Norwood destroy Eagles to edge closer to finals finish

Norwood handed Woodville-West Torrens a massive 131-point thumping at Coopers Stadium on Saturday, edging ever closer to fifth spot on the SANFL ladder.

It was the sixth placed Redlegs most important match of the 2025 season, taking on the Eagles who sat two wins ahead of them in the top five… and Norwood passed the test in a colossal 24.14-158 to 3.9-27 victory.

The game was effectively over at quarter time, as Norwood ran all over an injury-hit Eagles line up. The home side booted seven goals to one in the opening term to lead by 36 points at the first break.

The Redlegs kicked the first six goals of the game and did as they pleased, going inside 50m 17-9 and winning 61% of the ball.

Nik Rokahr led the charge in the first term, with 12 disposals, while Billy Cootee had 11 disposals and kicked two goals in what turned out to be his best game as a Norwood player.

Cootee finished the game with a career-high 39 disposals, to go with two goals six clearances, 12 marks and four tackles, equating to 169 Ranking Points.

After having close attention paid to him all season, Rokahr got off the chain to finish with an equal season high 33 disposals and five clearances.

Leading 7.4-46 to 1.4-10 at quarter time, Tristan Binder decided to get in on the action in the second term, kicking the first two goals of the quarter in the opening three minutes.

Baynen Lowe had been well held in the opening quarter, but found a second goal, before Binder added a third to stretch the margin past 60 points.

Binder was just too big, and in the absence of Jackson Callow (four-game suspension) kicked six goals for the afternoon from 12 disposals, taking seven marks.

Finn Heard kicked his first goal just before half time, where the game was well and truly over at the main break, 13.8-86 to 1.5-11.

The Redlegs kept the Eagles to one behind in the second term, whilst slamming home six of their own to lead by 75 points.

Cootee had 20 disposals to half time, Rokahr 18 and Declan Hamilton 16.

Things were going from bad to worse for the Eagles, who just hadn’t rocked up to The Parade, as it took just 10 minutes for Binder to kick his fifth and stretch the margin to three figures.

Connor Ballenden kicked his and his side’s second goal late in the quarter to make it an eye-watering 98 points at the final break.

The Redlegs kicked another six in the final term, running their opponents into the ground.

F. Heard kicked three goals in the final term to finish with five goals from 18 disposals for the match.

In a dominant performance, Norwood had +177 disposals (419-242), and led marks 133-71, clearances 36-30 and inside 50m entries 63-32.

The Eagles had 10 goal kickers to the Eagles one, with Binder finishing with six, F. Heard five, Lowe four, Cootee two and Alec Wright two. Ballenden kicked all three for the Eagles.

There is still more work to do for the Redlegs, who remain outside the top five by one win.

Norwood has a Bye next weekend, before hosting the third placed Adelaide at Coopers Stadium on August 2. The Redlegs then come home with West Adelaide at home, North Adelaide away and Port Adelaide at home.

Norwood 7.4, 13.8, 18.10, 24.14 – 158

WWT 1.4, 1.5, 2.8, 3.9 – 27

Goals: Binder 6, F. Heard 5, Lowe 4, Cootee 2, Wright 2, Gale, Hamilton, C Ling, Seymour, Surman

Best: Billy Cootee, Declan Hamilton, Baynen Lowe, Tristan Binder, Finn Heard

Norwood blooded several young faces in Saturday’s Reserves match at Coopers Stadium on Saturday, and the inexperienced Redlegs weren’t overawed as they went on to record a 27-point win over Woodville-West Torrens.

U18 Will Prescott kicked four goals for Norwood in his best performance in the Reserves this season, while the Redlegs also handed Senior debuts to fellow U18s Jim Kelly, Noah Daw, Sam Ainsworth and Balyn O’Brien who recently represented SA at the AFL U18 Championships.

Kelly had 18 disposals, Daw 17 and ruckman Ainsworth 13 disposals and a goal. O’Brien was rock solid in defence, while Micah Kretchmer was another U18 playing his second Reserves match, kicking a goal from his 10 touches.

Norwood kicked the first two goals of the game through Ainsworth and Kretschmer, and led for the remainder of the contest.

The Redlegs lead got out to 26 points mid-way through the second quarter, before the Eagles kicked four of the next five goals to bring the margin back to nine points in the final term.

Norwood didn’t panic, and found a settling goal through Toby Turner, before Prescott nailed two goals in a minute to lock in the 10.8-68 to 6.5-41 win.

First-year Redleg (from NSW) Daniel Gauci has hit his straps in recent weeks, and on Saturday had his best day for his new club with 35 disposals, seven clearances and six marks in a best on ground effort.

Gauci played two League matches early in the season, before returning to the Reserves. Across his last four matches, the midfielder’s gathered 26, 32, 28 and 35 disposals in a solid block of form.

In his third Reserves match since signing for Norwood mid-season, Indhi Kotzur was again impressive, with 12 disposals, four tackles and five clearances to go with his 27 hitouts.

Norwood has a Bye next weekend, before taking on West Adelaide in consecutive weeks at Coopers Stadium as the Reserves side continues to chase a finals berth (two wins outside the top five).

Norwood 4.2, 6.4, 7.6, 10.8 – 68

WWT 2.1, 3.1, 4.5, 6.5 – 41

Goals: Prescott 4, Aherne 2, Ainsworth, Jenkin, Kretschmer, Turner

Best: Gauci, Kotzur, Aherne, L Ling, Prescott