The final round of the 2022 AFL Masters SA season saw the Riverland Superdogs travel to Adelaide to play East Hectorville. The Superdogs took to the field with the strongest side they had fielded all year with a full bench and were looking for a season ending win. Alas it was not to be as a high quality East Hectorville side had other ideas.
The weather was cool and cloudy with a slight breeze. Underfoot it was heavy and quite slippery – conditions unfamiliar to the Superdogs who had played nearly the entire season on the well grassed Lyrup Oval. This proved the difference between the sides as East Hectorville were at home in the conditions. Within a minute of the game starting East Hectorville had scored and for the first few minutes the game was played at their end of the ground. The Superdogs rallied and Anton Cook marked strongly at full forward and delivered Riverland’s first goal.
From there until the end of the third quarter the game was an arm wrestle as both sides went goal for goal. It was fast entertaining football. During this time Chris Minerds took some good marks at half forward as did Greg MacDonnell in the backline. Rob Romeo repulsed attack after attack and played his best game for the year.
At half time Anton Cook took over ruck duties and Paul Modra moved to full forward where he took some sensational marks and drove the Superdogs into attack time and time again. On ballers Jarrad Collinson and Dale Lellmann were working hard and proving a handful for the opposition. Jason King had his eye in and booted three goals during the game. At the final break the Superdogs led by 3 points.
In the final quarter the Superdogs ran out of legs in the heavy conditions. With some players also hampered by injuries they were not able to match East Hectorville and were outscored 3 goals to 2 to be defeated by 3 points.
Play of the day was actually on the way home. Ian Forsyth got off the bus at Waikerie and was retrieving his bag from the trailer when the bus drove off. Ian jumped in his wife’s car and chased the bus down before too many bags had fallen out. It had been a long day.
The next event on the AFL Masters calendar is the National AFL Masters carnival, which is being played in Adelaide from September 25 to October 1. The Superdogs have 5 representatives who will be playing for SA in their respective age groups – Rob Johnstone, Rob Romeo, Darren Kennedy, Dale Lellmann and Dean Schumann.
Final Scores:
East Hectorville 7.3.45 def Riverland Superdogs 6.6.42
Best Players:
J Collinson, D Lellmann, A Cook, P Modra, R Romeo, J King
Goal Scorers:
J King 3; A Cook 2; P Modra
Location
Hectorville Football Club, Magill SA
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