3rd Place Playoff Report – Wheelchair League

3rd Place Playoff – Wheelchair League

Friday 29th August

West Adelaide 14.6.90

Centrals 12.11.83

Up against Centrals in the 3rd place playoff, we knew this was our chance to secure that inaugural win and finish the season on a high.

The first quarter was a real arm wrestle. We came out strong, scoring the first two goals of the game and three of the first four. Centrals responded with three straight before a late goal gave us a 1 point lead at the first break.

In the second quarter, Centrals lifted their intensity and pace, kicking two quick goals. We managed to reply, but the Doggies had the momentum, booting five goals to our three to lead by 17 points at halftime.

The third quarter remained back and forth. Fortunately, Centrals were inaccurate in front of goal (2.4), while we capitalised (3.1), reducing the margin to 14 points heading into the fourth quarter.

Coming into our final quarter of the year, this group showed their resilience and fight that’s been building all season. We kicked the first two goals while Centrals added four behinds, giving us belief that this was our moment. With less than two minutes to go, the Doggies kicked their first of the term, extending their lead to 11 points. But we weren’t done. Two goals in the space of 40 seconds suddenly gave us a 1-point lead with less than a minute to play. From the next centre ball-up, a desperate scramble saw us snatch another goal, sealing the win and 3rd place.

As the final siren sounded, the emotion said it all. After over three months of hard work, setbacks and never giving up despite some heavy losses, this team finally got the reward they deserved. Our first ever win in the SANFL Wheelchair League, a moment to be proud of and never forget.

Goal scorers: Giang Danh – 10, Hallam Chitty – 2, Johnny Phanratry – 1

Best Players: 1. Giang Danh, 2. Tony Wade, 3. Jake Bilsborow, 4. Hallam Chitty

Giang Danh

Coach