Jubilant and tired Saints players rejoice after their third win in a row. Photo Ali Laslett

Coober Pedy’s third game of the year was another win for the Saints and a great boost for the team who for the past few years have enjoyed both fine wins and deserving losses.  

A victorious atmosphere prevailed as the final siren sounded on  Saturday 1st May in Coober Pedy’s favour against Roxby Districts. 

Loyal crowds from both teams flooded into the ground as the two teams kicked off with hard play on each side making it extremely difficult for either to get close to the goal posts.  

Coober Pedy kicked several goals in succession and held their scores until half time when Roxby Districts closed the gap making the last two quarters a tense event.  Players from both teams showed  fitness and determination with excellent teamwork on both sides.  At the siren the match went Coober Pedy’s way with only 7 points difference.

Coach, Carmello Crisa revs up the team in the club rooms before the match. Photo Chris Warrior

Final scores were: Coober Pedy 9 goals 13 behinds 67 points defeated Roxby Districts 8 goals 12 behinds 60 points.

The Woomera and Districts season opened this year with a much improved Coober Pedy Saints team, winning their first game for the year against Hornridge in Roxby Downs. 

The first quarter against Hornridge was a great start to the year by the Saints kicking the first 5 goals of the match including 2 to new recruit, Bradley Amos.

The rest of the game was an even affair with Hornridge matching the Saints with their intensity and on the scoreboard.

Hornridge have unfortunately lost quite a few of their star players from 2009 but were still very competitive throughout the game.  

Hornridge and the Saints fly hight for the ball. Photo Anne Burns

For Coober Pedy, Aaron Shakes playing his first game in four years showed that he had lost none of his football prowess.

Bernard Lennon’s pace and tackling skills are a pleasure to watch and the father son combination of Zaaheer and Jamahl McKenzie showed that they are going to provide a few headaches for the opposing teams throughout the year.

Coober Pedy 17 goals 11 behinds 113 points ran out winners by 38 points against Hornridge 11 goals 9 behinds 75 points.  

The second game also played in Roxby Downs was against a much improved Andamooka side who have great depth in their playing squad this year. Andamooka won the toss and kicked with the aid of a significant breeze. However, Coober Pedy made the better start and had the first two goals on the board and kept Andamooka goalless until the last few minutes of the term when they kicked 3 quick goals.

The Saints Footy Team after the Hornridge match. Photo: Anne Burns

The third quarter saw Andamooka put a lot of scoreboard pressure on the Saints but unfortunately for them, they couldn’t convert a lot of their opportunities.  

A goal to Andamooka on the three quarter time siren put them 30 points up and would have had many thinking that they had done enough to win the game. The score at three quarter time was Andamooka 7.14 (56) to Coober Pedy 4.2 (26).

Magarey Medal winner Zaaheer McKenzie buries his boot into the ball during the Hornridge match at Roxby Downs. Photo: Anne Burns

In the second quarter, Coober Pedy did not make use of the breeze and squandered many opportunities to score through overuse of the ball and playing too wide. Andamooka were just in front at half-time.

What followed in the last quarter was one of the best quarters of football that the Saints have played. New Saints player Chad McKenzie was moved to Centre Half Forward and had immediate effect marking 55-60 metres out from goal within the first few minutes of the quarter and easily slotting it home.

A couple of minutes later, Zaaheer McKenzie leading out from Full Forward in place of the injured Bradley Amos, gathered the ball and kicked it back over his shoulder with it fortuitously bouncing through for a goal. From then on, the Saints had the momentum with the ball spending nearly the whole time in their forward half.

The scene that says it all. Third win all over the faces of players at Coober Pedy on Saturday night. Thank you supporters and sponsors. Well done Saints! Photo: Chris Warrior

With only a couple of minutes left to go in the quarter, a quick snap out of a ruck contest hit the post which put Coober Pedy in front by a point. Final scores were Coober Pedy 8.10 (58) defeated Andamooka 7.15 (57).

Scores, Goal Kickers and Best Players for Rounds 1, 2, 3

Round 3 – May 1, 2010

Coober Pedy 9.13 (67) d Roxby Districts 8.12 (60)

Best: Coober Pedy – J McKenzie, A Stalier, S Nelson, B Buller, B Lennon. Roxby Districts – N Anderson, J Tellfer, J Pyke, J Rose, J Roberts. Goals: Coober Pedy – B Lennon, T Walker 2,  Z McKenzie, C Warren, J Crisa, C McKenzie.
Roxby Districts – S Kaminski, S Finey, J Roberts 2, J Watson, K Zeptner 1

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Round 2 – April 24, 2010

Coober Pedy 8.10 (58) def Andamooka 7.15 (57)

Best – Coober Pedy: B Lennon J McKenzie A Shakes S Young B Buller. Andamooka – L Scobie B Harris D Vanzati M Bennett S Rovelli. Goals – Coober Pedy – B Amos 2 Z McKenzie A Dingaman B Buller J McKenzie C McKenzie C Warren.
Andamooka – T Paull 3 S Rovelli C Newcombe D Vanzati S Matulick

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Round 1 – April 17, 2010

Coober Pedy 17.11 (113) defeated Hornridge 11.9 75 

Best Coober Pedy – Bernard Lennon, B Amos, I Brown,  Z McKenzie, D Barnes. Hornridge – M Blackie, B Cooper, P Rhodes ,N Tuthil,l T Golding. Goals: Coober Pedy – B Amos, 5 J McKenzie, S Young, Z McKenzie, 2 B Buller, W Chamberlain, I Brown, A Dingaman, B Lennon, J Crisa, 1.
Hornridge – C Rainsford 3 L Munro 2 N Tuthill W Moroney B Grimstone T Goding M Giles M Blackie