SANFLW: Norwood claim Good Friday win over Sturt

Norwood proved far too good for Sturt in a Good Friday encounter at Thebarton Oval, securing a 38-point Round 5 win.

Both sides had a 2-2 win-loss ledger after the first four rounds of the season, and with Sturt defeating reigning premiers Central District by 30 points last weekend it looked like a tough battle was about to unfold on Good Friday.

However, Norwood had other ideas and kicked nine of the first 10 goals of the match to win 9.6-60 to 3.4-22.

The game got out to a match-high 51-point lead midway through the last quarter, before Sturt rallied with the final two goals of the game.

It was the close battle we anticipated in the first half of the opening term, with the match going goalless until Redlegs forward Adrienne Davies broke the deadlock at the 13-minute mark.

From there it was all Norwood, as co-captain Stephanie Simmonds slid to take a mark 25m out to kick her side’s second goal just before quarter time.

2023 Norwood best and fairest Tahlita Buethke set the tone with 12 disposals in the first quarter, as the Redlegs led by 14 points.

Buethke went on to have 28 disposals in a best on ground performance (awarded the Ellen Maple Medal), while Najwa Allen had 24 disposals; and Lana Schwerdt 18 disposals and two goals.

The Double Blues finally got on the board at the five-minute mark of the second term when Monique Bessen kicked her first of the afternoon.

Her goal brought the margin back to eight points.

The game was on the line, until Norwood ripped it away from Sturt in a three-minute burst where the Redlegs booted three goals to take a 26-point lead into the main break.

The goals came through Tesharna Maher, Jade Halfpenny and Schwerdt.

The half time score was 5.4-34 to 1.2-8.

If it wasn’t already a done deal, Norwood slammed home the next four goals to put the margin out to 51 points.

Sturt kicked the final two goals of the game through Bessen and Tahlia Walker to round out a 38-point result.

It’s a tight SANFLW ladder after five rounds, with Glenelg on top with a 4-1 ledger, with South Adelaide, Norwood, West Adelaide and Central District tied on 3-2. The Eagles and Sturt are 2-3 and North Adelaide 0-5.

Norwood’s Development League also enjoyed a solid win over the Double Blues on Good Friday, 5.11-41 to 0.3-3.

The Redlegs kicked two goals in the first term, and Sturt struggled to reign the early lead in. Norwood were held to just one point in the second term, but kicked 2.5 in the third quarter to put the game to bed.

Isabella Calvanese kicked three goals, while Georgina Birchall and Ailene Hiebner kicked the other two majors.

Norwood’s SANFLW side has next weekend off due to AFL Gather Round, before taking on the top of the table Glenelg at Stratarama Stadium on Saturday, April 13.

The Development League side will play South Adelaide in Noarlunga on Wednesday night, April 3 6:30pm, in lieu of the Round 2 game that was postponed due to hot weather.

SANFLW League

Norwood 2.2, 5.4, 6.5, 9.6 – 60

Sturt 0.0, 1.2, 1.2, 3.4 – 22

Goals: Halfpenny 2, Schwerdt 2, Simmonds 2, Davies, Lee, Maher

Best: Buethke, Allen, Schwerdt, Lee, Nenke

Development League

Norwood 5.11 – 41

Sturt 0.3 – 3

Goals: Calvanese 3, Hiebner, Birchall

Best: Clark, Smith, Hand, Hiebner, Almond