West End Slowdown
Encyclopedia
The West End Slowdown is an annual charity Australian rules football
match run by the Little Heroes Foundation (formerly named the McGuinness-McDermott Foundation) to raise funds to improve oncology treatment for South Australian children.
The match is held at the end of the regular AFL
season, with teams drawn mostly from retired AFL and SANFL players, augmented with a sprinkling of celebrities who over the years have included former World number 1 tennis
player Lleyton Hewitt
, singer Guy Sebastian
and Australian media personality and actor Andrew Daddo
. The ex-players competing are mostly those who represented either the Adelaide Crows
or the Port Adelaide Power during their AFL career, even if they only played a minimal amount of games for the club. Port Power also can call on ex-Port Adelaide Magpies
players while the Crows can usually call on any player who has ever been on their playing list including ex-Port Magpies players who played at the Crows, though those players who played for both the Magpies and the Crows have the option of choosing who they play for, e.g Greg Anderson
who started his senior career with the Magpies in the SANFL in 1983, played 121 games for the club and indeed won the Magarey Medal
in 1986 and Magpies premierships in 1995 and '96, plays for the "Crows" in the Slowdown while David Brown
who also started with the Magpies, was a inaugural Crows member and played 69 games for the club and played also for the Power in the AFL represents the "Power" in Slowdowns.
Regular players/coaches in the Slowdown over the years have been the likes of inaugural Crows and Power coaches Graham Cornes
and John Cahill, 1997 Coleman Medallist
Tony Modra
, Magarey Medallists Tony McGuinness (co-founder of the MM-Foundation), Greg Anderson, Andrew Jarman
and Scott Hodges
, Brownlow Medallists Gavin Wanganeen
and Mark Ricciuto
as well as various Crows and Port premiership players as well as co-founder of the McGuinness-McDermott Foundation and inaugural Adelaide Crows club captain Chris McDermott
.
In both 2004 and 2011 a State of Origin
Slowdown was held at the Adelaide Oval between South Australia and Victoria. Former 1990
Collingwood premiership player Doug Barwick
had the chance after the final siren to win the game for Victoria in 2004 but his 52m kick was deemed to be only a point giving SA the win by just 4 points. In 2011 the game supported the Little Heroes Foundation and the Reach Foundation, a youth charity started by 1991 Brownlow Medallist Jim Stynes
. The game, played in a great spirit, saw many lead changes with the Big V holding a 20 point lead in the third quarter but South Australia mounted a comeback and with only 20 seconds left in the game, former North Adelaide
, Hawthorn and Adelaide Crows
premiership player Darren Jarman
kicked a goal to give the Croweaters the victory by a single point. Despite playing on the losing side, Brendan Fevola
, the only player still actively playing football, won the West End Slowdown Medal as best on ground.
The games have been generally well supported with crowds of around 10-15,000 attending most games, though some games such as Slowdown VI in 2005 saw a crowd of around 25,000 with the entry fee being only a gold coin donation (AUD
$1 or $2) with all gate takings going to the Little Heroes Foundation. The 2011 State of Origin Slowdown had an entry fee of $5 and saw a crowd of around 12,000.
In 2007 the event moved from its home at the Adelaide Oval
to the SANFL's own AAMI Stadium
due to the Oval being used for cricket
by its major tenant, the Southern Redbacks
. The game remained at AAMI for 2008 before moving back to the Adelaide Oval in 2009. The 2009 game was also the first Slowdown to be played under lights. In 2011 the State of Origin Slowdown was played in the afternoon timeslot (1:40pm start).
In total, out of 11 games, the "Adelaide Crows" have won 6 and "Port Adelaide Power" have won 5, including 4 of the last 5 games while South Australia leads Victoria 2-0 in State of Origin Slowdown's.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
match run by the Little Heroes Foundation (formerly named the McGuinness-McDermott Foundation) to raise funds to improve oncology treatment for South Australian children.
The match is held at the end of the regular AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
season, with teams drawn mostly from retired AFL and SANFL players, augmented with a sprinkling of celebrities who over the years have included former World number 1 tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player Lleyton Hewitt
Lleyton Hewitt
Lleyton Glynn Hewitt born 24 February 1981) is an Australian professional tennis player and former world no. 1.In 2000, Hewitt had won ATP titles on all three major surfaces and reached one final on carpet. By 2001, he became the youngest male ever to be ranked no. 1 at the age of 20...
, singer Guy Sebastian
Guy Sebastian
Guy Theodore Sebastian is an Australian pop, R&B, and soul singer-songwriter who was the first winner of Australian Idol in 2003. He is currently a judge on the Australian version of The X Factor. Sebastian has released six top ten platinum/multi platinum albums, including a number-one and...
and Australian media personality and actor Andrew Daddo
Andrew Daddo
Andrew Daddo is an Australian actor, author and television personality.Andrew has been a long time presenter on the Seven Network in Australia and has been involved in hosting many Seven specials...
