League & Reserves Match Report: South Adelaide vs North Adelaide

MRS Property League & Reserves Match Report

South Adelaide vs North Adelaide
League Trial 1 - Flinders University Stadium - 7/3/20

Goals: Overall 3, Cailotto 2, Fitt, Milsom, J.Rose

South Adelaide vs North Adelaide
Reserves Trial 1 - Flinders University Stadium - 7/3/20

Goals: Kraemer, Oliver

Promising signs and new faces shine for the Panthers during their first league and reserve trial games for the year against North Adelaide at Flinders University Stadium on Saturday.

Despite not getting the end result, with the League side losing 8.4 (52) to 9.8 (62) and the Reserve side losing 2.3 (15) to 7.9 (51), there were still plenty to take away from the Panthers first hit out for 2020.

During the Reserves trial match and fielding a young Reserves outfit, South Adelaide managed to match North Adelaide for the first half.

While the Rooster Reserves booted the first goal of the match, the Panthers were able to reply thanks to a quick handpass out of a pack and a nice finish.

The Panther Reserves continued to show a lot of promise with their handpassing and link up plays along the wings, however despite this, they still went into the first break trailing 1.0 (6) to 3.2 (20).

Coming out after the first break, North Adelaide would once again boot the first of the quarter, however the Panthers were able to reply thanks to an impressive goal from the pocket.

Meanwhile, Abraham Kur showed some promising signs around the ground and even displayed some impressive leg speed. While down back, Lee Hoey showed his composure and courage, as he put his body on the line several times.

The two sides would prove to be evenly matched in the second quarter, as both sides only managed a goal each, and the Panther Reserves headed into the main break facing a 2.0 (12) to 4.4 (28) deficit.

However, the Panthers would only manage a single behind for the remainder of the match and would eventually fall to a 2.3 (15) to 7.9 (51) loss, with the only two Panthers' goals coming from Nic Kraemer and Tyler Oliver.

Unlike the Reserves match, the Panther's League side were in control for the first three quarters and only narrowly fell to an 8.4 (52) to 9.8 (62) loss.

The Panthers, who were playing without the familiar names of Joel Cross, Matt Rose and Matthew Broadbent, certainly started out as the better side, with Sam Overall booting the first goal of the match.

Not long later, new recruit James Rose did a huge kick down the line which was followed up by a strong bump by Jesse McKinnon which allowed Reece Milsom to scoop up the ball and boot the Panthers second.

Then midway through the first quarter, the Panthers continued their dangerous attack with Alex Cailotto taking a diving mark before kicking truly for his first of the day.

North would reply with their first of the match, but with just two minutes remaining in the opening quarter, Overall struck back with his second of the game, giving the Panthers a 4.0 (24) to 1.2 (8) lead at the first break.

The Panthers dominance would continue during the second quarter, with a huge goal coming once again through Overall midway through the quarter.

Then just a minute later, South Adelaide would go end to end before Cailotto finished it off with his second goal of the match.

While dangerous up-forward, the Panthers defence also continued to hold firm, with new recruit Tom Highmore showing his speed and composure across halfback.

And in the dying minutes of the half, Rose would step up and kick one of the goals of the day from the boundary to get his first for his new club and send South into the main break with a 7.1 (43) to 3.4 (22) lead.

However, after halftime, the Panthers would change up their squad in favour of a younger side, and North Adelaide would go onto boot six goals to one during the final half.

The Panthers only goal of the second half would come midway through the third quarter, thanks to a nice play along the wing which eventually found its way to Liam Fitt who took the mark of the day and kicked truly to give South a narrow 8.2 (50) to 6.4 (40) lead at the final change.

As it was a trial game, the Panthers continued to experiment with the squad during the final quarter and they would fall to an 8.4 (52) to 9.8 (62) defeat.

Despite the end result, South Adelaide's new faces looked at home in the blue and white, while familiar faces such as Joe Haines, Tyson Brown and Darnell Tucker all showed that they are ready for the new season.

South Adelaide will now face Glenelg in its second trial game on Saturday, March 21 at Flinders University Stadium from 11:30 am.

Are you #SouthProud in 2020?