Norwood smashes Port to claim Gallagher-Williams Cup

Norwood claimed a massive 83-point win over arch rivals Port Adelaide at Coopers Stadium on Sunday to secure the 2024 Gallagher-Williams Cup. 

The win capped off a great week for Norwood, as the club celebrated the 40-year and 10-year Reunions of the 1984 and 2014 SANFL Premiership sides.

The Redlegs saw off a fast-starting Port Adelaide side, which kicked the first goal of the game in the opening 25 seconds, before holding the Magpies to just five goals in the 18.14-122 to 5.9-39 victory.

Scores were level at 2.1-13 apiece after 14 minutes, before Norwood kicked 10 of the next 11 goals to set up its win of the 2024 season.

It was an important win for Norwood, which entered Round 11 in fourth place (after back to back losses to Woodville-West Torrens and Sturt), and concluded the weekend in first with an 8-2 record.

Sam Morris played his 50^th SANFL game, while Jack Saunders celebrated his first SANFL win after an injury interrupted career with the Redlegs, which has seen him play just seven League matches in a season and a half.

In his first game back from injury Billy Cootee had 28 disposals, seven clearances, a goal and four tackles, while Baynen Lowe also had 28 disposals, seven tackles and a goal.

Connor McLean booted five goals and took seven marks, while Jackson Callow looked threatening all day, and finished with three goals from 18 disposals. The tall forward brigade was a success with Finn Heard also chiming in with two goals from 18 disposals.

The Redlegs had 11 individual goal kickers, including Alastair Lord and Jayden Gale who booted their first SANFL goals.

Norwood welcomed the 1984 and 2014 Premiership Players onto the field pre-match, but it was Port Adelaide that got off to a flying start, with Tom Anastasopoulos kicking the first goal in the opening 25 seconds.

Norwood found its feet and replied with a quick goal to Connor McLean.

Both Anastasopoulos and McLean had two goals to their name after they each converted set shots for the third and fourth goals of the match, to even the scores at 2.1-13 apiece after 14 minutes.

It went goal for goal early, and the Redlegs survived a couple of good looks at goal from Port Adelaide, and went down the other end to make the Magpies pay with back to back goals from Lowe and Callow.

Callow put some much needed breathing space on the board, when he reeled in a one handed mark and went back to boot his second goal just before quarter time.

Callow’s goal made it an 18-point lead at the first break, 5.3-33 to 2.3-15.

Lord was a key contributor off half back in the first term with five disposals, streaming through the middle of Norwood Oval. Cootee had 10 disposals in the first quarter.

Lord was outstanding off half back all day and finished with 19 disposals, and 10 inside 50m entries, as well as booting his first League goal in Redlegs colours.

The ball was parked in Norwood’s attacking zone for the second half of the first term, and finished with +10 inside 50m entries. The Redlegs were +19 in disposals and +10 in marks in the first term.

Port found an important first goal through Will Lorenz to get the margin back to 13 points.

Callow was having a big impact, and fought hard to keep a ball in play in the Wolf Blass Community Centre pocket. It span around on the behind line, but never went through and S. Morris picked it up and dribbled it through on the goal line.

Gale nailed a long range goal four minutes later to make it 26 points, and Norwood was in control of the game.

F. Heard took a strong contested mark and nailed Norwood’s third for the quarter and got the margin out to 31 points, 8.5-53 to 3.4-22 at the half way point of the second term.

The Redlegs continued to put the foot on the throat and goals to Harry Boyd and Cootee helped the home side to a 45-point half time lead, 10.7-67 to 3.4-22, thanks to back to back five-goal quarters.

Norwood wanted to put the game to bed early after half time and were doing anything to surge the ball forward.

The third quarter was scoreless for the first 11 minutes, before Boyd took an important pack mark at half forward to help break the deadlock. He found Lowe inside 50m, before F. Heard was able to finish a set shot.

It was Norwood’s 11^th goal of the match, which got the margin past 50 points for the first time.

Lorenz converted a set shot to break a string of six unanswered Redlegs goals, but Callow booted his third two minutes later to ensure there was no comeback mission.

Saunders snapped a goal with the last kick of the third term which helped the Redlegs to a 57-point lead at three quarter time, 13.9-87 to 4.6-30.

At the final break Norwood were +30 in inside 50m entries, +64 in disposals, +5 in clearances, +11 in marks and +2 in tackles.

Norwood continued to put the Magpies under pressure in the Redlegs forward half, and eventually a turnover cost the visitors. Lord won an important one on one and kicked it towards the goalsquare where McLean marked and booted his third goal.

Lord finished his best on ground performance with a classy snap in front of the Premiers Bar, before Izaak Twelftree’s and McLean’s goals surged the margin past 80 points.

In an absolute demolition job, Norwood were +106 disposals and +40 inside 50m for the afternoon, keeping Port Adelaide to just 28 inside 50m entries and two goal kickers (Anastasopoulos three and Lorenz two).

The Redlegs travel down to Noarlunga next Sunday (June 30, 2:10pm) to take on South Adelaide for the first time this season.

Norwood 5.3, 10.7, 13.9, 18.14 – 122

PA 2.3, 3.4, 4.6, 5.9 – 39

Goals: McLean 5, Callow 3, F. Heard 2, Boyd, Cootee, Gale, Lord, Lowe, S. Morris, Saunders, Twelftree

Best: Lord, Boyd, Lowe, Callow, Cresswell

Norwood displayed a great deal of spirit and fight in the Reserves on Sunday in a spurring come from behind last quarter win over Glenelg at Coopers Stadium.

The Redlegs were 17 points down late in the third quarter, before kicking five unanswered goals to secure a 19-point victory, 9.11-65 to 6.10-46.

It was an important win for Norwood, which was looking to rebound from its first loss of the season in the previous match against Sturt.

The victory over the Tigers ensured the Redlegs remained on top of the Reserves ladder with a 9-1 record, with Sturt 7-3 and Glenelg 6-4 following.

The game was a low-scoring, tight tussle right up to half time, with just two points separating the two sides at the main break.

Norwood was lucky the Tigers hadn’t made the most of their opportunities in the first half, with the score sitting 3.3-21 to 2.7-19.

Glenelg had the better of the third term, kicking four goals to two, and threatened to take the game away from the Redlegs.

At the final break, the visitors led 6.9-45 to 5.4-34.

In his first game back from an ACL tear, Cameron Taheny was the hero for Norwood, kicking two last quarter goals.

Darci Best kicked the first goal of the final term to get the margin back to four points, before Taheny’s first put the Redlegs in front.

Nich Weightman converted a set shot at the top of the goal square to put Norwood 12 points clear, before a long-range set shot from Taheny shut the door on the Bays.

Taheny and Luke Bogle each finished with two goals, while Xavier Tranfa had 20 disposals, six tackles, five clearances and a goal.

Alex van Wyk had 20 disposals and six clearances to go with his 27 hitouts.

Zach Morris was best on ground with 19 touches.

Norwood heads down to Noalunga on Sunday to play the sixth placed South Adelaide, which are fresh off back to back wins over West Adelaide and Central District.

Norwood 2.1, 3.3, 5.4, 9.11 – 65

Glenelg 1.2, 2.7, 6.9, 6.10 – 46

Goals: Bogle 2, Taheny 2, Best, Binder, Hodge, Tranfa, Weightman

Best: Z. Morris, Binder, Tranfa, McLeod, van Wyk