Junior season draws to a close

The 2023 season came to a close for Norwood’s junior sides on Saturday.

Norwood’s U16s lost its Round 18 match to the third placed West Adelaide by the barest of margins at Norwood Oval on Saturday, with the Bloods kicking the last two goals to pinch a one point win, 6.7-43 to 6.6-42.

In wet conditions at The Parade, Norwood’s Harry Lake had a difficult shot from the scoreboard pocket in the last two minutes of the match to give his side the lead back, but hit the post to make it a one point game.

Early in the match, West Adelaide started strongly with the only two goals of the first quarter.

The Redlegs worked their way into the match after quarter time with six of the next eight goals to take a 10-point lead in the final term.

Zanen Syrokos and Patrick Amber kicked last quarter goals for West Adelaide to re-claim the lead with nine minutes to go.

Strong performers for Norwood were Jack Hayter with 36 disposals, 14 tackles and a goal, as well as Darcy Speyer with 28 disposals and 11 tackles.

Will Prescott had 17 disposals and kicked two goals.

Norwood’s had an inconsistent season, which ended with an eighth place finish (5-13 win-loss record).

The Redlegs couldn’t regularly field their strongest side due to Adelaide College Football commitments, but proved they could match it with the better teams in the competition, with wins over top five sides Central District, West Adelaide, North Adelaide and Glenelg.

Norwood 0.1, 4.2, 5.4, 6.6 – 42

West Adelaide 2.1, 4.4, 4.7, 6.7 – 43

Goals: Prescott 2, Hayter, Lake, Stevenson, Varcoe

Best: Speyer, Kretschmer, Bowden, O’Brien, Prescott

Norwood’s U18 season concluded with a 24-point defeat at the hands of West Adelaide at Norwood Oval on Saturday.

The Redlegs started strongly with five of the first six goals of the game to skip out to a 25-point lead in the second quarter, before West Adelaide took control of the game with four goals in eight minutes to close out the first half.

Jay Polkinghorne kicked a settling goal for Norwood in the opening minute of the third term to make it a seven-point Redlegs lead.

West Adelaide answered immediately, and kicked eight of the last 11 goals to run out 13.6-84 to 9.6-60 winners.

Jaidyn Mead had 31 disposals for Norwood, while Darci Best had 22 disposals, six clearances and four tackles.

Polkinghorne, Ben Purdie and Brayden Rachwal each kicked two goals.

Norwood finish the U18 season in seventh place with a 7-11 win-loss record, and experienced similar difficulties as the U16 side at the selection table with the College Football commitments.

The Redlegs started the season strongly with three wins coming from their first four matches, and had another good patch in the middle of the year with three consecutive wins from Rounds 7-9.

Norwood 3.2, 5.3, 8.5, 9.6 – 60

West Adelaide 1.1, 5.2, 10.6, 13.6 – 84

Goals: Polkinghorne 2, Purdie 2, Rachwal 2, Barilla, Barton, Tomney

Best: Scott, Wanganeen, Best, Mead, Catalano