NORWOOD has jumped into fourth place on the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) Women’s ladder following a vital win over West Adelaide. The Redlegs took the prime position meaning it is theirs to lose in the final fortnight, as a heartbreaking loss for Central District meant the Bulldogs are all but out of the race. North Adelaide benefited from the win to be just about there for the double chance, whilst Sturt and Glenelg kept hot on the Roosters toes.

Norwood grabbed the all-important fourth spot heading into the final fortnight after a hard-fought battle against West Adelaide. The Redlegs raced out to a 13-point lead in the first term when Alana Lishmund converted the first of her two goals, before West young gun Lucy Boyd responded with one of her own. From that point on, a whopping 12 consecutive behinds were scored for the sides – 11 of those from Norwood – as the Redlegs edged from eight points up at quarter time to 17 by the final break. Despite all that attacking in the third term, it looked to come unstuck early for the home side when Nicole Hooper broke the goal drought to bring the deficit back to 11 points, before a responding goal to Lishmund – and then a late on to Lindsay Bigg sealed the result, 4.12 (36) to 2.2 (14)

Realistically the margin flattered West Adelaide, with Norwood’s inaccuracy and West Adelaide’s defence keeping the visitors in it. By the end of the game, the Redlegs had 29 more disposals, 49 more hitouts and 40 more inside 50s. Speedsters Tesharna Maher (23 disposals, four marks, four tackles, seven clearances and nine inside 50s) and Sarah Branford (20 disposals, two marks, seven tackles, four clearances and six inside 50s) were impressive, with the ever-reliable Sophie Armitstead contributing 21 disposals, three marks, eight tackles, nine clearances, three inside 50s and four rebounds. Leah Cutting amassed a whopping 53 hitouts and laid 15 tackles in a dominant ruck performance, whilst Jade Halfpenny had 17 disposals, seven marks – two contested and three inside 50s in the win.

It was no surprise to see the West bests were the trio of impressive defenders, lead by Beatrice Devlyn who racked up a whopping 32 disposals and 11 rebound 50s. She teamed up well with captain Madi Russell (18 disposals, six marks, four tackles and three rebound 50s) and Madelyn Zacher (11 disposals, five marks, seven tackles and six rebound 50s). In the midfield, Jess Macolino (21 disposals, three marks, 11 tackles, four clearances, four rebound 50s) and Zoe Venning (20 disposals, three marks, four tackles, four clearances and three rebound 50s) both tried hard.

Norwood has a crunch game up against Sturt at Wigan Oval on Saturday afternoon, whilst West Adelaide will be keen to cause a massive upset over North Adelaide, the side it beat back in Round 1.

NORWOOD 2.2 | 2.4 | 2.12 | 4.12 (36)
WEST ADELAIDE 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 2.2 (14)

GOALS:

Norwood: A. Lishmund 2, E. Sporn, L. Bigg
West Adelaide: L. Boyd, N. Hooper

RMC BEST:

Norwood: T. Maher, S. Armitstead, S. Branford, L. Cutting, J. Halfpenny
West Adelaide: B. Devlyn, M. Russell, M. Zacher, J. Macolino, Z. Venning

It was the win they had to have and Sturt Double Blues did just that, defeating South Adelaide in a low-scoring contest. Needing victory to keep up inside the top three, the Doubles Blues slotted three goals to zero in the second term to lead by 19 points. Isobel Kuiper got them on the board in the opening two minutes of the quarter after a goalless first term, before Alysha Healy followed suit midway through the quarter, and Amy Brooks-Birve got one in the last few minutes to make it a 19-point half-time lead. The third term saw both Courtney Barry and Brooke Boileau kick truly to cut the deficit back to nine points, before Brooks-Birve scored er second, which was the last score of the game. Following a scoreless final term, the Doubles Blues took home the two points, 4.4 (28) to 2.1 (13).

The Sturt midfield shared the ball around, with Alisha Gepp picking up an impressive 22 disposals, two marks, five tackles, six clearances and two rebound 50s. Also finding plenty of the ball were Kate Harris (19 disposals, tow marks, eight tackles, six clearances, four inside 50s and two rebound 50s) and Kuiper (18 disposals, four marks, two tackles, seven clearances and a goal. Alex Ballard (15 disposals, four marks and four rebound 50s) and Georgia Swan (15 disposals, four marks, four tackles, four inside 50s and two rebound 50s) were both lively up respective ends.

Newcomer Senna Gulden made a big impact in game one for the Panthers with 22 disposals, three marks, nine tackles, eight clearances and three inside 50s, picking up the same amount of disposals as Cheyenne Hammond and Gypsy Schirmer. Hammond also managed seven clearances, seven inside 50s and six tackles, whilst Schirmer laid 13 tackles to go with her three clearances and four rebound 50s.

Sturt host Norwood at Wigan Oval next Saturday afternoon, whilst South Adelaide travels to ACH Group Stadium on Sunday to tackle Glenelg.

