Norwood smash North Adelaide in the grand final rematch set up by an outstanding third quarter
Norwood has all but locked in a finals spot, as a rampaging third quarter effort helped to obliterate North Adelaide in the grand final rematch.
JUST over 10 months ago North Adelaide coach Josh Carr was celebrating his finest moment as a coach against Norwood, sensationally claiming the SANFL premiership.
On Sunday the former Port Adelaide and Fremantle midfielder was experiencing one of his worst as the Redlegs ravaged the Roosters in the third quarter at Norwood to all but lock in a finals spot.
With only 14 points between the two at halftime as the reigning premier belied its current status as SANFL cellar dweller, Norwood kicked nine goals to two in the third quarter to blow the game open and continue to exact revenge on the Roosters 22.11 (143) to 10.12 (72).
To further compound the second half horror show for North Adelaide, captain Max Thring’s season is expected to be over after injuring his calf in that match-defining third quarter, making a bad day at the office for Carr even worse.
“I thought there were some danger signs in the second quarter, we began to look flat... then all their quality players stood up and we were found wanting,” Carr said.
“Their pressure was outstanding, they looked like they were really playing for something and for us it was my worst loss in a long time.”
While the end of the season couldn’t come quicker for the Roosters, the Redlegs can now start to seriously think about September after taking a stranglehold on the fifth and last final spot following the big win.
Acting skipper Matthew Panos led the way with five goals and 23 disposals, and was backed up by the dangerous Anthony Wilson with five of his own while draft prospect Dylan Stephens recorded 26 possessions and a goal and youngster Cole Gerloff 26 and two majors.
“I thought it was a tight game in the first half,” Norwood coach Jarrod Cotton said.
“I wasn’t too happy with our first but in the third quarter we really put the foot down.
“It was encouraging to see some people get some form back, the last two games have been really good for the confidence of a few players so I’m happy.”
It seemed for much of the first half that the Roosters, buoyed by their shock win over Adelaide last week, would continue their fine recent run of form against the Redlegs.
They had more scoring efforts in the first quarter than the Redlegs, but only kicked five points, and Wilson punished them to register the first two goals of the match.
Two more early goals, to Peter Bampton and the dangerous Wilson, had the Redlegs up and about in the second but Frank Szekely — who booted three of his own — helped North Adelaide kick four of the next six to get back into the match.
But the outstanding Panos kicked the first of the third just over a minute into the quarter and the Redlegs ran riot from there to give themselves breathing space in fifth spot.
SCOREBOARD
NORWOOD 2.0 7.5 16.10 22.11 (143)
NORTH ADELAIDE 0.5 4.9 6.10 10.12 (72)
BEST - Norwood: Panos, Stephens, Wilson, Johnston, Nunn, Gerloff, Baulderstone
North Adelaide: Szekely, Schwarz, Combe, Allmond
GOALS - Norwood: Panos, Wilson 5, Bampton, Barry, Gerloff, Nunn 2, Georgiou, Grigg, Richards, Stephens 1
North Adelaide: Szekely 3, Hender, Minervini 2, Barns, Laurie, Schwarz 1
INJURIES - Norwood: Nil North Adelaide: Thring (calf)
UMPIRES - Morgan, Schramm, Burke
CROWD -