SANFL 2019: North v South | Round 7 match report: Panthers up to third on ladder with win

South Adelaide continued its happy hunting at Prospect Oval and kept the chasing pack at arm’s length as it moved into third spot with a grinding win over North Adelaide.

Souths' Joel Cross takes on Norths' Tom Schwarz. The star Panther kicked three first-half goals on Saturday. Picture: Tom Huntley

South Adelaide continued its happy hunting at Prospect Oval and kept the chasing pack at arm’s length with a grinding 22-point win over North Adelaide on Saturday.

The Panthers had won four of their past five at the venue going into the match – a stat the Roosters looked like they wanted to change, in the first half at least.

North controlled the contest early and led almost every statistical category at half-time, but their efforts had not come to fruition on the scoreboard with a seven-point deficit at the main break.

Norths' Max Thring tackles Souths' Joseph Haines. Picture: Tom Huntley

South then took hold of the match, jumping the Roosters in the third quarter and then stifling them into submission.

The victory pushed the Panthers up to third after Norwood was upset by the Eagles. They are one win ahead of both Sturt and Port Adelaide.

South coach Jarrad Wright said his side was able to capitalise on its momentum better than the hosts.

“We were probably lucky to kick a flurry of goals in the third quarter from centre bounces, which gave us that 20-point and it was really goal for goal from then,” Wright said.

“If we can clean up our ball movement a bit more with basic execution hopefully we can put more scores on the board now.”

North, bolstered by the returns of captain Max Thring, Mitch Clisby and Brock Castree, actually looked the more damaging side going forward in the first half.

But two goals in the first two minutes from Tom Whittlesea shot the Panthers out in front in the third quarter.

The Roosters were able to steady – and should have kicked a few of their own – but were trying to limit the damage at times.

Kyle Emery kicked South’s third of the quarter after 16 minutes between majors as North went goalless for the term.

Keenan Ramsey tried to spark North in the last but when Ben Heaslip goaled seven minutes in, the match was all but done.

Roosters coach Josh Carr said the loss was hard to take.

“First quarter I was alright with but after that ... I think they kicked nine goals out of stoppages,” Carr said.

“Our confidence was low in that second half.”

SOUTH 3.3 6.8 9.9 12.12 (84)

NORTH 4.4 5.7 5.9 8.14 (62)

BEST — South: Liddle, Haines, Emery, Cross, Noble, Heaslip. North: Allmond, Clisby, Schwarz, Smith, Ramsey.

GOALS — South: Emery 4, Cross 3, Whittlesea 2, Heaslip, McGree, Overall. North: Ramsey 3, Allmond, Harvey, Thring, Szekely, Tropiano.

UMPIRES — Scott, Hughes, Hundertmark.