MRS Property League Match Report Round 4: Panthers win at home

MRS Property League Match Report

South Adelaide vs Sturt
Round 4 - Flinders University Stadium - 18/07/20

Goals: Overall 2, Broadbent, Bogle, Dumesny, Cross, Summerton, Sampson, Fitt, McCreery
Best: Broadbent, Highmore, Heaslip, Cross, Summerton, Overall
Injuries: Nil
Full Injury List

South Adelaide continue their winning-ways with a 23-point win over the Double Blues at Flinders University Stadium on a windy Saturday.

Playing at Flinders University Stadium for the first time this season, the Panthers put together a strong four-quarter effort despite the blistery conditions to come out on top with a 10.10 (70) to 7.5 (47) win.

With a strong southernly wind, the Panthers opted to start the match with the wind advantage, and within the opening a minute a perfect ruck tap saw the ball hit Matthew Broadbent on the chest who snapped quickly to hand the South the first goal of the game.

At the other end of the ground, Joe Haines was able to take an interception mark while running with the flight of the ball and his kick was able to find the earlier mentioned Broadbent who opened the game up through the middle of the ground.

From the veteran to the rising star, Broadbent then set up Beau McCreery, whose thumping goal saw South extend their early lead.

The visitors were able to steady with a goal into the wind, to which the Panthers came close to responding to several times, but despite dominating the inside 50 the count, the Panthers failed to reflect it on the scoreboard as the game fell into a midfield battle.

Then on the siren, the most unlikely of goalkickers stepped up as Jake Summerton kicked truly to hand the Panthers a narrow 3.6 (24) to 1.0 (6) lead. Now with the slight lead, the Panthers had to try and defend against the strong breeze. 

It's worth a mention that this was Summertons first goal at league level. 

Down back, Tom Highmore took several great intercept marks as the visitors looked to take the lead away from the Panthers.

But despite several inside 50s and the strong breeze, South were able to hold on until Sturt booted their second goal of the day at the seventeenth minute mark.

However, a costly free kick would see the Double Blues strike back with a late goal to cut the Panthers lead to single digits, and the scoreboard read 3.7 (25) to 3.3 (21) at the main break.

Despite dominating the inside 50s (30 to 13) during the first half, the Panthers could not reflect it on the scoreboard.

But the third term would once again see South regain the wind advantage, and within just two minutes, the ball fell into the lap of Joel Cross who finished it off nicely.

Then just two minutes later, Luke Bogle was able to run around and goal as the Panthers threatened to take the game away.

Continuing on with the newfound momentum, South were able to go end to end and set up Hayden Sampson who managed to get behind Sturt's defence to kick his first goal of the day.

But most of their rebound attempts were cut off by Highmore, Haines, or South's fast-paced debutant Jack Elsworthy.

Midway through the third term, and with a very clotted forward line, Cross was able to pick out a target and set up Dumesny, who snapped his second goal of the match.

McCreery continued to show his forward pressure, before Liam Fitt was able to boot his first of the match, which sent the Panthers into the first break with a strong 8.10 (58) to 3.3 (21) lead.

With a handy lead, the Panthers had to hold off Sturt who would finish the match with the wind advantage.

The first highlight of the final term came when Cam McGree showed off his fancy footwork as he managed to run around his opponent and propel the ball deep into attack.

Then just a minute later, Sam Overall took a very strong contested mark dead in front of goal to give the Panthers a very valuable goal against the breeze.

Broadbent then continued his standout performance as he was able to hit up Overall with a pinpoint pass, which allowed Overall to boot his second goal in just as many minutes.

However, the visitors mounted a late comeback, and costly errors mixed in with costly free kicks saw Sturt cut the lead to within just four goals.

But almost poetically, an awesome intercept mark by Broadbent was the final nail in the coffin for Sturt, and the final siren sounded to hand the Panthers a hard-fought, 10.10 (70) to 7.5 (47) win.

The win sees South Adelaide sit equal top, but second on percentage.

In another positive for the Panthers, their two new recruits, Broadbent (32 disposals), and Highmore (12 marks), were named as South Adelaide's first and second best during the win.

The Panthers now face West Adelaide at Flinders University Stadium on Saturday July 25, from 2:10pm.

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