MRS Property League Match Report Round 13: South vs Norwood

MRS Property League Match Report

South Adelaide vs Norwood
Round 13 - Flinders University Stadium - 19/09/20

Goals: Cross, Bogle 3, Wilkinson, Cailotto, Hunter 2, Schwarz, Haren, Overall,  McCreery, Horne
Best: Hunter, Cross, Broadbent, Haines, Karpany, Schwarz
Injuries: Horne (Calf)
Full Injury List

Saturday sees South Adelaide book themselves into finals with a dominant 74-point win over Norwood at Flinders University Stadium.

With a finals spot on the line, the Panthers put together a strong four quarter effort to claim their biggest home win over Norwood since 1964, with the 17.14 (116) to 6.6 (42) win locking in their first finals appearance since 2018.

"We understood what was on the end of today's game," Head Coach Jarrad Wright said post-match.

"To be able to tick that box with another round to play and not relying on last game results like we were last year is a nice feeling, but now we need to maintain that momentum and keep building from here" he said.

Paul Hunter continued his run of standout performances with 21 touches and two goals, while Joel Cross gathered 28 touches and three goals, and Joe Haines finished with 29 disposals and seven rebound 50s.

Despite playing under near perfect conditions, it wasn't an ideal start for the boys in the blue and white as Norwood kicked the first goal of the day after just thirty seconds of play.

However, just minutes later Beau McCreery gathered the ball of the deck and kicked truly on the run to finish off an end to end play and hand South their first of the match.

The visitors would push for a goal as the opening term entered stoppage time, but their attempts were thwarted thanks to some strong spoiling by Jake Summerton.

One such of these spoils allowed the Panthers to rebound, then, after some fancy footwork by Hunter, the ball fell into Wilkinson's hands and this time his kick sailed through.

Joel Cross then led from the front by playing on and drilling a goal to send the Panthers into the first break with a promising 4.2 (26) to 3.1 (19).

The second term saw the Panthers threaten to take away the game, but their inaccurate three goals and ten behinds left the door open for Norwood.

However, some strong defending by Jack Elsworthy and Matthew Broadbent saw South hold Norwood to just a point for the quarter.

Their three goals, which came from some clever assists by Jason Horne, Tom Whittlesea, and Luke Bogle, saw South Adelaide enter halftime with a 7.12 (54) to 3.2 (20) lead.

This second term inaccuracy was quickly overcome, as the Panthers would go onto boot ten goals and just two behinds for the remainder of the match.

The first of these came from Bogle who collected the ball off the deck and kicked truly.

Then Elsworthy showed his pace by beating Norwood's Anthony Wilson in a foot race, his efforts allowed the Panthers to rebound through Haines, and the end to end play would be finished off by a thumping goal from Ben Haren.

Heading into the final break with a 9.13 (67) to 4.4 (28) lead, South Adelaide's pressure throughout the day was on full display when Norwood cleared the ball from the centre bounce and kicked the wrong way allowing Cross to snap a goal after just twenty seconds of play.

Just minutes later, Bogle followed up with his second of the match, and continuing with this momentum, just two minutes later saw Ben Heaslip set up Cailotto for his second goal of the match.

One of the plays of the day saw an interception by Jaidan Kappler at half back, rebound into attack thanks to Hayden Sampson, before Nic Schwarz was able to collect the ball on the boundary and goal on the run to push the Panthers lead to over forty points.

With 55 inside 50s to 36, the Panthers would continue to attack, this time it was Cross who was able to steady and let fly from 50 to get his third of the match.

Not to be out done, the Panthers continued to pick their way through Norwood's defence before being finished off with Bogle's third goal of the match.

Minutes later, a clever tap by Bogle over the top allowed Sam Overall to run in and goal, while a strong mark at the tip of the goal square by Hunter saw him kick his second of the day and extend the Panthers winning margin to 17.14 (116) to 6.6 (42).

With ten individual goal scorers, the win was the Panthers biggest so far this season and their best display this season.

South Adelaide now look towards North Adelaide for their final minor season game and will clash with the Roosters at Flinders University Stadium on Sunday September 27, from 2:15pm.

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