Missed opportunities cost Norwood in 11-point loss

Norwood had its opportunities but were unable to overcome a plucky Woodville-West Torrens side, losing by 11-points at Maughan Thiem Kia Oval on Saturday.

Trailing by one-point at three quarter time, the Redlegs held the ascendency for large periods of the final quarter, but weren’t able to translate it to the scoreboard, mustering only the three behinds as the Eagles ran out 7.10-52 to 9.9-63 winners.

Midfield gun Nik Rokahr (27 disposals) was again a standout for the Redlegs, whilst forwards Baynen Lowe and Liam Robinson were influential with two goals each.

Harry Boyd (24 hit outs), Matthew Ling and Goy Lok all had 19 disposals.

It was a game that slipped away for Norwood, and Redlegs coach Jade Rawlings was left to rue missed opportunities from his side for a second week in-a-row.

“When you don’t take your chances two goals up in the third quarter, you allow them back in,” said Rawlings.

“To have complete dominance in the last quarter and not be able to convert it, it’s incredibly frustrating.

“We had the game there to be won and we just weren’t able to convert and close it out.”

The game was a closely run contest from the outset, with Norwood’s lead of 13 in the third quarter the game-high margin for the day.

Luke Beecken nailed the Eagles first chance with a set shot kick from 50m to register the first goal of the day, as Woodville’s weather turned from sunshine to rain in a matter of moments.

Norwood were unable to capitalise from two opportunities inside forward 50 as the game briefly turned into wet weather football.

Conditions dried up and the Redlegs found themselves rebounding from a Woodville-West Torrens forward entry, Baynen Lowe was able to produce a classy finish to convert from 50m on the run, handing the Redlegs a momentum boosting two-point lead.

The Redlegs made it back-to-back goals as they moved the ball swiftly through the corridor to find Goy Lok on the lead, Lok made no mistake kicking his first goal of the day on a slight angle from 40m.

Despite the Eagles dominating possession and at the stoppages, the Redlegs continued to look dangerous when moving the ball forward.

Debutant Izaak Twelftree marked deep in the forward pocket and wheeled around his body to kick a brilliant first SANFL goal in the shadows of quarter time, pushing the margin out to 13-points as the Redlegs led 3.3-21 to 1.2-8 at the first break.

Lok had a huge first quarter, the forward amassing 10 disposals and leading all ball winners for the Redlegs.

The Eagles converted from a rushed kick inside 50 that saw Sam Nicholls snap around his body to goal, as they pulled the margin back to five-points, six minutes into the second quarter.

An outstanding passage of play saw the Redlegs transition the ball directly from full back to deep in the forward line, but Lok was unable to convert from the set shot.

The Redlegs began to get their hands on the football more, but the Eagles continued their authority at the clearances.

Both sides struggled to goal for the next 10 minutes before Lowe kicked his second for the day with a snap around his body deep inside forward 50.

The see-sawing nature of the match continued, with the Eagles responding through Jesse Lonergan as he dribbled the ball through for a major from a tight angle on the goal line.

A goal to Will Pearce saw the Eagles tie the game up on the half time siren, with the scores at 4.5-29 to 4.5-29.

Midfield gun Nik Rokahr had a strong first half for the Redlegs, with 15 disposals alongside Lok (14 disposals and a goal).

An Eagles turnover at half back saw Harry Boyd find Liam Robinson running back deep inside forward 50 as the Redlegs landed the first blow of the second half.

A long kick inside 50 from 50th gamer Jack Heard saw Robinson present strongly again to kick to kick his second goal in the space of five minutes, as the Redlegs skipped out to an 11-point lead.

The first half of the third quarter saw the ball live in Norwood’s forward half as the Redlegs took control of the game.

A missed opportunity from Xavier Tranfa 25m out and an unlucky bounce on the goal line moments later saw the Redlegs unable to capitalise on their inside 50 dominance.

