SANFL 2016: South Adelaide tamed as Sturt win by 48 points

STURT’S season of resurrection under new coach Marty Mattner gained further currency Saturday with a highly impressive 48-point triumph over previously unbeaten South Adelaide at Unley.

South's Tyson Brown crashes between Sturt’s Jack Osborn and Brodie Martin. Photo: Mark Brake.

STURT’S season of resurrection under new coach Marty Mattner gained further currency Saturday with a highly impressive 48-point triumph over previously unbeaten South Adelaide at Unley.

After dropping their opening round contest to Woodville-West Torrens, the Double Blues have responded with five successive wins and the manner in which they disposed of the Panthers further raises optimism at Unley.

This was a performance of substance and they had the two premiership points by the throat for most of the contest.

“We felt like we had good structures and game plan going in and we executed it for longer and the pressure was better for longer,’’ Mattner said. “We felt when we did control the tempo and ball movement we were the better side.’’

Asked what was the most positive aspect to come out of the game, he responded: “The four quarter effort, we felt we had the game plan and processes to beat them and to execute it for four quarters ...’’

The platform for the victory was built in the first quarter when the home side had the ascendancy around the stoppages and constantly bombarded the forward zone. Aidan Riley was often the spark with his ability to escape from the engine room heat courtesy of skill and strength. Even Panthers coach Bradley Gotch praised his performance.

The Doubles Blues defence stood firm and then spread with efficiency to create avenues for attacking raids. So dominant were the Double Blues, they had 21 visits inside their attacking 50 compared to the Panthers’ three for the first quarter.

The Double Blues refused to relax the intensity, and they worked tirelessly to ensure there were numbers at the contest as well as options being available for team-mates.

No more evident was the home side’s superior ball use than 22 minutes into the third term. The Panthers had cut the deficit to 12 points and were threatening. But Double Blues forward Mark Evans nailed two goals in quick succession, the second the result of brilliant transition from defence with direct movement.

“It is not how we want to portray ourselves, but full credit to Sturt,’’ Gotch said. “They came to play and were up, too good for us. They looked up and about and we looked flat. But full credit to them.’’

SCOREBOARD

STURT 4.3 6.5 10.7 14.10 (94)

SOUTH ADELAIDE 1.0 4.1 6.1 7.4 (46)

BEST — Sturt: Riley, Battersby, Harms, Crocker M. Evans, McMahon, Lienert. South: Rankine, Redigolo, Liddle, Rose, Crabb.

GOALS — Sturt: M. Evans 4, Martin, Beard 2, Greenslade, Kirkwood, McMahon, Lienert, Voigt, Osborn. South: Eddy, Rankine 2, Seccull, Haren, Gotch.

INJURIES — South: De Visser (concussion).

UMPIRES — Sobieraj, Hosking, Crosby.

CROWD — 2859 at Peter Motley Oval, Unley.