GLENELG has kept its finals hopes alive with a stunning 14-point win over South Adelaide, a side that just last week took care of the Tigers. The Panthers loss means Norwood has now sealed the minor premiership up, while results across the round saw Sturt, Central District and Woodville-West Torrens out of the finals race with two rounds remaining.

NORWOOD 1.5 | 4.5 | 6.5 | 7.6 (48)
STURT 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 1.7 (13)

GOALS:

Norwood: Lindsay Bigg 3, Jo Hill 2, Monique Hollick, Hannah Dunn.
Sturt: Georgia Bevan.

DISPOSALS:

Norwood: Najwah Allen 32, Hannah Dunn 23, Monique Hollick 15
Sturt: Alexandra Ballard 17

After an inaccurate first term, premiership favourites Norwood booted six goals to one in the final three terms to slam the door on Sturt’s finals aspirations. The Double Blues were gallant in the opening quarter, restricting the Redlegs to just the one goal – a Jo Hill major in the third minute. However the goals flowed freely after quarter time as Hill booted her second 68 seconds after the teams reconvened, which was followed by goals to Lindsay Bigg and Hannah Dunn for the home side to take a 26-point lead at the main break. Monique Hollick kept the foot down for her side in the third quarter with an early major, before Biggs’ second was the only other score of the term and the Redlegs were 32 points ahead. While Georgia Bevan scored a consolation goal and Sturt were more dominant inside 50 in the final term, it equated to just 1.4 as Bigg’s third goal before the final siren handed Norwood a 35-point win and a minor premiership. Najwa Allen‘s sensational season continued with another massive 32 disposals, five marks (two contested), three tackles, five clearances, five inside 50s and four rebounds. Dunn was dangerous as well, racking up 23 touches, four marks, three tackles, five clearances, three inside 50s and three rebounds. Hollick (15 disposals, four marks and three clearances), Sophie Armitstead (13 touches, three marks and six tackles) and Matilda Zander (10 disposals, three clearances and four inside 50s) also had strong influence on the gmae. For Sturt, Alexandra Ballard had a team-high 19 disposals, three tackles, three inside 50s and four rebounds, while Bevan had 12 touches, four tackles, three clearances, two inside 50s and two rebounds. Nicole Baker (11 disposals, eight tackles) and Maya Rigter (11 disposals, 10 tackles) also provided plenty of defensive pressure on the opposition. Next week Norwood takes on its biggest challenger, South Adelaide, while Sturt faces Glenelg to try and end the Tigers’ finals hopes.

GLENELG 1.0 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 5.2 (32)
SOUTH ADELAIDE 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 2.6 (18)

GOALS:

Glenelg: Lauren Bungey 3, Ellen Fauser, Samantha Franson.
South: Elyse Haussen, Jessica Kirk.

DISPOSALS:

Glenelg: Ellie Kellock 23, Chelsea Packer 21, Cass Hartley, Lucy Bellenger 15
South: Czenya Cavouras 17, Nicole Campbell 16

A week is said to be a long time in football and it could not have been more true in this game, with Glenelg turning around a disappointing defeat to South Adelaide a week earlier for the Tigers to stamp their authority on the match and run out 14-point winners over the Panthers. The Tigers restricted the visitors to just one behind in the first 50 minutes of play as Ellen Fauser opened Glenelg’s account, then back-to-back goals to Lauren Bungey had the home team up by 18 points at the main break. Elyse Hausen broke through for South Adelaide’s first major in the thirteenth minute of the third term and when they peppered the goals early in the last quarter, culminating in a major to Jessica Kirk, they were four points down and another comeback was on the cards. But Glenelg ripped up the script and goals to Bugey and Samantha Franson saw the Tigers hold on and record a superb 5.2 (32) to 2.6 (18) victory. Ellie Kellock was the Tigers’ highest disposal winner with 23 as well as seven marks, seven tackles, five clearances, five inside 50s and three rebounds. Chelsea Packer also found plenty of it with 21 touches, four marks, three tackles and a game-high seven rebounds. Lucy Bellinger and Cassie Hartley both had 11 disposals in the victory, while Bungey made the most of her three goals from just seven disposals. For South Adelaide, Czenya Cavouras had 17 disposals, seven clearances, three inside 50s and a massive 12 tackles, while Nicole Campbell was solid with 16 disposls, two marks, four inside 50s and two tackles. Hannah Munyard (14 touches, four inside 50s and five tackles) stood tall, along with Indy Tahau while inaccurate (three behinds) provided a presence with 11 disposals, two contested marks, seven hitouts and three clearances, assisting Montana McKinnon (10 disposals, 17 hitouts). Next week Glenelg take on Sturt to keep their finals hopes alive, while South Adelaide face Norwood in a top-of-the-table clash and potential Grand Final preview.

