South get the points in Grand Final Rematch

Norwood started its SANFLW season with a Grand Final rematch against 2024 premiers South Adelaide at Magain Stadium in Noarlunga.

In extremely hot conditions on Saturday night the Panthers proved too good for the Redlegs, running out 24-point winners, 7.11-53 to 4.5-29.

Norwood looked the better team early in the contest, but a run of four consecutive Panthers goals across the second and third quarters proved the difference.

The Redlegs didn’t have any debutants, which is unusual for a Round 1 match, but welcomed back Georgie Jaques who spent last season at AFLW club Port Adelaide.

Development League co-captain Jiarna Zerella played her first SANFLW match since 2022 and Georgina Birchall was rewarded for her good form in the Development League, earning a Round 1 spot.

Ashlee Gould also made a long-awaited return from a foot injury which kept her out of the entire 2024 campaign.

Norwood was without 2023 Best and Fairest Tahlita Buethke with an ankle injury, Shai Hiscock with an elbow injury and lost Coby Morgan early in the contest through injury.

It was good signs early for the Redlegs, who dominated territory early in the match, but couldn’t make the most of it, kicking three behinds from its first three entries.

Jade Halfpenny was in the action early with three disposals in the first five minutes, and one of those three behinds came off her boot.

After Norwood’s fast start it was all South Adelaide for the remainder of the quarter, gaining 10 of the next 11 inside 50m entries. But luckily for the Redlegs it culminated in for four behinds to the hosts.

There was plenty of scoring opportunities for both sides in the first term, but the quarter time scoreboard read 0.4-4 to 0.3-3.

The first quarter inside 50m count was 13-4 in favour of the Panthers, who also led tackles 16-11. All other major stat lines were even.

Sarah Branford had five disposals in the first quarter, but the Redlegs had a problem on their hands with Layla Vizgaudis and Caitlin Couch who had eight and seven disposals in the opening term.

Emily Bartsch had four disposals in defence for Norwood.

Norwood looked the better team coming out from the quarter time break, and put two goals on the board in the first 10 minutes.

Kiana Lee booted the Redlegs first goal of the season, before Steph Simmonds nailed an outstanding team goal.

Simmonds finished off the goal which was set up by Birchall, who took three bounces streaming through the middle of the ground. She drew a Panthers opponent and handballed to Simmonds who did the rest from 30m out.

Norwood had 2.3-15 on the board to South’s 0.6-6, but Emily Brockhurst broke the Panthers quarter and a half goalless run, toe-poking one through from the goalsquare.

This kicked the premiers into gear, and quickly South had three goals on the board within eight minutes.

Shae Archbold had two goals in three minutes, and with that the Panthers lead was 3.6-24 to 2.3-15.

This nine point lead remained at half time.

Norwood had made the most of its chances inside 50m, kicking five scores from seven entries. But the entries themselves was a big problem, as the Panthers led 26-7 inside 50m entries in the first half.

Vizgaudis had just the four touches in the second term, but Taya Maxwell got off the chain with 14 disposals in the second term alone.

Halfpenny was Norwood’s leading disposal winner with 10 in the first half, while defenders Sophie Arkun and Bartsch had eight each.

Aside from the +19 inside 50m and +27 disposals, the rest of the key metrics were again even at the half.

Norwood needed a spark, and it came in the form of a strong rundown tackle from Elle Lineage in the middle of the ground. It led to a minor score, but it was enough to show the intent was there to snap South’s three-goal spurt.

Unfortunately for the visiting Redlegs the inside 50m avalanche continued for South, 5-1, in the opening 10 minutes and the Panthers got the all-important first goal of the third term with Archbold’s third.

Her goal helped South to a 15-point lead, 4.7-31 to 2.4-16.

Lineage, who provided the earlier highlight, kicked a much-needed Norwood goal from a set shot to stop the four-goal run and bring the margin back to nine.

South looked the better team and were in complete control, but struggled to put the score on the board as it crawled to 4.9-33 to 3.4-22 at three quarter time.

It was just 11 points at the final break but the Redlegs were clinging on, given the +30 inside 50m, +32 disposals, +11 marks, +17 tackles, +6 scoring shots and +4 clearances advantage to the Panthers.

Norwood was on the ropes and the knock out blow came early in the final term when South kicked its fifth goal to go 17 points in front.

The Redlegs found a late goal with Lineage’s second but it was too little too late for a Round 1 fightback.

Earlier in the afternoon, Norwood’s Development League side ran out 10-point winners to make it three wins from their first three matches.

Norwood host West Adelaide next Saturday at Coopers Stadium in Round 2.

SANFLW

Norwood 0.3, 2.3, 3.4, 4.5 – 29

South Adelaide 0.4, 3.6, 4.9, 7.11 – 53

Goals:  Lineage 2, Lee, Simmonds

Best: Branford, Simmonds, Arkun, Birchall, Halfpenny, Schwerdt

Development League

Norwood 0.2, 2.4, 2.4, 4.6 – 30

South Adelaide 0.0, 1.0, 1.2, 3.2 – 20

Norwood toughed out a resilient 10-point win over South Adelaide at Magain Stadium in stifling conditions on Saturday afternoon.

Playing in nearly the hottest part of the day, starting at 4pm, the Redlegs just got on with the job in the 4.6-30 to 3.2-20 win on the road, ensuring their undefeated season remained in tact.

Charlee Brooksby was once again fantastic for the Redlegs, while Lottie Almond, Sharmaine Crosby, Alice Winter and Elke Cameron were also amongst the best on ground.

Both sides went into the Round 3 clash undefeated and the first term was a tough slog, with the Redlegs going into quarter time two points in front.

It became more free flowing after the first break, which brought three goals for the quarter. Norwood went into half time 10 points in front, 2.4-16 to 1.0-6.

Ailene Hiebner was stretchered from the field after kicking her goal, which put more pressure on the Redlegs side to run out the second half with one less rotation.

Norwood was held scoreless in the third quarter as South turned the screws, but the home side could only manage two behinds of their own. The margin sat at eight as the two sides turned for home.

Both teams kicked two goals in the final quarter, which suited Norwood nicely as it went on to record its third straight win for 2025.

Timeka Cox, Jazmine Egan, Amelia Rusden and Hiebner were the Redlegs goal kickers.

Norwood will be hoping to keep its perfect season alive when it takes on West Adelaide at The Parade next Saturday, March 22 (10:30am start).

The Redlegs remain the only side with a perfect record after three matches, with Sturt in second place and South third with 2-1 records.

Norwood 0.2, 2.4, 2.4, 4.6 – 30

South Adelaide 0.0, 1.0, 1.2, 3.2 – 20

Goals: Cox, Egan, Rusden, Hiebner

Best: Brooksby, Almond, Crosby, Winter, Cameron