Nine is fine for the Redlegs

Norwood will spend another week on top of the SANFL Men’s ladder, defeating South Adelaide by 76 points at Magain Stadium on Sunday to claim its ninth consecutive victory.

The win sets up another top of the table clash at Coopers Stadium next Saturday evening, when the Redlegs host Glenelg from 4:30pm.

South Adelaide was no match for Norwood on Sunday afternoon, running out 20.10-130 to 7.12-54 winners on a cold and windy day at Noarlunga.

The Redlegs used the wind to greater affect than the Panthers, with the visitors booting five goals with the advantage in the first term, and another six in the third to make it a 60-point deficit at the final break.

It was an important second quarter into the breeze, where Norwood kicked four goals to South’s  three for the quarter, mostly against the run of play to win the quarter and make it tough for the Panthers, who trailed by 31 points at half time.

Norwood put the foot down after half time, as South folded like a deck of cards, and allowed the Redlegs to boot 11 goals to three after the main break.

Jayden Gale kicked three third quarter goals and four for the game, while Jackson Callow finished with three, Declan Hamilton and Tristan Binder two each, as the Redlegs finished with 13 individual goal kickers.

Norwood had 10 of the top 11 ball winners on the ground, led by Nik Rokahr with 35 disposals and a goal, Aaron Francis with 30 disposals and 10 marks, and Finn Heard with 28 disposals and a goal from the ruck.

Overall, the Redlegs won nearly every facet of the match, including disposal +171, marks +43, tackles +11, hitouts +11 and inside 50m +19.

The win was set up early, as Norwood won the toss and kicked with a strong breeze towards the grandstand end. The Redlegs dominated the first term, going inside 50m 19 times to South’s eight.

The wind played havoc early in the contest with players from each side kicking the ball out on the full five times in the opening seven minutes.

The Redlegs kicked two behinds and two out on the full in the opening minutes, while South sprayed it out on the full repeatedly whilst trying to exit defensive 50m.

Norwood dominated the quarter, kicking five goals to one, and using the breeze to full advantage, going into quarter time leading 5.3-33 to 1.1-7.

Francis had nine disposals and Cooper Murley (who had 41 last week) had eight in the first term. Kade Dittmar, F. Heard and Alec Wright each had seven disposals and a goal in the opening quarter.

There were some cracking highlights in the opening term, as Callow, Wright and Dittmar each taking strong contested marks, which led to their goals, while Rokahr’s goal was a crafty snap around the body.

The second term was a very even contest. The Panthers were far more competitive with the wind at their backs.

Norwood went end to end for the first goal of the term, through Binder, to extend the 26-point quarter time lead to 31.

The writing was on the wall, but South responded with the next two majors to bring it back to 18 points.

Panthers star Jack Delean was held to 0 disposals in the opening term, but had a big impact in the second, looking lively close to goal and kicking one of South’s three second quarter majors.

Norwood has holding up well, defending the breeze, and as an added bonus managed two late goals through Jayden Gale and Charlie Molan to make it a four-goal-to-three term in favour of the Redlegs.

At the main break, Norwood led 9.6-60 to 4.5-29.

The stats sheet read similar to last week, with Murley and Francis continuing to lead the way from the back line, with 17 disposals apiece.

Norwood had nine individual goal kickers in the first half – Binder, Callow, Dittmar, Gale, Hamilton, F. Heard, Molan, Rokahr and Wright – and were leading disposals 216-143, tackles 22-16 and inside 50m 30-19.

Norwood continued on its way after the break, with a cracking goal to Max Hodges from the scoreboard pocket, using the breeze to perfection to swing it home, becoming the 10^th individual goal kicker for the Redlegs.

Ben Shillabeer became the game’s first multiple goal kicker soon after, before the Redlegs nailed the next two through Gale and Hamilton. It meant the visitors had five of the last six majors and a 42-point lead.

South had to stay within reach if it were to mount any fightback with the breeze in the run home. Callow and Gale had other ideas and nailed three more goals for the Redlegs to make it six third quarter goals to one, and a 60-point margin at the final break, 15.8-98 to 5.8-38.

The wheels completely fell off in the final term, as Norwood kicked another five goals into the breeze, and ran out 76-point winners to celebrate the 50-game milestones of Murley and Alastair Lord.

Norwood 5.3, 9.6, 15.8, 20.10 – 130

South Adelaide 1.1, 4.5, 5.8, 7.12 – 54

Goals: Gale 4, Callow 3, Binder 2, Hamilton 2, Dittmar, F. Heard, Kennerley, M. Hodges, M. Ling, Molan, Rokahr, Swinnerton, Wright