South Adelaide v Sturt
Round 7 - Flinders University Stadium - 27/05/2023

Goals: Sproule 3, Freitag 2, Fitt, Shillabeer
Disposals: O'Neill 25, Mutch 24, Haines 20, Davis, Sampson 19
Best: Brooksby (Thanks to Betta Home Living McLaren Vale & Victor Harbor), Sproule (Thanks to Sports Power), Clavarino (Thanks to Jimmy Deane's), O'Neill, Mutch
Injuries: Tucker (Concussion)
Crowd: 1,226

Sturt prove to be too much to handle for the Reserves while the League battle until the very end it a great contest.

The league side have had a tough few rounds and it was time for a bounce back against the undefeated Sturt in round 7 at Flinders University Stadium. 

Most of the league side being on fresh legs after the state game it was going to be a battle. 

In the first quarter it was clear the league side wanted to stand up against the top of the table Sturt as they would come out with force kicking the first three major scores of the day.

To start off the run, it was dead-eye Zachery Sproule as his set shot from 30-metres out was impressive. 

It was Liam Fitt who followed suit after he got his hands on the hotly contested ball, getting the feed out the back of the pack and quickly getting it onto his boot while being dragged down. 

It was the prefect start and it was made even better by Damon Freitag’s goal, after he took a great contested grab leaving him 45-metres away from the sticks. Lining up on a tough angle the set shot was spectacular.

Sturt began to get back to their ways and would respond well with two major scores.

Despite this the Panthers were looking dominant as they were making the most of their opportunities, especially Mitch O’Neill who was doing well to demand the footy and use it effectively, inevitability ending the day with a team high 25 disposals. 

It was a strong start, but Sturt weren’t going to lay down and in the second term it was an all-out brawl for dominance. 

After the league side let through an early major, they made sure to reply and it was Freitag’s second major score doing the job. Getting on the end of a high ball his hands were clean, leaving him with a guaranteed goal at the top of the square. 

The Panthers started to lock up the double blues as they were unable to provide another major score, on the back of Ely Smith, who finished on a team high 15 tackles.

With a big contribution from Hayden Sampson and Joseph Haines' enforcing 19 disposals down back once it was all over. 

The quarter would close with another South Adelaide major score as Sproule would convert his set shot from 25-metres out after he was awarded the free kick. 

Finishing the quarter strong and leading by 12-points headed into the second half.

At the start of the third quarter the Panthers were fighting through a series of stoppages and doing well to navigate forward, it became a hot football to get a hold of but, Sproule did well to get free of the contest and put his skills to use, unloading from 40-metres out. 

In the blink of an eye the Panthers were on the back foot after four consecutive majors form the Double Blues saw their game high lead of 18-points evaporate. 

The fourth quarter was make or break for the league side as it was clear they had the skills to get the job done against the top side. 

Clearances became scarce in the final term with a down pour late in the third making the conditions tough.

It was a ground battle with neither team being able to hit the scoreboard with a major score until late. Sturt were only able to kick two minor scores in the final quarter and as it transpired it was just enough. 

With time winding down and all hope lost, Ben Shillabeerwas hit behind the play and awarded a kick down field, faced with a kick directly in front from 25-metres out the kick was good, and a pulse was still present for the league side. 

A late siege forward saw the ball back in the Panthers fifty, but the attempt was just shy of being enough as the siren would sound, delivering a crushing blow to the league side who ended up going down by just 2-points.  

It was a brutal finish but a valiant effort, the next chance for the league side will come against North Adelaide at Prospect Oval on Sunday the 4^th of June at 2:10pm. 

South Adelaide Reserves vs Sturt Reserves
Round 7 - Flinders University Stadium - 27/05/2023

Goal: Cockshell 4, Gunther 2, Birt, Collins, Spacie
Disposals: Collins 22, Duncan, Kraemer 21, Rogers 20, Hayes, Lovering 18
Best: Collins (Thanks to Sports Power), Hayes, Cockshell, Birt, Scott 

After the short break the reserves side were looking to get back into the winning column against a tough combatant in Sturt at Flinders University Stadium.

With blue skies above it was going to take a major effort form the squad. In the first term it was clear both sides were hungry.

From the first center bounce the Panthers were on it, clearing with ease and getting it into the direction of Harrison Gunther. He would gather cleanly and snap it onto his boot and kicking the goal, setting the tone for the reserves in the first 30 seconds.

Sturt did well to mitigate the South Adelaide attack after this as they would go on and kick the next three major scores of the contest.

The reserves did well to respond as it was looking bleak, Koby Cockshelldoing his part in bringing the panthers back late in the quarter, taking a mark 50-metres out, the set shot was crisp as it sailed through for his first major score of the game.

Moving onto the second quarter the reserves continued to build on the momentum, with Koby Cockshell securing his second of the contest early, as his set shot from 20-metres out on a slight angle was grand.

The Panthers were up and about, and it was long until Isaac Birt would work his magic, making his defender look foolish as he sold the candy and snapped it onto his boot from 25-metres out, finishing with class and building the lead.

It was a great showing from the reserves in the second quarter as they were moving the ball with pace and doing well to keep Sturt to a single goal in the term.

Cockshell was elite near goals once again as his third of the contest was all but guaranteed, doing well to read the contested ball in the goal square and soccering it through.

After the first half of football the reserves were in change with a 13-point lead, making sure to use all the space provided.

With another half of footy to come it was still anyone’s game.

The third term was a high scoring affair with each team going back and forth. Harry Spacie started the battle as his set shot from 45-metres out was special.

The South Adelaide defense began to crack as two major scores would be let through. The Panthers snapped back quickly and began to hit the ball even harder, especially Cooper Rogers who would finish the game with a massive 18 tackles.

As the quarter kept going Jacob Collins did well to respond before the situation got out of hand. Getting on the end of a leading handball forward, gathering and snapping around his body, guiding it through.

Sturt would once again respond with two major scores, a trend which was becoming scary for the reserves.

The saviour for the reserves was Cockshell as his fourth goal kept the panthers in front heading into the final quarter. Doing well to get the snap to convert while tucked behind the post on the boundary.

The fourth term was a sour finish for the reserves to say the least.

Being in front for most of the day it all came crashing down in the last. Sturt using all they had left in the tank to kick five major scores.

The reserves were unable to fight back as Gunther was the only goal scorer for South in the last.

The contest being a textbook display of a four-quarter effort being the most important aspect of a footy game.

In the loss Collins was great with his 22 disposals.

It was a hard pill to swallow for the reserves, but redemption can be earned in round 8 against North Adelaide at Prospect Oval on Sunday the 4^th of June at 11:30am.