West Adelaide look to break Norwood curse in second semi-final

Frustratingly for Bloods' fans, all their games against Norwood except one have followed a similar script: their rivals squeeze the life out of West and win.

THERE aren't many football clubs that have played each other as often as Norwood and West Adelaide in the past two seasons.

Today's meeting in the second semi-final is the ninth clash between the Redlegs and Bloods in that time and it could grow to 10 if both qualify for the grand final in a fortnight.

Frustratingly for Bloods' fans, all of the games bar one have followed a similar script - Norwood squeezes the life out of West and wins. In the past eight matches, West has never had more than 37 inside-50s against Norwood. It has averaged more than 46 against the rest of the competition this year. The lack of supply to the forward line has seen the Bloods average fewer than eight goals a game.

"We've been dominated in the middle of the ground and dominated at the stoppages," Bloods' coach Andrew Collins said. West believes it has closed the gap on Norwood this season - chiefly through the recruitment of Travis Tuck and Brad Mangan and the development of Ben Macreadie - but the proof will come on AAMI Stadium.

The Bloods were competitive against the Redlegs during the minor round last year - even pinching a win in round 21 - but were beaten convincingly on the big stage.

With the added quality of Matthew Thomas, Kieran McGuinness, Lewis Stevenson and Mitch Grigg in coach Nathan Bassett's Norwood line-up this year, it's hard to see this one-sided rivalry changing course.

"I think they're arguably a better team this year with Thomas, McGuinness, Stevenson and Grigg," Collins said.

"The AFL boys give them real class ... but there are areas we think we can attack."

West's best chance of upsetting the Redlegs may be in the grand final, when it will have captain Ryan Ferguson (concussion) back in the side.

But Collins wants a win today to earn a precious week off.

"Every game you play, you're going to lose one or possibly two players to injury," he said. "Bar the skipper, we've got our best line-up in."