SANFLW and Junior Match Reports

Third placed Norwood took on the seventh placed Woodville-West Torrens at Maughan Thiem Kia Oval on Saturday, but the Redlegs had to fight right to the very end to claim the eight-point win. 

Norwood won 5.4-34 to 4.2-26.

Following their slow start to the season (0-3 after three rounds) the Redlegs have won five of their last six games to enjoy a 5-4 record with two rounds to go.

Despite sitting third on the table, finals are still no certainty for the Redlegs, who face eighth placed West Adelaide (2-6-1 record) and top of the ladder South Adelaide (8-1) in the last two minor round games.

South and Central District have locked in finals births, while Norwood (5-4), Sturt (4-5), Glenelg (4-5) and North Adelaide (3-6) are all vying for the final two spots in the top four.

This makes for an intriguing final two weeks of the home and away season.

Norwood got off to a flying start against Woodville-West Torrens on Saturday, kicking the first four goals of the game in the opening term and taking what seemed to be a match-winning 25-point lead into the first break.

The Eagles refused to lie down and responded with two unanswered goals in the second quarter and the first goal after half time to bring the margin back to a frightening six points.

It took until the 14-minute mark of a tense final quarter for Coby Morgan to score Norwood’s first goal since the 19-minute mark of the first quarter.

Morgan’s goal gave the Redlegs some important breathing space and a 14-point buffer.

Brianna Walling kicked a late goal for the Eagles, but Norwood managed to hold on for a vital victory.

Norwood had five individual goal scorers – Morgan, Molly Brooksby, Ali Ferrall, Amelia Rusden and Rosette Zerella.

Tahlita Buethke had the most disposals on the ground with 21, while Lana Schwerdt continued her consistent season with 16 touches, seven clearances and five tackles.

It was a big win in Norwood’s season, but also considering the changes that were made for the Round 10 game, with Jade Halfpenny, Ebony O’Dea, Sachi Syme and Georgie Jaques all coming out of the side due to their AFLW commitments with Port Adelaide.

Morgan and Brooksby were back in the line up this Saturday, after representing SA’s U18 Women’s side in a game against WA the weekend prior.

Norwood 4.1, 4.1, 4.4, 5.4 – 34

Eagles 0.0, 2.0, 3.2, 4.2 – 26

Goals: Brooksby, Ferrall, Morgan, Rusden, Zerella

Best: Buethke, Morgan, Boon, Schwerdt, Birchall

There was a lot on the line when Norwood travelled to Prospect Oval on Sunday, with both sides locked with a 3-3 win-loss record in an extremely tight competition. 

It was also the second time in three weeks that the Redlegs had to face North at Prospect Oval, with Norwood hoping to turn around a 44-point defeat from the Round 5 contest.

The visiting side managed to do so, claiming a hard-fought 13-point Round 7 win, 8.5-53 to 5.10-40.

The strange nature of the competition now sees the 4-3 record of Norwood placed sixth on the ladder, but with an equal win-loss record with second placed Woodville-West Torrens.

South Adelaide, Sturt and Glenelg are the other clubs locked at 4-3, with Central District on top of the ladder at 5-2. North is 3-4 and West Adelaide 0-7.

The SANFL U18 competition looked very different this weekend with the Adelaide college football season commencing, which saw Norwood field 11 changes to its side.

Norwood U18 coach Alex Newell said there were positives amongst the challenges at selection this week.

“College football gives some opportunities to some fresh faces who were yet to see any action this year,” he said.

“We were excited by the opportunity to play with 50% of a new playing list and to learn from the areas we were beaten soundly in last time we travelled to Prospect.”

Norwood Captain Jacob Jones stood up in the shaken-up line up, gathering 34 disposals, eight clearances, seven tackles and five marks.

Connor Butcher and Declan Tomney each had 25 disposals, while Will Rowlands had 22 disposals and kicked two goals.

Other goal kickers were Caleb Barton with three goals from his 10 disposals, Brayden Rachwal with two goals and Latrelle Sumner-Pickett with one.

