Harry Boyd leads the way in seven-goal win over the Dogs

Norwood’s Harry Boyd had one of the all-time great games in the ruck, as the Redlegs romped Central District by 42 points at Coopers Stadium to all-but secure a top three spot. 

Boyd had a career-high 18 clearances to go with his 30 disposals and 48 hit outs to absolutely monster his inexperienced opponents Harvey Howe and Beau Thomas, on a wet and muddy day for footy.

The Redlegs were all class in a dominant first half that saw the home side register 35-7 inside 50m entries across the first two quarters, to set up the 12.14-86 to 6.8-44 win over a fellow top-four side in the Bulldogs.

It was Norwood’s fifth straight win, and with a 12-2 record sit on top of the SANFL ladder – three wins and significant percentage clear of the fourth placed Bulldogs with four rounds to play.

The Redlegs were outstanding across the board in the first half, holding the Bulldogs to two goals and going an astonishing +28 inside 50m, as well as +53 in disposals, +12 marks, +23 hit outs and +16 clearances.

Norwood led by 43 points at the main break, 8.9-57 to 2.2-14, before the Bulldogs made sure the game didn’t completely run away by kicking four goals apiece in the second half.

Jackson Callow kicked three goals (all in the second quarter) and had a big impact on the game, despite being closely checked by Centrals full back Brinn Little.

Finn Heard also booted three goals in an impressive performance, having 14 disposals, six clearances and six hit outs when assisting Boyd in the ruck.

Boyd was the leading ball winner on the ground with his 30 disposals, while Norwood captain Jacob Kennerley had 22 disposals, Matthew Ling 19 touches while fighting through a tag from Jordan Tippins, and Baynen Lowe enjoyed the muddy conditions with 18 disposals, six tackles, eight clearances and a goal.

Norwood looked on from the get-go and had two golden chances to open its account, but Izaak Twelftree, Callow and Sam Morris couldn’t convert what looked like regulation chances. But, nothing was simple on the very wet and muddy Norwood Oval surface.

After four minutes the Redlegs had four inside 50m entries for three behinds.

On the fifth venture inside 50m, Norwood finally snapped one through the big sticks, off the boot of F. Heard.

Norwood was 1.3-0 to no score, and were leading disposal 17-4 in the first five minutes, with the Bulldogs not making it past half way.

The Bulldogs full back Little was wearing Callow like a glove, but it made no impact as the big key forward took a second strong contested mark. But again couldn’t go back and nail the set shot.

Meanwhile, Tippins was following Ling everywhere he went.

It took 13 minutes for Centrals to finally get the ball inside 50m, and found Aiden Grace in space. The League’s leading goal kicker, Grace, went back and converted the set shot against the run of play, to make it 1.4-10 to 1.0-6.

Callow was again taken out of a contest at full forward, but didn’t earn a free kick, but did an outstanding job on the goal line a minute later to shepherd his defender away from a Jayden Gale goal that dribbled over the line.

Norwood was matching Centrals clear physical tactics, and F. Heard took an aggressive pack mark at half forward knocking his Bulldogs opponent on the ground.

But the only part of the puzzle that was missing for the Redlegs was conversion, as another shot wobbled to the left.

After 20 minutes the inside 50m entries were 12-1, for a return of 2.5-17 to 1.0-6.

In his return to League football Oliver Sanders snapped Norwood’s third goal in the Coopers Hill pocket, and was instantly mobbed by teammates to celebrate a long awaited return from an ankle injury.

Umpiring was going against the Redlegs, but Lowe was finally awarded a high tackle and converted Norwood’s fourth goal from the goal square.

After a dominant first quarter, Norwood led by 25 points, 4.7-31 to 1.0-6 in one of the most one-sided inside 50m counts… 18-1 at quarter time.

While being +17 inside 50m in the first term, the Redlegs were also +19 in disposal, +3 tackles, +9 clearances, +11 hit outs and +8 marks.

Thomas and Howe had no answers for Boyd, who had seven disposals, seven clearances and 12 hit outs in the first quarter.

F. Heard hit the scoreboard again to start the second term to put Norwood 31 points in front.

A picture perfect hit out from Boyd set up Norwood’s fifth straight goal, tapping it towards the boundary and down the throat of Alec Wright, and eventually Callow dribbled his first goal through.

Norwood had an unheard of 23-1 inside 50m count after seven minutes into the second term.

One thing that was going Centrals way was their efficiency going inside 50m, with a second goal coming through Dale Pearce from their second inside 50m entry.

Norwood again responded down the other end, with Callow’s second goal to resurrect a 37-point lead.

Kennerley delivered a perfect ball inside 50m to a long lead from F. Heard. His set shot was a floating mongrel that dropped short, into the hands of Callow at the top of the goal square.

Callow had three consecutive goals for the Redlegs, and put Norwood in front by a match-high 44 points, and the Bulldogs looked all at sea.

At half time, Norwood led 8.9-57 to 2.2-14 in an incredible display of football in challenging conditions.

