New coach Garry Hocking leads South Adelaide to opening round SANFL win against West Adelaide
NEW South Adelaide coach Garry Hocking has big shoes to fill replacing Brad Gotch. But the Geelong great made a winning start, guiding the Panthers to a three-point win over West Adelaide on Friday night.
NEW South Adelaide coach Garry Hocking has big shoes to fill replacing Brad Gotch as Panthers mentor.
But the Geelong great made a winning start to his reign guiding South to a nailbiting three-point triumph over West Adelaide in their season opener at Richmond Oval on Friday night.
The Panthers, who led by 28 points at one stage during the second quarter, had to withstand a brave performance by last season’s wooden-spooner in a see-sawing contest.
The hosts took a two-point advantage into the final quarter, before South kicked four goals to three in the final term to claim victory.
Gotch left the Panthers over the summer after helping the club to the finals in two of the past three campaigns.
His former charges got off to a strong start to lead by 19 and 16 points respectively at the first two breaks.
But a five-goal West blitz either side of half-time saw it poke its nose in front late in a drama-filled third quarter.
The visitors needed two final term goals to Xavier Gotch, as well as majors to Sam Overall (three goals) and Nick Liddle to seal the win against the plucky Bloods.
Dual Magarey Medallist Joel Cross was outstanding for South and he was well supported debutant Abe Davis and on-baller Liddle.
The Bloods, looking to regain credibility after last year’s disastrous premiership defence, were well served by Shannon Green (four goals) and Aaron Fielke (three).
South drew first blood in a free-flowing opening quarter as forward Overall took a strong mark and kicked truly from 20m.
West hit back through a John Noble major and might have taken the lead were it not for wasteful set shots by Daniel Webb and Mason Middleton.
The Panthers took control as the first term wore on through two goals to half-forward Ben Haren and one to Ben Heaslip after a sweeping team move.
Rigby Barnes took a great grab on the edge of the goal square before converting to give South a 19-point advantage at the first break.
The second quarter was more of an arm wrestle and it took until the 13th minute of the term for either side to kick a major.
Davis, impressive after joining from Sydney Swans in the summer, converted from just inside 50m after winning a free kick.
The Bloods cut South’s half-time advantage to 16 points through goals to Fielke and Green in quick succession later in the quarter and took the lead for the first time late in third term.
SCOREBOARD
WEST ADELAIDE 2.1 4.1 8.2 11.4 (70)
SOUTH ADELAIDE 5.2 6.5 7.6 11.7 (73)
BEST — West: Green, Fielke, Keough, Batley, Schiller. South: Cross, Fields, Davis, Liddle, Gotch, Overall.
GOALS — West: Green 4, Fielke 3, Noble, Hill, Stevens, Haysman. South: Overall 3, Gotch 2, Haren 2, Liddle, Davis, Heaslip, Barnes.
UMPIRES — N. Ghan, H. Hughes, A. Bennett.