Match Report – WAFL v SANFL State GameSaturday, May 15, 2021 - 5:14 PM - by Chris Pike

THE Kia Australia WAFL State Team fought hard in an exciting and free-flowing State Match at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday, but the SANFL just had too much firepower in the finish to end up winning by 53 points. 

It was quite the spectacle throughout the game with both teams playing an attractive and attacking brand of football. The end result was 31 goals between the teams representing the best of the SANFL and the WAFL, the two best state league competitions below the AFL.

The last quarter saw things break open even further with 14 goals kicked between the two sides, but ultimately it was South Australia claiming the 20.10 (130) to 11.11 (77) against Western Australia at Adelaide Oval.

What the result means historically is that remarkably after 96 meetings between WA and South Australia in interstate contests, the record is tied with 48 wins apiece.

It might have ultimately been a loss for the WAFL State Team, but there was still plenty to like from a line-up playing away from home with 18 players pulling on the Black Swans jumper for the first time.

One player no stranger to representing the WAFL is Claremont's dual Sandover Medallist Jye Bolton, and he remarkably now is a four-time State Game Simpson Medallist after being named WA's best player on Saturday at Adelaide Oval.

Bolton finished with 29 possessions and six entries inside the forward 50.

There were plenty of other strong performers for the WA team including West Perth spearhead Tyler Keitel kicking four goals from nine kicks while South Fremantle's Matty Parker kicked two.

Lachlan Delahunty was another Sandover Medal winner to put in a strong performance finishing with 26 possessions while Cam Eardley had 24 disposals, captain Leigh Kitchin 21, Bailey Rogers 21, Greg Clark 21, Connor West 20, Lachlan Martinis 17 and Josh Schoenfeld 17.

Corey Gault fought valiantly in the ruck as well and finished with 17 touches, 12 hit outs and six marks.

Matthew Broadbent was awarded the Fos Williams Medal as the best player for South Australia finishing with 29 possessions and 11 marks. 

Bryce Gibbs also had 31 touches and 13 marks and Riley Knight 29 disposals, Luke Partington 23, Campbell Combe 22, Matthew Goldsworthy 21 and Tyson Stengle 21.

Luke Reynolds kicked four goals for the SANFL, Stengle three, Jack Hayes three, Liam McBean three, Partington two and Lachie Hosie two.

It was South Australia who started strongly on home turf kicking the first three goals of the contest before WA got on the board on the quarter-time siren with Tyler Keitel kicking truly to bring the margin back to just 13 points.

The game opened up further in the second quarter and both sides kicked a little straight. The WAFL team was able to add three more goals through Greg Clark, Keitel and then again on the siren, Cody Ninyette to stay in touch and be only 20 points behind at the half-time break.

Keitel managed to boot a third goal during the third term for WA but that was their only goal of the quarter with the Croweaters kicking away further with five of their own to lead by 40 points at the final change.

What a cracking example of attacking, open football the last quarter was from both teams. South Australia piled on another eight goals with WA kicking six made up of two to Matty Parker, a fourth to Keitel and then Tyrone Thorne, Ben Edwards and Zac Strom joining in.

STATE GAME 2021

KIA AUSTRALIA WAFL STATE TEAM    1.6    4.7    5.11    11.11 (77)
WEST END SANFL STATE TEAM        3.7    7.9    12.9    20.10 (130)

WAFL: Goals – Keitel 4; Parker 2; Thorne, Ninyette, Edwards, Clark, Strom.
Best – Bolton, Delahunty, Keitel, Kitchin, Gault, Clark, Eardley.
SANFL: Goals – Reynolds 4; Stengle, Hayes, McBean 3; Partington, Hosie 2; Wilkinson, Gibbs, Sutcliffe.
Best – Broadbent, Gibbs, Knight, Stengle, Combe, Partington, Reynolds.

Simpson Medal (WA): Jye Bolton.
Fos Williams Medal (SA): Matthew Broadbent.