Joel Cross and Nick Liddle run riot as Panthers put undermanned Crows to the sword

SOUTH Adelaide’s dynamic midfield duo ran riot as the understrength Crows were humiliated in a record SANFL defeat at Noarlunga Oval.

South's Nicholas Liddle breaks a tackle from Adelaide's Ben Jarman. Picture: Tom Huntley

SOUTH Adelaide’s dynamic midfield duo ran riot as the understrength Crows were humiliated in a record defeat at Noarlunga Oval on Sunday.

Dual Magarey Medallist Joel Cross and his star on-ball sidekick Nick Liddle dominated with 74 disposals and seven goals between them as winless Adelaide was uncompetitive in being crushed by a massive 112 points.

Cross had 38 touches and kicked three goals while Liddle helped himself to 36 disposals and four goals as the Crows’ loss eclipsed their previous worst in the SANFL of 95 points against Port Adelaide at Alberton in round one.

“They are in a league of their own,’’ first-year Panthers coach Jarrad Wright said of his star midfield pair.

South's Jackson Elmes takes a flying mark. Picture: Tom Huntley

Adelaide — fielding just 10 AFL-listed players after the late withdrawals of Cam Ellis-Yolmen (managed) and Reilly O’Brien (shoulder) — kicked the opening goal after three minutes through the unlisted Dom Costanzo and then conceded the next 12 majors.

Its next goal did not come until seven minutes into the third quarter and its score of 4.4 (28) was its lowest in the SANFL, beating the 4.9 it kicked against the Magpies in the opening round.

While the Crows were embarrassed, South was magnificent.

It blitzed Adelaide early with six goals in 19 minutes in the first quarter and didn’t take its foot off the pedal, finishing off with eight majors without a miss in the last term.

Apart from Cross and Liddle, forward Abe Davis (30 disposals, two goals), defender Tyson Brown (25, one) and ruckman Keegan Brooksby, who made the most of O’Brien’s absence to dominate the ruck, were other standout performers for the Panthers.

South’s big win was its seventh of the season and followed last week’s upset victory against premier Sturt at Unley Oval.

Adelaide’s Ryan Marini tackles South’s Matthew Rankine. Picture: Tom Huntley

It consolidated its position in the top five and significantly boosted its percentage, which could be crucial in the battle for the double chance because of the evenness of the top teams.

Wright was full of praise for his side for punishing a struggling outfit when it could easily have coasted to victory.

“We knew the Crows have got a lot of injuries which is really hurting their depth but I was really pleased with how we went about it and to keep a strong mindset to have a strong four-quarter effort,’’ he said.

“We didn’t want to just have a solid 50-point win and to finish off the game so well was a really good effort.’’

The Panthers had a remarkable 198 more disposals and 25 more inside 50s than Adelaide.

Crows coach Ryan O’Keefe conceded his side, which lost three players to injury during the game, was undermanned.

But he was pleased with his team’s effort.

“The effort was there and they didn’t give up when things weren’t going well, which I was proud of and all I could ask for,’’ O’Keefe said.

Tough midfielder Curtly Hampton worked tirelessly for 23 disposals and 13 tackles but he had little support.

SOUTH 6.3 10.5 14.8 22.8 (140)

ADELAIDE 1.2 1.3 2.4 4.4 (28)

BEST — South: Liddle, Cross, Davis, Brown, Heaslip, Brooksby, Noble, Szust. Adelaide: Hampton, Murphy.

GOALS — South: Liddle 4, Cross 3, Brooksby, Davis, Szust, Rankine 2, Fields, Haren, Brown, Elmes, Heaslip, Noble, Helyar. Adelaide: Costanzo, Vandermeer, McPherson, Jarman.

INJURIES — Adelaide: Hill, Brown (hamstrings), Keath (ankle).

UMPIRES — T. Medlin, D. Sobieraj, S. Galletly.

CROWD — 1087 at Hickinbotham Oval.