Eight Straight for the Redlegs

It was highlights galore at Coopers Stadium on Sunday, as Norwood blew Adelaide away to make it eight wins on the trot. 

The Redlegs defeated the Crows by 66 points, 19.7-121 to 7.13-55, in a stunning performance, returning to the top of the ladder after Round 11.

Cooper Murley (who plays game 50 against South Adelaide next week) had a career high 41 disposals, which included 31 kicks, 10 marks and a goal, as Norwood had an astonishing 442 disposals (+170) and 110 marks (+46) in a demolition job.

The Redlegs set the tone from the opening minutes, pouncing out to a 25-point lead with four goals in as many minutes. Jackson Callow booted the first of the game (the first of his five goals for the match), kicking it over the southern grandstand… from the goal line.

After nine minutes Norwood led disposals 46-19, clearances 5-0 and inside 50m 7-3, scoring five times from those seven entries.

It was a similar start to the Round 9 game against Sturt, before the Double Blues settled into the game, and the Crows were able to do the same with the next three goals.

The game was being played down Adelaide’s end of the ground, with nine of the next 12 forward 50m entries, and remarkably had a chance to hit the lead just before three quarter time. The shot missed, and from there both sides traded behinds, before Callow ran in to kick his second.

Callow and Max Hodges both kicked two goals in the 5.3-33 to 3.4-22 opening quarter, with Hodges going on to boot three for the match.

Declan Hamilton had all the space he could ever wish for on the western wing in the opening term, collecting 10 disposals, while Murley had nine touches across half back.

It was a scrappy second quarter, as Adelaide lifted its pressure, which meant Norwood couldn’t get any clean transition into forward 50m.

The Crows hard work was reward by booting the first goal of the term, through Finnbar Maley to make it four points, before the Redlegs got themselves going again. And, once they got going, they didn’t stop, kicking 14 of the next 16 goals to turn four-point game into a 72-point blow out.

The avalanche started with a Kade Dittmar strike form 50m, which got them going. Ben Simpson goaled two minutes later, followed by Finn Heard and a long range cracker from Murley who unloaded from the centre square. It was Murley’s 20th disposal in the first half.

Norwood led by 27 points at the main break, 9.4-58 to 4.7-31.

The hosts had the top seven ball winners on the ground, with Murley’s 20 and Jack Heard with 16. Hamilton, Nik Rokahr and Ben Simpson had 15, and Aaron Francis and Finn Heard 13. Lachie Sholl had 13 for the Crows.

Norwood led disposal +83, marks +19, clearances +4, inside 50m +7, and scoring shots +2. The Crows were being outplayed, but had enough scoring shots to put some scoreboard pressure on, but weren’t able to capitalise.

The Redlegs continued on their way with three goals to one in the third quarter, and at the final break, both sides had 17 scoring shots, but it was 12.5-77 to 5.12-42 in favour of the hosts.

The dam wall broke in the final term, as Norwood slammed home seven goals, including some crackers from Tristan Binder, who took a bounce and nailed one from 50m, a clean centre break goal from Charlie Molan, a classy finish on the run from Matthew Ling, and Callow’s fifth for the afternoon (making it nine goals in the last two matches).

There were no passengers for the Redlegs on Sunday, as Rokahr finished with 34 disposals, Hamilton 30 and Jack Heard 28 touches whilst holding Maley to two majors.

Norwood will be hoping to make it nine straight wins when it heads to Noarlunga next Sunday to take on South Adelaide.

Norwood 5.3, 9,4, 12.5, 19.7 – 121

Adelaide 3.4, 4.7, 5.12, 7.13 – 55

Goals: Callow 5, Gale 3, M Hodges 3, Binder, F. Heard, Dittmar, C. Ling, M. Ling, Molan, Murley, B. Simpson