A goalless third quarter proved to be the difference in South Adelaide’s 16-point loss to North Adelaide at Magain Stadium.

North Adelaide started the opening quarter as the more dangerous of the two sides, kicking the first three goals of the game to put the hosts on the back foot early.

Needing a goal to settle the contest, Thomas Simpson put pressure on his defender in a one-on-one contest to receive a free kick. The subsequent 25-metre penalty made the set shot a certainty.

Skipper Jesse Nye once again led the way in the midfield, finding the ball with ease and providing plenty of pressure through strong tackles.

Despite a fast start, South Adelaide managed to get the game back on level terms, reducing the margin to just 12 points by quarter time.

Many of South’s prime movers started to get busy at the beginning of the second term, with Angus White and Kodah Edwards winning their share of the clearances.

It wasn’t just the midfield that was responsible for starting forays forward, defenders Jake Wigzell and Brady McDonald were often the first link in the chain off the half-back line.

After a strong start to the second term, South finally got reward for effort when Kody Shortridge slotted a composed set shot from close range.

The scoreboard pressure continued moments later when Benjamin Dittmar showcased his pace and skill to soccer the ball off the ground and over the line for his first goal of the game.

Dittmar would once again terrorise North’s defenders, this time converting a set shot from 30 metres out to give his side a five-point lead.

Max Savage battled manfully in the ruck, providing his midfielders with first use. In defence, Elliot Duffield refused to be beaten, while also not hesitating to rebound the ball from half-back.

The tenacity and overall skill of South was on full display, with Edwards’ superb one-handed pick-up eventually resulting in a brilliant collect and goal from Harrison Davey near the boundary.

South’s lead extended to 16 points after a congested snap from Simpson for his second goal. A late goal to North reduced the half-time margin to under two goals.

Eager to increase their lead in the third term, South came close to the first goal of the quarter when Dittmar’s set shot attempt went wide, denying him his third major.

Following the miss, momentum shifted towards North. They piled on the scoring pressure, kicking 27 of the next 28 points of the game to regain the lead.

Tommy Saunders and the rest of South’s defensive unit battled hard against a rampaging North, but they couldn’t stop the away side from taking a 16-point lead into the final break.

Despite a goalless third quarter, South still had belief. Lucus Gordan’s brilliant kick inside the middle of the ground started a chain that resulted in Edwards marking strongly on the lead.

Needing the first goal of the final quarter, Edwards remained composed and converted his set shot to reduce the margin to just 10 points.

However, North was able to take the wind from South’s sails by kicking the next two goals.

White continued to battle in the midfield, registering a game-high eight clearances. He had a good opportunity to reduce the deficit to three goals, but his set shot went wide.

With time quickly running out, Cameron Woods’ long-range goal from 50 metres out gave the home side a glimmer of hope.

After a tense couple of minutes, North were able to shut the game down and restrict South from eating into the margin late in the last term.

In the final minute of the match, Shortridge managed to get out the back of the contest and convert his second goal, which reduced the final margin to 16 points.

South Adelaide will look to get back on the winners' list when it faces West Adelaide at Magain Stadium on Sunday, 30 March, at 2:30 pm.

South Adelaide kicked off its season in emphatic fashion, recording a 45-point win against North Adelaide at Magain Stadium.

The opening quarter couldn’t have started better for the home side, with Hudson Boal finding the ball with ease and driving it forward.

Oliver South kicked the first goal of the game with a fantastic long-range effort from 45 metres out on the run. The lead continued to grow following goals from Fergus Vogt and Joel Wigzell.

Momentum began to shift towards North, with the away side kicking the next two goals of the match, before adding four consecutive behinds.

After taking a slender two-point lead into the second quarter, South developed some yips of its own. Zemes Pilot’s dribbling effort clipped the post, while his snap out of the ruck went just wide.

Nathan Flesfadar took it upon himself to kick the first goal of the quarter after receiving a handball and running into an open goal. He added his second minutes later with a composed set-shot effort.

South’s ball movement was electric across the ground, with Jayce Potter collecting possessions across the half-back flank and providing a fantastic rebound.

The lead continued to increase following Vogt’s second goal of the match, but Max Gregor’s set shot from 30 metres out ensured South went into half-time with plenty of momentum.

Desperate to reduce the 27-point margin, North came out with strong energy at the start of the third quarter. The first few minutes were a tight tussle, but it was the away side that struck first.

Pilot made up for his two earlier misses when he converted a set shot after showcasing his courage by standing under a high ball and taking a strong mark.

Although South were doing most of the attacking, defenders Riley Watchman and Dale Shearer made life difficult for North’s forwards.

South continued to flex its muscles, despite some dangerous forward chains by North. Tyler Harris and Tom Meaney negated North’s earlier goal, while Vogt’s third deflated the away side’s spirit.

At the final break, South’s 32-point lead was going to take some chasing. Joel Wigzell had two golden opportunities to increase the lead but missed with a long running shot and a quick snap.

South’s tackling pressure continued despite the commanding lead, with Caleb Hyland, South, and Potter leading the way in that metric.

After six consecutive behinds, Darcy Campbell-Kearney shrugged off a would-be defender and used his turn of pace to burst inside 50 and kick one of the goals of the afternoon.

Meaney’s second goal for the day late in the final quarter sealed an emphatic 45-point win for South, though the margin could have been much more had the home side converted its opportunities.

South Adelaide will be eager to secure its second win in a row when it faces West Adelaide at Magain Stadium on Sunday, 30 March, at 12:10 pm.