Match Report – Legs blitz Bloods in Port Lincoln

NORWOOD has recorded a memorable 68-point victory over West Adelaide in its first historic trip to Port Lincoln for Premiership points.

Playing in the heart of their Eyre Peninsula regional zone for the first time, the Redlegs put in their best performance of the year thus far, with a dominant display in front of 2000 spectators at Centenary Oval.

Cleve born forward Cam Taheny gave Norwood the perfect start inside the first five minutes before the Bloods kicked back-to-back goals courtesy of Matthew McKenzie and Connor Fairlie.

Norwood kicked into gear soon after and piled on four goals to West Adelaide’s one to create a 17-point lead at the first break.

Inaccurate kicking proved costly for Norwood in the second term, however, they still managed to defend well kicking two goals to the Bloods one.

Despite only a 19-point lead at the halftime break, Norwood was in control of proceedings and threatening to break the game open.

This came to fruition in the third term when the Redlegs put their foot on the gas kicking 7.1 to West’s 2.2 to open a 48-point advantage by the final break.

The Redlegs ball movement and pressure in the third term was scintillating as they put on a spectacle for the red and blue faithful in the heartland of their regional zone.

Forward Connor McLean booted three third-quarter goals, while Ben Jarvis goaled twice to open the game up in Norwood’s favour.

From there, the Redlegs finished the job off in style as they blew away the visitors with five last quarter goals.

Jarvis finished with four goals, including an eye-catching major after dashing through the corridor with two bounces in the first term while Taheny kicked three.

Central recruit Connor McLean added four goals for Norwood while Nunn, who collected 35 disposals and seven clearances, also chimed in with a pair of majors.

Norwood midfielder Nik Rokahr tallied 27 disposals while another West Coast boy, Henry Nelligan, chalked up 22 disposals and four clearances in familiar territory.

Captain Matthew Nunn deservedly won the Philip de Quetteville Robin Medal after a dominant display which saw him collect 35 disposals including nine marks, seven clearances and two goals.

The Redlegs now have a six-day break before travelling to Unley next weekend to face Sturt.

SCOREBOARD:

NORWOOD: 5.5 7.9 14.10 19.13 (127)

WEST ADELAIDE: 3.0 5.2 7.4 9.5 (59)

GOALS: Jarvis 4, McLean 4, Taheny 3, Nunn 2, Hamilton, Kennerley, Rantall, Richards, Stockdale, Wagner

BEST: McLean, Nunn, Kennerley, Richards, Rantall, Boyd