Under-18 Match Report: Round 5 vs Norwood

Under-18 Match Report

South Adelaide vs Norwood
Round 5 - Flinders University Stadium - 30/04/2021

Goals: Cockshell, Roberts, Schirmer 3, Delean, Duncan 2, Birt, Marshall, Rogers, 
Best: Roberts, Hayes, Cockshell, Draper, Verrall, Schirmer

South Adelaide Under-18s leapfrog into the top four after defeating Norwood by 56 points at Flinders University Stadium on Saturday.

Suffering from a slow start, the Panthers were able to regroup and respond with a 73-point turnaround to claim an impressive win, 16.10 (106) to 7.8 (50).

Influential for the Panthers was Matty Roberts, whose statistics included a game-high total in three categories: disposals (33), tackles (9), and marks (8). Also impressive was Under-16s Premiership player Tom Schirmer, who finished with three goals.

Yet things did not look promising for the Panthers early on as the visitors kicked three unanswered goals during the opening term to hand South Adelaide an early 0.2 (2) to 3.1 (19) deficit at the first break.

But the opening term was certainly not an indication of what was to come for the Panthers.

Within the first five minutes of the second term, the Panthers had already kicked three straight goals to take the lead. Then Under-16s Premiership player Jack Delean followed up with his first of the match to stretch the lead out to beyond a goal.

During just the second term, Roberts and Delean combined for five goals, and in total, the Panthers piled on eight unanswered goals to massively swing the momentum into their favour and take an 8.6 (54) to 3.1 (19) lead into halftime.

The third term saw Schirmer open his account by kicking two goals for the Panthers as the side once again outscored the Redlegs to grow their lead out to 46 points at the final change.  

South Adelaide's domination in the ruck contests was on show throughout the match, and by the final siren the Panthers collected 42 hit-outs to Norwood's 17, while also finishing with 35 clearances to 25.

Koby Cockshell kicked two goals during the first half of the final term to bring his tally to three for the dayand by this stage the game was all but sealed.

With just thirty seconds left till the final siren, Schirmer kicked truly for his third of the game. But unlike the previous week when the final goal was the game-winner, this week the final goal bumped the Panthers win up to 56 points.

After the first break, South Adelaide kicked sixteen goals while only conceding four to put together a 16.10 (106) to 7.8 (50) wintheir biggest of 2021.

The Panthers will look to continue this winning form when they face off against West Adelaide at Flinders University Stadium on Saturday, 8 May, from 11:00am. 

Show that you are #SouthProud in 2021!