Panos’ left-foot matchwinner 26:36 into the final quarter - after a superb tap from Jack Oatey Medallist, ruckman Harry Boyd - saw Norwood upset minor premier North Adelaide by one point in a classic SANFL grand final. And it came after the gutsy, resilient Redlegs trailed by 17 points midway through the final term. Seemingly down and out, this brave Norwood side would not lie down.
Like they have done all year, the Redlegs, who got crucial goals from Josh Richards and Ben Jarvis before Panos struck gold - dug deep to pull off the most unlikely flag triumph. Smashed in the qualifying final by nine goals by the Crows, they rebounded to win their next three finals after trailing in every one of them. Its stunning victory saw Norwood win its fourth flag in the past 11 years and first since 2014.
Ironically, Panos, 31, was the only premiership player the Legs fielded on Sunday, having played in the 2014 win. The last grand final decided by one point was in 2017 when Sturt upset Port Adelaide.
The Redlegs’ backs-to-the-walls win saw them exact some revenge for their shock grand final loss to the Roosters in 2018. Boyd was magnificent for Norwood with 20 disposals and an incredible 64 hitouts while defenders Jack Heard and Pierce Seymour were terrific.
Midfielders Nik Rokahr and Jay Rantall combined for 49 disposals while captain Matthew Nunn won plenty of contested balls and laid eight bone-crunching tackles.
The seventh grand final meeting between the two clubs began with them both making tough selection calls. Norwood dropped Crows father-son AFL draft prospect Max Michalanney for fellow defender Seymour, who had recovered from an ankle injury, while North recalled rebounding defender Jake Patmore (hamstring) for the unlucky Tyson Brazel.
Seymour did not get the start to the grand final he would have wanted. He spilled an overhead mark deep inside the Roosters’ attacking 50 in the third minute and paid a heavy price.
Lee Minervini brilliantly soccered the ball off the ground through the big uprights from 25m to give North a flying start. The Roosters settled much better, winning clearances and the one-on-one contests and getting the ‘chaos ball’ inside 50 as fast as they could to put the Redlegs defence under enormous pressure.
Lachie Wilsdon and Nigel Lockyer marked and goaled from quick entries and when Magarey Medallist Aaron Young’s long bomb from 70m bounced through, North had kicked four of the opening five goals to break to an early 19-point lead.
A clever snap shot from classy Redlegs small forward Baynen Lowe in the dying seconds of the first quarter cut the margin to 11 points at the first change. Heavy rain reduced the second quarter to a slogfest, with only one goal kicked. It came courtesy of Norwood wingman Declan Hamilton from a superb snap, leaving only seven points separating the teams at the long break.
The Roosters kicked five consecutive behinds for the term as the Redlegs slowly clawed their way back into the game. Despite trailing clearances 22-13, they started to get more control through the midfield while their defence was standing firm, with key backman Heard their leading disposal winner with 16. Norwood got completely on top in the third quarter, continually bombarding the ball inside their attacking 50.
It was finally rewarded when Connor McLean soccered a goal from the top of the goalsquare and when Mitch Carroll snapped truly with his left foot, the Redlegs led for the first time. They had all the momentum and consecutive behinds to Rantall and Henry Nelligan pushed them six points clear.
But just as the game looked to be slipping from North’s grasp, it hit back in 70 game-defining seconds. Wilsdon sharked the ball off hands to run into an open goal, giving the Roosters their first major in two quarters, and they were then awarded a free kick for an off-the-ball incident before the re-start.
Harrison Elbrow copped one high in a scuffle and kicked truly to give his side a seven-point advantage at the final change. When Andrew Moore and Young kicked the first two goals of the last quarter, it appeared to be game over. But Norwood had the final say.
NORWOOD 2.3 3.6 5.9 8.11 (59)
NORTH 4.2 4.7 6.10 8.10 (58)
BEST - Norwood: Boyd, Heard, Rokahr, Rantall, Seymour, Nunn, Richards, Panos. North: C. Combe, Young, Wigg, W. Combe, Spina, Magor, Harvey.
