SANFL Grand Final – Sturt v Port Adelaide Reserves: There’s the Chikos

There’s the Chikos

Sturt versus Port Adelaide Reserves

2.40pm, Sunday 24 September

Adelaide Oval,

Aidan Hammond

 

Today is the SANFL Grand Final, and because my Walkerville team won the premiership, we get to parade around the oval at half time. We catch the bus into the city and there are already Sturt and Port supporters looking awkwardly at each other. We meet at Russell Ebert so we can do a roll call and get everyone rounded up. We go up the escalators to level 5 on the  eastern side, right in the middle up the top. We get some food. Last time I went to the Adelaide Oval for the Crows vs. GWS match I wanted food, and they had me asking, Where’s the chikos? Now, at the SANFL I can relax and say there’s the chikos.

So the first bounce has gone, Port Adelaide are going hard at the ball and Jake Neade gets 2 shots on goals but misses them both. Sturt get it back and take their chances by scoring a goal. Jake Neade gets it back, this time he capitalises. Sturt get on top at the last bit of the quarter and lead by 10 at the break.

I don’t get to see much of the second quarter because we have to go down and get ready to go and run out at half time. But from what I hear it is pretty even, Sturt getting a nice edge. I don’t want Port to win because 1. I am a Crows supporter (self explanatory), 2. I am a Norwood Supporter (again, self explanatory) and 3. I don’t want a reserves team to win because, remember, they are The Port Adelaide Reserves, Not the original Magpies. Some people at school think that the reserves copied Collingwood.

The Parading is fun, we get to hold the shield and flag, get photos taken, get high fives and get on the big screen. We eventually get back up to the top and my Dad (a Sturt supporter) is looking happy. In that quarter Sturt capitalise and take their chances, that gives them a comfortable lead.

In the last quarter Sturt have a handy lead and Port look gone. Port get onto it and get the momentum back, they level the scores, the cheer squad is happy. Sturt look gone now. Then out of nowhere they score a point. This lead is handy, then they get a very important goal which means Port will need 2 scoring shots to win. They score 1. 1 point is the margin. Everyone is tense, Sturt get it in their forward half, and it doesn’t matter anymore because the siren goes. They got back to back. Sorry Sturt you’re not getting the Norwood dynasty, watch out next year.

 

Sturt 7.8 (50)

Port Adelaide Reserves 7.7 (49)

 

Courtesy SANFL

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Comments

  1. It was a great match to be at, Aidan (I hear it may not have scanned so well on the TV). I reckon the SANFL grand final is the best footy day of the year in SA, regardless of who is actually playing. That said, let’s hope it’s the Redlegs next year.

  2. Thanks Dave,
    Yep, you can’t beat the SANFL.
    Especially when Norwood win 3 in a row.

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