MRS Property Match Report Round 15: vs Glenelg

MRS Property Match Report

South Adelaide vs Adelaide
Round 15 - ACH Group Stadium - 17/07/21

Goals: Broadbent, Fitt, Gibbs, Horne, Overall, Schwarz, Tarca, Tucker
Best: Gibbs, Broadbent, Overall, Cailotto, Schwarz

South Adelaide's final quarter fightback falls just short of the ladder-leading Tigers at ACH Group Stadium on Saturday.

The Panthers managed to bring the lead to within a straight kick midway through the final term before the Tigers managed to break away to hand South Adelaide the bitter 18-point defeat, 8.7 (55) to 10.13 (73).

Playing his fiftieth SANFL match, Bryce Gibbs finished with 27 disposals, 14 tackles, 7 clearances and a goal. The 2020 Knuckey Cup winner, Matthew Broadbent, was also a strong performer with 24 disposals, 6 tackles, 6 clearances and a goal.

The Panthers suffered from a slow start, with some wayward kicking and costly errors seeing them go through the opening term without a major score.

However, with the wind at their back during the second term, the boys in the blue and white were able to claw themselves back into the contest.

The Panthers first major of the day came from a quick snap from Broadbent during the second term.

Then, as the Panthers began to put some pressure on the Tigers, they were able to force a turnover, allowing Jake Tarca to send it deep inside forward 50 where Liam Fitt was able to take a strong contested grab, go back, and kick a much-needed goal.

This newfound momentum soon ended as a costly free-kick handed the Tigers a steadying goal, which momentarily dried up the scoring.

As the second term entered stoppage time, Nic Schwarz was able to intercept the ball and kick from beyond the arc where his long-range kick dribbled through for a goal.

The Panthers began to find their feet, Tarca was able to cut off a Tiger pass and kick truly after the siren to bring the deficit down to nine points at halftime.

Glenelg threatened to break away once again during the third term, but Jake Summerton and Joe Haines helped minimise the damage. Haines would go onto finish the match with 23 disposals and 11 rebound 50s while Summerton held the competition's leading goalkicker to just one major for the day.

After receiving some unsportsmanlike attention from the crowd and players alike, Darnell Tucker silenced them with a classy snap to hand the Panthers their first of the third. Then, Jason Horne kicked truly from close range to cut the deficit down to 11 points at the final change.

Sam Overall opened the scoring during the final term to bring the lead within a straight kick. Then just minutes later Glenelg replied with a goal to remake the two-goal buffer.

At this stage, the Panthers had increased their pressure around the ball, with the side collecting 92 tackles before the final siren compared to Glenelg's 68.

After a tense eleven-minute patch with no scores from either side, Gibbs was able to catch his opponent holding the ball before playing on and kicking truly from the forward flank.