With one more game to play in the season, the Under-18s were hopeful to end the year with a win. Faced against Woodville-West Torrens at their home deck, with the Eagles playing for the last position in the 2024 finals campaign, it was going to be a challenge for the Panthers.

In the first quarter, Woodville started off hot and made it a battle for the boys. A reply was dire, but anything through the middle of the ground was cut off quite quickly.

The backline was under siege for a majority of this quarter, but they did manage to kill some momentum after their early run.

Cohen Shortridge would sneak one through late which helped get the Panthers on the board.

At the end of the term, the boys were down by 19-points, and a shift was desperately needed.

In the second term, this didn’t come to fruition, as Woodville continued to work and put majors on the board.

The Under-18s were finding it a challenge to break through and put some pressure on, however, around the ground, some of the play was clean and it was looking positive.

Woodville were relentless in their attack, and it wasn’t letting up. At the end of the half, they’d leave the Panthers down by 37-points.

It was great to see the Under-18s bite back in the third, finally picking away at the lead and moving the ball with purpose.

Thomas Simpson was great in front of the sticks, he’d find himself on the end of two majors in this quarter.

Woodville still managed to keep the scoring up, maintaining the pressure in the game. The Under-18s managed well despite this, keeping their heads up and keeping it classy.

Scott Delean and Shortridge would both kick one later in the term, and by the end of the quarter, the Panthers were down by 31-points.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t a major shift in the last, and the challenge was too much for the boys.

Shortridge would slot two more in the last to bring his tally up to four majors on the day. Textbook kicks and some flash helping him in this effort.

Oliver Goss garnered 25 disposals as he tried to get the Panthers back in the game with his impactful touches.

Down back, it was clear the boys were battling, and without the effort back there, it could have been a massive loss.

In the final game of the season, the Under-18s went down by 41-points. A sad end to the year, but I’m sure the boys will be ready to hunt and get back to the finals next year.

The Under-16s were looking to back up their excellent performance against Norwood with another big win in the final game of the regular season against Woodville-West Torrens away from home.

Besides the inaccuracy in front of the sticks, the first term was all smiles. The boys were moving it well, locking up any passages of opposition play and adding to the scoreboard with force.

Woodville were unable to get anything to go in the first quarter, due to the hunt of the Panthers, especially around the stoppage.

Kodah Edwards, Tyson Steinmuller, Ethan Sheppard, and Zemes Pilot all got on the end of one major in the term, building the early lead for South.

It was a great start, with the boys heading into the second quarter up by 31-points in stylish fashion.

The second term was much more competitive, Woodville getting on the board early with their first goal of the game.

In response, the boys were composed and didn’t let up anything besides a minor score for the rest of the quarter.

It was a mental battle. Getting forward was becoming harder and it was a case of adjusting to the changes.

Cain Florance got on the end of the only South major around the 10-minute mark, relieving the pressure and taking the edge out of the contest.

It would slow up after this, and the Under-16s would end the half in the lead by 32-points.

This must have struck a nerve within the group; they came out firing on all cylinders in the third.

It was a spectacle. The movement all across the ground was clean and direct, the work up forward was marvellous and down back, the boys were rock solid.

Edwards and Sheppard both slotted two goals which gave them three in the contest, then Steinmuller and Pilot would manage to secure their second majors of the day.

All of the majors putting the Eagles further away and taking their heads out of it.

It was all but certain the Panthers were going to get over the line, ending the quarter up by 69-points.

This run roiled into the fourth, Kody Shortridge would kick two, while Tyler Lock and Archie van Dyk would kick one each. Archie was unreal in this contest, garnering 35 disposals and clunking 10 marks as well as his goal, a pure and skillful masterclass.

The entire team outclassed the opposition, making it look easy at times. With that, the Under-16s ending their season with a 90-point victory.

All that’s left now is finals and this team has what it takes to go all the way. The details of their first final are TBC.