Another close SANFLW loss for the Redlegs

Norwood has suffered back-to-back close losses to kick off the SANFLW season, going down by five points to South Adelaide in Noarlunga on Saturday night. 

Following a two-point loss to 2022 premiers North Adelaide in Round 1, the Redlegs trailed the Panthers by 17 points at three-quarter time before Najwa Allen booted two last-quarter goals to drag it back to a one kick game.

Following a desperate final nine minutes the siren blew on a 3.5-23 to 3.0-18 South Adelaide win.

Norwood welcomed two more debutants into the starting line up in Round 2, in Elle Lineage and Emily Newton, but were without captain Alison Ferrall who sat out with a quad injury.

Ruck, Newton was a late call up for Courtney Neale, while midfielder Tahlita Buethke played her first game against former side South Adelaide.

Coming off a Round 1 win over Sturt, South was always going to be tough to beat on its home deck, Flinders University Stadium and got off to a hot start with two goals in the opening quarter through Lucy Northcott and Lily Baxter.

Norwood looked most dangerous out of centre clearances, with Tesharna Maher breaking away from consecutive centre bounces to drive her side into attack.

Maher gathered eight disposals and three clearances in the first term, but it was the Panthers who looked more measured and held a 14-point lead at quarter time.

South was again the fast starters in the second term, booting the first goal through Baxter to extend the lead out to a match-high 20 points.

Young gun Coby Morgan got Norwood on the board at the six-minute mark of the second term with a goal from a set shot, as the Redlegs started to settle into the game.

Key defender, Nicola Burns acted as stand-in captain (alongside Stephanie Simmonds) and won several important defensive contests throughout the second term.

South’s Czenya Cavouras looked dangerous with 15-first half disposals, and the Panthers held a 14-point lead at the main break, thanks to a 13-5 inside 50m count.

Norwood needed a response out of half time and managed to move the ball forward, but from the mid-way point of the term it was again the home side who dominated possession and field position.

The Redlegs defence again held firm, keeping South goalless and to a 17-point margin at three-quarter time.

An early Norwood goal breathed some hope into the visitors, as Allen nailed a long set shot to draw within 11 points in the opening 90 seconds of the final term.

The Redlegs had the momentum and started to gain some repeat inside 50m entries.

South started to slow the play down, and kick long down the line, but Norwood didn’t lie down and capitalised on any Panthers turnover.

With nine minutes to go, Shai Hiscock booted the ball to a contest inside 50m, falling to Allen who snapped her second goal of the term to bring the margin back to five points.

In a desperate final minutes, both sides pushed the ball forward but Norwood couldn’t quite get the ball into a scoring position.

The siren blew on a five-point South Adelaide win.

Redlegs midfielder Sarah Branford was the highest disposal winner on the field with 23-touches, while Maher finished with 19 disposals, six clearances and three tackles.

Buethke against her old side gathered 16 disposals, as did defender Ashlee Gould.

Norwood travels north next Saturday, March 4 to face Central District in Elizabeth.

Norwood – 0.0, 1.0, 1.0, 3.0-18

South – 2.2, 3.2, 3.5, 3.5-23

Goals: Allen 2, Morgan

Best: Gould, Buethke, Burns, Branford, Jaques

Norwood’s Development League side made it back-to-back wins to start its 2023 campaign with an eight-point win over South Adelaide at Noarlunga on Saturday evening.

Both sides came into the Round 2 clash following wins in Round 1, but the Redlegs proved the stronger line-up, holding the Panthers scoreless for three quarters to run away 1.10-16 to 1.2-8 winners.

Most of the play was stuck at the northern end of the ground, with just one behind kicked to the southern end throughout the first three quarters.

Norwood peppered the northern end goalface in the first quarter, but couldn’t capitalise on its dominance in front of goal, booting 0.3 to 0.0 for the term.

South made the most of its time kicking towards the northern end, booting the only goal of the first half with a clever snap from Kiahni Russell.

The Panthers led by four points at half time, 0.4-4 to 1.2-8.

Again dominating the northern end of the ground, Norwood’s first goal came at the 14-minute mark of the third term when Adrienne Davies cleared the ball from half back into the hands of captain Erika Sporn, who combined with Kiana Lee to get it to Kaitey Whittaker in the goalsquare.

This gave Norwood a five-point lead at the final break, but it was South attacking to the danger end in the fourth quarter.

The Redlegs drove the ball deep inside 50m to start the final term, and locked the ball in their forward half but couldn’t score the sealing goal.

Davies was important off half back, repelling the ball back into Norwood’s attacking zone, while K. Whittaker and Lee continued to present and make a contest in the forward half.

The Redlegs continued to lock the ball in their forward third, but it only resulted in three behinds, which as enough to move the margin beyond one straight goal with five minutes left on the clock.

Following a dominant final term, the siren blew on an eight-point Norwood win.

Norwood – 0.3, 0.4, 1.7, 1.10-16

South Adelaide – 0.0, 1.2, 1.2, 1.2-8

Goals: K Whittaker.

Best: Davies, Smith, Allison, Sporn, Egan