Courageous Cross: Panthers vice-captain Joel Cross fought to the very end in his side's Semi Final loss to Adelaide. Image: SANFL

Seniors Report

South Adelaide vs Adelaide
Semi Final - Adelaide Oval - 11/04/16

Goals: McMahon 4, Eddy 3, Overall 2, Cross, Bass, Rose, Barnes
Best: Rose, Cross, Bass, Rankine, S. Taylor, Gulden

South Adelaide's 2016 season has come to an end after suffering a 54-point loss to Adelaide in their Semi Final clash at Adelaide Oval.

The Panthers held a slim one-point lead at the first break, but could not match a Crows side, which was sporting 21 AFL-listed players for the first time since entering the SANFL, through the final three quarters.

Looking for redemption from last weekend's Qualifying Final loss to Sturt and a spot in a second Preliminary Final in three years, South Adelaide were on song early, pushing their first quarter lead to as much as 19 points thanks to early goals from Sam Overall, Daniel Bass, Brett Eddy and Joel Cross.

However, Adelaide shrugged off their slow start, turned up the pressure late in the first term and would go on to boot 10 unanswered goals to give themselves a 26-point advantage at halftime.

Such was the Crows pressure, they held the Panthers to just three inside 50s and a single behind in the second quarter.

Back-to-back goals to Jackson McMahon, who would finish with four for the afternoon, gave South some life midway through the third, but Adelaide answered quickly through Riley Knight and West Adelaide premiership forward Jonathon Beech, who kicked his fifth and sixth major of a seven goal haul to nullifying any chance of a Panthers comeback.

Vice-captain Matt Rose gave his everything in a gutsy four-quarter performance in defence, amassing an impressive 40 disposals and 13 marks across halfback (both game highs), as well as sneaking forward for a goal late in the fourth quarter.

Similarly, dual Magarey Medallist Joel Cross did not say die all afternoon, battling hard for 31 touches, seven clearances and a goal against Adelaide's big-bodied engine room.

Daniel Bass fought admirably despite giving up much size against the Crows talls, while Matt Rankine showed patches of his dazzling pace and silky skills and Adam Gulden (18 possessions) and Scott Taylor (17 and five tackles) were also amongst the Panthers best.

Check out the full Semi Final highlights