Norwood U18s & U16s suffer losses despite strong performers

Norwood’s U18s side went down by 21-points against Woodville-West Torrens at Coopers Stadium on Saturday.

The Redlegs led by five-points at quarter time but were headed at every break from there on in as the Eagles scored a 6.7-43 to 8.16-64 win.

Norwood won a lot of key areas of the contest, leading in disposals 319-288 and registering more clearances 30-25 and inside 50s 49-44 than the Eagles, but were unable to generate as many scoring shots.

Jacob Newton added another game to a catalogue of strong performances for the Redlegs, gathering 30 disposals, six tackles and six clearances in the loss, alongside Connor Butcher (27 disposals, six clearances and seven inside 50s).

Jake Hill and Will Rowlands were also influential, both with 23 disposals and a goal each.

An inaccurate first quarter saw both sides miss opportunities with the Redlegs kicking the only goal through Darci Best, handing them a 1.4-10 to 0.5-5 quarter time lead.

The Eagles began the second quarter strongly, kicking three unanswered goals to give themselves a 13-point lead.

Norwood’s Cody Duncan broke the run of goals with a major, before Jake Hill converted in the shadows of half time, trimming the Eagles lead back to one-point 3.5-23 to 3.6-24 at the main break.

Eagles player Izaac Niemann and Norwood’s Will Rowlands exchanged goals early in the third quarter before Jett Hasting kicked the Eagles fifth goal amongst a number of missed chances before three quarter time.

Trailing by 12-points at the final change, Norwood kicked the first goal of the last quarter through AFL U16s representative Will Prescott before the Eagles piled on three more, stretching the margin out to a game-high 27 points.

Olly Sellen kicked a late goal for the Redlegs to pull the margin back to 21-points.

Norwood: 1.4, 3.5, 4.5, 6.7 – 43

Woodville-West Torrens: 0.5, 3.6, 5.11, 8.16 – 64

Goals: Best, Duncan, Hill, Prescott, Rowlands, Sellen

Best: Butcher, Newton, Rowlands, Williams, Mustaca

A fast-starting Norwood was unable to hold off Woodville-West Torrens in its U16s clash at Coopers Stadium on Saturday, going down by 55-points.

After conceding the opening goal of the game, the Redlegs kicked five consecutive goals to end the first quarter with a 24-point lead, 5.3-33 to 1.3-9.

That would be where the joy would end for the Redlegs however, with the Eagles kicking eight unanswered goals of their own en route to a 8.8-56 to 14.17-101 win.

The Redlegs had more disposals 291-258 but lost the clearances 28-30 and were comprehensively beaten for inside 50s 30-57.

Despite the result it was a huge afternoon for a few Redlegs, with Jeff Rozenbilds (39 disposals, nine clearances) and Jim Kelly (24 disposals, eight rebound 50s) returning from the 2023 AFL U16 Championships to have an impact.

Darcy Speyer (30 disposals, 11 rebound 50s) and Jack Hayter (26 disposals, one goal) also found plenty of the football, whilst Mitchell Stevenson was strong up forward with five goals.

Eagles player James Chalubek kicked the first goal of the day but the Redlegs owned the rest of the quarter with goals to Stevenson (three), Varcoe and Hayter ensuring the Redlegs hit quarter time with the momentum.

A dominant second quarter from the Eagles saw the Redlegs only able to manufacture the one scoring shot to the Eagles nine, with Woodville-West Torrens kicking six consecutive goals to carry a 14-point 5.4-34 to 7.6-48 lead into half time.

A tighter third quarter saw the Eagles kick the opening two goals before the Redlegs responded with two of their own as Stevenson and Varcoe again hit the scoreboard, cutting the margin back to 16-points.

Woodville-West Torrens’ Jevan Phillipou goaled late in the third term to help push the Eagles lead back out to 23-points at three quarter time.

A fifth goal to Stevenson was the only highlight for the Redlegs in the fourth quarter as the Eagles went on to kick a further four unanswered goals to claim the 55-point victory.

Norwood’s U18s and U16s host North Adelaide in Round 15 at Coopers Stadium on Sunday.

Norwood: 5.3, 5.4, 7.6, 8.8 – 56

Woodville-West Torrens: 1.3, 7.6, 10.11, 14.17 – 101

Goals: Stevenson 5, Varcoe 2, Hayter

Best: Stevenson, Rozenbilds, Speyer, Kelly, Bowden