WAFL v SANFL Kia State Game WrapFriday, May 19, 2023 - 5:56 PM - by Chris Pike

A DOMINANT third quarter wasn’t quite enough for Western Australia to snap its run of outs against South Australia with the SANFL kicking the KIA State Game's last two goals on Friday for a 13-point victory.

It was the 98th meeting between the two proud football states dating back to 1904 and the SANFL team was able to make it four consecutive victories to take a 50-48 overall lead, but it was a trademark tight and tough contest at Adelaide Oval.

While South Australia kicked the last two goals of the first half to lead by 17 points at half-time and by as much as 19 early in the third quarter, the WAFL team kicked the only three goals of the term.

WA then took the lead with a goal to debutant Mitch Dobson to start the last term, but couldn’t quite go on with it and the SANFL managed the last two goals of the contest to claim the 8.16 (64) to 7.9 (51) victory.

East Perth's Angus Schumacher was one of just 12 players in the game who had represented the WAFL before in a State game, and the midfielder ended up winning the Simpson Medal continuing his standout form from the Royals.

He finished with 19 possessions, four marks, four tackles and four inside-50 entries for the game.

Ben Sokol was playing his fourth game representing the WAFL and was the only multiple goalkicker with three goals for the afternoon from 10 kicks and six marks. He has now kicked nine goals in his four matches for the Black Swans.

WA had 10 State debutants playing for the day and one of those was emerging South Fremantle defender Toby McQuilkin. He looked right at home on the big stage finishing with 23 touches and five marks.

Teia Miles is in his first season in the WAFL with Claremont and transferred his form to the State game with 21 disposals, five marks and three inside-50 entries while Subiaco fairest and best winner Stefan Giro gathered 20 touches.

Prime East Fremantle on-baller Milan Murdock was another debutant and had 19 possessions, seven tackles and a goal with Cam Eardley gathering 18 touches, Jesse Turner 18 and reigning Grand Final Simpson Medallist Luke Meadows 16.

Former Adelaide Crows small forward James Rowe is in his first season back in the SANFL with Woodville-West Torrens after playing 36 AFL games over the past two years, and he was terrific for South Australia to win the Fos Williams Medal.

Rowe ended the game with 26 possessions, 11 marks, eight inside-50 entries, three tackles and a goal.

Liam McBean kicked three goals in the first half for South Australia and there were times he looked unstoppable, but the WA defence did well to limit him to those three goals and just nine kicks and six marks.

Connor Ballenden also kicked two goals for the SANFL while Darcy Bailey amassed 28 disposals, Mitch Hardie 25, Casey Voss 19, Manguru Frederick 19 and Tom Lewis 19 to go with nine tackles.

South Australia made a strong start on home turf with the first two goals of the game through spearhead Liam McBean and Keenan Ramsey, but Western Australia soon worked into the contest.

After a string of behinds, Subiaco goal shark Ben Sokol got the visitors on the board before his Lions teammate Stefan Giro followed suit to give the WAFL team the lead heading towards quarter-time. 

However, on the siren the Croweaters regained the advantage courtesy of McBean who kicked his second and the SANFL side was two points up at the first change despite WA being on top in most areas of the contest.

That wasn’t the case in the second term and McBean's third goal early on extended the home side's lead to 10 points and he was threatening to tear the game open with the way he was presenting to the ball, and being found with accuracy by his teammates.

WA did get a goal back with a clever snap in traffic from Milan Murdock, but the South Australians were taking charge and goals heading into half-time from Connor Ballenden and James Rowe pushed their lead out to 17 points at the main break.

The WAFL had to respond and it took almost 13 minutes of the third term for a goal to be kicked, but it went the way of Sokol who nailed a trademark set shot. He missed the chance to have another when he dropped a mark soon after, but recovered quickly and threw it on his boot.

It wobbled through and suddenly the margin was back to one straight kick and scores were all level not long after when AFL fancy Jack Buller kicked truly from 50.

South Australia went goalless in the third quarter but still clung to a one-point lead at three quarter-time, but that didn’t last long and WA was back in front four minutes into the final term.

Mitch Dobson kicked his first goal in the black-and-gold when he swooped in the goal square with advantage paid when Buller drew the free-kick.

WA had all the momentum at that stage with the only four goals of the second half, but they wouldn’t kick another goal in the game.

The last two goals of the contest went the way of the SANFL team through Manguru Frederick and Ballenden with the South Australians dominating play for much of the last 20 minutes and having nine scoring shots to two in the last term to end up securing the 13-point win. 

WAFL v SANFL KIA STATE GAME 2023

WESTERN AUSTRALIA        2.6    3.7    6.8    7.9 (51)
SOUTH AUSTRALIA        3.2    6.6    6.9    8.16 (64)

WAFL: Goals – Sokol 3; Murdock, Giro, Buller, Dobson.
Best – Schumacher, Murdock, McQuilkin, Giro, Miles, Sokol, Eardley, Eastland.
SANFL: Goals – McBean 3; Ballenden 2; Frederick, Rowe, Ramsey.
Best – Rowe, Hardie, Bailey, Lewis, Sinor, McBean, Turner, Voss, Frederick.

SIMPSON MEDAL (WA): Angus Schumacher
FOS WILLIAMS MEDAL (SA): James Rowe