Third quarter onslaught secures Norwood’s first win

A dominant seven-goal third term has lifted Norwood to its first win of the 2026 SANFL Men’s season, defeating South Adelaide by 22 points at Coopers Stadium on Friday night.

After dropping their first two games of the season, only one thing mattered to the Redlegs on Friday night… a win. And, they managed to get the job done, 10.14-74 to 7.10-52 to get themselves on the board.

It was a scrappy first half, as both sides squandered chance after chance in front of goal, and at the main break, scores were suitably level, 3.7-25 apiece.

After a 2.7 second quarter where the Redlegs dominated disposals, tackles and inside 50m entries, but struggled to find meaningful targets inside 50m and convert, it was a different Norwood team that returned from the rooms in the third term.

Led by Baynen Lowe, who had 13 disposals and a goal in a stellar third quarter, along with Nik Rokahr who had 11 disposals, Norwood ran all over South Adelaide, kicking seven goals to two, and transforming the even game into a 30-point margin at the final break.

South booted the only two goals of the final quarter, mounting an early challenge, but Norwood’s tall intercept defenders, Aaron Francis and Pierce Seymour snuffed out any chance of a Round 2-style boilover.

In his 50th game, Tristan Binder kicked three goals for Norwood, while young forward Josh Murphy booted two – including an absolute stunner from the boundary line in front of Coopers Corner.

Rokahr was superb, finishing with 35 disposals, eight tackles, 14 marks, eight inside 50m entries and three clearances, while Lowe had 31 touches, a goal, seven tackles and three clearances.

Francis patrolled things across half back with 30 disposals, 10 marks and five tackles.

Coming off a Round 2 win, the Panthers started hot in the first term, with 16 inside 50m entries to just four. Milestone man Binder kicked the first goal of the match, but that was about the only highlight for the home side.

The Redlegs had seven of the top eight disposal winners in the opening quarter (led by Rokahr with nine and Francis with eight), but were punished on turnover.

Despite the inside 50m demolition job, the Redlegs were let off the hook repeatedly, with the visitors booting 2.5-17 to 1.0-6 in the first term.

It was the nine-point margin at quarter time, despite Norwood leading disposal +17, tackles +10 and marks +13, but lost clearances -3 and inside 50m entries -12.

It looked a different Norwood team from the first minute of the second term, taking the game on through the midfield and surging the ball forward with slick handball.

It didn’t always pay off, but it got the Redlegs off and running, and quickly regaining the lead.

Binder kicked his second goal, following a good transition through the middle of the ground, but missed his third moments later.

Murphy kicked another cracking goal at the northern end, marking deep in the Coopers Corner pocket, and swinging the goal home to put Norwood in front.

Norwood had all the play with 16 inside 50m entries to 10 in the second term, but this time it was the home side that struggled with conversion, booting 2.7.

In a blow for the Redlegs, who dominated the second term to lead by six points, South booted its only goal of the term with the final kick, through Jack Delean to level the scores at the half, 3.7-25 apiece.

Francis had 17 touches and six marks in the first half, Rokahr 16 disposals, and Cooper Murley 15. Norwood continued to dominate disposals +48, marks +24 and tackles +11, but the Panthers led inside 50m +6 and clearances +7.

Norwood’s pressure exceptional, but were let down by the final transitioning kick inside 50m. Something had to give, and it started with a brilliant defensive effort from Max Hodges on the forward flank. Winning a free kick, and setting up a Kade Dittmar goal.

The Dittmar goal was the first of a seven-goal-to-two term for the Redlegs to flip the game on its head.

Lowe’s colossal third term turned a level game at half time, into a 30-point deficit at the final break, 10.8-68 to 5.8-38. Dittmar, Lowe, Murphy, Hamilton, Harms, Molan and Binder got on the scoreboard in the rampaging term.

As we knew from Good Friday (leading by 24 at three quarter time), it’s not over until it’s over.

South kicked the only two goals of the quarter to bring it under the scary four-goal margin, but from there Francis and Pierce Seymour patrolled the backline and the Redlegs were able to run out 22-point winners.

It was an important win to get the Redlegs season going, who face Port Adelaide next Friday night at Coopers Stadium on Anzac Day eve.

Norwood 1.0, 3.7, 10.8, 10.14 – 74

South Adelaide 2.5, 3.7, 5.8, 7.10 – 52

Goals: Binder 3, Murphy 2, Dittmar, Hamilton, Harms, Lowe, Molan

Best: Rokahr, Francis, Wright, F. Heard, J. Heard

Norwood also broke its winless drought in the SANFL Men’s Reserves competition on Friday night, defeating South Adelaide by two points.

The Redlegs charged out to a three-goal lead in the second quarter, and looked like they had the game under control for most of the day, before the Panthers charged back into contention with four goals in the final term.

South took the lead with seven minutes remaining, when Ryan Borlace kicked his third goal, before Jim Kelly returned his Redlegs to the front with a classy snap from the following centre clearance.

Kelly starred for Norwood in his first game of the season, following an untimely hamstring injury late in the pre-season. He gathered 22 disposals, three clearances and kicked the match-winning goal, to get the Redlegs on the board in season 2026.

Oliver Sanders was the Redlegs best, with 18 disposals and a goal, while Alex Swinnerton continued his good form in his first year at The Parade with another 11-tackle, 15-disposal and one goal effort on Friday night.

Second year player, Jake Hill, has also started the season well, averaging 23 disposals, six tackles and six clearances across his first three matches.

The Redlegs had 12 individual goal kickers, with Caleb Barton booting two.

Norwood won clearances +12, disposals +35 and tackles +20 in a strong Round 3 performance.

The only downside was the hamstring injury to Mitch O’Neill, who was returning to football after a long stint on the sidelines due to illness and a hamstring injury.

The Redlegs face North Adelaide in the Reserves on Friday night, while the League side takes on the Magpies.

Norwood 3.2, 8.3, 11.6, 13.7 – 85

South Adelaide 3.1, 7.4, 8.8, 12.11 – 83

Goals: Barton 2, Aherne, Ainsworth, Cook, Hill, Kelly, Lennon, L. Ling, O’Neill, Rahui, Sanders, Swinnerton

Best: Sanders, Swinnerton, Daw, Lennon, Hill