NORTH ADELAIDE 1.2 | 4.7 | 8.11 | 9.13 (67)
WOODVILLE-WEST TORRENS 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.1 (7)

GOALS:

North: Kelly Barltrop 5, Brittany Perry 2, Danielle Nunns, Paige Allan.
Eagles: Natasha Farrier.

DISPOSALS:

North: Brittany Perry 24, Lauren Daniel 21, Emma Sampson 19, Cristie Castle 18
Eagles: Stephanie Walker 21, Natalie Subelli 18

If there was any doubt North Adelaide was a genuine premiership contender, it was erased on Saturday with a 10-goal thumping of Woodville-West Torrens. While the Eagles are yet to win a game this season, the manner in which the Roosters took control from early and through sheer weight of numbers ran out 9.13 (67) to 1.1 (7) winners. A massive 22 scoring shots to two show it could have been an even greater margin, but the Roosters booted eight goals after quarter time as competition leading goalkicker, Kelly Barltrop added another five majors to her tally, while GWS GIANTS midfielder Brittany Perry starred in her return game for the club. Perry and Barltrop booted five behinds between them so could have reached even greater heights, while Natasha Farrier‘s major midway through the final term ensured the Eagles did not finish the game goalless. On the stats sheet, the Roosters completely dominated with 79 more disposals, incluindg 54 more kicks, 26 more marks – nine to one contested – and a massive 35 inside 50s to 14. The Eagles did match the Roosters around the stoppages with 17-16 clearances in favour of the winners a narrow victory considering they won the hitouts 25-9. On the individual front, Perry had 24 touches to go with her 2.3, as well as four marks, two tackles, two inside 50s and two rebounds, while Lauren Daniel had 21 touches, three marks and a tackle. Emma Sampson put the ball inside 50 six times as well as taking five marks and having 19 disposals, while Barltrop finished with five marks, four hitouts and 11 disposals with her five majors. For the Eagles, Stephanie Walker was the standout with 21 disposals, three tackles, two clearances and an equal team-high five rebounds, while Natalie Subelli had 18 touches and three clearances. Shae Pacifico Hart was the other defender to battle hard at the defensive end with five rebounds to go with eight touches and three marks, while Farrier had the 11 disposals, three marks, three clearances and two inside 50s as well as the Eagles’ only goal. Next week the Eagles take on West Adelaide, while North Adelaide hosts Central District with both games on Friday evening.

WEST ADELAIDE 1.4 | 1.6 | 2.7 | 3.8 (26)
CENTRAL DISTRICT 0.1 | 0.3 | 1.4 | 1.4 (10)

GOALS:

West: Chelsea Biddell 2, Melanie Elsegood.
Central: Isabella Wilson.

DISPOSALS:

West: Madison Newman 19, Chelsea Biddell, Kasia Culhane, Rachelle Martin 18
Central: Kimberley Fry 18, Demi Sonneman 16

In the final game of the round, West Adelaide kept in control of its own destiny by posting a low-scoring 16-point win over a gallant Central District. Melanie Elsegood booted the only goal of the first half in the seventeenth minute of the first term in what was an otherwise inaccurate half of play. The Westies’ leading goalkicker Chelsea Biddell scored her first early in the second term, before Isabella Wilson responded midway through the quarter with Central District’s first of the match. Leading by just nine points at the final break, West Adelaide managed to hold on as Biddell booted her second to finish the day with 2.3 from five scoring shots, while also restricting the Bulldogs scoreless in the last term to win 3.8 (26) to 1.4 (10). Biddell finished with 18 disposals, four marks, five tackles and four inside 50s as well as her two goals, while Madison Newman was busy at half-back with five rebounds, two inside 50s, two marks and a game-high 19 disposals. Kasia Culhane also had 18 touches as well as five tackles, five clearances, two inside 50s and two rebounds, while Rachelle Martin made a successful return with 18 disposals, six tackles, four clearances and three inside 50s. Tekira Hoffmann was also influential in the ruck with 23 hitouts, five clearances, four inside 50s, six tackles and 11 disposals, while Abbie Ballard was impressive with five tackles and four clearances to go with 13 touches. For the losing side, Kimberley Fry had 18 disposals, three clearances, four rebounds and six tackles, while Demi Sonneman was also impressive with 16 touches, three tackles and three rebounds. Jayme-Lee Sonneman held her own in the ruck with 11 disposals, 17 hitouts, three clearances, three tackles, two inside 50s and two rebounds, while Danielle Stewart (13 disposals, six tackles) and Caitlen Teague (13 disposals, three tackles) were also solid in the loss. In Round 9, West Adelaide hosts the winless Woodville-West Torrens, while Central District travels to take on the in-form North Adelaide.