South Adelaide Under-16 @ Glenelg Under-16
Qualifying Final - ACH Group Stadium - 03/09/2022

Goals: Barrett, Borlace, Chapman, Goss, Hargrave, Jackson, Shadforth
Best: Hargrave, Barrett, Sheean, Jackson, Draper
Photo Gallery thanks to Nick Hook Photography

So Close Yet So Far: South Adelaide Under-16s fell a goal short of Glenelg during their Qualifying Final clash at ACH Group Stadium on Saturday.

It was a dramatic end to a tight battle between last year’s grand finalists; the Panthers, who trailed by 16 points at the final change, mounted a fourth-quarter fightback that fell just agonisingly short, 7.13 (55) to 8.13 (61).

Positives for the Panthers included Benny Barrett, the recently crowned SANFL Under-16s Best and Fairest, who led the game in both disposals with 21 and tackles with 9. 

Phoenix Hargrave had 19 disposals, 6 tackles, and 5 clearances, while Sid Draper had 19 touches and 5 clearances to his name. 

Playing the minor premiers on their home deck was never going to be an easy task for the blue and white. And that was made clear as they entered the first break facing an 11-point deficit, 1.4 (10) to 3.3 (21). 

In the second term, Barrett looked to boost the Panthers with a goal – which came just 18 seconds after the centre bounce. But as would be the case throughout the match, the Panthers struggled to convert consecutive goals.

This meant that they headed into halftime facing a worrying yet manageable 9-point deficit, 3.7 (25) to 5.4 (34).

However, the Tigers threatened to blow the game open during the early stages of the third term. They scored 5 times in a row, but thankfully they were all minor scores. 

Ryan Borlace then slotted the first goal of the quarter to help steady South, but once again the side couldn’t manage back-to-back goals.

And the Tigers would break through late with a major of their own to increase the margin to 16 points at the final change, 4.7 (31) to 6.11 (47).

Clay Shadforth gave the Panthers the perfect start to the final term, with a goal just 37 seconds into the quarter. The Glenelg would soon restore the margin a couple of minutes later.

Refusing to roll over, the Panthers kept peppering the goals – but could only register minor scores. Yet their string of 3 straight behinds was soon broken by an Oliver Goss goal.

Soon Jay Chapman would kick truly for South’s first back-to-back goal of the game. This cut the deficit to just 2 points, which was soon increased back to 8 points following a Tiger goal.

South kept pushing, and they did manage 2 scores within 3 minutes – but they were both behinds.

The elusive final goal went begging and the siren sounded to hand the Panthers a narrow goal loss, 7.13 (55) to 8.13 (61)

Down but not out, this is what having the double chance is for – and the Panthers will look to make the most of their second chance when they face the Eagles in the Preliminary Final at Thebarton Oval on Saturday, 10 September, from 11:00am.