The Panther's struggle against Norwood.

South Adelaide V Norwood
Round 16 - Coopers Stadium - 12/08/2023

Goals: Shillabeer, Sproule 3, Delean, Fitt 2, Mutch, Wilkinson
Disposals: Davis 31, Mutch 28, Sampson 25, Haines 23, O'Neill 21
Best: Mutch (Thanks to Betta Home Living McLaren Vale & Victor Harbor), Skinner (Thanks to Sports Power), Davis (Thanks to Jimmy Deane's), Sampson, Fitt
Injuries: Rose, Clavarino, Gunther
Crowd: 1,491

Fresh off a win against West Adelaide, the Panther's looked to their clash against Norwood in Round 16.

It was a tough week for the Norwood Football Club and wider SANFL community after the sudden and tragic loss of NFC 2022 Premiership Player Nicholas Lowden. Both SAFC and NFC gathered for a touching tribute and minute silence to honor Lowden prior to the contest. 

The first quarter started off strong for the Panthers as Eamon Wilkinson took a smart grab 50-metres away from the goals. The set shot was crisp, and the Panthers were up early.

Out the middle the Panthers were strong to start and made sure to apply the pressure early.

It took some time before it was back up forward, a stressful possession would land in the lap of young gun Jack Delean, the kick from 20-metres was effortless, and Delean had his first of the contest. 

The momentum was with the Panthers, and it was looking good as the boys were moving the ball with pace and using opportunities. 

It didn’t take long until Ben Shillabeer was lining up for his first, the mark was strong, and the kick was stronger getting it to sail through from 45-metres out.

The Panthers headed into the first break with a one-point deficit.

During the second term, Norwood found their form while kicking six majors. 

Despite the oppositions run, the Panthers managed to kick one major off the boot of Zachery Sproule. Shifting around the opposition and snapping on the move, doing it with class.

Keeping up with Norwood was tough during the term as they won the majority of the contests around the ground and applied crushing pressure, a combination which the Panthers could not contend with. 

Heading into the major break, the Panthers were down by 35 points and needed to find a spark soon. 

Shillabeer did well to kick his second from 40-metres out at the 12-minute mark.

It was slow in the third quarter and neither side were striking the ball well, it was scrappy but Mitch O'Neill and Damon Freitag both managed nine tackles each.

The quarter would end in positive fashion as Kobe Mutch  read the stoppage tap perfectly, running in to an open goal.

It was going to take a big effort in the final quarter to get over the line, and the Panther's were ready for the challenge. 

After two early Norwood goals the Panthers kicked into gear unleashing an offensive siege.

Delean started the run on goal, with his set shot from 45-metres out. This was followed by Liam Fitt who kicked two majors, providing hope for the Panthers. 

The boys looked to be on top as Norwood seemingly ran out of legs. Shillabeer was impactful in the contest as his third was a major swing for the Panthers, his set shot from 40-metres out on a tough angle looking smooth as ever.

Sproule was clutch in the final moments securing two major scores in quick succession.

Time was winding down and it was a 1-point game, but a rushed behind for the Redlegs made it a two-point game and the opposition finished on top. 

Despite the result, Oliver Davis was continued his impressive form ending the match with 31 disposals and seven tackles. 

The South Adelaide Football Club commends the Norwood Football Club and community for their strength and resilience shown during an impossibly difficult week. 

The Panther's will look to Round 17 to take on Port Adelaide on Saturday the 19th of August from 1:10pm. 

South Adelaide Reserves V Norwood Reserves
Round 16 - Coopers Stadium - 12/08/2023

Goal: Collins 2, Brown, Dunshea, Heaslip, Kantilla, Megins
Disposals: Kraemer 19, Rogers 18, Brown 14, Kirkland, Lovering 13
Best: Kraemer (Thanks to Sports Power), Brown, Lovering, Douglass, Collins

Coming off a strong win against West Adelaide in Round 15, the Reserves looked to build towards the finals series against Norwood in Round 16.

The first term started off with a bang as the ball was quickly won out the center bounce, eventually getting into the hands of Nic Dunshea, connecting on his set shot from 20-metres out.

It slowed up after this as the Reserves struggled to move the ball as they wanted. 

Norwood were responsive and didn’t let the Panthers build a lead, clogging up all the avenues and forcing the Panthers to play scrappily.

Dylan Brown was able to kick his first while on the move from 15-metres out later in the term. It would end up being the final major of the quarter for the Reserves.

Unfortunately, the opposition would go on a late run and take the lead headed into the second quarter.

There was a major bounce back from the Panthers in the second term, they begun to win a lot more of the contested footy and apply tighter pressure.

Jacob Collins would get on the end of an outlet handball 30-metres away from the goals, the hands were clean, and the kick was smooth around the body.

Looking more like themselves the movement down the ground lifted. Kim Kantilla would secure his first after reading the contest perfectly, manipulating his way through the crowd and kicking the open goal.

It became stagnant once again, but it doesn’t mean the chances weren’t there, the reserves had plenty of the ball and made sure to use it wisely 

The pressure was up and as the quarter was closing Jacob Collins would go and kick his second of the quarter, getting free from the stoppage at the top of the square and sneaking the ball through for a major score.

At the end of the half the reserves were down by 1-point.

It was looking like a game for the ages as the third term did not disappoint. Similarly, to the quarters before the panthers would get free early and secure a major score.

Ben Heaslip getting loose up forward and finding himself 30-metres away from the pins. The kick was pure, and the reserves had the lead once again.

It was back and forth in the third as Norwood did well to respond. Without fail Oliver Megins made sure to bring the panthers back in front, kicking a set shot on a slight angle from around 35-metres out.

The Reserves wouldn’t manage to kick another major in the term. Doing well to hold of the opposition and keep the contest close.

The Panthers headed into the final quarter with a one-point lead. 

It all was building towards the final term and sadly enough Norwood were unstoppable in the last quarter, keeping the Panthers without a major score and piling on four of their own.

Nick Kraemer would lead the squad with 19 disposals, while Cooper Rogers was a brick wall ending with 16 tackles.

Heading into finals soon, the Reserves will look to find some form against Sturt in Round 17 on Saturday the 19th of August at Flinders University Stadium from 10:30am.