. The ex-players competing are mostly those who represented either the Adelaide Crows
Adelaide Crows
The Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed The Crows, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Adelaide, South Australia, playing in the Australian Football League ....
or the Port Adelaide Power during their AFL career, even if they only played a minimal amount of games for the club. Port Power also can call on ex-Port Adelaide Magpies
Port Adelaide Magpies
The Port Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the South Australian National Football League...
players while the Crows can usually call on any player who has ever been on their playing list including ex-Port Magpies players who played at the Crows, though those players who played for both the Magpies and the Crows have the option of choosing who they play for, e.g Greg Anderson
Greg Anderson (footballer)
Greg Anderson is a former Australian rules football player who played for Port Adelaide in the SANFL as well as and in the VFL/AFL.-Playing Career:...
who started his senior career with the Magpies in the SANFL in 1983, played 121 games for the club and indeed won the Magarey Medal
Magarey Medal
For the biography award of the same name, see Magarey Medal for biography. For a list of winners, see List of Magarey Medallists.The Magarey Medal is an Australian rules football honour awarded annually since 1898 to the fairest and most brilliant player in the South Australian National Football...
in 1986 and Magpies premierships in 1995 and '96, plays for the "Crows" in the Slowdown while David Brown
David Brown (Australian rules footballer)
David Brown is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League.Brown was captain of the Port Adelaide Magpies in 1999-2000...
who also started with the Magpies, was a inaugural Crows member and played 69 games for the club and played also for the Power in the AFL represents the "Power" in Slowdowns.
Regular players/coaches in the Slowdown over the years have been the likes of inaugural Crows and Power coaches Graham Cornes
Graham Cornes
Graham Studley Cornes OAM is a former Australian rules football player and coach, as well as a media personality with a weekday drivetime sports program that he hosts on Adelaide 5AA with Stephen Rowe....
and John Cahill, 1997 Coleman Medallist
Coleman Medal
The Coleman Medal is awarded yearly to the Australian Football League player who kicks the most goals in regular-season matches in that year...
Tony Modra
Tony Modra
Anthony 'Tony' Dale Modra is a former Australian rules football player, known for his spectacular marks. He played for the Adelaide Football Club and Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League, mainly at full forward. Modra had the physical strength and size to match the best...
, Magarey Medallists Tony McGuinness (co-founder of the MM-Foundation), Greg Anderson, Andrew Jarman
Andrew Jarman
Andrew Newton Jarman is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Adelaide in the Australian Football League...
and Scott Hodges
Scott Hodges
Scott Lyall Hodges is a former Australian rules footballer and champion goal kicker who holds the SANFL record for most goals kicked in a league season when he kicked 153 goals in 1990...
, Brownlow Medallists Gavin Wanganeen
Gavin Wanganeen
Gavin Adrian Wanganeen is a retired Australian rules footballer, playing in two Australian Football League premierships with Essendon and Port Adelaide. Wanganeen is a Brownlow Medallist and is considered one of the finest indigenous players ever...
and Mark Ricciuto
Mark Ricciuto
Mark Anthony Ricciuto is a former Australian rules football player, who played for the Adelaide Crows in the Australian Football League...
as well as various Crows and Port premiership players as well as co-founder of the McGuinness-McDermott Foundation and inaugural Adelaide Crows club captain Chris McDermott
Chris McDermott
Chris McDermott is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League.Chris McDermott was the inaugural captain of the Adelaide Crows. He was initially signed by Fitzroy in 1981 but chose to stay loyal to the Glenelg Football Club and reap the rewards of the South...
.
In both 2004 and 2011 a State of Origin
Interstate matches in Australian rules football
Australian rules football matches between teams representing Australian colonies/states and territories have been held since 1879. For most of the 20th century, the absence of a national club competition and international matches meant that football games between state representative teams were...
Slowdown was held at the Adelaide Oval between South Australia and Victoria. Former 1990
1990 AFL Grand Final
The 1990 AFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Collingwood Football Club and the Essendon Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 6 October 1990. It was the 94th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League/Australian Football...
Collingwood premiership player Doug Barwick
Doug Barwick
Doug Barwick is a former Australian rules footballer who represented Fitzroy and Collingwood in the Australian Football League....
had the chance after the final siren to win the game for Victoria in 2004 but his 52m kick was deemed to be only a point giving SA the win by just 4 points. In 2011 the game supported the Little Heroes Foundation and the Reach Foundation, a youth charity started by 1991 Brownlow Medallist Jim Stynes
Jim Stynes
James "Jim" Stynes OAM is an Irish former professional Australian rules footballer who is currently a businessman, philanthropist, writer, youth worker, qualified teacher and chairman of Melbourne Football Club since 2008....
