Norwood’s SANFLW Semi Final Teams

Norwood will take on Sturt in a SANFLW Elimination Final on Sunday afternoon. 

The game will be held at Noarlunga’s Flinders University Stadium as part of a SANFLW Semi Final double header, with minor premiers South Adelaide gaining the right to host the first final.

Norwood will play Sturt from 2:10pm on Sunday, May 28, with South Adelaide taking on Central District from 12pm.

The Redlegs have named an extended squad for the Sunday Final, with Emma Clark coming back into the team following a long term injury and Adrienne Davies making way.

Clark will make her return to League football after 743 days, following two significant knee injuries.

Norwood captain Alison Ferrall was excited for the final against the Double Blues.

“We are really excited, we have had a strong season and to finish third overall was something we are really proud of,” she said.

“We had a new group (of players) and a new coaching group at the start of the season so we are proud to be where we are and we are ready to have a crack on Sunday against Sturt.

“The goal was to make finals at the start of the season and we were optimistic, and we are proud to be here.

“We are not content with just making finals now, hopefully we can go all the way.”

The finals dream took a slight stumbling block early in the season with the team sitting winless after three rounds of the short 12-game season, following close losses to North Adelaide, South Adelaide and Central District.

“There was no panicking (after Round 3) because they were three really close losses, it was frustrating, but our biggest loss of the season was in Round 12 (against South) which was just six points so you turn those close losses around and we are undefeated,” Ferrall said.

“There was lots of learning from that part of the season, we have also won close games so we are confident that no matter what the score is at any point in time we can deal with that pressure.”

Norwood play the fourth placed Sturt in the third V fourth Elimination Final, with the Double Blues having to win in the last round of the season to progress through to finals.

Sturt managed to comfortably defeat finals hopefuls Glenelg on Saturday by 40 points.

Norwood has defeated Sturt on both of its meetings throughout 2023, in Round 5 by nine points and Round 9 by 36 points.