Norwood U16s claim first win of 2024 season

Norwood’s U16s claimed its first win of the 2024 season in a low-scoring thriller over West Adelaide at Richmond’s Hisense Stadium on Saturday. 

The Redlegs were wayward in front of goal, booting 4.11 on a blustery, difficult day for football, but held the Bloods to just two goals in an 18-point victory.

It was Christ Slattery’s first victory as Norwood U16 coach.

The Redlegs were wayward from the outset, kicking 0.4 to West Adelaide’s 1.2 in the first term to go into quarter time four points in arrears.

Norwood got going after the first break, kicking the first two goals of the second quarter through Max Kiel and Oscar Di Matteo to take a nine-point lead.

Josh Wooldridge kicked a goal for the Bloods late in the second term to make it a three-point game at the main break, 2.3-15 to Norwood’s 2.6-18.

The Redlegs managed to hold West Adelaide to just two behinds for the remainder of the match, and kicked two goals of their own in the third term.

The goals came off the boot of Kiel and Aden Knowles (after the three quarter time siren) to take an 18-point lead into the final break.

The last quarter was a goalless tussle, but the Redlegs managed to sneak home with a 4.11-35 to 2.5-17 breakthrough victory.

Kiel finished with two goals, while James Annese was named best on ground with 26 disposals, nine tackles, and three clearances.

Thomas Gribben also had 26 touches, five tackles and a game-high seven clearances.

Norwood 0.4, 2.6, 4.10, 4.11 – 35

West Adelaide 1.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5 – 17

Goals: Kiel 2, Di Matteo, Knowles

Best: Annese, Gribben, Ivins, Dimasi, Altamura

Norwood’s U18s were dealt another heartbreaking defeat at Hisense Stadium on Saturday, with West Adelaide’s Mitchell Marsh kicking a goal on the final siren to steer the Bloods to a four-point victory. 

The Redlegs led by two points when Marsh gathered the ball on the 50m line and sent the ball goalward, and as the ball sailed through for a goal the siren blew on yet another close loss for the Redlegs U18 side.

It was Norwood’s fifth loss by less than 10 points, in a season that has registered just two victories.

Having defeated West Adelaide by 15 points in Round 5, and coming off a win over South Adelaide last Saturday, the Redlegs would have been eyeing back-to-back wins to salvage some confidence in the back half of the year.

However, it was the bottom of the table Bloods that came to play in the first half, getting out to a surprise 18-point lead at the main break.

From there, Norwood flipped a switch and kicked three goals in the opening eight minutes of the third term, through Cody Duncan (two) and Ryan Penna to draw level.

Three more goals to Eamonn Cronin, Jim Kelly and Jacob Newton gave Norwood a 14-point lead at the 20-minute mark of the third term.

West Adelaide kicked two settling goals during the third quarter to ensure the Redlegs momentum didn’t get out of hand. After a six goals to two third term, Norwood led by seven points at the final break.

Ned Bowman booted his first goal early in the final quarter to help Norwood to a 13-point lead, but from there Westies kicked the final two goals through Noah Baker and the match winner Marsh to claim an unexpected victory.

Returning from State U18 football commitments, Newton had 26 disposals, eight clearances and a goal, and Bowman 13 disposals and a goal.

The Redlegs were without key forward Jay Polkinghorne, who played Reserves on Sunday.

Duncan finished with three goals and Cronin two, while first year U18s Jim Kelly, Jeff Rozenbilds and Darcy Speyer each had 20 disposals.

Norwood’s U18 and U16s play Glenelg at Stratarama Stadium next Saturday.

Norwood 1.2, 2.5, 8.7, 9.9 – 63

West Adelaide 2.2, 5.5, 7.6, 10.7 – 67

Goals: Duncan 3, Cronin 2, Bowman, Kelly, Newton, Penna

Best: Myall, Speyer, Newton, Kelly, Kretschmer