SANFL Round 6: Eagle runs hot, team of week, winners and losers

Who’s hot, who’s not and all you need to know from Round 5 as Sturt makes a statement. The Advertiser takes you behind the scenes of Australia’s best State League competition.

Andrew Capel

@andrewcapel

5 min read

May 3, 2022 - 6:00AM

SANFL

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Sturt has jumped to the top of The Advertiser’s SANFL power rankings for the first time after a five-goal dismantling of Norwood at Unley.

The Martin Mattner coached Double Blues are one of four teams who boast strong 4-1 win-loss records after five rounds while Port Adelaide snapped its losing drought with a thrilling three-point win against previously unbeaten Glenelg at the Bay.

Here’s all you need to know about Round 5.

ROUND FIVE SCOREBOARD

Woodville-West Torrens 13.10 (88) d Central District 5.8 (38)

North Adelaide 15.15 (105) d West Adelaide 5.5 (35)

Adelaide 12.10 (82) d South Adelaide 11.5 (71)

Port Adelaide 10.9 (69) d Glenelg 9.12 (66)

Sturt 12.9 (81) d Norwood 7.11 (53)

POWER RANKINGS

1. Sturt

(4-1: Made comfortable work of a solid Norwood outfit at Unley to become one of four teams to post strong 4-1 records after five rounds. Very well drilled defensively).

2. Glenelg

(4-1: Shock home loss - its first of the season - to a Port side that featured only 13 AFL-listed players. Ruck is an issue).

3. Adelaide

(4-1: Strong win against South at Noarlunga, where it hadn’t tasted victory since 2015. Several players put their hand up for AFL selection, including James Rowe, Wayne Millera and Josh Worrell).

4. North Adelaide

(4-1: Early season surprise packet continues to churn out wins, this time a 70-point thumping of hapless West. Huge home game against Glenelg on Sunday).

5. Woodville-West Torrens

(3-2: The competition heavyweight made light work of Central at Elizabeth. Key recruit Connor Ballenden is proving a star, recording a round-high 173 Champion Data ranking points, despite being rested in the final term).

6. Norwood

(2-3: The Redlegs are well coached, young and moving in the right direction but are yet to claim a big scalp this season. That is their next test).

7. South Adelaide

(2-3: Has been rocked by injuries and Covid and is starting to lose touch with the top four teams. Always competitive but faces a crunch game against Norwood on the road on Saturday).

8. Port Adelaide

(1-4: Backs-to-the-walls triumph against previously unbeaten Glenelg was full of merit and could be just the tonic to kick-start Port’s season. Will be very dangerous when its AFL squad gets healthy).

9. Central District

(1-4: Disappointing home defeat to the Eagles was compounded by a knee injury to star VFL recruit Billy McCormack in the first quarter. Finals already look a reach).

10. West Adelaide

(0-5: The Bloods’ 11-goal loss to North meant they have now gone a year without winning. Things don’t get any easier with a round six clash against high-flying Adelaide on the horizon).

Glenelg’s Hugh Stagg (left) laments his late missed shot at goal against Port Adelaide that would have put the Tigers in front while teammate Liam McBean shows his disappointment at the missed opportunity. Picture: SANFL Image/David Mariuz.

NUMBERS GAME

(Top 12 Champion Data ranking points)

Connor Ballenden (Eagles) 173

Patrick Wilson (Sturt) 171

Tom Keough (West) 160

Campbell Combe (North) 156

Luke Surman (Port) 147

Harry Boyd (Norwood) 146

Sam Mayes (Port) 143

Nik Rokahr (Norwood) 142

Kyle Presbury (Central) 139

Luke Partington (Glenelg) 138

Mitch O’Neill (South) 137

Ollie Lord (Port) 136

THE STAT

Career-high goals for Sturt’s Abe Davis against Norwood.

Sturt’s Abe Davis kicks one of his matchwinning six goals against Norwood. Picture: Emma Brasier.

FLYING HIGH

(Mark of the week)

Dylan Williams (Port)

The AFL-listed forward jumped on the shoulders of Glenelg defender Alex Martini to haul in a screamer in the northern goalsquare in the final quarter at Glenelg Oval on Sunday.

His subsequent goal pushed the Magpies 14 points clear and was crucial in the outcome as they broke their losing drought to win a thriller by three points.

“It’s a bit hard to see from the back corner of the stand, but we all know the talent Dylan is,” Port coach Matthew Lokan said of Williams’ mark.

“He’s been really consistent for us and I thought he was a good part of our forward line.”

SAY WHAT

(Quotes of the week)

“It’s really important in the context of our season because we know we’ve been playing a little bit better, but to be able to play against the best side at their ground and get a result like that was great reward for the effort that we’ve been putting in to improve. We thought we understood the way that Glenelg wanted to play and we were right - we had to take away their uncontested marks and put some pressure around the footy.’’

Port coach Matthew Lokan.

“It’s frustrating. It’s good that we are winning the ball from there (stoppages) but our forward line isn’t working at the moment. It’s a mixture of some new guys coming through, really bad skills and poor execution and that all culminates in not getting easy shots at goal and we didn’t capitalise on those opportunities.”

Glenelg coach Brett Hand.

“Pat (Wilson) has been hitting the scoreboard every week for the first six weeks. That’s what we want - one of our mids to push forward and kick goals. I was hoping we’d be in the top five but with the bye coming up, if we can get another win and be 6-1, we would put ourselves in a really good position for the second half of the year, which we didn’t do last year.’’

Sturt coach Martin Mattner.

“Last year we probably would have let that one (against South) go. This group has come a long way, they have developed and progressed in that scope when getting challenged to throw the gauntlet back at them. We are getting a strong group that has some synergy so that we can play together for longer and when we get tested we can come up with the result.’’

Adelaide stand-in coach Marco Bello.

Port Adelaide’s Sam Mayes tries to get his kick away while being tackled by Tiger Brady Searle at the Bay. Picture: SANFL Image/David Mariuz.

INSIDE WORD

It was much-hyped and Kim Kantilla didn’t let South Adelaide fans down with a stunning league debut against Adelaide at Noarlunga Oval.

The great grandson of Panthers’ legend and 1964 premiership hero David Kantilla, Kim only arrived at Pantherland from the Tiwi Islands a month ago and after playing two reserves games was thrown into league ranks.

Kantilla, 22, proved electric with his speed, evasiveness and high skill level, kicking three goals, having 18 disposals and taking 11 marks.

He looks destined for a bright future.