SANFLW R12 Match Report: Norwood to play Sturt in Elimination Final on Sunday

Third placed Norwood will face fourth placed Sturt in this Sunday’s SANFLW Semi Final, after the home and away season came to an end on Saturday.

Flinders University Stadium in Noarlunga will play host to the first week of the SANFLW finals with Norwood playing Sturt in an elimination final from 2:10pm on Sunday May 28, while minor premiers South Adelaide will host Central District from 12pm (both top two sides receive a second chance).

The Redlegs hosted top of the table South Adelaide at Coopers Stadium in Saturday’s Round 12 fixture, with the Panthers claiming a six-point win to take out the minor premiership.

South finish on top with a 10-2 win-loss record, while Central District finish second with a 9-3 record.

Norwood ended up third at 7-5 and Sturt fourth with 6-6.

The Double Blues had to defeat Glenelg on Saturday to ensure a top four finish, and did so with a convincing 9.2-56 to 2.4-16 win at Wigan Oval in Unley to ensure the Tigers missed the finals on percentage (also finishing with a 6-6 win-loss record).

In what was a close game at Coopers Stadium on Saturday, with the Panthers running out 4.6-30 to 3.6-24 winners.

Norwood booted the first goal of the game, thanks to a Rosette Zerella set shot at the three-minute mark of the opening term.

R. Zerella has booted seven goals this SANFLW season from her 11 games, Najwa Allen leads Norwood’s goal kicking tally with 10.

South responded strongly with two goals before quarter time, through Melissa Anderson and former Redleg Lucy Northcott to take an eight-point lead into the first break.

Norwood threatened the goalface in a tight second quarter, but missed two goal scoring opportunities, before Kiana Lee unloaded on a long set shot goal to bring the margin back to just one point just before half time.

The game was goalless for 14 minutes of the second half, before Charli Hazelhurst broke free of an inside 50m stoppage to goal towards The Parade End and give Norwood the lead for the first time since the opening term.

Norwood led 3.3-21 to 2.6-18 deep in the third quarter before South again responded when Jordann Hickey ran into an open goalsquare to kick her side’s third goal of the game.

It was again a close tussle in the fourth term with the Panthers holding a two-point lead in the dying minutes, before Elise Barwick bounced through a goal at the 17-minute mark to make it a tough eight-point margin.

Morgan Johnston had a flying shot that was touched on the goalline to make it seven points and R. Zerella had a set shot after the siren which hit the post to conclude the minor round season on a six-point defeat.

Molly Brooksby had 26 disposals, three clearances and five tackles, while Tesharna Maher had 21 disposals, five tackles and four clearances.

Brooksby has been a welcome addition to Norwood’s side, having to overcome injury in the early stages of the season, and more time out of the SANFLW side due to U18 State Team commitments.

Playing against her former side Tahlita Buethke continued her strong run of form with 18 disposals and eight tackles.

Norwood 1.1, 2.3, 3.3, 3.6 – 24

South Adelaide 2.3, 2.4, 3.6, 4.6 – 30

Goals: Lee, R. Zerella, Hazelhurst

Best: Brooksby, Maher, Lee, Buethke, Johnston