Redlegs back in the four after big North win

Norwood has returned to the top four following a comfortable 29-point win over North Adelaide at Coopers Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Redlegs were celebrating reigning best and fairest Tahlita Buethke’s 50th SANFLW match, while co-captain Sophie Armitstead returned to SANFLW football after a long injury lay-off.

Norwood ran away with a 7.10-52 to 3.5-23 victory over the 2022 Premiers.

The Roosters have been a powerhouse of the SANFLW competition in recent years, but are languishing down the bottom of the ladder in 2024, now win-less after nine rounds.

However, the Redlegs couldn’t afford to take the match-up lightly as they themselves had struggled with consistency throughout the year and entered the Round 9 clash with a 4-4 win-loss record and outside the all important top four.

Norwood got the job done, moved to 5-4 and leapfrogged West Adelaide (who went down to the top of the table Glenelg on Saturday), and now sit just one win behind the second and third placed South Adelaide and Central District.

It was a vital win for Norwood, which has a challenging fortnight ahead against the 8-1 top of the table Tigers in Round 10, and then the third placed Bulldogs in Round 11.

At The Parade on Saturday, the Redlegs did what they needed to do against the struggling Roosters.

Shai Hiscock kicked the first goal, nailing a set shot, and helped Norwood to a seven-point quarter time lead.

It was during the second quarter where the Redlegs started to put a gap on the opposition, kicking the only two goals of the quarter. But the half time lead of 23 points could have been a lot greater if Norwood had have kicked straight, managing a wayward 2.5 to 0.1 in the second term.

The Redlegs goal kicking quickly caught up with them when the Roosters found their form after half time. The visitors booted two goals in the first four minutes of the half to quickly reduce the margin to 11 points.

With so much at stake Norwood needed to respond, and did so by nailing the next three goals before three quarter time.

Amelia Rusden nailed a running goal, before Kiana Lee converted a set shot to return it to a 23-point advantage. Debutant Ailene Hiebner kicked the third goal from a holding the ball free kick late in the third term to make it a 29-point Redlegs lead at the final break.

Hiebner kicked her second goal mid-way through the final term and the Redlegs took a match-high 36-point lead. It was a debut to remember for Hiebner, getting the win and kicking two goals from 12 disposals.

Tayla Gordon kicked North’s third goal late in the piece to reduce the final margin to 29 points.

Lee finished with 2.4 and seven marks from her 18 disposals, while Jade Halfpenny was best on ground with 16 disposals, six marks and five tackles.

Armitstead had 13 disposals and seven clearances, while Buethke had 12 disposals in her milestone match.

Norwood is the “home” team in a SANFLW double header at Prospect Oval this Saturday, taking on the top of the table Glenelg from 1:20pm. North takes on Woodville-West Torrens in the first game at Prospect from 11am.

Norwood 1.2, 3.7, 6.8, 7.10 – 52

North Adelaide 0.1, 0.2, 2.3, 3.5 – 23

Goals: Hiebner 2, Lee 2, Rusden 2, Hiscock

Best: Halfpenny, Buethke, Rusden, Belbin, Armitstead