 25 picked, I'll have another crack at my final line-up...


SOUTH AUSTRALIA:

FF: Sam Gray (Port) - Ruory Kirkby (Glenelg) - Luke Jericho (Norwood)
HF: Nathan Batsanis (Norwood) - Adam Grocke (Eagles) - Jeremy Clayton (Port)
CL: Leigh Ryswyk (North) - Nick Liddle (South) - Luke Jarrad (Eagles)
HB: Eddie Sansbury (Central) - Tom Collier (Central) - Daniel Caire (West)
FB: Paul Thomas (Central) - Ben Grieger (Eagles) - Sam Rudolph (Glenelg)

1R: Craig Parry (Eagles) - James Boyd (Central) - Chris Schmidt (West)

INT: James Meiklejohn (Port) - Brett Zorzi (Norwood) - Jarrod Schiller (Central) - Tim Webber (Norwood)

EMG: Robert Shirley (Eagles) - Alex Georgiou (Norwood) - Ben Nason (Central)

Big-names overlooked included Glenelg captain Ty Allen, West Adelaide captain Ryan Ferguson and South Adelaide full forward Michael Wundke.

Very surprised, especially with Allen and Wundke. I would have thought the game being on Glenelg Oval would have almost necessitated the selection of Allen.

Adelaide Hawk wrote:

Sabre wrote:I think ‘waddayamean’ was directing his question to me ‘AH’. Getting us mixed up must be a terrible insult for you Hawky.

Not at all, I consider it an honour to be confused with Al Bundy

I think the point is well made that Norwood have had a real team this season, and not many players are really standing out, whereas some other clubs have had that 2 or 3 players who have been their stars week in, week out. McGuinness certainly would have made the team had he been fit.

Hmmmm, must change that avatar. It’s far too accurate in certain ways. Time for a tribute to George Burns.

Agreed ‘AH’, KMac (before injury) & Zorba then daylight. Still 3 or 4 more screaming out in my book.

Hey, that’s a far better effort ‘Phil’. Far more potent with ‘Jezza’ up forward.


Just a quick observation …….

I had a chance to watch WA’s Callum Sinclair playing for Subiaco against Swan Districts recently.
For a big bloke his ball skills when the pill hits the deck reminded me of Brady Dawe.
He looks young, but could be on the way to a Kernahan/Franklin style of CHF when he fills out. He’s tall, agile, good hands, good mark and reliable goal shooter. I can see the un-AFL pinching him soon, so whoever gets the job on Sinclair will have to be clever, fast, tough and tall.

I see ‘Big Phil’ likes Central’s Tom Collier (193cm) at CHB in his line-up, but I’d prefer C.K’s choice of West’s Ryan Ferguson (197cm) or someone similar for this dangerous job. Don’t be surprised if Callum Sinclair becomes the Sandgropers ‘go to guy’ and the one to watch.

GO CROWEATERS !!!