South Adelaide @ West Adelaide
Round 3 - Hisense Stadium - 23/04/2023

Goals: Sproule 4, Freitag 2, Davis, Heaslip, Schuback, E.Smith, Wilkinson
Disposals: Gibbs 36, O'Neill 33, Haines 22, Davis 20, Mutch 19
Best: Gibbs (Thanks to Betta Home Living McLaren Vale & Victor Harbor, Brooksby (Thanks to Sports Power), O'Neill (Thanks to Jimmy Deane's), Sampson, Dunkin
Frank Barry Medalist: Bryce Gibbs
Injuries: Nil
Crowd: 1284

The Reserves and League team can't get the job done against West Adelaide.

The South Adelaide league team have started strong and were looking to continue the form against West Adelaide. 

It was going to be a great contest on the important ANZAC weekend, a time to reflect on those who fought so hard for us, allowing our freedom, and giving us the luxury of enjoying this great sport we love.

Given the occasion the league team wore an ANZAC guernsey to show the pride we all have for our country.

Lining up prior to the first bounce to acknowledge the history of those who laid down their lives. Faced with pristine conditions it was going to be a tough fought game. 

The league team came out swinging in the first adding three quick major scores within the first 11 minutes of the game.

Ely Smith started the trend after he got on the end of a contested football within scoring range, snapping it through and securing the league team’s first major score.

Shortly after it was Eamon Wilkinson letting it be known he was here to play, reading the play perfectly and getting the ball swiftly, running into an open goal.

This was then followed up by Ben Heaslip as his set shot was bang on from the slight angle. 

An impressive lead to start the contest but it was gone within a moment as West Adelaide secured the next three major scores.

Zachery Sproule was ready to add to his impressive goal kicking season with two of his own to close the quarter.

In usual fashion the first came from a set shot which was spectacular from 50-metres out in front. 

As the quarter was closing Sproule would get another set shot to go through this time on the slight angle from 25-metres. 

The second term was not one of the memory banks as the Panthers were outclassed by the Bloods, conceding 7 goals while only being able to add one of their own. 

At the start of the term Jonti Schuback would step his defender, sell some candy, and throw it onto his boot for a snap in close range. 

In the second term Bryce Gibbs was getting plenty of it, ending the game of 36 disposals.

Damon Freitag would shine adding the only South Adelaide major scores of the quarter. 

First of these coming early in the term as he would take a strong mark and follow up with a strong finish from 25-metres.

Mitch O’Neill was putting on a display ending the game with 33 disposals.

At the end of the third it was evident a big final term was required to get over the line, and after a quick group of major scores from West Adelaide hope was dwindling.

Sproule would reply with his third of the game as he took a grab out the back of a pack, leaving him with a set shot from 20-metres from goal, securing it and adding to his tally. 

After another West Adelaide major score Oliver Davis would secure his first after a contest was had just above the South Adelaide goal square, he would read well and kick a tumbler through. 

The league team would go down for the first time of the season and will take on the Crows at the home of football in SA, Adelaide Oval on Sunday. 

As this is a curtin raiser to the Adelaide v Collingwood match the following membership categories will gain entry into the Oval by scanning their barcoded membership card.  

South Proud, Home/Home Concession, Season/Season Concession, Family Home/Family Season, Junior Panther, Panther Cub, Kingstonian Captain/Legend/Premier/True Blue & White, Player Parent, Past Players & Official (purchased through the club) and Life Members. SAFC Members will not receive an allocated seat, but will be able to sit in unreserved seating in the Western Stand or standing room on the Hill. 

Additional Ticketek tickets (non-Western Stand) can be purchased through Ticketek. 

South Adelaide Reserves @ West Adelaide
Round 3 - Hisense Stadium - 23/04/2023

Goal: Gill, Harding, Spacie 2, Brown, Emery, Gunther
Disposals: Kraemer 26, Rogers 22, Duncan 19. Mitton 19, K.Smith 18
Best: Gunther (Thanks to Becks Bakehouse), Kraemer, Hayes, Tucker, Gill

Last game was convincing against Woodville-West Torrens and the form had to be maintained against a handy West Adelaide Outfit. 

In immaculate conditions, dawning the special ANZAC Guernsey’s it would take a whole team effort to bring the goodies home. 

In the first term the reserves put their mark on the contest early confirming the first major score of the game.

It came off Ray Harding’s boot after Dylan Brown's smoother was deflected into Harding's hands, giving him a path to an open goal, lining up and kicking the first major of the contest.

After a West Adelaide goal, it took some time until the next south goal would arise. When it did it came from Brown's intuition. 

Streaming from the opposing fifty the reserves were swift in moving the football, swinging it around until it ended in the forward fifty.

With a leading ball into the goal square the mark would be dropped by swept up by Brown giving South their second major. 

The second quarter was tough with the Reserves unable to hit the scoreboard until the last minutes of term. 

The efforts of Nick Kraemer weren’t going unnoticed in this quarter managing to get plenty of the ball and distributing well, ending the contest with 26 disposals.

When the goals did come it was Harrison Gunther who broke the draught as his set shot was crisp from 35-metres out.

This was then quickly followed by Harry Spacie with virtually no time left as he got his snap from the outlet give to go.

Meaning the reserves were leading by a goal after the first half of footy.

It was a close contest and there was a sense of the game going down to the wire.

Looking at the third term it was an offensive display from both sides, the reserves piling on four major scores. 

Harding struck early once again in the third term with an impressive set shot in front from 50-metres. 

The reserves were going goal for goal as Kyle Emery would answer after a West Adelaide reply, getting on the end of a botched kick but making it look as intended, snapping from 45-metres over the pack in the goal square. 

After another West Adelaide major score, the panthers added another two.

Spacie got on the end of the leading ball, placed right into his hands, running on into a paddock, securing his second of the contest.

This was then trailed by Brian Gill right within scoring range. Marking the ball and playing on with a snap, allowing the panthers to go up by 20 points.

The third term would close with the reserves leading by 13 points.

It was a nail biter and the fourth quarter delivered on this as well. After the early goals from West Adelaide, it was right back to a 2-point game.

A major score was desperately needed, and it was Gill getting his set shot to sail through from 35-metres.

As it transpired this was the final South Adelaide goal and after another collection of West Adelaide major and minor scores, they would get over the line, putting the panthers down by 8 points in a crushing loss.

The reserves with the first loss of the season will attempt to bounce back against West Adelaide again at Hisense Stadium on Friday night.