South Adelaide ready for flag race after big win over North Adelaide
SOUTH Adelaide will head into this weekend’s bye well-placed to mount a premiership challenge following a 44-point triumph over North Adelaide at Noarlunga on Sunday.
SOUTH Adelaide will head into this weekend’s bye well-placed to mount a premiership challenge following a 44-point triumph over North Adelaide at Noarlunga on Sunday.
The Panthers overcame a determined Roosters first half display to kick away after the main break and record a commanding 13.7 (85) to 6.5 (41) victory.
The impressive showing moved Garry Hocking’s side to a 4-1 record and equal on wins with ladder-leader Woodville-West Torrens.
It also highlighted South’s ability to match its rivals with hard work before putting its foot down, as a four-goal blitz in five minutes set up the success in the third term.
Nic Schwarz (32 disposals), Xavier Gotch (30) Matthew Rose (27) and Nick Liddle (26) were outstanding in the Panthers’ engine room.
Forwards Ben Haren (three majors) and Sam Overall (two) were South’s only multiple goal kickers as the home side shared the footy around.
Hocking praised his players’ response after a challenging opening.
“The first quarter we dominated but they defended really well, so we had to change our inside 50 structure,” he said.
“It was a scrappy sort of affair in the first half, but in third quarter we were able to get a bit more flow from stoppage and get the game on our terms a bit.
“It was certainly off the back of really good defence.
“Our guys were hitting in, tackling and really putting pressure on their ball movement and then we were able to spread off that and use the ball much better.”
The Panthers went into the contest just one place and one victory ahead of the Roosters.
It showed in an early arm-wrestle as South took a slender eight-point advantage to the first change.
Big man Daniel Bass claimed a towering mark and kicked truly from straight in front to open the Panthers’ account.
North midfielder Lewis Hender capitalised on a sloppy South turnover to dribble through his side’s first major.
Haren helped the hosts poke their nose in front with a beautiful kick from 45m following some typically tigerish work by Liddle.
But North hit the front for the first time just 30 seconds into the second quarter when Alex Spina finished off a sweeping team move.
Slick work in South’s forward 50 by Gotch led to Adam Hunter snapping home before a Jackson McMahon major gave the Panthers the ascendancy.
The match continued to see-saw as Roosters forward Tanner Smith goaled twice in two minutes and Schwarz capped an impressive first half with a nerveless kick late in the quarter.
The Panthers blew the contest open in a dominant third term.
The fleet-footed Rigby Barnes showed a clean pair of heels to boot his first and Haren grabbed his second after patient build-up play by South.
Matthew Appleton goaled against the run of play before two majors to Overall and singles to Connor Fairlie and the hard-working Liddle all but iced the triumph.
Gotch and Haren added final term majors as South coasted to victory.
Jordie McKenzie (25 disposals) and Max Thring (19) battled gallantly for North which was made pay for a third-quarter fade out for the second time in three weeks.
SCOREBOARD
SOUTH ADELAIDE 2.1 5.3 11.4 13.7 (85)
NORTH ADELAIDE 1.2 4.3 5.4 6.5 (41)
BEST – South Adelaide: Schwarz, Liddle, Gotch, Rose, Haren, Cross, Bass. North Adelaide: McKenzie, Thring, Appleton, Darrou, Smith.
GOALS – South Adelaide: Haren 3, Overall 2, Bass, Gotch, Liddle, Fairlie, Barnes, Hunter, McMahon, N. Schwarz. North Adelaide: Smith, Appleton 2, Hender, Spina.
UMPIRES – Lewis, Schramm, Harris.
INJURIES – South Adelaide: Overall (knee). North Adelaide: Harvey (hamstring).
CROWD – 1452 at Hickinbotham Oval.