Coaches Report - Finals Week 1
A's vs SHOC; C's vs GG and D's vs Port Districts
A Grade Match Report: Elimination Final 2025 v SHOC
Everyone starts preseason with the goal to qualify to play finals. That was the mandate set back in Dec 2024. Having done the work and now qualified new goals and new expectations are established with the understanding finals brings with it a new level of pressure. We believe “Pressure is a privilege” and we play that way.
A huge crowd gathered at CMO for the Elimination final against our long standing rivals in SHOC. The winner to progress with the loser an end to their season. We make a point each week to look to have a fast start and build the scoreboard. Our opponents at the opening bounce controlled the contest and vital field position camping the ball in their front half placing our back 6 under siege. Opportunity after opportunity in front of goal enabled them to capitalise early , however a team lifting pressure act and solo effort by Jett Boxer resulted in a much needed late goal to bring the deficit back to 18 points at the break.
Not for the first time this season we found ourselves behind at quarter time, but the mood remained calm and measured. The message “play our way and execute“. In second we lifted our work rate, and our contest method produced reward with valuable territory and opportunities in front of goal. James Butterworth the seasoned veteran along with our Captain Stefan Lanzoni showed tremendous leadership in maintaining the composure of the group enabling us to gain valuable momentum. It was clear early in such a tight contest goals were at a premium for both sides. Our back 6 recalibrated and held our opponents to just 3 points for the quarter, however with the ascendancy and control we failed to capitalise finishing the quarter with just 1 goal 6 points cutting the margin back to 9 points at the main break.
In the sheds at the main break the mood was consistent calm and measured with a clear directive “keep doing what we have done all year, trust the plan and each other“.
The third was an arm wrestle, both sides controlling the ball and valued field position. Goals remained at a premium with both struggling to break the game open. Darci Best asserted himself on the contest with characteristic contested marking and run, while Finn Wakelin came into the game with some strong intercept marks behind the ball. Both he and Paddy Dawson saved many opportunities created by our opponents. The margin at the final break remained unchanged with a 9 point deficit on the scoreboard.
Elimination finals often come down to moments especially in the final stanza, so the challenge for us was to firstly overcome the deficit which we had searched for all day and then break the game open. An early opportunity for our opponents went begging and then through the agency of the likes of Charlie Kemp, Xavier Tranfa , Beau Baldwin and to be honest all 22 we seized the opportunity, and Finn Wakelin did the rest kicking the first of two we needed. From that moment we held our composure, James Warton kicked an outstanding running goal which lifted the side and the crowd. It was then over to best on ground Jett Boxer who kicked two final clutch goals one from yet another incredible mark to seal the victory by 12 points.
A tremendous reward and one we will again look to learn from and move onto our next challenge.
Final Score : ROCFC 8.13.61 defeated SHOC 6.13.49
Goal Kickers : J. Boxer 3, B. Baldwin 1, T. McCormack 1, F. Wakelin 1, S. Lanzoni 1, J. Warton 1.
Best Players: J. Boxer, C. Kemp, D. Best J. Butterworth, P. Dawson
See you at the footy.
Damian Boots
A Grade & Club Coach
C Grade Match Report: Elimination Final 2025 v Golden Grove
Golden Grove at Golden Grove is fast becoming one of the hardest road trips in the Adelaide Footy League and to play them in a final out there was going to be a massive challenge and proved to be too big.
We started ok in what was an arm wrestle in the first term, taking a small lead into the qtr. time break. We lost Morgan Crabtree late in the first term with a serious knee injury. Unfortunately, the second term we derailed and for whatever reason completely went away from our DNA and basic errors at both ends saw GG kick 5.4 to 0.2 to take a 26pt lead into the half time break.
Credit to the group, they didn’t give it away and stormed back into the contest with 4.2 to 0.2 an reduce the deficit to 0.2 at 3 qtr. time.
We kicked the first goal of the last term and then dominated field position but just could not find a forward to really impact the scoreboard and give us some breathing space, James McGuiness threatened to take responsibility kicking 2 goals and looking ominous before straining his hamstring early in the last.
Critical errors just inside our 50 turned what should have been goal scoring opportunities into exits for GG.
As is often the case, they took the ball inside 50 4 times in the last 7 minutes and kicked 3 goals and that was the game. Inside 50s for the fourth term were 15 to 4 our way, but we just could not put scoreboard pressure on and to their credit they looked like they would score every time they entered.
All the key stats indicated a really solid finals performance bar the second qtr. and to be consistent in finals you need 4 qtr. application.
Congratulations to the D & A grade on their elimination finals wins and we wish them well for the rest of the major round.
Final Scores: ROCS 7.6.48 defeated by Golden Grove 9.8.62
Goal Scorers: James McGuinness 2, Max Aufderheide 1, Aspen Davis 1, Amer Elhosni 1, Jordan Huppatz 1, Thomas Matsis 1
Best Players: Thomas Matsis, Fabian Di Iulio, Anton Slivak, Daniel Leonard, Samuel Warren
Peter Pedersen
C Grade Coach
D Grade Match Report: Elimination Final 2025 v Port Districts
A massive challenge for the Rocs Academy hosting Pt. District in an Elimination Final, following a cold and wet week in the buildup to a rare curtain raiser before our division 1 side also in an Elimination Final. A huge crowd had gathered during the morning to cheer on the mighty Rocs to victory.
The first term started with both sides striving for ascendancy around the contest but struggled to create fluent ball movement as the pressure around the ground became intense and both defensive units were on-top and became impassable. Rocs working hard to find a way forward finally got the scoreboard ticking over but Pt. District were soon back in the low scoring , highly congested match up with the score's tied up by the first break.
1/4 time score Rocs 1-1 vs Pt. District 1-1.
Rocs were much better in the second stanza, as our run & carry teamwork developed much better opportunities to surge forward & our hard working forward line combined together to create scoreboard pressure. Rocs produced our best quarter of footy for the game with our backline supreme in keeping District's forwards under control.
1/2 time score Rocs 4-3 vs Pt. District 1-2.
The second half became a dour tussle with Pt. District fighting hard to stay in touch. Rocs had to desperately defend the lead as District challenged again and again with time ticking away late in the contest Rocs held on for a dramatic 6pt win & advance to a semi-final next week. A true team effort from the Red & Black's with many different contributions from everyone to get us through the high pressure game.
Final score ROCS 5.6.36 defeated Pt District 4.6.30
Goalkickers- J McInerney -2, P. Norris -1, J. Thoday -1, M. Palmer -1.
Best players- M. Warren, M. Lombardi, H. Brasher, F. Shanahan, M. Nitschke, J. Munchenburg.
Best team men- S. DuBois, L. Tripodi, D. Leggett.
Steve Edwards
D Grade Coach
