Reserves: Finals dream still alive

Norwood sits just .2% outside the top five with one match to play in the SANFL Reserves competition this Saturday.

The Redlegs take on Central District in Elizabeth this Saturday (11:30am), while the current fifth placed Woodville-West Torrens take on West Adelaide in Woodville.

Both the fifth and sixth placed Eagles and Redlegs have a 7-10 win-loss record, with Woodville-West Torrens having a percentage of 47.5% over Norwood’s 47.3% ahead of the final match of the home and away season.

On the surface, the Eagles have the more straight-forward task this Saturday. Playing at home against the seventh placed Bloods, while Norwood heads north to take on the third placed Centrals.

The Redlegs kept their finals hopes alive on Saturday with a 17-point win over West Adelaide at Hisense Stadium in Richmond.

Norwood led from start to finish, but it was far from easy as the Bloods never let the margin balloon out further than 25 points.

Liam Robinson, Oliver Sanders and Macaulay Glover kicked the first three goals of the contest to get Norwood off to a fast start.

Leading by 12 points at quarter time, Norwood were challenged in the second term when West Adelaide booted the first goal of the quarter, before U18 captain Jacob Jones and Nicholas Weightman steadied with Redlegs goals.

The Bloods kicked a goal just before half time to annoy the Norwood players and coaches, making it a 10-point margin at the main break – 6.2-38 to 4.4-28.

Both teams were inaccurate in the second half, with Norwood booting 4.7 to Westies 3.6.

The Redlegs kicked away with three of the next four goals after half time to make it a match-high 25-point margin deep in the third term.

But West Adelaide started the last quarter with plenty of spark, kicking back to back goals and missing several other opportunities to bring the margin back to 10 points with 10 minutes to play.

Ben Jarvis booted a steadying goal with two minutes to play to ensure victory for Norwood, 10.9-69 to 7.10-52.

Luke Bogle had 24 disposals, 12 tackles, six clearances and kicked a goal, while Henry Nelligan had 22 disposals, six tackles and five clearances in his second game back at Norwood.

Jones had his best of his eight Reserves games for Norwood with 19 disposals and a goal, while Jarvis booted two goals.

The Redlegs were also assisted with Glenelg defeating the Eagles 13.10-88 to 10.9-69 on Saturday, making the finals jump a more achievable task.

Yes, the finals dream is still alive.

Norwood 4.1, 6.2, 9.7, 10.9 – 69

West Adelaide 2.1, 4.4, 5.7, 7.10 – 52

Goals: Jarvis 2, Bogle, F. Heard, Glover, Jones, Nicholls, Robinson, Sanders, Weightman

Best: Bogle, van Wyk, Krollig, Cresswell, Nelligan