South Adelaide coach Brad Gotch takes another step on a mission to earn the respect of the SANFL

PANTHERS coach Brad Gotch is on a mission to earn the respect of the SANFL. He took another step on Friday with a 45-point win over the Tigers.

South Aelaide’s Lachlan Boyd caught in a tackle by Glenelg's Max Proud. Boyd’s should was

SOUTH Adelaide coach Brad Gotch is on a mission to earn the respect of the SANFL.

He also wants the Panthers to become a strong identity in the southern region and prove to youngsters there is a definite pathway to higher honours passing through the Noarlunga ground.

It is early days for Gotch at the helm but the Panthers have caused a few ripples already with three successive wins to open the season - the latest a 45-point victory over Glenelg at Noarlunga on Friday.

This was not the prettiest win, nor will it scare the competition powers.

But it was a performance of character and further evidence of a tremendous passion and spirit at the club.

The Panthers want to play for each other and there is a real team unity - that is obvious.

“The guys fought on and found a way to get there,’’ Gotch said.

“When you lose two guys in the first half and one early it makes it hard.

“Full credit to Glenelg. They had to come back after last week (152-point loss to Port Adelaide) and have a crack - and they did.’’

Ruckman Keegan Brooksby ignited the Panthers with his domination of the stoppages, providing his midfield team-mates such as Joel Cross and Nick Murphy with plenty of opportunities to blast the side forward.

Down back Josh Thewlis and Bradley Crabb had a heavy influence for the home side while Brett Eddy proved a massive headache for the Tigers defence.

Gotch wants a shared workload, however, and that is what he got.

The Panthers took advantage of the wind at their backs for the first quarter and were never headed after Eddy nailed a goal just a minute into the contest after he marked a booming kick from Tom Fields.

Not that the Tigers did not have their chances. In the second term they shut down the Panthers’ run with terrific pressure but the efforts went unrewarded because of shoddy goalkicking or skill errors.

The Tigers’ were punished for too many turnovers, struggled to get their hands on the ball at times due to the Panthers’ supremacy at the stoppages and coughed up goals in quick succession.

But it was a much improved display from the visitors.

“We bounced back quite well from the worst defeat in the club’s history,’’ Tigers coach Nick Stevens said.

“For patches we were pretty good. The effort was much better and our intent at times.”

SOUTH 5.1 7.3 13.9 17.14 (116)

GLENELG 2.3 4.10 7.11 10.11 (71)

BEST — South: Brooksby, Cross, Eddy, Macleod, Thewlis, Murphy, Crabb. Glenelg: Joseph, Proud, Alleway, Pitt, Bradley.

SCORERS — South: Eddy 6, Macleod, Rankine, Bass, Murphy 2, Dale, Rose, Cross. Glenelg: Alleway 4, Hooper 2, McFarlane, Thorp, Muir, Gregson.

INJURIES — South: Redigolo (knee), Boyd (shoulder).

UMPIRES — Bowen, Sobieraj, Lally.

CROWD — 3984 at Hickinbotham Oval.