. The game, played in a great spirit, saw many lead changes with the Big V holding a 20 point lead in the third quarter but South Australia mounted a comeback and with only 20 seconds left in the game, former North Adelaide
North Adelaide Roosters
North Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club, who play in the South Australian National Football League.- History :Formed in 1888 as Medindie, in 1893 the club renamed itself to North Adelaide. It is the fourth oldest club still in operation in the SANFL...
, Hawthorn and Adelaide Crows
Adelaide Crows
The Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed The Crows, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Adelaide, South Australia, playing in the Australian Football League ....
premiership player Darren Jarman
Darren Jarman
Darren Jarman is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League. An elite midfielder-cum-forward, Jarman amassed a total of 386 games of senior football at SANFL, AFL and Representative level. He was widely reocgnised as one of the most skillful players of his era...
kicked a goal to give the Croweaters the victory by a single point. Despite playing on the losing side, Brendan Fevola
Brendan Fevola
Brendan Fevola is a professional Australian rules footballer. He played with the Carlton and Brisbane Lions football clubs in the Australian Football League....
, the only player still actively playing football, won the West End Slowdown Medal as best on ground.
The games have been generally well supported with crowds of around 10-15,000 attending most games, though some games such as Slowdown VI in 2005 saw a crowd of around 25,000 with the entry fee being only a gold coin donation (AUD
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
$1 or $2) with all gate takings going to the Little Heroes Foundation. The 2011 State of Origin Slowdown had an entry fee of $5 and saw a crowd of around 12,000.
In 2007 the event moved from its home at the Adelaide Oval
Adelaide Oval
The Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide...
to the SANFL's own AAMI Stadium
AAMI Stadium
Football Park is an Australian rules football stadium located in West Lakes, a western suburb of Adelaide, South Australia...
due to the Oval being used for cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
by its major tenant, the Southern Redbacks
Southern Redbacks
The South Australia cricket team, nicknamed the Southern Redbacks and known as the West End Redbacks due to their sponsorship agreement with local brewers West End, are an Australian first class cricket team based in Adelaide, South Australia, and represent the state of South Australia...
. The game remained at AAMI for 2008 before moving back to the Adelaide Oval in 2009. The 2009 game was also the first Slowdown to be played under lights. In 2011 the State of Origin Slowdown was played in the afternoon timeslot (1:40pm start).
In total, out of 11 games, the "Adelaide Crows" have won 6 and "Port Adelaide Power" have won 5, including 4 of the last 5 games while South Australia leads Victoria 2-0 in State of Origin Slowdown's.
Results
| Slowdown # | Venue | Year | Port Adelaide | Adelaide | South Australia | Victoria | Slowdown Medal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slowdown I | Adelaide Oval Adelaide Oval The Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide... |
2000 | 17.6 (108) | 15.8 (98) | |||
| Slowdown II | Adelaide Oval | 2001 | 6.15 (51) | 10.8 (68) | |||
| Slowdown III | Adelaide Oval | 2002 | 13.11 (89) | 14.6 (90) | |||
| Slowdown IV | Adelaide Oval | 2003 | 11.9 (75) | 15.11 (101) | |||
| State of Origin | Adelaide Oval | 2004 | 17.7 (109) | 16.9 (105) | |||
| Slowdown V | Adelaide Oval | 2004 | 12.4 (76) | 17.7 (109) | |||
| Slowdown VI | Adelaide Oval | 2005 | 10.4 (64) | 14.13 (97) | |||
| Slowdown VII | Adelaide Oval | 2006 | 16.10 (106) | 13.9 (87) | |||
| Slowdown VIII | AAMI Stadium AAMI Stadium Football Park is an Australian rules football stadium located in West Lakes, a western suburb of Adelaide, South Australia... |
2007 | 17.10 (112) | 15.6 (96) | |||
| Slowdown IX | AAMI Stadium | 2008 | 12.14 (86) | 17.7 (109) | |||
| Slowdown X | Adelaide Oval | 2009 | 13.10 (88) | 12.13 (85) | |||
| Slowdown XI | Adelaide Oval | 2010 | 17.13 (115) | 17.7 (109) | |||
| State of Origin | Adelaide Oval | 2011 | 17.10 (112) | 17.9 (111) | Brendan Fevola Brendan Fevola Brendan Fevola is a professional Australian rules footballer. He played with the Carlton and Brisbane Lions football clubs in the Australian Football League.... (Vic) |
External links
- AdelaideNow... Charity 'Slowdown' gathers pace at AAMI Stadium
- http://www.glamadelaide.com.au/main/west-end-slowdown-2010/
- Little Heroes / McGuiness McDermott Foundation Slowdown pages: