COACHES REPORT: U16’s / U18’s – Round 6

U18’s – Round 6, West Adelaide 7.3.45 V Sturt 12.8.80

Our Anzac Day weekend started with our Under-18s group attending the Anzac Day service on Friday morning, followed by breakfast at the Hilton RSL Club. The boys conducted themselves extremely well throughout the service and breakfast and were very respectful of the importance of the day, which was great to see.

The following morning, we had an earlier start at Hisense Stadium on what was a beautiful morning for footy. Over the course of the first half, we didn’t quite get the outcome we were looking for. While the scoreboard was close at halftime, we felt there were several improvement areas we needed to focus on to help drive the result we wanted.

In the third quarter, Sturt were able to win the contest and get the game on their terms, putting their system on show. We struggled to gain any meaningful territory during the quarter, which put us under constant pressure. We went into the three-quarter time break behind but made it a focus to work hard for the final 25 minutes on our contest and development areas. We thought we achieved this in small periods of the quarter, but overall we weren’t able to sustain it long enough, which was disappointing for players, coaches, staff, and supporters alike.

While it was a disappointing day overall, the coaching group feel we have a good understanding of why the result unfolded the way it did, and we’re confident we can address these areas moving forward.

In terms of individual performances, I thought our back seven held up really well under constant pressure and won the majority of their contests, which was really pleasing to see. Tom Kain was a standout across the day and was well supported by Fletcher Dillon and Archie Walsh. Mitch Marsh was judged our best forward while also spending time in the ruck, and Joe Raphael worked tirelessly at stoppages, doing everything he could to give us opportunities to go forward.

Overall, it was a valuable learning day for both players and coaches. We now turn our attention to Round 7 and look forward to taking on Centrals in a midweek game at Elizabeth on Wednesday, the 8th of May. Thanks for your support, and I hope to see you there.

– Russell Godson, U18’s Coach.

Best Players: Tom Kain, Fletcher Dillon, Archie Walsh, Mitch Marsh, Jo Raphael

Goals: Lukas Eagleton (2.0), Anthony Long (2.0), Diego Bueti (1.1), Angus Hooper (1.1.), Zane Syrokos (1.0)

Next Game: V Central District, Thursday May 8th. X Convenience Oval, 7:20PM

U16’s – Round 6, West Adelaide 6.7.43 V Sturt 8.14.62

On Saturday, we faced top-of-the-table Sturt for the second time in three weeks on our home turf. After a thrilling one-point victory in our previous encounter, the boys were prepared for a tight contest, knowing Sturt would be determined to exact revenge.

We started the game strongly in a highly competitive first quarter, applying immense pressure across the ground and winning our share of possession. With the aid of a slight breeze, we took a 7-point lead into the first break. However, some inaccurate kicking in front of goal meant we could have extended our advantage.

The second term proved challenging as we struggled to transition the ball out of our defensive 50 and connect with our forwards. Sturt dominated with front-half football, and our inability to execute the fundamentals and poor decisions by foot allowed them to capitalise on turnovers. Despite the immense effort of our back six, who stood tall under sustained pressure, we managed only three behinds to Sturt’s 3.3, resulting in an 11-point deficit at halftime.

After the break, the team responded with purpose and precision. We played decisive football and kicked the first two goals of the third quarter through Toby Bohbot, shifting momentum firmly in our favour. Unfortunately, we couldn’t fully capitalise, and the quarter evolved into a stalemate of missed opportunities. We took a slender 6-point lead into the final break, knowing Sturt would have the breeze in the last quarter.

In the final term, despite our best efforts, we struggled to implement our preferred style of play. Credit to Sturt, who applied relentless pressure, forcing errors that they punished on the scoreboard. We were unable to score a goal in the last quarter and ultimately fell to a 19-point loss. However, the boys’ endeavour, work rate, and resilience cannot be faulted. There are plenty of valuable lessons to take away as we prepare to face Sturt again later in the season.

We now have a week off before taking on Centrals in a Thursday Twilight match on May 8 at X-Convenience Oval. A huge thank you to everyone involved for their continued effort and commitment. Let’s regroup and come back stronger for the next challenge!

– Jeff Sochacki, U16’s Coach

Best Players: Hugh Hazelton, Calvin Jones, Dean Hatedakis, Andrew Crispe, Harper Farquhar

Goals: Percy Burgoyne (2), Toby Bohbot (2), Hamish Abbott (2)

Next Game: V Central District, Thursday May 8th. X Convenience Oval, 5:00PM