Norwood through to Prelim with a brilliant win over Adelaide

It was the perfect time for Norwood to put together one of its performances of the season, defeating Adelaide by 34 points to progress through to next Sunday’s Preliminary Final against Glenelg.

After a 0-5 start to the season, Jade Sheedy’s first as Norwood coach, the Redlegs somehow worked their way into the finals, and now into a Preliminary Final after two fantastic finals performances against the Bulldogs and Crows.

In last week’s Elimination Final, it was a spirited come from behind win against Centrals, but in Sunday’s Semi it was a full four-quarter finals-like performance to send the Crows out in straight sets, 15.14-104 to 10.10-70.

Jayden Gale kicked a career best five goals, while Pierce Seymour was outstanding across half back in his 100th SANFL match.

Seymour marked everything that came his way with 10 marks from 19 disposals. After a quiet first half Billy Cootee worked his way into the game to the game with nine third quarter disposals, finishing with 25 touches and a goal.

Nik Rokahr was outstanding with 24 disposals, while Baynen Lowe had 23 disposals and two goals.

The Redlegs started brightly, off the back of their captain Jacob Kennerley who had five disposals and a goal in the opening 10 minutes of the contest. In this period, Norwood laid 17 tackles to three and went inside 50m eight times to the Crows two.

Adelaide got on the board first through a Luke Nankervis mark and set shot goal, before the Redlegs took control with the next three majors.

It all started with an outstanding running goal through Kennerley who found space on the Eastern Wing and nailed it from 25m, then Lowe converted a classy set shot, before Finn Heard curled through the Redlegs third goal.

Kieran Strachan kicked a steadier for Adelaide, and the Redlegs went into quarter time leading 3.2-20 to 2.1-13. Norwood would have been thrilled with its first term, having started slowly last week. They laid 30-15 tackles in the opening term and led inside 50m entries 15-5.

The Redlegs pressed on to start the second term, kicking the first three goals to make it six of the last seven and they found themselves 26 points in front.

Gale got them off and running with a sensational snap in the right forward pocket at the Southern End, only to be topped five minutes later when Lowe did the same thing from the same pocket.

The snaps were bookended a Tristan Binder set shot goal, and the Redlegs were in a commanding position, leading 6.3-39 to 2.1-13.

The Crows couldn’t get anything going, and only had six inside 50m entries 10 minutes into the second term, as Norwood stifled any threats going inside defensive 50m.

Seymour was outstanding once again with 10 disposals and five marks in the first half, cutting off everything that came his way.

As was always going to happen, Adelaide responded with a classy goal through the dangerous Brayden Cook – who booted six goals in last week’s Qualifying Final – followed by two Chris Burgess goals. Up to that point the Crows tall forward hadn’t touched the footy, but loomed large as a game changer, having booted bags of three and four throughout the season.

Charlie Molan kicked Norwood’s seventh goal, crumbing a marking contest close to goal and helped the Redlegs to a 7.4-46 to 5.4-34 lead at half time.

Norwood held the 12-point lead, but the Crows had taken some momentum into half time.

After just 12 disposals last week against the Bulldogs, Lowe had 13 disposals, four tackles and two cracking goals to half time in the Semi, while the 195cm Finn Heard was trying his heart out against the 211cm Lachlan McAndrew and 204cm Strachan in the ruck.

F. Heard had 12 touches, six clearances and a goal in the first half, and was challenging his taller opponents around the ground (finished with 16 disposals, 14 hitouts, seven clearances and three tackles).

Crows midfielder Harry Schoenberg led all comers in the first half with 16 disposals and six clearances to half time. Norwood led tackles 39-26 and inside 50m 27-18, having brought the finals intensity and pressure from the opening minute.

Norwood were challenged in the third term, with the Crows booting early goals to get the margin back to five points.

But, the Redlegs steadied and put together an outstanding quarter into the wind, kicking 5.5.

Norwood could have put the game to bed if it had have kicked straight, but went to three quarter time 27 points in front, 12.9-81 to 8.6-54.

Billy Cootee inserted himself into the contest with nine disposals in the third quarter, and Seymour continued to be rock solid in defence.

Gale had just four disposals, but had three goals to his name, while Molan’s second put the Redlegs 18 points up. Binder converted a set shot, and the first nail was hammered in when Kennerley split the 50m arc and kicked his second just before the three quarter time siren.

Kicking five behinds and another out on the full, the Crows found goals to Burgess, Strachan and Murray on the counter attack to keep the door slightly ajar, 27 points down.

Kicking with the wind in the final term, Norwood made sure there was no room for error. Gale kicked his fourth and fifth goals in the final term, while Cootee booted the other to get the margin out to a match-high 41 points.

Strachan kicked a late one, and the Redlegs ran out 34-point winners.

Norwood 3.2, 7.4, 12.9, 15.14 – 104

Adelaide 2.1, 5.4, 8.6, 10.10 – 70

Goals: Gale 5, Binder 2, Kennerley 2, Lowe 2, Molan 2, Cootee, F. Heard

Best: Baynen Lowe, Jayden Gale, Mitchell Nicholas, Jack Heard, Finn Heard