The President's Report - Round 18

President's Report

No. 18, Round 17 — Written by Lawrie Colliver

A GRADE WIN TO FINISH SEASON WELL, Bs FALL JUST SHORT OF A FINALS SPOT

The last day of minor round saw the A grade knock off top three side Walkerville by four points to finish the season with three on the trot. The B grade went close to just miss finals, while the Cs were well beaten but are confirmed in the top five. The Ds again gave their all before going down to Uni.
Thanks to all for the minor round season, while we lick our wounds let’s get behind C’s coach James “Lemon” Brennan as he and his lads head into a Elimination Final this Saturday at Camden.

Watch the highlights below.

This week

A Grade

Pembroke 11.9 (75) def Walkerville 10.11 (71) at Haslam

On a good day for football, Henry Read set the wheels in motion with an early goal and then kicked his second minutes later with a good snap. Brother Max Read was giving the on ballers first use of the ball as the Kings were in good touch but then Walkerville got into the game as a few errors proved costly, the Cats adding the next three goals to take the lead. Then late in the term Pearson found Read deep in the boarding house pocket, the Kings full-forward bending it through brilliantly to bring up his 50th goal of the season. Tyson Matthews also had a chance to kick a major but his kick landed short and bounced at a horrid angle through for a behind, the Kings up 3.3 to 3.1 at the first change.

At the start of the second quarter Max Davis was involved in the play as he got the ball over to Henry Read who kicked his fourth. It was developing into a good game of footy as Walkerville goaled, but then the Kings work by hand was excellent, Henry Read kicking another to make it five from five. Skipper Ollie Harms and co-defender Dylan Hopkins were taking some good grabs down back as the Kings were having the better of the play and when Will Kennett snapped truly, we had a 14-point lead. A series of mistakes in the backline saw us concede a couple of behinds but then from a forward stoppage Matthews snapped a clever goal to put us 18-points clear. With seconds left in the half, the Cats got one back, and in what continued to be a good game to watch, the Kings lead by two goals at the long break.

The third quarter saw the Kings start well as Tom Duffy’s good mark at half forward saw him hit Henry Read with the kick, the full-forward kicking his sixth to once again put us out to a three-goal lead. From here the game was pretty even in general play but the scoring dried up for the Kings, Walkerville having a decent run of play to kick goals mid and late in the term, the margin narrowed to just three points with a quarter to go.

So for the third week in a row a tight finish loomed, could the Kings find a way to win in their last match of the season? After a tight stretch of play, Walkerville goaled after six minutes to grab the lead back for the first time since the first quarter. Shortly after Sam Gecz got a quick kick forward which found Armando Iannunzio, who put it through to give us back the lead. Moments later he had another chance, but the snap just missed. With the Kings deep in attack the ball was kept alive through a series of slick handpasses until Tully Kennett snapped on the left to put us nine-point ahead at the 17-minute mark. Hard defensive action from the backline kept Walkerville out as we worked it forward to Henry Read who marked once more but just missed with the shot from long range.

Then the Cats rolled the dice and moved the ball quickly to goal to narrow the margin to three points as the game entered time on. From there Kane Pearson got a kick clear to Matthews, who missed to the left to add a handy behind. Then after some great defensive work once more, Illman kicked long to Gecz who took a strong mark. Gecz calmly put it through to make it a 10-point lead. Walkerville goaled again late, but with the ball back in the centre the siren sounded after a couple of seconds and the Kings had got up to win in their final game of the season.

Best – Kane Pearson, Henry Read (6 goals), Max Davis, Max Read, Dylan Hopkins.

B GRADE

Pembroke 9.2 (56) lost to Walkerville 9.11 (65) at Haslam.

In a must win game for the Kings to make finals, Walkerville were on the board with a goal inside the first two minutes of play. Eddie Elias replied with a goal shortly after to level the game up. Play was even over the next 10 minutes, Walkerville missed a few chances until Tom Felice kicked a great goal for the Kings from a tight angle to put us three points up at quarter time.

