Coaches Report – SANFL Reserves and League

Round 7 Match Report – Reserves
Glenelg  15.14 (104) def. West Adelaide 7.5 (47)

Coming off the bye, we run into a strong Glenelg outfit and ultimately went down by 8 goals at Stratarama Stadium.

A strong wind in the first quarter proved difficult for our defenders, with the Bays kicking the first 4-goals of the game. Our first came through a clever goal by the returning Rhys Mooney followed by another crumb and goal by young gun Bailey White.

The second quarter was an arm wrestle as both teams kicked two goals apiece. Veteran Josh Shepperd kicked truly and in-form enigma Lachlan Tredwell converted to keep the game within reach. We steadied the game and trailed Glenelg by only two majors going into the main break.

The third quarter was also a scrappy affair but a 5-goal blitz in seven minutes opened up the game for Glenelg. Defenders Will Patton (23 disposals, 8 marks) and Hamish Dow (15 disposals) tried hard but missed opportunities in front of goal by Mooney and Oscar Kregar meant that Glenelg took a 7-goal lead into the final term.

The final quarter was again a tight contest but the classy Jonty Koehne (15 disposals, 2 goals) provided some spark as we continued to search for a way back into the game. The talented Michael Laudato kicked a long goal and Koehne’s second major was on the back of some excellent midfield work by Ray Harding (15 disposals, 30 hit outs), Harvey Bock (11 disposals, 4 tackles), and Jed Obst (20 disposals), but Glenelg matched us goal for goal until the final siren.

Underneath an 8-goal loss, we matched Glenelg for 88 minutes of the game but two small lapses allowed Glenelg to kick away. We continue to learn about this playing group and invest in their individual and collective development. Our next game versus Norwood at Hisense Stadium can’t come quick enough and I expect that we will respond on the 10-year reunion of the 2015 Bloods premiership.

Best Players:

Will Patton,  Jed Obst, Raymond Harding

Goals:

Jonty Koehne 2

Rhys Mooney 1.1

Michael Laudato, Josh Sheppard, Lachlan Tredwell, Bailey White 1 each

Sam Elliott

Reserves Coach

Round 7 Match Report
Glenelg 21.16 (142) def. West Adelaide 7.13 (55)

Saturday’s 87-point loss to Glenelg was incredibly disappointing and well below the standard we expect at the West Adelaide Football Club.

While the scoreboard may suggest we were out of the contest early, that wasn’t the case in the opening term. We matched Glenelg for scoring opportunities — both sides had eight shots on goal — but the difference was in how each side executed. They kicked 5.3, we managed 2.6. Missed chances early cost us the chance to build any real pressure.

At the 10-minute mark of the third quarter, we were five goals down and still within reach. But from there, our drop-off in defensive intent, communication and contest was unacceptable. Over the final quarter and a half of football, we conceded 10 goals to 2 — a reflection of not just physical fatigue, but mental lapses and a lack of connection in our team defence.

A particularly glaring stat was Glenelg’s +82 uncontested marks. That’s an enormous number and speaks directly to our inability to communicate and stay connected defensively. That’s on us — as coaches and players — and it will be a major focus moving forward.

There were some positives. Kobe Ryan played his best game for the season, finishing with 26 disposals, 11 clearances, 5 tackles and 7 score involvements. He was relentless at the contest and gave us real drive around stoppage. Tom Scully also showed his class up forward, working tirelessly all day and finishing with 3 goals and 5 marks in a tough role.

But ultimately, individual efforts are not enough — we need a collective lift. We have a lot to work on, particularly around our team defence, communication, and ability to stick to our structures when momentum is against us.

Our group is still learning and growing, but we won’t make excuses. We’ll own the result and look to respond this week against Norwood. That starts on the training track this week.

Best Players:

Kobe Ryan, Tom Scully, Jesse Thackery

Goals:

Tom Scully 3.2

Dylan Bramich 2

Brady Searle 1.2

Joel Parker 1

Adam Hartlett
Senior Coach
West Adelaide Football Club