Norwood much improved, but Tigers better on Anzac Day

Norwood brought a new energy and freedom to the traditional Anzac Day grand final rematch at Glenelg Oval on Friday, but it wasn’t enough to secure a breakthrough win, with the Tigers running rampant in the final term to claim a 43-point win.

In a high-quality match, the Redlegs took a two-point lead late in the third quarter when Tristan Binder nailed a cracking long goal on the run, before Glenelg closed out the game with nine of the next 11 goals to win 18.11-119 to 11.10-76.

Releasing the shackles and playing a very different brand to last week, Norwood looked the better side for large portions of the Round 4 match against Glenelg, but the reigning premiers stood up when needed, while the Redlegs struggled to convert on the scoreboard.

Trailing by 15 points at quarter time, Norwood dominated the second and third terms, but kicked 6.9, while Glenelg was able to hang around with important goals, booting 5.4 of its own in the same timeframe.

Binder’s goal helped Norwood to a two-point lead with one minute to go before three quarter time, but Lachie Hosie did what Glenelg was able to do all day and responded with a replying goal with the final kick of the term to help the Bays to a four-point, 10.7-67 to 9.9-63 advantage.

The rest was history as Glenelg booted eight final quarter goals to two, and send the margin past 40 points.

After being well-held in the first half (one goal from three disposals), Hosie kicked seven in the second half to finish with eight majors, claiming the Bob Quinn Medal.

Despite the 43-point margin, it was a much improved performance from the Redlegs who played with dare and enthusiasm, taking just 44 marks (72 in Round 3), taking the game on and moving the ball with speed inside 50m (40 inside 50m entries to last week’s 32).

Nik Rokahr finished with 31 disposals and six clearances, while captain Jacob Kennerley led from the front with 29 disposals, a goal and seven clearances.

Mitch O’Neill kicked two goals from his 24 disposals, while Connor Ling had his best game for his new side with 20 disposals and a goal.

It was ominous signs early as Glenelg got off to the perfect start, booting a goal through Corey Lyons in the opening minute.

C. Lyons had a say in the second goal at the eight-minute mark, and the Lyons brothers (Corey and Jarryd) had eight disposals between them.

It was one-way traffic despite Norwood creating four inside 50m entries, but didn’t look like threatening the scoreboard and after 10 minutes it was 2.2-14 to no score.

Second gamer Jacob Newton bobbed up and took a strong mark on the wing to serge Norwood forward, ending in a much needed crumbing goal to O’Neill.

After a dominant first 10 minutes from the Tigers, Norwood settled into the contest and found a second goal through Billy Cootee, and a third to take the lead when Connor McLean toe-poked one through from the goal square.

The Redlegs were getting destroyed at centre clearance, and again the Tigers went forward but weren’t putting it on the board as Norwood led 3.0-18 to 2.3-15.

Norwood would have been thrilled to go into quarter time leading by three points given the Tigers dominance in most facets of the match, but as the reigning premiers can do they hammered home three goals in five minutes to turn the three-point deficit into a 15-point buffer.

It was 5.3-33 to 3.0-18 at the first break, which reflected on the stats sheet as Glenelg led marks 16-8, tackles 31-15, clearances 16-6, inside 50m 15-8 and disposals 80-71.

Rokahr had 10 disposals to quarter time, while C. Lyons had eight for the Tigers.

Norwood was a different side in the second term, turning the clearance battle around (11-3) and finding repeated inside 50m entries.

Jackson Callow kicked an early goal, nailing a set shot, but from there the visitors squandered five chances to further chip into the deficit.

The Redlegs needed to make the most of every chance, but after 20 minutes they had 1.5 to Glenelg’s 1.0 and the margin was 12 points.

As he often does, the captain Kennerley stood up, nailing an important goal to get his side back to six points, and then Newton converted a close-range set shot to level the scores.

At half time it was Glenleg leading by a point, 6.6-42 to 6.5-41 after a three-goal-to-one term, which had the potential to be far more dominant from a Norwood perspective, booting 3.5 to 1.2.

Norwood had come to play, and at the half O’Neill and Rokahr had 16 disposals and four clearances apiece.

It really tightened up after half time, neither side wanting to give an inch, as Norwood desperately tried to edge its way in front.

Jack Heard and Josh Gillow had done outstanding jobs on Luke Reynolds and Lachie Hosie in the first half, but the Glenelg pair kicked all four of the Tigers goals in the third quarter.

The Redlegs transitioned the ball well from end to end, but couldn’t finish their hard work behind the football, kicking 2.4 to Glenleg’s 3.1 in the third quarter.

Binder’s goal took the lead with Norwood’s the goal of the day, as Matt Ling burnt off a Glenelg defender and handed to Binder who nailed a running major from 50m.

Again it was centre clearance that killed Norwood, as Hosie converted a fourth goal from his sixth disposal with the final kick of the third term.

At the final break it was Glenelg maintaining a slender lead, 10.7-67 to 9.9-63.

Hosie’s fifth had Norwood hanging by a thread, and while it was just 11 points the game momentum had changed.

Norwood lost Tom McCallum to a leg injury in the final term, and minutes later Will Chandler nailed another decisive goal to put the Tiger up 12.9-81 to 9.9-63.

In what summed up the day, Finn Heard had a set shot to bring a 25-point margin back to 19 points, but missed, and from the kick in C Lyons nailed a cracker from the pocket down the other end to send it past 30 points. From there the results were in the books.

It was unfortunate for the margin to blow out late, but the Redlegs will take confidence in their method as they take on the ladder leading Adelaide Crows in Port Lincoln next Sunday, May 4.

Norwood 3.0, 6.5, 9.9, 11.10 – 76

Glenelg 5.3, 6.6, 10.7, 18.11 – 119

Goals: O’Neill 2, Binder, Callow, Gale, Cootee, Kennerley, C. Ling, McLean, Newton, Twelftree