Lumin Sports Match Report: Trial 3 vs Eagles

Lumin Sports Trial 3 Match Report

The Race to Round One is Heating Up: South Adelaide's final trial match ended in a thrilling 2-point win over the reigning premiers at Flinders University on Saturday.

It was a high-scoring affair on a high-temperature day; but the Panthers were able to hold off the Eagles to claim a thrilling win to end their preseason matches, 16.8 (104) to 15.10 (102).

The Panthers shared the footy around with the side recording 9 individual goalkickers. Yet it was Eamon Wilkinson and Jye Menzie who led the way with 4 goals each for the blue and white.

Around the ground, Oscar Brownless was impressive, as was Oscar Clavarino down back – while Keegan Brooksby was a welcomed addition to the middle.

Playing under warm conditions, it didn't take long for the game to heat up. Within the first 12 minutes of play, 6 goals were kicked.

Menzies opened the scoring on behalf of the Panthers, with a snap from the boundary.

What followed was a shootout between the 2 teams, with the Panthers booting an efficient 4 straight majors within just 12 minutes of play.

Not only strong on the offensive end, but the hard running of Elliot Dunkin also proved valuable on the defensive side of things.

Despite the fast start, the Panthers entered the first break trailing, 5.2 (32) to 7.3 (45).

After the blistering start to the match, the second term took some time to heat up.

Hayden Sampson, after plucking the footy out of the air with one hand, helped break the deadlock with a goal midway through the term.

Then, after helping set up Sampson's goal, Wilkinson burst through a pack of Eagles' defenders and snapped from close range – handing the Panthers their second goal in 4 minutes.

With this newfound momentum, Bryce Gibbs stepped up at the thirtieth-minute mark to snatch the lead for the Panthers.

The visitors came close to replying, but the siren sounded just seconds after their kick struck the post – handing the Panthers a 10.4 (64) to 9.7 (61).

The match was just a trial, but with last year's premiers and third-placed teams clashing heads – the match quickly became a spectacle.

Mitch O'Neill routinely put his body on the line to win the footy, while Matthew Broadbent showed no signs of slowing down despite the heat, which by halftime, bordered close to the 30-degree mark.

Menzie opened the Panthers' third-quarter account, while Wilkinson was also there to finish off a great end to end play by the blue and white just minutes later.

By this stage, the heat was starting to take its toll on both sides – but it seemed that the Panthers still had more left in the tank.

Well into stoppage time, Oliver Davis assisted fellow Tasmanian, Menzie, for his second of the term. Then, after marking the footy below his knees, Brooksby struck with a late goal to increase the margin to 22 points at the final break.

Brownless helped increase the buffer during the opening minute of the final term – but the Eagles fought back hard.

For 10 minutes, the visitors kicked 3 unanswered goals.

Then, after a crucial chase-down tackle by Wilkinson, the Panthers were able to find a steadier in the form of a Ryan Garthwaite goal.

This goal would prove crucial as the Eagles kicked a replier during the dying minutes to cut the lead to just 2 points but, after Brooksby put his body on the line to win the ruck contest, the siren sounded to signal the hard-fought win, 16.8 (104) to 15.12 (102).

South Adelaide Reserves’ final trial match ends in a narrow but promising 8-point defeat against the Eagles at Flinders University Stadium on Saturday.

Playing under very warm conditions, the Panther Reserves provided supporters with some promising glimpses during their hard-fought loss, 9.11 (65) to 10.13 (73).

Some of the standouts for South Adelaide included their pathway graduate, Hugo Hoeck, who booted three goals. While key forward Ben Shillabeer added two more majors to his preseason tally.

Speedy recruit, Rhys Mutch, and son of a gun, Jake Cresswell, were also standouts – as were a pair of Redtails who ran amuck on behalf of the blue and white.

Despite all the new names, it was a familiar one in Ollie Megins who kicked off the match with the opening goal of the game.

The visitors found a replier but, after a crafty interception by Kurt Abbott, Hoeck was able to crumb and kick his first of three goals for the game.

Not wanting to miss out on the action, Cresswell then made his presence felt with a classy mark against three Eagles. This mark at halfback saw the Panthers go end to end which, after a thumping kick inside 50 by Dylan Barry, Hoeck finished off with his second goal for the quarter.

The visitors struck back with minutes left in the opening term to cut the Panthers lead to 3 points at the first break, 3.1 (19) to 2.4 (16).

Sam Gaden got things going for the Panthers with an early goal during the second term. Meanwhile, defensive actions by Tate Lovering and a “mutch loved” tackle by Mutch helped keep the Eagles forward line at bay.

However, neither side managed to gain a leg up during the second term as the margin stayed relatively the same – albeit in the Eagles favour at halftime, 5.3 (33) to 5.8 (38).

The third term was much the same.

Coming out after the main break, Gaden got things going once again; this time with a goal to tie the match. While on the defensive end, some desperate running by Jack Kelsh stopped a certain Eagles’ goal.

But still there was not much to separate the two sides – not even a don’t-argue by Daniel Sladojevic could break the deadlock.

After 25 minutes of footy the same margin remained, with the Panthers heading into the final break facing a 5-point deficit.

Carrying heavy legs and battling the warm conditions, the Panthers tried to mount a final term fightback but ultimately, they couldn’t get over the top of the Eagles and fell to the 9.11 (65) to 10.13 (73) loss.

South Adelaide vs Eagles
Trial 3 - Flinders University Stadium - 19/03/2022

Goals: Menzie, Wilkinson 4, Brownless 2, Brooksby, Gibbs, Ramsay, Freitag, Sampson, Garthwaite.
Best: Gibbs, Wilkinson, Menzie, Clavarino, Sampson, Gunther. 

South Adelaide Reserves vs Eagles Reserves 
Trial 3 - Flinders University Stadium - 19/03/2022

Goals: Hoeck 3, Shillabeer, Gaden, 2, Birt, Megins
Best: Gaden, Shillabeer, Kelsh, Griffiths, S.Jones, Rogers

We're ready for 2022, are you?