Our Top 10 Highlights in 2014

Our Sporting Life SA produced its top 10 highlights in 2014 (in no particular order) See what you think? 1. AFL footballs’ return match at Adelaide Oval Round two of the 2014 AFL season saw the inaugural SA Showdown between the and the Crows on March 29, 2014 at a reopened Adelaide Oval. An amazing and loud 50,397 the Power collect first bragging rights, securing a massive nine-goal triumph. The result mirrored the season in many ways for both clubs. 2. Anna Meares’ shave for charity Olympic champion cyclist and (we believe) Australian of the year candidate being Anna Meares raised over $212,000 for the Little Heroes Foundation by shaving her head at the National Wine Centre in August. At the Commonwealth Games, the Australian cycling queen Meares won Australia's first gold medal in Glasgow, winning women's 500m time-trial for third straight time and was also Australia's flag bearer for the opening ceremony. 3. Abby Bishop - Single mum and WNBL superstar One of the current stars of the national basketball fraternity Bishop has raised her niece Zala, now 18 months, along with playing career best hoops. She is a serious candidate for MVP honours and a mother of the year award. 4. The batting performances of Warner, Clarke and Smith and the bowling of Lyon in the Adelaide Oval test. Revised as the first test of the summer, after the sad loss of Phillip Hughes, the trio of Dave Warner (centuries in each innings), the obvious injured Michael Clarke and Steve Smith produced memorable hundreds, while former Redback Nathan Lyon, spun the Aussies to victory with six wickets in the final session of the contest and 12 for the match. 5. The 16-year-old Tasmanian Jack Hale running the quickest 100 metres of the year at the All Schools nationals at the Athletics SA Stadium. Tasmanian talent Jack Hale, 16, has taken gold in the All Schools Track and Field Championships in Adelaide with a fasting time by an Australia of 10.13 seconds for the under-18 100 metres sprint. On the first Saturday in December Hale achieved this feat at the Athletics SA stadium, although a tail-wind means he couldn’t claim a new record. 6. SA under 18s footballers winning the national back-to-back football champs. Only one players drafted in the top 30, the Brenton Phillips mentored SA side would clinch the 2014 national under 18s crown. Culminating their campaign with an inspiring win over Victorian Metro at Skilled Stadium, this group had a team chemistry rarely matched. In an era where AFL footballers are getting bigger and stronger, it was SA mosquito fleet led by captain Jake Johansen, Caleb Daniel, Josh Hone and Billy Stretch who were among the stars. 7. The inaugural FFA Cup win by Adelaide United Dominant from the outset Adelaide United has won the first FFA Cup final thanks to a second half goal by Cirio over 10-man Perth Glory at Hindmarsh Stadium on Tuesday December 16. In front of 16,142 supporters it was Adelaide's first trophy since winning the A-League Premier's Plate back in 2005-06. Special mention - State league side Adelaide City's amazing effort against Asian league champions Western Sydney to knock them out of the competition. 8. The Mark of the Year and the Goal of the Year by the Power duo - Chad Wingard (mark) vs. St Kilda and Matt White (goal) vs. Richmond Chad Wingard’s absolute hanger over St Kilda’s Sean Dempster (taken by Peter Argent) in Round 12 at the Adelaide Oval, and Matt White’s incredible 100-metre sprint across Etihad Stadium to goal in Round 17 against are individual pieces of brilliance that have been etched into the memories of all Power fans from a strong year for the club. 9. State league Aussie Rules football and netball champions - Norwood and Matrics It the first SANFL league Grand Final on Adelaide Oval since the 1973 thriller between Glenelg and North Adelaide, traditional rivals Port Adelaide and Norwood produced another heart stopper. With the ball being moved into a dangerous position the Magpies forward line, the siren sound and Norwood were triumphant by four points. After being 1-5 early in the season, it was also a gong for first year coach Ben Warren, who played in the 2012 and 2013 victories. For Matrix after the heartbreak of 2013, the 2014 unbeaten run was a triumph of the highest order and a fillip for the club. 10. Nick Cullen’s win in the Australian Masters Golf Tournament Little known before the event South Australian Nick Cullen secured a thrilling one-shot victory to become Australian Masters champion, beating our number one player Adam Scott. Cullen’s final round three-under-par 69 at Metropolitan Golf Club saw him finish with a nine-under 279 and don the gold jacket.