Eagles player Zac Buck produced a monster kick from outside 50 to reduce the margin to six-points but their momentum was short-lived, with a 25m penalty offering Redlegs midfielder Luke Bogle a chance from 50m out directly in front which he duly converted.

With the sun now shining the Eagles continued to hang around as Matthew Goldsworthy converted to make it a one goal game.

The momentum continued to swing the Eagles way with Goldsworthy again finding himself on the end of a goal as the Eagles went back-to-back before three quarter time, taking a one-point lead 7.7-49 to 7.8-50 into the final change.

The final quarter began as an arm wrestle, with both sides unable to score within the opening ten minutes.

Corey Stockdale missed a golden opportunity to put the Redlegs in front in the 11th minute as scores were tied again.

Jack Heard won a huge one-on-one battle in defense out marking his direct opponent in a contest that could’ve easily resulted in an Eagles goal.

Xavier Tranfa crumbed and snapped around his body to put the Redlegs in front with what looked to be a goal, but it was deemed touched off the boot, handing the Redlegs a slim one-point advantage.

The Eagles pressed forward and kicked the first goal of the quarter in the 17th minute, capitalising on a mark and 25m penalty to Will Pearce.

James Rowe sealed an 11-point win for the Eagles.

Both sides had their equal share of possession with the Redlegs winning the inside 50 count 40-38, the Eagles dominated the clearances 24-38.

Norwood takes on last year’s Grand Final opponent North Adelaide at Prospect Oval next Saturday.

Norwood: 3.3, 4.5, 7.7, 7.10 – 52

Woodville-West Torrens: 1.2, 4.5, 7.8, 9.9 – 63

Goals: Lowe, Robinson 2, Bogle, Lok, Twelftree

Best: Lowe, Rokahr, Lok, Wright, Donnelly

Despite a six-goal last quarter, Norwood’s Reserves side succumbed to a 37-point defeat against Woodville-West Torrens at Maughan Thiem Kia Oval on Saturday.

The Eagles led at every break, beginning with a six-goal first quarter on their way to a 11.4-70 to 16.11-104 win.

Harvey Pedler (22 disposals) was one of the better performers for the Redlegs, whilst Jake Cresswell (21 disposals) and Jayden Gale (20 disposals, one goal) also found their share of the football.

The Redlegs had a contingent of multiple goal scorers, with Lachlan Pascoe, Beau Baldwin, Noah Hyde and Ben Jarvis all kicking two majors.

Alex Van Wyk was again fantastic in the ruck for the Redlegs with 34 hit outs.

It was a disappointing start for the Redlegs who conceded the first four goals of the match, before Baldwin kicked his first goal of the day in the 17th minute of the first quarter.

Back-to-back goals to the Eagles in the shadows of quarter time ensured that the margin stetched out to 32-points at the first break, 1.0-6 to 6.2-38.

The second quarter saw the Eagles continue to run away with the game, kicking five goals to Norwood’s two, with Hyde and Finn Heard both hitting the scoreboard, the Eagles held a 51-point lead at half time.

Goals to Pascoe and Dnistriansky threatened to stem the Eagles momentum in the third quarter but the Eagles kicked four goals of their own to continue the same narrative into three quarter time, holding a 68-point lead.

The Redlegs outscored the Eagles by 31-points in the last quarter, kicking six-goals to the Eagles one to bring the margin back under 40-points in a tough day for the Redlegs.

The Redlegs were efficient with ball in hand but were beaten in clearances 25-38 and inside 50s 35-51, the Eagles also won the tackle count 61-70.

Saturday’s loss now sees Norwood (5-8) sixth on the SANFL Reserves ladder.

Norwood takes on last-placed North Adelaide (2-11) next Saturday at Prospect Oval.

Norwood: 1.0, 3.0, 5.0, 11.4 – 70

Woodville-West Torrens: 6.2, 11.3 15.8, 16.11 – 107

Goals: Pascoe, Baldwin, Hyde, Jarvis 2, Dnistriansky, Gale, Heard

Best: Van Wyk, Pedler, Gale, Heard, Saywell