Twelftree kicks half a dozen in big win over the Panthers

Izaak Twelftree kicked a career high six goals to help Norwood to a 55-point win over South Adelaide at Coopers Stadium on Saturday, locking in a top two spot for the Redlegs.

The 22-year-old key forward nailed four goals in the second half and collected an equal career high 21 disposals to go with six marks, four tackles and two clearances in a best on ground performance.

Harry Boyd had an enormous day with an equal career high 31 disposals, 54 hitouts, 16 clearances and broke the 150-ranking point barrier for the first time, while Billy Cootee and Matt Ling had 21 disposals.

Baynen Lowe had 20 disposals and kicked two goals, while Tristan Binder kicked two goals in his first SANFL game of the season, replacing the injured Finn Heard in a forward-ruck position

It was a demolition job as Norwood recorded +96 disposals, +50 hitouts, +34 clearances, +20 inside 50m entries and +10 scoring shots.

Norwood also managed to restrict the Panthers to one goal in the first half, kicking 11 of the first goals of the match.

The Redlegs set the tone early, starting with a dominant first term, before kicking seven straight goals to create a match-high 63-point lead early in the third quarter.

The home side went on to secure a 16.11-107 to 7.10-52 win.

Norwood has made a habit of starting games well, and Saturday was no different, going 8-1 inside 50m entries, 10-1 clearances and +20 disposals in the opening 13 minutes.

For all their dominance, the Redlegs managed just one goal when their captain Jacob Kennerley snuck one just inside the post.

The Redlegs had no trouble moving it inside 50m, but conversion was another problem in itself as Norwood registered 1.5 in the opening 15 minutes.

Norwood needed some reward for effort, and Binder took a strong mark and went back to nail his first goal after squandering two prior chances.

Cootee kept a ball alive on the boundary line in the Coopers Corner pocket, and Alec Wright found himself in the perfect spot for a feedback handball. He received it and snapped a perfect kick around his body for Norwood’s third major.

After 18 minutes it was 3.5-23 to 0.1-1 and things were just getting worse for the Panthers as Norwood went +33 in disposal, +12 inside 50m and +11 clearances.

Baynen Lowe broke through the 50m arc and nailed an outstanding running goal at the 20-minute mark to make it four straight goals and a 27-point Norwood lead.

South’s leading goal kicker Liam Fitt finally found his side’s first major of the afternoon late in the first quarter, but Norwood led 4.5-29 to 1.2-8 at the first break.

Inside 50m entries were +10 and clearances +10 in a dominant first term, as Twelftree had nine disposals to quarter time.

The first 15 minutes of the second quarter was a stalemate as South pegged back Norwood’s free flowing ball movement that came easy in the first 30 minutes.

No goals were scored in the opening 15 minutes, before Norwood finally broke free of South’s grasp and went from end to end, finishing in Twelftree’s first goal.

The game opened up, and Norwood found two more quick goals to Sam Morris and Twelftree’s second major to make it a 38-point lead at the 20-minute mark.

Lowe won a holding the ball free kick and nailed the set shot, before Ling sidestepped his Panthers opponent and drilled Norwood’s fifth goal in 11 minutes.

The late spurt helped the Redlegs transform a 26-point lead at the 15-minute mark of the second term to a 51-point advantage at half time, 11.8-74 to 1.6-12.

Boyd enjoyed a huge half of footy, having 18 disposals, six clearances and 23 hitouts.

Twelftree had 13 disposals and two goals to the main break, and Ling had 13 touches and a goal. Cootee was having a major influence with 11 disposals.

Norwood led clearances +20, inside 50m entries +19 and disposals +81, while having 17 scoring shots to six.

It was more of the same for Norwood after the break, as Twelftree nailed back to back goals to get the margin out to 62 points, with seven unanswered Redlegs majors.

Fitt’s second goal snapped seven-straight Norwood majors, but the Redlegs made sure there was no comeback mission, with Binder’s second goal coming minutes later.

The Panthers enjoyed a good patch of form, kicking two quick goals through Eamon Wilkinson and Damon Freitag just before the three quarter time break.

Norwood led by an even 50 points at the final break, 12.9-81 to 4.7-31.

At the final break, Norwood led clearances by an astonishing +26, inside 50m +21, disposals +81 and hitouts +34.

Twelftree had equalled his previous career high four goals to three quarter time to go with his 17 disposals, which led all players on the field.

After battling with key defenders Jake Summerton and Sam Skinner all day, Jackson Callow found the easiest of marks from an opposition turnover 30m out from goal.

Callow went back and nailed his first of the afternoon to get the Redlegs back out to a 56-point lead early in the final term.

Callow drew another big crowd at half forward, and the loose ball from the contest spilled to Cooper Murley who snapped a classy goal under pressure.

The Panthers kicked three late goals to bring the margin back to 42 points, but the day belonged to Norwood and more specifically Twelftree who kicked the final two goals of the afternoon.

The Redlegs now can’t drop out of the top two on the SANFL ladder with two matches remaining against North Adelaide and Woodville-West Torrens, after Glenelg and Central District lost their Round 16 matches.

Norwood 4.5, 9.8, 12.9, 16.11 – 107

South Adelaide 1.2, 1.5, 4.7, 7.10 – 52

Goals: Twelftree 6, Binder 2, Lowe 2,  Callow, Kennerley, Ling, Morris, Murley, Wright

Best: Twelftree, Boyd, Lord, Binder, J. Heard

Norwood’s Reserves recorded a strong victory on Saturday, defeating South Adelaide by 43 points to all-but secure top spot on the SANFL Reserves Ladder.

The Redlegs sit two wins and percentage clear on top with two matches to come against North Adelaide and Woodville-West Torrens before finals.

It’s been a strong couple of weeks for the Redlegs Reserves, defeating second placed Glenelg by 37 points and fourth placed South Adelaide by 43, to eradicate back to back losses in the fortnight prior.

In Saturday’s Round 17 clash against the Panthers, Norwood book-ended the game perfectly with a four-goal spurt in the first quarter, and three unanswered goals to finish to run out 11.1783 to 6.4-40 winners.

Aside from these two patches of dominance from the Redlegs, the game was evenly poised across the second and third terms.

Norwood ruckman Alex van Wyk was a comfortable best on ground with 26 disposals, 11 marks, 22 hitouts, four clearances and eight inside 50m entries.

Jordon Boyle had 25 disposals, while Isaac Saywell and Henry Slade had 24 disposals apiece.

Goy Lok returned from concussion following the 21-day protocol and kicked four goals.

Luke Bogle had another strong game with 23 disposals, eight clearances, five tackles and two goals.

Jayden Gale and Xavier Tranfa were the other multiple goal kickers with two apiece.

Norwood 4.5, 6.9, 8.15, 11.17 – 83

South Adelaide 1.0, 3.3, 5.4, 6.4 – 40

Goals: Lok 4, Bogle 2, Gale 2, Tranfa 2, Kent

Best: van Wyk, Bogle, Tranfa, Lok, Weightman