ROUND 8 of the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) Women’s saw Norwood continue its winning run, while the other three winners all occupy the top four spots – Glenelg, North Adelaide and Central District – signalling how close the competition is this season.

NORTH ADELAIDE 2.0 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 5.2 (32)
WWT EAGLES 0.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 (7)

GOALS:

North: T. Thorn 2, K. Barltrop, K. Pope, J. Tabb.
Eagles: A. Falkenberg.

DC BEST:

North: K. Pope, K. Harvey, J. Norup, K. Barltrop, J. Tabb
Eagles: A. Falkenberg, S. Zuill, S. Goody, R. Forth, A. Blanden

North Adelaide has held Woodville-West Torrens Eagles to just one goal in a vital win to open the round. The Roosters booted the first three goals of the game – including two to Tayla Thorn – to lead by 12 points, before holding their opponents scoreless whilst booting 2.1 in the second half to run out 5.2 (32) to 1.1 (7) winners. The Roosters had 27 more disposals and dominated the hitouts (33-7), while winning the clearances (22-17) and inside 50s (28-16). The Eagles led the tackle count (84-64) and rebound 50s (22-15).

Katelyn Pope kicked a goal from 18 disposals, two marks, eight tackles, four clearances and two inside 50s to be the standout player, while Kristi Harvey stood up once again in defence with 15 disposals, six marks and five rebound 50s. Jaime Norup took control in the ruck, knocking down 20 hitouts and having three clearances and five tackles to go with 11 touches, while Kelly Barltrop (13 disposals, three marks and 11 hitouts) and Jaimi Tabb (11 disposals, seven tackles and four inside 50s) were also busy. For the Eagles, Anastasia Falkenberg had a match-high 23 disposals, three marks, six tackles and a goal. as Sophie Zuill (20 disposals, four marks, five tackles and four clearances) and Shineah Goody (16 disposals, three marks, six tackles and four rebound 50s stood up in defeat. State Academy member Jamie Parish had a good return to the side through the midfield with 13 disposals, three tackles and two clearances.

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WEST ADELAIDE 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 3.7 (25)
NORWOOD 1.1 | 3.3 | 5.3 | 5.5 (35)

GOALS:

West: A. Considine, K. Culhane, A. Ballard.
Norwood: R. Zerella 2, E. Drake, L. Schwerdt, E. Sporn.

DC BEST:

West: L. Young, S. Dargan, S. Whiting A. Considine, C. Biddell
Norwood: A. Ferrall, J. Macolino, L. Cutting, S. Armitstead, J. Halfpenny

A dominant first half from ladder leaders Norwood set up the Redlegs with an impressive 10-point win over West Adelaide. The Bloods welcomed back a host of top-end talents, but the competition’s benchmark this season withstood the challenge, kicking the only three goals of the first half to lead by 19 points at half-time. By the final break, that lead was out to 26 points, and despite the Westies kicking the last two goals of the match, the damage was done with Norwood winning 5.5 (35) to 3.7 (25). Norwood won all the key statistics but not by too much around the ball with clearances (24-23) practically even, and inside 50s (28-22) a slight difference.

Leah Cutting dominated in the ruck again with 30 hitouts to go with nine disposals, five tackles and three clearances, while the midfield work of Jess Macolino (13 disposals, six tackles, six inside 50s and two clearances), Jade Halfpenny (11 disposals, three marks – two contested – four tackles, four clearances and four inside 50s) and Sophie Armitstead (15 disposals, two marks – one contested – four tackles and three inside 50s was telling. Alison Ferrall was also busy from defence with four rebound 50s to go with 13 touches, three marks and five tackles. Young stars Lauren Young (16 disposals, four marks, four tackles, three clearances, six inside 50s and two rebound 50s) and Zoe Venning (13 disposals, three marks, six tackles and three rebound 50s) found plenty of the ball, working in tandem with AFLW-listed Sarah Dargan (14 disposals, five marks, three tackles, three clearances and four inside 50s), Ailish Considine (12 disposals, three tackles, five rebound 50s and a goal) and Chelsea Biddell (10 disposals, three tackles, six hitouts and four inside 50s).

