SOUTH Adelaide’s beefed up team took down Norwood in the South Australia National Football League (SANFL) Women’s Round 9, as Glenelg reaffirmed its spot inside the top two, and both West Adelaide and Sturt picked up wins.

NORWOOD 0.4 | 0.4 | 1.7 | 2.9 (21)
SOUTH ADELAIDE 0.1 | 2.2 | 3.2 | 4.3 (27)

South Adelaide has ended Norwood’s winning streak at seven, with a strong start helping the Panthers hold off the Redlegs by six points despite four less scoring shots. The visitors booted the first three goals of the game, albeit stretching to four minutes into the third term, and keeping the Redlegs to just four behinds. At that point the Panthers led by 16 points, and while the Redlegs booted 2.5 to the Panthers’ 1.1 for the remainder of the match, it would not be enough to overrun the visitors with South Adelaide winning 4.3 (27) to 2.9 (21).

With a host of talents returning to the side after AFL Women’s campaigns, Teah Charlton was the pick of the lot, racking up a competition-high 29 disposals, as well as seven marks, four tackles, six clearances, three inside 50s, four rebound 50s and a goal in the Panthers’ win. Lisa Whiteley (21 disposals, six marks and three rebound 50s), Jaslynne Smith (20 disposals, five tackles), Nicole Campbell (17 disposals, five marks and three inside 50s) and Gypsy Schirmer (14 disposals, three tackles and four rebound 50s) were also lively for the visitors.

Najwa Allen led all-comers for the Redlegs picking up 18 touches, four marks and four inside 50s in defeat, while Ashlee Gould had 13 disposals, four marks, four tackles, three inside 50s and four rebound 50s. Also impressive were Erika Sporn (12 disposals, four marks – two contested – and four inside 50s, Sophie Armitstead (12 disposals, six tackles and four clearances) and Elisha Gallagher (14 disposals, six tackles).

GOALS:

Norwood: E. Sporn, R. Zerella.
South: S. Flanagan-Sjoberg, L. Buchanan, T. Charlton, J. Hickey.

DC BEST:

Norwood: A. Gould, N. Allen, E. Sporn, S. Armitstead, E. Gallagher
South: T. Charlton, L. Whiteley, J. Smith, N. Campbell, G. Schirmer

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WWT EAGLES 1.0 | 1.0 | 3.1 | 3.1 (19)
STURT 0.1 | 5.2 | 5.4 | 9.8 (62)

Sturt has jumped off the bottom of the ladder with a dominant 43-point victory over Woodville-West Torrens Eagles to handover the cellar-dwelling spot to their opponents. After the Eagles booted the first goal of the game, the Double Blues piled on five consecutive goals in the space of eight minutes in the second term – including two to Alex Ballard – in a complete domination. Lakeesha Pickett kicked a couple for the Eagles in the third term to move to within 13 points at the final break, before the Double Blues again dominated in the last stanza, booting 4.4, including a second to Chloe Forby – against her old side – and third to Ballard for the 9.8 (62) to 3.1 (19) win.

Alisha Gepp won the most touches of any player with 20, as well as four tackles and three clearances, whilst Zoe Prowse had an impact up forward with 14 disposals, five tackles, 14 hitouts and seven inside 50s. Through the midfield, Jaimee Wittervan (19 disposals, seven tackles and seven clearances) and Isobel Kuiper (13 disposals, 12 tackles, five clearances and a goal) took control, and Jess Good had another 33 hitouts from seven touches. Up forward, Ballard had nine disposals and six marks to accompany her three goals.

Anastasia Falkenberg stood out for the Eagles with a team-high 18 touches and seven tackles, as well as two clearances, three inside 50s and two rebounds. Sophie Zuill (16 disposals, five tackles and seven clearances), Mikayla Cavallaro (13 disposals, three marks, five tackles, three clearances and three inside 50s) and Jamie Parish (10 disposals, four marks, four tackles and five rebounds) were others who stepped up despite the loss.

GOALS:

Eagles: L. Pickett 2, P. Pipinis.
Sturt: A. Ballard 3, C. Forby 2, Z. Prowse, I. Kuiper, A. Pengelly.

