It has been tough going for the league side to start the year, but it can all change in one game, facing against Woodville-West Torrens in Round 6 would give the boys a challenge, one I’m sure they were up for.

The Panthers were hungry for it and Eamon Wilkinson would start the game on a high note with his major. Steaming forward, beating the pack, and getting crafty while on the move from inside the square.

It would be back and forth all quarter, a theme which was prevalent the whole day.

Woodville would fire back, and the Panthers would make sure to keep the game close.

Noah Howes would kick the second major for the Panthers in a similar situation to the last goal. Doing well on the move and squeezing it through from in the square.

Woodville would rally and put the Panthers down by a sizable 12-point margin at the end of the term.

During the second, the work rate was up and the work around the stoppages was looking clean and impactful.

Damon Freitag would slot one early in the quarter. His set shot from beyond 50-metres out looking as good as ever from directly in front.

While the opposition would reply swiftly the Panthers would fight hard and follow it up with three majors after some hard-fought contests around the ground.

Arlo Draper starting it off with a contested snap, doing well to get it onto his boot despite the pressure.

Liam Fitt would keep up the surge alive with an impressive 50-metre set shot, while in game number fifty, Kobe Mutch would deliver the goods, playing on from his mark and unleashing from just shy of 50-metres.

After all that work, to bring the game back into their favour, Woodville would own the rest of the quarter and secure 2 more majors to end the half. Leaving the league side down by 5-points.

It was a tight tussle and in the third it seemed to turn towards the Panther’s favour, as they continued to fight and get their first win of the season on the board.

The squad would fire away early with three more majors, turning the tide once again.

Draper and Wilkinson would secure their second major score during this barrage.

Both making use of the crafty skills and speed to win their battles against the opposition.

Angus Bradley would seal off this work with his first, a crisp set shot from 35-metres out, driving the lead further into the Panther’s favour.

But, in similar fashion to the last term, Woodville would fight back and kick two more.

Despite the effort around the stoppage, a few mistakes were costing the boys big time. Leaving them down by 3-points headed into what was set to be an intense final term.

Woodville would start strong whilst the league side would take a back foot, however, it was clear the boys knew what was at stake and would do anything to lock down the offense from Woodville, especially Oliver Davis and his team high 9 tackles.

Liam Nye would keep it close with his major and before anyone knew it Freitag was letting his presence known.

He’d stay grounded during a mark contest at the top of the square, crumbing well and slotting the much needed major and putting the boys back up by 3-points.

It wouldn’t stay like this for long, as Woodville would reply taking the lead back once more.

With plenty of time still left on the clock, the boys struggled to get it forward. Mutch doing all he could in his milestone game, ending with a team high 29 disposals.

But as sad as it is to say it wasn’t enough as the scoring dried up, the league side just falling short by 5-points in a thriller.

It was beyond devastating as the squad was so close to getting the job done.

Their next chance will come against Port Adelaide at Flinders University Stadium on Saturday the 25^th in a 2:10pm timeslot.

The reserves have been rolling as of late and they were looking to continue this form against Woodville-West Torrens in their Saturday afternoon clash.

In the first term it was tight, as both sides were doing well to get forward. The Panthers emphasising their ball movement by hand to get into better spots.

Cameron Kirkland would get the show underway with his major just before the 7-minute mark. Unleashing a bomb while on the move after a release handball from 50-metres out.

It was back and forth; Woodville would score, and the panthers would claw right back. Bailey Pilmore doing well to kick his first, off a 35-metre set-shot leaving the boys right in it.

Woodville would do well to get back into it and they’d end the term in the lead by 7-points.

It was looking like a close contest and in the second term, the opposition would do well to sneak away with it slightly.

The Panthers would kick the first major of the term, this time coming from Oscar Lovelock, he’d whack the ball on his boot after a scrambled contest, snapping around from in front and getting it to trickle through for his first.

Woodville were fierce in this term and would control most of the play during the quarter. Stretching out the score with their 4 majors.

Zac Earl would deliver late in an attempt to stop their momentum, his set shot from 45-metres out looking pure.

With a late rushed minor score, the reserves were on the backfoot and down by 22-points headed into the third term.

In the third quarter, the squad did well to keep it close as they would supply two more majors.

Corey Grocock making use of his opportunity early in the quarter, streaming out of the pack and straightening up, slotting the goal while on the move.

A Woodville reply would follow, and Harvey Lambert would eventually kick his first after some hard contests all around the ground, the squad doing well to get it forward despite the pressure.

Tate Lovering was impactful in the air during this quarter, as his eventual 7 marks were great at disrupting the flow of the Woodville offence, as well as his 18 disposals.

With those majors, it wasn’t enough to close the gap between the squads, the term ending with the reserves down by 32-points.

In the last it was unfortunately a lot of the same, as the opposition would continue to work.

Sam Hindes was the only goal scorer for the Panthers just before the 20-minute mark with his snap off a set shot from 25-metres out looking silky.

It would end in a disappointing fashion for the reserves losing by 45-points.

Cooper Rogers was everywhere in the loss with his 18 disposals and 16 tackles, working on both sides of the ball.

The next chance for the reserves will be against Sturt at Thomas Farms Oval on Saturday the 25^th in a 9:40am timeslot.