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GLENELG 1.0 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 3.2 (20)
SOUTH ADELAIDE 0.2 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 2.5 (17)

GOALS:

Glenelg: S. Wilton, M. Green, C. Packer.
South: J. Hooper 2.

DC BEST:

Glenelg: J. Bates, T. Kohn, B. Tonon, S. Franson, E. Kellock
South: T. Buethke, M. McKinnon, N. Campbell, L. Whiteley, S. Flanagan-Sjoberg.

In a neck-and-neck match all night, Glenelg has come away with a tight three-point win over South Adelaide despite two goals from rising key forward talent Jorja Hooper. The Panthers youngsters slotted goals early in the second and third term to give her side a sniff putting them back in front, but the last goal of the night went the way of the Bays, thanks to Madeleine Green kicking a winner in the dying few minutes following a titantic struggle up to that point. The Panthers dominated the hitouts (39-25), but the clearances (29-21) went the way of the Bays, with the inside 50s and rebound 50s evenly split.

Jessica Bates led the way for the winners with 25 disposals, three marks, five tackles, four clearances and six inside 50s. Youngster Brooke Tonon returned from the AFLW Under 19s Championships to pick up 20 disposals, four marks, six tackles, two clearances and four rebound 50s, while Tessa Kohn (23 disposals, six tackles and six clearances), Sam Franson (15 disposals, three marks, six tackles and six inside 50s) and Ellie Kellock (16 disposals, six tackles, two clearances, two inside 50s and four rebound 50s) were all among the top players on the ground.  For the Panthers, Tahlita Buethke played her best game of the season returning from the national carnival, racking up 23 touches, four marks, four tackles, six clearances, three inside 50s and three rebound 50s. Montana McKinnon took control in the ruck with 31 hitouts to go with 12 disposals, four tackles, four inside 50s and two rebound 50s, while Nicole Campbell (17 disposals, six tackles, seven clearances and five inside 50s) and Lisa Whiteley (17 disposals, five marks, three tackles and four inside 50s) found plenty of the ball.

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CENTRAL DISTRICT 1.0 | 1.4 | 2.5 | 3.6 (24)
STURT 1.2 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 3.5 (23)

GOALS:

Central: K. Rosenzweig, S. Murphy, C. Reynolds.
Sturt: N. Baker, C. Forby, A. Pengelly.

DC BEST:

Central: C. Scheer, S. Smith, I. Starmer, C. Teague, N. Mark
Sturt: A. Gepp, I. Kuiper, Z. Prowse, E. Dawes, J. Good.

Revenge is said to be a dish best served cold, and that is exactly what Central District had in mind when the Bulldogs flipped the script on their first meeting. Having controlled most of the game earlier in the season only to be overrun in the last term, this time it was the Bulldogs term to kick a late goal – through Katelyn Rosenzweig – to steal back the lead and claim the victory in the last five minutes of the match. There was never much in it, with six individual goalkickers in total, but Central District got the points in the end, coming away with the 3.6 (24) to 3.5 (23) victory. Sturt comfortably won the hitouts (33-16), but the clearances (26-24) and inside 50s (24-21) were fairly even, whilst the Dogs piled on the pressure with 68 tackles to 47, and clunked 15 contested marks to five.

Chloe Scheer was best on ground, racking up 21 disposals, three marks – two contested – five tackles, five clearances, six inside 50s and three rebound 50s in an all-round performance. Paige Allan (12 disposals, two marks and two inside 50s), Shelby Smith (11 disposals, two marks, 10 tackles and six clearances) and Caitlen Teague (11 disposals, five tackles, two clearances and three inside 50s) also won plenty of the ball. Isabelle Starmer (eight disposals, five tackles, 13 hitouts, three clearances and two inside 50s) battled hard in the ruck, while Nicole Mark had seven touches, two marks, two tackles and four rebound 50s. Elsie Dawes (14 disposals, five marks, two tackles, two inside 50s and two rebound 50s) had the most touches for Sturt, while Zoe Prowse (11 disposals, 13 hitouts, four tackles and three clearances) and Jess Good (seven disposals, two marks, 20 hitouts, two tackles and two inside 50s) shared the ruck duties. Alisha Gepp and Isobel Kuiper combined for 22 disposals, nine tackles and 10 clearances in the loss.

Picture credit: On The Ball Media