Simply The Best: Joel Cross played an exceptional game against the Double Blues, amassing 40 touches and booting two goals. Image: Nick Hook Photography

Seniors Report

South Adelaide vs Sturt
Round 17 - Peter Motley Oval - 19/08/17

Goals: Cross, Rose 2, Seccull, Ellison, Veide, Gulden, Bass, Newell
Best: Cross, Gulden, Rose
Injuries: nil
Crowd: 2315

South Adelaide's finals hopes hinge on the final round after falling to a 30-point defeat at the hands of an in form Sturt at Peter Motley Oval on Saturday afternoon.

The Panthers remain in sixth place on the SANFL Macca's League ladder and just a game behind Glenelg after the Tigers fell to North Adelaide in Round 17.

To clinch a finals berth in the 11th hour, South Adelaide now must defeat Adelaide at Hickinbotham Oval and hope West Adelaide can knock off Glenelg in the final game of the minor round.

Despite trailing at quarter time, the Panthers dominated play in the final three terms, recording a 102-point turnaround to set up a resounding 21.15 (141) to 9.4 (58) win that moves them within one win of fifth-placed Glenelg.

At Peter Motley Oval the Double Blues stamped their authority on the game thanks to a six-goal haul from spearhead Kory Beard and a miserly defence lead by Fraser Evans.

Sturt, who have won 12 of their last 13 games, capitalised on several early Panthers turnovers to register the first three major scores of the afternoon before Jake Veide could pull one back for the visitors.

Dual Magarey Medallist Joel Cross held his side together thanks to trademark workrate and endeavor around the contest, racking up 12 first quarter possessions and kicking off the second quarter with a goal in the opening minutes.

However, the hosts came home with a wet sail, kicking four unanswered goals to close the half and headed into the major break with a 37-point advantage.

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The Double Blues continued to look dangerous through Beard, as the former Magpie added his third for the afternoon within three minutes.

A brilliant effort from Adam Gulden, intercepting an opposition kick and linking up to slot one from 50 gave the Panthers a lift, but soon after Beard slotted his forth and Jake Sutcliffe added another.

However, the Panthers showed some life late in the third term, kicking three straight goals in the final eight minutes, as big men Codey Ellison and 100-gamer Daniel Bass hit the scoreboard and Cross doubled his tally.

Brede Seccull almost added a fourth in his first game back from a finger injury, but skimmed the woodwork with his set shot after the siren.

Both sides broke even in the final term, kicking 3.3 a piece, with Matt Rose adding a pair for the visitors and Seccull kicking true in the closing stages.

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Triple Knuckey Cup winner Joel Cross was remarkable, gathering a game-high 40 possessions (27 of them contested) and adding 11 clearances, seven inside 50s and two goals for good measure.

Adam Gulden (20 possessions, four inside 50s, a goal and three goal assists) also worked hard, shuttle running the width all afternoon and providing his usual classy link up play coming out of defence.

Meanwhile, Matt Rose battled hard all afternoon, gathering 21 touches and slotting a pair of goals in the process.

The home side enjoyed a more even spread of contributors, with Kory Beard's six goals the standout performance.

The Panthers now face a do-or-die clash with Adelaide at Hickinbotham Oval from 2:10pm this Saturday, August 26, with a win giving them the chance to leapfrog into the five.

Sammy's Back: Sam Overall (7) returned to the field through the Reserves on Saturday afternoon. Image: Nick Hook Photography

Reserves Report

South Adelaide vs Sturt
Round 17 - Peter Motley Oval - 19/08/17

Goals: McKinnon 2, Anderson, Tyllis, Barnes, Irra
Best: J. Taylor, Moyle, Millman, Aurrichio, Irra, Tyllis

South Adelaide's Reserves season has unfortunately come to an end after falling to a 24-point defeat at the hands of Sturt at Peter Motley Oval on Saturday afternoon.

The loss sees the Panthers relegated to sixth position, a game-and-a-half back from fifth and with no games remaining to close the gap.

South enjoyed the lead at halftime, but were unable to slow a storming Double Blues outfit that outscored them 2.5 to 8.3 in the second half.

Best for the visitors was Jordan Taylor, who finished the afternoon with 30 touches and 13 marks.

The youthful quartet of Alex Moyle (24 touches and five inside 50s), Ben Millman (15 possessions and 10 marks), Under-18s squad member Robert Irra (18 disposals and five tackles) and Joseph Tyllis (19 touches and a goal) were all key contributors.

Meanwhile, big American ruckman Alex Aurrichio was again an imposing force around the stoppages, getting his hand to 44 hit outs (compared to Sturts 23 as a team) and laying six tackles.