GOALS - Norwood: Panos 2, Lowe, Hamilton, McLean, M. Carroll, Richards, Jarvis. North: Wilsdon, Young 2, Minervini, Lockyer, Elbrow, Moore.
INJURIES - North: Elbrow (ankle).
UMPIRES - Bryce, Scott, Bowen.
CROWD - 27,459 at Adelaide Oval.
JACK OATEY MEDAL - Harry Boyd (Norwood).
- Andrew Capel
SANFL writers Andrew Capel and Warren Partland brought you live updates from Adelaide Oval from the first bounce at 3pm Sunday. Follow the blog below.
Live Updates
The Redlegs have claimed their first flag since 2014 when they won their third successive premiership.
Roosters coach Jacob Surjan immediately gathered his players for a chat after the final siren.
How appropriate Matt Panos kicks the winning goal. He has been a champion for the Redlegs for plenty of years and has proven himself a match winner time after time.
As expected, the Roosters, who started favourites, are a shattered group as they wait for the presentation. But they were valiant in what was a tremendous spectacle.
The Jack Oatey Medallist as the best on ground is Norwood ruckman Harry Boyd.
Full time
Norwood 8.11 (59) North Adelaide 8.11 (58)
Jade Rawlings has done an incredible job as the Redlegs coach, while it is the second losing grand final for Roosters coach Jacob Surjan.
The victory is revenge for the Redlegs' loss to the Roosters in the 2018 grand final. The Roosters also lost the 2020 decider.
Norwood is the 2022 SANFL champion.
The Redlegs came from 17 points down in the final quarter to beat the Roosters by a point in a thrilling grand final at Adelaide Oval.
Roosters big man Mitch Harvey has taken two hugely important marks in defence to hold up the Redlegs.
The Roosters lead by only five points.
Who said low scoring games aren't exciting.
Hang on, Matt Panos has just kicked a goal and the Redlegs are in front. Just a point in it.
The Redlegs had 5 goals for three quarters and have now kicked the last three.
Wow.
Redlegs' Josh Richards and Ben Jarvis have nailed back-to-back goals and the Roosters lead by only five points.
Into time on in the final quarter.
Has Aaron Young sealed the grand final for the Roosters?
The Magarey Medallist snapped a brilliant goal 12 minutes into the final term to give his side a 17-point buffer.
Now the Redlegs need a response, but do they have the firepower to kick the necessary goals is the question.
Early in the fourth quarter and the Roosters lead by six points.
If the scores are level at full-time, there will be five minutes each way of extra time with a three minute break between them.
Coaches are not allowed to address their players during the three-minute break.
Three-quarter time
North 6.10 (46) Norwood 5.9 (39)
Inside 50: North 42-41. Clearances: North 34-26.
Leading possessions: North – Wigg 21, W. Combe 20, C. Combe 18, Spina 16. Norwood – Heard 20, Rantall 19, Seymour 19, Rokahr 18.
If Norwood wins my tip for the Jack Oatey Medal for best on ground is Jack Heard. If North wins there are plenty of options.
Drama late in the third quarter.
Lachlan Wilsdon gets clear over the back and nails the goal to put the Roosters back in front.
But before the ball is bounced back in the middle of the grounds, Roosters' Harrison Elbrow is given a free kick for high contact after a scuffle with three Redlegs.
Elbrow calmly slots the set shot and the Roosters jump out to a seven-point lead.
The Roosters took two quarters to kick a goal and then bag two in a minute.
The grand final has lived up to its promotion and is a tough, hard game.
The attack on the footy has been fierce and players are throwing themselves into the contest with no thought of protecting their bodies.
Late in the third quarter the lead in favour of the Redlegs is only five points and the final term for 2022 promises to be a beauty.
