Panthers coach Ron Fuller praises defensive pressure after 23-point win over Glenelg

SOUTH Adelaide has improved over the past month on the back of a ­greater commitment to defensive pressure.

SOUTH Adelaide has improved over the past month on the back of a ­greater commitment to defensive pressure.

That is the view of Panthers coach Ron Fuller after his side won its third game from four starts and third on the trot at Noarlunga in beating Glenelg 12.7 (79) to 8.8 (56) on Saturday.

Tigers players rarely found open space and struggled to get the ball out of their back half because the Panthers' forwards were hunting them.

"We're defending better and we're doing the hard things better, the team things better," Fuller said.

"We're not conceding a lot of goals.

"Up to round 10 we conceded a lot of goals and (recently) we've defended a lot better.

"Our midfielders have become a bit more accountable, our tackle stats around the ball are better and our defenders have tightened up a little bit."

Fuller said extending the winning streak at home "does take the monkey off the back" but his side still had "a fair way to go".

South led by as many as 45 points during the third term but fell away in the final quarter.

"I thought the first three quarters were terrific," Fuller said.

"Losing the last quarter was probably not reflective of the game."

Nathan (30 disposals) and Caleb Daniel (18 disposals, eight clearances) were terrific for South, while Brad Crabb's statistics (two goals, nine disposals) did not reflect his influence on the game.