Sheedy claims first win as Norwood Coach

Norwood has broken its winless streak in 2025, claiming a 30-point win over South Adelaide in Noarlunga un Sunday to give Jade Sheedy his first win as Redlegs coach.

The Redlegs were the better team all afternoon, but struggled to shake a brave Panthers side, who remained at arms length until the final siren in the 12.9-81 to 7.9-51 win.

Norwood forwards Jackson Callow and Jacob Newton were the standouts for the visitors, working well in tandem and combining for six goals (three apiece) from 11 shots on goal.

19-year-old Newton has had an excellent debut month as a League player, with seven goals from his first four matches, including six in the past two games against the Crows and Panthers.

Newton finished with 3.2 from nine disposals, including seven strong marks, while Callow nailed 3.3 from 17 disposals and eight marks.

Nik Rokahr had 24 touches and five clearances, while Billy Cootee had 21 touches and Cooper Murley 20 disposals. Mitch O’Neill had 18 disposals and seven clearances against his former side, and got Norwood going early.

Norwood also warmly welcomed back Alec Wright and Thomas Donnelly from injury for the Round 6 clash.

Keen to resurrect a 0-5 start to the year, the Redlegs set the game up with a strong opening term, off the back of hot starts from Cootee, Callow and O’Neill.

Norwood had a strong first quarter, winning disposal, inside 50m, clearance and tackle counts and making it worth while on the scoreboard with four first quarter goals.

Callow had two to quarter time, while captain Jacob Kennerley nailed another from a classy snap to get his side off to a dream start.

Against the flow of play, the Panthers found two first quarter goals and would have been happy with an eight-point deficit at quarter time.

Enter, Jacob Newton who marked just before the quarter time siren and nailed Norwood’s fourth of the first term, and a 14-point 4.3-27 to 2.2-14 lead.

Cootee and O’Neill started strongly with six disposals apiece in the first term.

Norwood started the second term strongly, but couldn’t buy a fifth major. Jayden Gale goaled but was pinged for running too far, while Izaak Twelftree and Callow missed other set shots.

The Redlegs controlled an incredibly scrappy quarter of football, and the 12-point margin felt greater than what it was on the scoreboard.

Matt Ling was left to do as he pleased off the half back flank, setting up the one and only goal of the second quarter. He provided the only spark in what was a dull quarter of footy, kicking inside to Mitch Nicholas in the corridor, dashing past to receive the handball and finding Newton 25m out.

Newton went back to kick his second goal of the first half, and help the Redlegs to an 18-point lead at half time, 5.5-35 to 2.5-17.

It was a 1.2 to 0.4 quarter, where neither side played their best football.

Ling had nine disposals in the second term, making it 11 for the half, while Cootee, Murley, Rokahr and Pierce Seymour also had 11 at the main break.

Norwood led disposals 154-127, tackles 33-29, hitouts 21-15 and marks 45-41 at half time, while South led clearances 17-14 and inside 50m 23-19 in a low-scoring grind of a first half.

The game opened up in the third term and the Redlegs dominated the early stages of the quarter, with 5-1 inside 50m entries for the return of just one goal through Twelftree.

The 24-point margin was still feeling close considering Norwood’s dominance, but Nicholas drilled the next goal for the Redlegs to make it a five-goal game.

South refused to lie down, and the game went goal for goal with Panther goals to Corey Grocock and Brad Jefferies, and a Norwood goal through Charlie Molan to make it 24 points late in the third term.

Jack Saunders nailed a perfect snap from 40m to return the score to 30 points just before three quarter time. But, the goal for goal pattern continued when Noah Howes nailed another for the Panthers, off the back of a Norwood turnover in defensive 50m.

At three quarter time Norwood led by 22 points, 9.6-60 to 5.8-38 following a 4.1 to 3.3 term in favour of the Redlegs.

The final quarter was a cracker, and Norwood landed the first blow when Callow finished with his third goal from the centre clearance.

Phoenix Hargrave bit back for South a minute later when he swung through a snap from the grandstand pocket, before Howes snapped the goal for goal pattern with his second major. All of a sudden it was a 16-point game, which was a little close for comfort.

The Redlegs managed to hold their nerve, maintaining disposal for the next 10 minutes, while South continued to press.

To the script, it was Newton who bobbed up for his third goal, followed by the sealer through Cootee to give the Redlegs their first win of the year.

Norwood has a bye next weekend due to the State game, before hosting Central District in Round 7 on Friday, May 23.

Norwood 4.3, 5.5, 9.6, 12.9 – 81

South Adelaide 2.1, 2.5, 5.8, 7.9 – 51

Goals: Newton 3, Callow 3, Cootee, Kennerley, Molan, Nicholas, Saunders, Twelftree

Best: Callow, Wright, Cootee, F. Heard, Rokahr

Norwood’s Reserves went down to an incredibly inaccurate South Adelaide side by 14 points in Noarlunga on Sunday. 

It was an arm-wrestle of a game all afternoon, with the Redlegs withstanding a barrage of Panthers scoring shots for most of the day, before the home side eventually composed themselves to pull away to a 9.18-72 to 9.4-58 victory.

Scores were amazingly level at three quarter time, despite South having 21 scoring shots to 11 in the first three terms, and Norwood even maintained a 10-point lead mid-way through the third term when Will Prescott booted his second goal.

From Prescott’s goal at the 14-minute mark of the third term, South had 10 consecutive scoring shots for a return of 4.6 and a 20-point lead mid-way through the final quarter.

Marco D’Annunzio kicked a goal for the Redlegs against the flow with seven minutes remaining to get the game back to 14 points, but the Panthers were able to hold off any further attacks.

Ethan Warburton had 34 disposals for Norwood, which included 11 rebound 50m, seven marks and two tackles, while Isaac Saywell had 30 disposals and George McLeod 29.

Jack Aherne and Prescott were the multiple goal kickers for Norwood, with singes to Charlie Cook, D’Annunzio, Liam Ling, Damon Pitt and Toby Turner.

Norwood 4.0, 6.2, 8.3, 9.4 – 58

South Adelaide 3.3, 5.6, 6.15, 9.18 – 72

Goals: Aherne 2, Prescott 2, Cook, D’Annunzio, L. Ling, Pitt, Turner

Best: M. Hodges, Saywell, Aherne, Sanders, L. Ling