Walkerville were up and about with three goals in the first eight minutes of the second quarter and looked like they were going to take the game away. The Cats were running the ball well through the midfield and had they been more accurate in front of goal could have had a match winning lead. The Kings failed to score in what was a disappointing term to trail by 18-points at half time, 4.7 to 2.1.

Walkerville kicked the opening goal of the third term within two minutes, and at this stage it looked like it the Cats by a long way. But then some great run out and handball out of the backline from the Kings saw Ned Carruthers kick to Venkha Sivashanker who slotted home a much-needed goal. Then a few minutes later we goaled thanks to Felice on the left to narrow the margin. The defence continued to provide more rebound and midway through the term, Riley Wake was at the backend of some good play to goal, making it just a six-point game, 5.1 to 5.7. The Cats then kicked two goals back to ease their lead back out 17 points at three quarter time.

At the start of the last term, big Rory Switajewski won the opening clearance out the middle and moments later Charlie Bowen’s tackle was rewarded, as he goaled in the opening minute. A few minutes later Wake swooped on a miskick from the Cats defence to kick a long goal and make it 7.2 to 7.8, just six points the difference. When Sam Creighton goaled off the ground a minute later, it was all tied up at 50 points each. With it all on the line, Walkerville kicked a behind and then were awarded a dubious free kick for holding the ball, the Cats goaling to lead by seven points. Minutes later they goaled once more to have a 13-point lead with seven minutes to go. The lads fought on, Lucas Saunders marked well and goaled with under to minute to go but sadly it was too little too late, the final margin nine points.

Best - Ned Carruthers, Riley Wake, Sam Carruthers, Rory Switajewski.

C GRADE

Pembroke 5.5 (35) lost to Walkerville 15.7 (97) at Haslam

After five wins on the trot, the C grade was well beaten by a strong Walkerville line up. Thankfully it doesn’t affect their spot in the top five as they head into an Elimination final this Saturday.

Best – Max Nicholls, Patrick Brooks, Hal Ives, Josh Teakle, Darren Nguyen

D GRADE

Pembroke 2.4 (16) lost at Adelaide Uni 18.14 (122) at Park 12

A win to finish the season for the Kings D grade. A big thanks to coach Jake Elias and all the lads who turned out and gave their best in 2026.

Best – Hugo Sutton, George Cother, Jake Elias, Mitchell George, Adam Burford

Current ladder positions

A grade 7th (8 wins, 10 losses),
B grade 6th (9/9),
C grade 4th (10/8),
D grade 8th (3/13),
Queens finished 5th (5/8/1 draw)

Leading goalkickers to date

A grade – Henry Read 53, Armando Iannunzio 24, Will Kennett 15.
B grade – Lucas Saunders 32,
C grade – Harvey Wood 48, Eddie Cook 17, Riley Wake 15.
D grade – Peter Jones 21, Mitch George 12.
Queens – Amber Hopkins 19, Chloe Tucker 8, Ailis Nolan 7, Indira Panelli 7.

Other Business

Congratulations to to INDIRA PANELLI for coming THIRD in the W3 medal.

Thanks also to former player and loyal supporter SCOTT GURNER for sorting the BBQ on Saturday in my absence.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 9, END OF SEASON DINNER at the ARKABA HOTEL

Ticket price and further info to be advised soon for our end of season dinner.

THIS WEEK: AUGUST 29 - C GRADE ELIMINATION FINAL v PHOS CAMDEN AT CAMDEN OVAL FROM 10.15am

RED/WHITE WINE AVAILABLE FOR SALE - $15 a bottle.

We have some stock left, including Wirra Wirra Church block, Bremer River Vineyards Shiraz from Langhorne Creek. Email me at Lawrie.Colliver@gmail.com if you would like to buy some.

SEEYA BACK AT THE KENSI POST-MATCH

That’s all for now, thanks for your attention and seeya at the Footy

It’s good to be green.
Best wishes
Lawrie Colliver
President POSFC
0449 800855

Season 2026