Sturt superb, Roosters still crowing, Eagles soar and Bloods pumping in SANFL

THE controversial inclusion of Sam Powell-Pepper into Port Adelaide’s line-up failed to halt Sturt, while North Adelaide thumped Norwood in another intriguing round of SANFL. Chat live with Warren Partland here at 12.30pm Thursday

Crows SANFL coach Ryan O'Keefe. Picture: AAP Image/MATT LOXTON

THE controversial inclusion of Sam Powell-Pepper into Port Adelaide’s line-up failed to halt Sturt, while North Adelaide thumped Norwood in another intriguing round of SANFL.

CHAT LIVE WITH WARREN PARTLAND HERE AT 12.30PM THURSDAY

19 NOT ENOUGH

A LITTLE known fact from the game between Central District and Adelaide at Elizabeth Oval on Saturday, the Crows had 19 players on the field to start the second quarter.

When the ball was bounced to restart the game, Elliott Himmelberg was making a mad dash to get off the ground. He failed by about 20m, meaning there were 19 players.

Not that his presence for those few seconds had any impact on the game.

So what is the rule? The opposition would need to call for a player count. If that were to occur, umpires do a head count and then report to the league.

No harm done, though it did make us recall this famous SANFL moment.

FANS TURN UP

It was sauna conditions in the Crows coaching box, prompting Graeme Dunstan to make a rushed trip to the nearby Elizabeth Mall for a couple of fans.

As a Crows official noted after the game, who says Adelaide don’t bring fans to the game.

INJURY UPDATE

Glenelg ruckman Warwick McGinty is still a couple of weeks from return from a hamstring injury. The Tigers are optimistic he will front West Adelaide on May 4. There is a bye the following week for the state game.

Neil Vea Vea could return. Picture: Keri Megelus

Neil Vea Vea is a chance to return for the Tigers this week after missing the loss to Woodville-West Torrens on the weekend. Scans showed there was no tear to the hamstring.

The Bloods are likely to promote Jason Porplyzia to the league side to face the Tigers. They have a bye this weekend.

Porplyzia has had a couple of games in reserves since coming back from a knee reconstruction and he looked okay against South Adelaide on Tuesday night.

TRIVIAL MATTERS

Port Adelaide captain Steven Summerton is related to Woodville-West Torrens’ Chris Hall. Summerton’s mother’s maiden name is Hall and they are cousins. There ya go.

NOBLE BATTLE

So who won the battle of the Noble twins Mark and John at Richmond Oval on Tuesday night?

In the early minutes, West Adelaide’s John gave South Adelaide’s Mark a bump as he wandered passed. Shortly after Mark belted into John when he took a mark. Ahhhh, brotherly love.

John had 21 possessions, six tackles and a behind, while Mark had 19 touches, two tackles and kicked a goal.

Both had a significant influence, but the Bloods won so John gets the points.

Mark Noble was in the thick of the action. Picture: Matt Loxton/AAP

FRIENDLY ADVICE

Bloods captain Tom Keough is a class act, that there is no doubt.

But it is obvious he has not spent enough time up forward in his career. Used on the ball in recent weeks, Keough took a mark on the goal line late in the third quarter when his side trailed the Panthers by a point.

Now Tom, for future reference go back and have your kick. Do not, I repeat, do not play on and get the ball smothered. One of those moments he’d like to take back for sure.

YEP, WE ARE FANS

How can you not admire the way Sturt onballer Aidan Riley goes about his work. He made his season debut against Port Adelaide on Wednesday and did not miss a beat in his fearless appreciation for the grunt work.

Controversial Port onballer Sam Powell-Pepper tried to run into him a few times. That stuff is bread and butter for Riley.

Riley might be a tad unfashionable, but what about captain Zane Kirkwood’s facial growth?

Aiden Riley thrived in his return from injury. Picture: Matt Turner

BODE SUSPENSION

Norwood captain Jace Bode will miss the next three games after being found guilty of striking Roosters’ Robbie Young.

The defender was offered a two-week ban with an early plea, but opted to challenge the charge at the tribunal. He failed in his bid, thus the three weeks.

Josh Carr has the Roosters firing. Picture: Stephen Laffer

ON THE BANDWAGON

How does that chant go in the grandstand at Prospect, the young lad at one end and the grown up lad at the other? Roooo-sters, Roooo-sters!!

Josh Carr has North Adelaide firing, responding to the opening round belting from Central District with three stunning victories.

No doubt those cakes handed out by the lovely lady in the back of the grandstand would be tasting even yummier.

OFF THE BANDWAGON

I’m becoming worse than colleague Andrew Capel in jumping on and off the bandwagon. Last week I grabbed a front seat on the Glenelg wagon, but I’m getting straight back off until they get a solid win away from home, on a big deck.

RESULTS

Central District 21.11 (137) d Adelaide 10.7 (67) at Elizabeth

North Adelaide 21.7 (133) d Norwood 13.11 (89) at Prospect

Eagles 18.12 (120) d Glenelg 8.11 (59) at Woodville

West Adelaide 12.12 (84) d South Adelaide (82) at Richmond

Sturt 12.11 (83) d Port Adelaide 8.10 (58) at Unley

Eagles Angus Poole and Marc Borholm resting from the heat of battle. Picture: Dylan Coker.

LADDER

Team % Pts

Eagles 61.6 7

North Adelaide 6 59.0

Sturt 6 57.4

Port Adelaide 5 56.8

Central District 4 57.4

South Adelaide 4 50.7

West Adelaide 4 36.8

Norwood 2 47.3

Glenelg 2 44.8

Adelaide 0 32.1

RANKINGS

1: Sturt - the Double Blues needed a response to the North Adelaide loss and they got it against Port Adelaide. Did not allow the Powell-Pepper controversy derail their game.

2: North Adelaide - the Roosters are up and about and never looked in doubt against Norwood.

3: Eagles - were challenged for a quarter and a bit before upping the ante and got the job done well against Glenelg. They are going well considering the injury toll.

4: West Adelaide - lost to North by 138 points and have since beaten the central District and South Adelaide. Had to show plenty of character after the Panthers hit the front at three-quarter time.

5: South Adelaide - were awful for the first half, but got their act together in the third to grab the lead. Would reflect on this game as a prime blown opportunity.

6: Port Adelaide - had a handy side on the paddock but were outplayed in then midfield by Sturt and their ball use going forward was sloppy.

7: Central District - won by 70 points but did not even play well against Adelaide. Needs to lift the skills and ball use going deep into attack.

8: Glenelg - promised plenty going into the game against the Eagles and seriously challenged the home side early. But as the game lengthened, so too did the control of the home side.

9: Norwood - looked terrible against the Roosters and showed there is definitely a Jekyll and Hyde to this side.

10: Adelaide - has been hard hit by injury and that means having too many top up players.