South Adelaide enhances finals chances with win over North Adelaide
SOUTH Adelaide goes a long way to sealing finals spot with North Adelaide victory, midfielder walks out on Glenelg and the final possession rule still confusing some fans. See the highlights as we wrap up Round 15 in this week’s Monday Recovery.
- Redlegs have blood pumping
- Six-goal second quarter sets up Panthers win
- Blues take down high-flying Eagles
- Bays run riot against Magpies
- Smith impresses but Bulldogs do just enough
HAS South Adelaide’s win over North Adelaide settled the top five, Nick Amato quits Glenelg and the final possession rule still confusing some fans. The SANFL’s Round 15 wrapped up in our Monday Recovery.
TOP FIVE SETTLED?
Is the top five settled with just four rounds remaining?
South Adelaide’s win over North Adelaide has enabled the Panthers to slip two games plus hefty percentage clear of Central District and West Adelaide.
It was thought Port Adelaide would make a charge for a finals spot, but it has lost to the bottom two teams in the past two weeks. Well Glenelg was second bottom until it won at Alberton Oval on Saturday.
Now Port has just Adelaide below it on the ladder.
AMATO TAKES A HIKE
Nick Amato has walked out on Glenelg after failing to get a recall to the league side to face
Port Adelaide at Alberton on Saturday.
Dropped to the reserves the previous week, Amato called coach Mark Stone in Thursday night to say he was quitting the club.
Where Amato plays now is the question given he is contracted to the Tigers until the end of the 2019 season.
His decision to leave the Bay follows the announcement Warwick McGinty had retired from league football.
But McGinty, who was also in the reserves, made his call because of work commitments and issues with injuries.
MUST BE INTENTIONAL
This is the second season the last possession rule has been operating in the SANFL and too many fans are still not sure how it works.
That was evident at The Parade on Friday with some advice for the umpires from the Redlegs’ members stand.
To be a penalty, the kick has to be an intentional action. When the ball comes off the foot or lower leg without the intent of the player being to kick the ball, it will be deemed accidental and the result is a boundary throw in.
JACK ONE OUT OF THE BOX
Jack Lukosius will be taken early in the national draft, possibly No. 1. The young bloke didn’t do a lot for Woodville-West Torrens in the loss to Sturt on Saturday, but he had a few mates.
However, there were two moments which define him as a player and his enormous potential.
In the second quarter, he hit Nick Hayes with a 50m pass under pressure. And a little later he stood his ground to mark the ball knowing the body contact was inevitable.
Despite is immature body he showed no fear.
EAGLES STRUGGLE
Redlegs coach Jarrod Cotton was venturing to Woodville Oval on Saturday to have a look at the Eagles in preparation for their contest at The Parade on Friday night.
He would have driven home feeling fairly content with what he witnessed.
The Eagles looked a lot like what we have seen in the finals in recent years. They were slow and struggled with the hunger of Sturt, for three quarters anyway.
PORPS OKAY
West Adelaide star Jason Porplyzia returned from another knee issue against the Redlegs on Friday night and pulled up extremely well.
The knee was given a workout in the wet and slippery conditions and Porps said it was feeling much better than before his three-week break.
ROUND 15 RESULTS
Norwood 18.17 (125) d West Adelaide 6.11 (47) at Norwood Oval.
Glenelg 16.7 (103) d Port Adelaide 9.14 (68) at Alberton Oval.
Sturt 12.11 (83) d Eagles 9.6 (60) at Woodville Oval.
Central District 7.13 (55) d Adelaide 6.3 (39) at Elizabeth Oval.
South Adelaide 15.11 (101) d North Adelaide 9.6 (60) at Noarlunga Oval.
LADDER
1. Norwood 22 (58.0%)
2. Eagles 21 (56.9)
3. Sturt 18 (54.6)
4. North 18 (52.9)
5. South 16 (55.0)
6. Central 12 (48.9)
7. West 12 (45.4)
8. Glenelg 10 (46.7)
9. Port 9 (45.0)
10. Adelaide 2 (36.5)
GOALKICKERS
Josh Scott (Glenelg) 32
Mark Evans (Sturt) 31
Terry Milera (Glenelg) 28
Jack Hayes (Eagles) 28
John Butcher (Central) 26
Lewis Hender (North) 26
Mason Middleton (West) 25
Matthew Panos (Norwood) 24
Shane McAdam (Sturt) 23
Mitch Grigg (Norwood) 23
ON THE BANDWAGON
Get a bigger marquee for grand final night Fanta, there will be a big bandwagon headed to The Parade to celebrate. And I’m right up the front.
OFF THE BANDWAGON
I’ve been pumping up Port for a finals spot, but losses to the bottom two teams in the past two weeks means not having to worry about the drive to Alberton for a quiet one.
RANKINGS
1: Norwood: Can score so quickly as it showed against the Bloods. The Bloods were competitive and still lost by 78 points, such is the power of the Redlegs.
2: Glenelg: There hasn’t been a lot of joy for the Tigers, but that was impressive at Alberton.
3: South Adelaide: The Panthers have been shaky lately and needed a win in their push for a finals spot. And they got the job done well at home against the Roosters.
4: Sturt: For three quarters the Double Blues looked like the side which has won the past two flags. the final quarter hasn’t been great in the past two weeks, but don’t let that hide the fact this is a good side.
5: Central District: The Bulldogs got the chocolates against the Crows, but they wouldn’t have tasted that good because it was an average performance with too many skill errors.
6: Eagles: They bagged some final quarter goals, but they were ordinary before that.
7: West Adelaide: Got beaten by 78 points, but they showed plenty of competitive spirit and it was against a white hot opponent.
8: Adelaide: Kept plugging away and continuing to be a more competitive unit.
9: North Adelaide: Put a lot of young blokes on the paddock. It was the third loss in a row.
10: Port Adelaide: Outplayed for much of the contest.
THIS WEEK
Friday
Norwood v Eagles (Coopers Stadium, Norwood, 7.20pm)
Saturday
North Adelaide v Adelaide (Prospect Oval, 2.10pm)
Port Adelaide v South Adelaide (Alberton Oval, 2.20pm)
Sunday
Glenelg v West Adelaide (Gliderol Stadium, Glenelg, 2.10pm)
Sturt v Central District (Peter Motley Oval, Unley, 2.10pm)