STURT 0.2 | 3.2 | 4.4 | 4.4 (28)
SOUTH ADELAIDE 0.1 | 0.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 (13)

GOALS:

Sturt: A. Brooks-Birve 2, A. Healy, I. Kuiper
South Adelaide: C. Barry, B. Boileau

RMC BEST:

Sturt: K. Harris, I. Kuiper, A. Gepp, A. Ballard, G. Swan
South Adelaide: C. Hammond, S. Gulden, G. Schirmer, J. Smith, C. Barry

Ladder leaders North Adelaide have survived a giant scare against Central District to record the narrowest of wins and all but put a line through the Bulldogs finals aspirations. Whilst North Adelaide guaranteed itself a spot in the finals – and just about a top two spot – the loss for Central District meant the Bulldogs now have to win both of their remaining games and hope Norwood and South Adelaide lose both their games in order to make finals. The Bulldogs lead from the opening two goals to Keely Cannizzaro and Shannon Murphy, but the 12-point differential was as large as it got, with the teams trading blows in a four-goal second term. Leading by 10 points at the main break, Central District had to withstand a charge from the Roosters, with a Chelsea Farr goal putting the home team in front, before Demi Sonneman levelled the scores at the final break. The last term was tense, with the Bulldogs in front by a point with a minute to go. Back-to-back behinds – including a density-related free kick to the Roosters, mark and set shot from Jaimi Tabb – sealed the win.

Jessica Edwards had another big game with 27 disposals, five marks, nine tackles, three clearances, five inside 50s and two rebound 50s. Also among the better players were the hard running pair of Erica Greet (15 disposals, three tackles, three clearances, two inside 50s, two rebound 50s and two goals) and Katelyn Pope (15 disposals, seven tackles and four inside 50s), whilst ruck Megan Ryan had 33 hitouts to go with 17 disposals, 12 tackles and eight clearances. Sarah Steele-Park (!5 disposals, four marks – one contested – seven tackles, five clearances and three inside 50s) and co-captain Kristi Harvey (12 disposals, two marks – one contested and six rebound 50s) also stepped up.

Bulldogs captain Shelby Smith led the way again with 18 disposals, four marks, eight tackles, five clearances and two rebound 50s, with Jovanka Zecevic (15 disposals, seven clearances) the dominant clearance player on the ground. Lauren Breguet (14 disposals, four marks, four tackles and three clearances) and Caitlen Teague (17 disposals, eight tackles, two clearances, three inside 50s and three rebound 50s) again contributed strongly, whilst ruck Isabelle Starmer had 14 disposals, four marks, 11 tackles, 32 hitouts, five clearances and four inside 50s.

Central District takes on Woodville-West Torrens next week before Sturt in the final week, but with Norwood and South Adelaide facing off in the final Round 12, they would need both to lose in Round 11 and South Adelaide to win in a thriller in Round 12, whilst the Bulldogs have to make up 10 percentage points. North Adelaide takes on West Adelaide in a top-against-bottom contest next weekend.

NORTH ADELAIDE 0.2 | 2.3 | 4.7 | 4.10 (34)
CENTRAL DISTRICT 2.0 | 4.1 | 5.1 | 5.3 (33)

GOALS:

North Adelaide: E. Greet 2, J. Tabb, C. Farr
Central District: D. Sonneman, N. Biagi, K. Cannizzaro, S. Murphy, I. Starmer

RMC BEST:

North Adelaide: J. Edwards, E. Greet, M. Ryan, S. Steele-Park, K. Harvey
Central District: S. Smith, I. Starmer, J. Zecevic, C. Teague, L. Breguet

Reigning premiers Glenelg also survived a scare in Round 10, just getting past Woodville-West Torrens by two points at Maughan Thiem Kia Oval. The Eagles had the first on the oard through McKenzie Dowrick, before Glenelg peppered the goals to kick 2.2, as Caitlyn Swanson and captain Ellie Kellock both converted majors. Klaudia O’Neill kicked true for the home side in the final minute of the term to cut the deficit to two points at the first break. Glenelg hit the front with another two goals – this time to Swanson and Madisyn Freeman – in the second term, before Dowrick kicked majors either side of the half-time break, and then a second goal to O’Neill had the Eagles up by three points without a blemish on the scoreboard. From that point on, the Bays were the only side to score, but managed just five behinds over the next 32 minutes, but it was enough to secure the 4.8 (32) to 5.0 (30) victory.

Jessica Bates was a star again with 31 disposals, two marks – one contested – 12 tackles, eight clearances, four inside 50s and two rebound 50s, teaming up well through the middle with Kellock (29 disposals, seven marks – one contested – six clearances, four inside 50s and a goal) and Tessa Kohn (25 disposals, seven tackles, five clearances and seven inside 50s). The speedy Freeman picked up 21 disposals, two clearances, three inside 50s, laid five tackles and booted a goal, whilst Lucy Armitage and Chelsea Packer were also impressive.

Eagles captain Annie Falkenberg led from the front with 19 disposals, two marks – one contested – eight tackles, two clearances, three inside 50s and five rebound 50s, whilst Jemma Whitington-Charity and Brianna Hyde found their fair share of the football. Talls, Amie Blanden (17 disposals, two marks, five tackles, 16 hitouts and two inside 50s), Jordann Hickey (14 disposals, two marks, two tackles and five rebound 50s) and Dowrick (10 disposals, five marks – two contested – three tackles and three goals) were all impressive despite the loss.

Glenelg hosts South Adelaide next Sunday at ACH Group Stadium, whilst Woodville-West Torrens takes on Central District at home.

WWT EAGLES 2.0 | 3.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 (30)
GLENELG 2.2 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.8 (32)

GOALS:

Eagles: M. Dowrick 3, K. O’Neill 2
Glenelg: C. Swanson 2, E. Kellock, M. Freeman

RMC BEST:

Eagles: M. Dowrick, A. Falkenberg, J. Hickey, A. Blanden, J. Whitington-Charity
Glenelg: J. Bates, E. Kellock, T. Kohn, M. Freeman, L. Armitage