DC BEST:

Eagles: A. Falkenberg, S. Zuill, M. Cavallaro, J. Parish, S. Goody
Sturt: Z. Prowse, J. Wittervan, I. Kuiper. Z. Prowse, A. Ballard

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NORTH ADELAIDE 0.3 | 0.3 | 3.4 | 4.6 (30)
GLENELG 0.0 | 1.4 | 3.5 | 5.5 (35)

Glenelg has reaffirmed its status as a genuine premiership contender, overcoming reigning premiers North Adelaide by five points in a thrilling contest. Neither side could really apply too much scoreboard pressure in the opening half, with the Roosters scoring the only three behinds of the first term, then the Bays booting the next 1.5 before the second goal of the match was kicked. Just one point separated the teams at the final break after trading goals in a high-scoring term, before back-to-back majors to Meara Girvan in the fourth – finishing with three for the match – helped the visitors take a winning lead prior to a lead goal to Jaimi Tabb during the 5.5 (35) to 4.6 (30) performance.

Jessica Bates was again a dominant ball-winner with 24 touches, seven tackles, eight clearances, four inside 50s and two rebound 50s, while Caitlin Gould returned to the side and was outstanding, having 29 hitouts, 18 disposals, three marks – two contested – three tackles, five clearances and three inside 50s, as well as booting a goal. Tessa Kohn (18 disposals, seven clearances) and Madeleine Green (nine disposals, six clearances) were others who stood up in the clinches.

For the Roosters, Katelyn Pope had the team-high 19 disposals, as well as three marks, three clearances and two inside 50s, as Poppy Waterford (12 disposals, four tackles, two clearances, two inside 50s and a goal) and Elaine Grigg (111 disposals, seven tackles and two inside 50s) won their fair share. In defence, Kristi Harvey (10 disposals, four rebound 50s) and Lauren Gauci (eight disposals, six marks, five tackles and four rebound 50s) were staunch.

GOALS:

North: P. Waterford, C. Farr, E. Greet, J. Tabb.
Glenelg: M. Girvan 3, C. Gould, J, Bates.

DC BEST:

North: K. Pope, P. Waterford, E. Grigg, K. Harvey, L. Gauci
Glenelg: C. Gould, J. Bates, T. Kohn, M. Green, C. Packer

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WEST ADELAIDE 3.2 | 5.4 | 5.7 | 6.9 (45)
CENTRAL DISTRICT 1.1 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 5.3 (33)

Despite kicking three of the last four goals of the game, Central District has fallen short of a comeback against West Adelaide, with the Bloods saluting by 12 points at Hisense Stadium. West Adelaide raced out to an early lead, booting three first quarter goals, and by half-time were in control by 21 points. Neither team was able to make an impact on the scoreboard in the third term, and whilst the Bulldogs booted three goals to one in the final quarter, the Bloods had done enough to win, 6.9 (45) to 5.3 (33).

Ailish Considine led the way with a massive 25 disposals, four marks, three clearances, six inside 50s, four rebound 50s and 2.2 in an all-round best on ground performance. Young gun Lauren Young (18 disposals, four marks, six tackles, four clearances, three inside 50s and two rebound 50s) and Sarah Dargan (19 disposals, three marks, five clearances, three tackles, two inside 50s and two rebound 50s) and Zoe Venning (13 disposals, five tackles, six inside 50s and three clearances) followed suit in the midfield, while Chelsea Biddell had 13 touches, seven marks, seven hitouts and four inside 50s going through the ruck.

For Centrals, Shannon Murphy had a game-high seven rebound 50s from 12 disposals, four tackles and two clearances, while Chloe Scheer finished with the 12 disposals, eight marks – three contested – four tackles and three inside 50s. Also impressive for the losing side were Lauren Breguet (nine disposals, five tackles, three inside 50s and a goal), Karissa Searle (11 disposals, three marks and four inside 50s) and Madison Lane (11 disposals, four marks, two tackles and two rebound 50s).

GOALS:

West: A. Considine 2, M. Elsegood 2, C. Biddell, S. Griffiths.
Central: C. Scheer, L. Breguet, A. James, C. Reynolds, K. Rosenzweig.

DC BEST:

West: A. Considine, L. Young, C. Biddell, S. Dargan, Z. Venning
Central: S. Murphy, C. Scheer, L. Breguet, K. Searle, M. Lane

Picture credit: Cory Sutton / SANFL