- Eastern Park Demons were playing first game of the season
- Talented midfielder moved to forwards due to lack of targets
- Only kicked one goal in the first quarter, before unleashing
An Adelaide Footy League club has put on a record flogging to kick off its 2024 season, with a midfielder turned forward blasting an incredible 22 goals in the rout.
Eastern Park enjoyed the massive win over Elizabeth with a score of 55.17 (347) to 1.1 (7) during the weekend, marking the biggest victory for the club and one of the largest in the league’s history.
Chris Knapp, a standout midfielder who came back to the Demons from Loxton this season, was moved to the forward line due to a lack of key players.
He excelled in his new role, scoring 22 goals out of the team’s total
‘To be honest, it was surreal,’ Knapp told News Corp.
‘I’ve never really been part of a game like that before and 22 goals is definitely my best ever return.
‘I usually play on the wing or through the middle but we had a few blokes pull out and I put my hand up to go up front.
‘I was hoping to get on the end of a few.’
Chris Knapp was the star of the show, booting a staggering 22 goals after moving into the forward line away from his traditional spot in the midfield or on the wing
![The scoreboard says it all, the visitors were comprehensively hammered by Eastern Park and could only manage a single goal in reply](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/20/06/83880511-13330465-image-a-35_1713590932065.jpg)
The scoreboard says it all, the visitors were comprehensively hammered by Eastern Park and could only manage a single goal in reply
The club favourite, after scoring only one goal in the first quarter, went on to add 21 more goals over the next three quarters.
Thanks to precise passes from his midfielders, Knapp managed to score goals both from within and beyond the 50-meter line, making it a game he’ll always remember.
‘The boys started having their way in the middle and lowered their eyes to find me,’ he said.
‘I kicked 10 in the second and they sat an extra back on me at one stage so it took some really good ball-use by the boys.
‘Once I started approaching 20 goals everyone was pretty engaged on the ground and the sidelines so it was a good feeling.’
![Knapp (right) wasn't the only hero on the day with Eastern Park's Luke Smith also kicking an impressive 10 goals](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/04/20/06/83880521-13330465-image-a-36_1713590938870.jpg)
Knapp (right) wasn’t the only hero on the day with Eastern Park’s Luke Smith also kicking an impressive 10 goals
Unsurprisingly, the win has filled the club full of confidence and Knapp is anticipating a big season.
‘I think we’re a really strong side this year and the small ground at Eastern Park can be quite overwhelming,’ he said.
‘This is honestly the strongest I’ve seen the footy club bin a long time. We’ve had some decent recruits and returning players as well.
‘We don’t have everyone available at the moment but we’re hoping to get back to full fitness soon and hopefully build some momentum after the big win.
‘Internally we know we have the potential to be around the mark this season but we want to stay level-headed and take each game as it comes.’
Amazingly, the massive scoreline is not the biggest in Aussie Rules history – in fact it doesn’t even crack the top 10.
The biggest score ever in an Aussie Rules senior game was Campell’s Creek in the Maryburough Castlemaine District Football League who destroyed Primrose 634 to 18 back in 1990.
Maryborough Rovers won the premiership in 1990 and unsurprisingly, Primrose is no longer in the competition.
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