U16’s Preliminary Final – Coaches Report

Preliminary Final V South Adelaide

Date: Saturday September 6

Venue: Thomas Farms Oval

West Adelaide: 14.16.100

South Adelaide 8.8.56

After the disappointment of a narrow 10-point loss to Centrals in the Semi Final, largely due to poor conversion in front of goal, our Under 16 boys responded with determination and focus against South Adelaide in the Preliminary Final, securing a place in the Grand Final.

South Adelaide made an immediate impact, kicking the first goal within 35 seconds with the aid of a strong breeze. They capitalised on early momentum and jumped to a 19-point lead within the first 12 minutes. Despite the early setback, our boys remained composed. At the 13-minute mark, Cal Jones kicked a crucial goal into the wind, sparking a surge that saw us kick the next three goals and take a 6-point lead into quarter time. This turnaround was built on pressure, run, carry, and decisive ball use, hallmarks of our game plan and team belief.

The second quarter was all West Adelaide. With the breeze at our backs, we dominated the contest, kicking 4.6 to South’s solitary behind. Our forwards applied relentless pressure, and our midfield connection was outstanding, and our defensive actions and layers was strong, helping us build a commanding 34-point lead at the main break.

At halftime, the message was clear: we hadn’t achieved anything yet. The third quarter, often referred to as the premiership quarter, was critical. We resumed with intensity, kicking the first two goals inside 10 minutes to stretch the lead to 47 points. South managed to break our streak of 10 unanswered goals and edged us out for the quarter 3.3 to 3.2, but we still held a strong 33-point lead heading into the final term.

With the breeze again in our favour, we emphasised maintaining our work rate and finishing strongly. The boys responded perfectly, kicking 5.8 to South’s 2.3 in the final quarter, sealing a 44-point victory and booking a spot in the Grand Final against Centrals.

This win also means our Under 16s will join our Under 18s at Adelaide Oval next Sunday September 14, marking a huge achievement for our junior program and the West Adelaide Football Club overall.

Goal Kickers: P Burgoyne 4, S DePalma 2, D Marks 2, L Andriani, A Comakis, D Hatedakis, C Jones, J Nickolls, H Williams

Best Players:  L Andriani, S DePalma, C Jones, A Crispe, H Williams

Under 16 Head Coach

Jeff Sochacki

Go Bloods!