On a muddy deck Norwood was +53 in disposals, +12 marks, +23 hit outs, +16 clearances, and an astonishing +28 inside 50m entries.

Norwood’s inside 50m count of 35-7 at half time had to be seen to be believed.

Boyd had 15 disposals, 10 clearances and 25 hit outs in the first half, while Callow had three goals from 11 disposals, and Kennerley 12 disposals.

Centrals started the second half much better, with 2023 Magarey Medallist Harry Grant streaming through the middle of the ground and finding Grace in the pocket.

Grace couldn’t convert but signs were better for the Dogs, finding repeat inside 50m entries.

The ball lived at the Dogs end of the ground, but after eight minutes the third term was still goalless which suited Norwood just fine.

Grace finally converted a long range set shot to get Centrals scoreboard ticking over, 8.9-57 to 3.4-22.

For the most part, the third term was a stalemate, with ball movement proving difficult on the boggy ground.

Wet weather footy saw the ball maul from contest to contest, before Boyd took the ball out of the ruck and belted it forward which broke the game open. F. Heard ran onto it and dribbled through his third goal to get the margin back above 40 points.

Despite having the win chalked up by half time, Norwood was still desperate and debutant Dom White saved a Centrals goal with a desperate lunge on the line, which set up anothe foray forward and scoring shot for the Redlegs.

The Bulldogs kicked three goals to two in the third term, to reduce the margin to 35 points at the final break, 10.11-71 to 5.6-36.

Norwood would be keen to run the game out, after letting the Crows kick four goals in the final term last week.

It was the Bulldogs who got the first major, a set shot through Jake Gasper, which got the game back to an interesting 30 points.

Norwood would have really wanted the next goal to put the game away, but Centrals kept pressing.

Twelftree, who had his issues with accuracy early in the game, got the goal that he and Norwood was after to ice the game, with the margin back out to 35 points. It was the Redlegs third goal in a tight second half.

Gale’s second goal was icing on the cake in what was a very solid win for the top of the table Redlegs.

Next Saturday, Norwood travels to Glenelg to face the Tigers.

Norwood 4.7, 8.9, 10.11, 12.14 – 86

Central District 1.0, 2.2, 5.6, 6.8 – 44

Goals: Callow 3, F. Heard 3, Gale 2, Morris, Sanders, Twelftree

Best: Boyd, F. Heard, Kennerley, Cresswell, S. Morris

Norwood’s Reserves will be desperate to bounce back from consecutive losses when it takes on Glenelg at Stratarama Stadium this Saturday, after a tough 17-point loss to Central District in Round 15.

The seventh-placed Bulldogs kicked five of the last seven goals to claim an upset 8.7-55 to 5.8-38 win over the top of the table Redlegs.

The 11-3 Norwood remains one win clear on top of the Reserves ladder, but their position is under threat when they take on the second placed 10-4 Tigers in Glenelg.

On a wet and muddy Norwood Oval surface, and heavy rain falling throughout the morning, both sides could manage just two goals each to half time.

Norwood led 2.6-18 to 2.3-15 at half time thanks to a Jack Saunders goal just before the main break.

Centrals looked the better side in the third term, kicking three goals to one to claim a 12-point lead at three quarter time.

Nich Weightman kicked the first goal of the final term to bring Norwood back to within six points, but from there the Bulldogs kicked three goals in seven minutes to break the game open and stretch out to a match-high 23-point margin.

U18 key forward Jay Polkinghorne kicked the last goal of the game for the Redlegs, to make it five goals from his three Reserves matches, but it was too little too late for Norwood.

Luke Bogle finished with 24 disposals, 12 tackles, four clearances and a goal for Norwood, while Saunders had 18 disposals, six tackles and a goal.

Norwood had five individual goal kickers, Bogle, Polkinghorne, Saunders, Weightman and Tristan Binder.

Binder was named best on ground in his first game back from suspension. The key forward had a big presence through the forward line, midfield and ruck, finishing with 13 disposals, nine tackles, six hit outs and five clearances.

Alex van Wyk continued his good run of form in the ruck, finishing with 39 hit outs, 10 disposals and eight tackles.

Patrick Walker returned from a long-term ankle injury, and finished with 16 disposals.

Norwood’s biggest challenge of the year awaits this weekend, when it takes on the Tigers for the second time in three weeks. Glenelg claimed a 13-point win in Round 14.

The Redlegs have all-but locked in a top-three berth, four wins and percentage clear of the fourth placed Woodville-West Torrens, and now their attention turns to securing the all-important top position.

Norwood have Glenelg, South Adelaide, North Adelaide and the Eagles in the run home.

Norwood 1.3, 2.6, 3.6, 5.8 – 38

Central District 1.1, 2.3, 5.6, 8.7 – 55

Goals: Binder, Bogle, Polkinghorne, Saunders, Weightman

Best: Binder, Bogle, Saywell, Weightman, Saunders