Norwood defeat North Adelaide in SANFL Trial Match

Norwood put in a strong performance in its first SANFL trial match of the 2026 season, defeating North Adelaide by 57 points at Coopers Stadium on Friday night.

Kade Dittmar, Aaron Francis, Josh Murphy and Matthew Harms pulled on the Norwood guernsey for the first time, while the returning Harry Boyd also played the first half.

Boyd, Nik Rokahr and Finn Heard played the first half, before completing a running set at half time and watching quarters three and four from the bench.

F. Heard was outstanding in the first half, kicking three goals, taking strong marks and creating a great contest in the forward half. Rokahr was strong through the midfield, working alongside Dittmar, while Boyd had a good battle with former Norwood ruck Alex van Wyk.

When F. Heard went off, Jackson Callow controlled the forward line, kicking three second half goals, and had he kicked straight would have finished with five or six majors.

Francis looked right at home in defence, working well with fellow talls Jack Heard, Tom Donnelly and Pierce Seymour. Francis was thrown forward in the second half, while Murphy kicked two goals and took some quality marks around the ground.

Declan Hamilton was the other multiple goal kicker.

The only negatives to come out of the hitout, were the injuries to Matthew Ling (shoulder/collarbone), Baynen Lowe (leg) and Marco D’Annunzio (head knock), which will be assessed over the coming days.

The first quarter was tight, with both sides kicking three goals apiece and going into the first break scores level at 3.1-19.

From there Norwood dominated proceedings all around the ground, holding North to just one scoring shot in quarters two and three, while the home side booted five goals in the second quarter and three in the third.

North rallied late in the game with four last quarter goals, as Norwood’s rotations were hampered through injury and management of players.

The Redlegs kicked late goals through Callow (two), Dittmar, Hamilton and Sanders to run away with the 57-point win.

Missing from tonight’s match were the likes of Mitch O’Neill, Tom McCallum and Tristan Binder.

Earlier in the evening, a young Norwood Reserves side claimed a 21-point win over the Roosters, 9.6-60 to 5.9-39. Nearly the entire Reserves lineup were either new to the club, 2025 U18s and 2026 U18s.

Norwood next Friday night host Glenelg in SANFL and Reserves trial matches at Coopers Stadium. Next Friday’s matches will be regular length, with tonight’s being 26-minute flat quarters for the League and 22-flat for Reserves.

SANFL Trial

Norwood 3.1, 8.2, 11.9, 16.10 – 106
North Adelaide 3.1, 3.1, 4.1, 8.1 – 49

Goals: Callow 3, F. Heard 3, Hamilton 3, Murphy 2, Lowe, Dittmar, Simpson, Gale, Sanders

RESERVES Trial

Norwood 9.6-60
North Adelaide 5.9-39