The first quarter proved to be an arm wrestle for both sides, with North Adelaide having much more of the play and opportunities but failing to convert – scoring 1.4 to the Redlegs solitary scoring shot, a Rowlands snap that dribbled through for a goal.

Norwood is still yet to win a first quarter this season, but Newell said that his side genuinely grew stronger throughout the match.

“At quarter time we felt like we were our own worst enemies a little bit, giving them some looks which we didn’t need to and not giving our forwards the best opportunities to go to work,” he said.

“We addressed how we wanted to move the ball and tidied up some areas we felt we weren’t polished in.”

Norwood showed an immediate response after quarter time, booting four unanswered goals to break away to a 19-point lead at the major break – 5.2-32 to 1.7-13.

Barton kicked three goals in the second term and Rowlands one.

“Our method around the contest and up the ground went to another level and we were able to maintain it for the majority of the quarter,” Newell said.

“It looked like a Norwood game from start to finish and we headed into the break reasonably pleased with how the game was tracking.”

Eamon Ziersch-O’Connor made his debut for the club in the ruck and was giving Norwood first look all over the ground, which enabled midfielders such as Jones and Butcher to go to work off him.

“We felt like we had dangerous personnel in our forward 50m and we wanted to give them the best opportunity to showcase their weapons, so a big focus of ours was how we entered the ball going forward and how we transition from defensive 50m,” Newell said.

“We have great respect for North Adelaide and we knew they would respond in the third quarter.”

Respond they did, kicking the first four goals of the quarter and taking the lead back, before Norwood steadied with two late goals through Rachwal and Sumner-Pickett to take a seven-point three quarter time lead.

“At the final break we put a focus on work rate, believing in what we do and trusting each other in these close contests, all three of our previous wins were in tight contests just like this one, so we had belief,” Newell said.

The last quarter was a back and forth slog as the rain started to tumble.

Both teams took turns with the momentum, but Norwood was the only team to find a goal – off the back of a big contested mark from Rachwal in the wet. He went back and slotted the goal from 40m.

The Redlegs were able to close out the game with control and record their fourth win of the season.

“In a competition as tight as this one, anytime you can walk away with the two points is important, we are certainly pleased we were able to come here and obtain them and correct some things that we didn’t do well on our previous visit.

“To win with 11 changes to the side is a testament to the depth and program as a whole.”

Norwood’s U18 and U16 sides face West Adelaide at Hisense Stadium next Saturday (U18 11am, U16 1:30pm).

Norwood 1.0, 5.2, 7.3, 8.5 – 53

North Adelaide 1.4, 1.7, 5.8, 5.10 – 40

Goalkickers: Barton 3, Rachwal 2, Rowlands 2, Sumner

Best: Jones, Butcher, Rowlands, Catalano, Scott

Norwood’s U16 side took on a strong North Adelaide team at Prospect Oval on Sunday, going down by 36 points. 

The Redlegs were dominated on the scoreboard in the first half as the Roosters piled on the first eight goals of the match to open up a match-high 45-point lead.

The visitors had their chances in front of goal but failed to capitalise, going into half time with a scoreline of 6.2-38 to 0.5-5

Norwood wrestled itself back into the contest with four of the next five goals, but North always looked in control and went on to claim a 11.3-69 to 4.9-33 win.

Ruckman Oliver Gribben had a big game for the Redlegs, claiming a team-high 19 disposals, while also booting two goals, and claiming seven clearances, 22 hitouts, seven tackles and three marks.

Bailey Stringer had 18 disposals and Micah Kretschmer 17.

Norwood’s other goal kickers were Noah Daw and Talan Pitt.

Norwood 0.4, 0.5, 1.8, 4.9 – 33

North Adelaide 3.1, 6.2, 9.2, 11.3 – 69

Goals: Gribben 2, Daw, Pitt

Best: Gribben, Daw, Varcoe, Speyer, Lee