Sturt close the gap on King’s Birthday

Sturt proved too strong for Norwood at Unley Oval on King’s Birthday, claiming a 17-point win and drawing within one win of the Redlegs on the SANFL Women’s ladder.

The top three sides, Woodville-West Torrens, South Adelaide and Norwood had broken away from the rest of the competition, but the Double Blues win on Monday kept them in the hunt for top two.

It was a wind-affected match at Unley, with seven of the nine goals scored towards the favoured southern end.

Norwood was coming home with the breeze in the final term, trying to overcome a 14-point three quarter time margin, but Sturt played a professional quarter, kicking the only goal to run out 6.4-40 to 3.5-23 winners.

It was an ambush to start the game, with Sturt dominating every facet. The Double Blues went inside 50m six times in the first four minutes, and registered 22 disposals to eight. The home side let the Redlegs off the hook with 1.2 and another shot on the full.

Norwood was able to quickly settle, and found an important goal through Amelia Rusden.

Sturt found a second goal just before the first break, but on the stats sheet Norwood had got itself into the contest, leading disposal +4, tackles +9 and clearances +1. Sturt still led inside 50m entries 12-6, but Norwood’s defenders had stood tall to ensure the score was 2.2-14 to 1.0-6.

Sophie Arkun and Coby Morgan had seven disposals in the first term for Norwood, and Isobel Kuiper and Summer Ross seven for the Double Blues.

There weren’t too many highlights in a tight second term, before Elle Lineage kicked an absolute ripper from the pocket in front of the new clubrooms.

It lit a fire under the Redlegs, who found another goal, Rusden’s second, to hit the lead for the first time in the match at half time.

Norwood led 3.2-20 to 2.3-15 at the main break, following the 2.2 to 0.1 second term. The Redlegs led disposal +6, tackles +10, clearances +7 and had levelled the inside 50m at 17 apiece.

Unfortunately, Lineage went down with a knee injury a few minutes later, just before half time.

Norwood started the second term nicely, locking the ball in forward half for the first five minutes. But, it was Sturt that managed the first goal of the term to reclaim the lead against the flow of play.

There was a clear breeze to the southern end that Sturt was kicking to in the third term, and the Double Blues quickly belted through three goals, to make it 14 points at three quarter time, 5.4-34 to 3.2-20.

Norwood would be kicking with the breeze in the final quarter, where seven of the eight goals of the match had been kicked. But the Redlegs would need to reel in the 14-point deficit.

The wind was playing a big role in the game, which suited the Redlegs, who were coming home with it. Sturt held the ball inside 50m for the first period of the quarter, but struggled to convert into the breeze.

Norwood needed an early goal to put the pressure on. But, it was Sturt that found the first goal, and all-but sealed victory, 20 points in front with just over 10 minutes to go.

In the end, the Redlegs couldn’t manage a goal (just three behinds in the second half), as Sturt snuffed out any challenge thrown its way.

Norwood 1.0, 3.2, 3.2, 3.5 – 23

Sturt 2.2, 2.3, 5.4, 6.4 – 40

Goals: Rusden 2, Lineage

Best: Morgan, Jaques, Rusden, Anderson, Cameron