WEST Adelaide has produced a resolute performance in difficult conditions to hold off an in-form North Adelaide side, beating the Roosters for a six-point win at Revo Fitness Oval in the opening game of Round 7 for the SANFLW, 4.4 (28) to 3.4 (22).

The Bloods were under early pressure, the Roosters controlling disposal and territory from the outset as the rain began to fall midway through the first term. Amber Ward had the first shot on goal but sent it out on the full, before a rare West excursion inside 50 yielded a free kick to Zara Downes, who converted from 30 metres to give the Bloods the lead at the first break despite North holding a commanding 58-34 disposal advantage.

It was Aprille Crooks who got North on the board early in the second term, nailing a set shot three minutes in, and the Roosters threatened to run away with it as Caitlin Hardin and Polly Turner worked in combination. But it was West’s turn to deliver a quick double. Chelsea Newitt won a free kick 35 metres out, sprayed the set shot, and fortunately Paige Allan was on hand to mark and then convert.

Minutes later, Stevie-Lee Thompson showed great hands under pressure and found Ella Maxwell in traffic, who snapped truly to extend the lead to 10 points. North hit back through a Maya Fuller setup – snapping forward to mark before finding Teagan Robins, who marked and converted to cut the deficit to four – but the Roosters went into half-time trailing 3.3 (21) to 3.1 (19), despite holding a 106-84 disposal advantage,

The third term was a wet-weather grind, contested hard between the arcs. Thompson was everywhere – bombing forward herself on one occasion only to miss narrowly – as West’s pressure through the middle pinned the Roosters back. Ash George copped a heavy knock on the wing and came off sore for the Bloods, while Jemima Woods nearly added a major from the top of 50 as West continued to attack. North’s defensive structure held and they entered the last change still a converted shot behind, 2.3 to 3.1.

The drama arrived in the final term. Thompson’s immediate pressure laid a holding-the-ball free kick on Hardin, and when North went end-to-end, Ward thumped it deep for Crooks to soccer a goal off the deck and level the scores at 3.3 (21) with just 90 seconds gone. The contest was alive. A behind to North through Downes sliding in after an rare Ella Metcalfe and Jamie Parish mix-up kept the margin tight, but the response was immediate. Debutant Scarlett Blethyn clunked a juggling mark and converted from 30 metres to put West back in front by seven with time ticking. Ward had a last desperate shot from just inside 50 that skimmed across the goalline to cut the margin to six, but the Bloods held on for a famous win.

Zoe Venning was the standout on the ground with 26 disposals, eight tackles, seven clearances and four rebound 50s, while Ilish Ross (23 disposals, 10 tackles, eight clearances) and Thompson (22 disposals, nine tackles, six clearances, five inside 50s) formed a suffocating engine room around her. Maxwell finished with 15 disposals, five tackles and her crucial second-quarter major.

For the Roosters, Ward was immense in defeat with 19 disposals, three marks, five tackles, 19 hitouts, eight clearances and five inside 50s, while Ella Metcalfe (19 disposals, eight marks, six tackles, three rebound 50s) and Jamie Parish (19 disposals, three tackles, eight rebound 50s) were consistent across the game. Crooks finished with 18 disposals, eight tackles and her two vital goals.

NORTH ADELAIDE 1.0 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 3.4 (22)
WEST ADELAIDE 1.0 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 4.4 (28)

GOALS:
North Adelaide: A. Crooks 2, T. Robins
West Adelaide: Z. Downes, P. Allan, E. Maxwell, S. Blethyn

RMC BEST:
West Adelaide: Z. Venning, I. Ross, S. Thompson, E. Maxwell
North Adelaide: A. Ward, E. Metcalfe, A. Crooks, J. Parish

AROUND THE GROUNDS

South Adelaide produced a commanding 53-point victory over Glenelg at Stratarama Stadium, 9.7 (61) to 1.2 (8), in a performance headlined by the long-awaited return of Nikki Nield – playing her first SANFLW game since being forced into retirement with concussion. The Panthers’ experienced playmaker slotted straight back in, finishing with 20 disposals, 11 tackles and eight clearances in a dominant midfield display.

Caitlin Couch was the most prolific player on the ground with 29 disposals, four marks, five clearances and five rebound 50s, while Olivia Evans (24 disposals, seven marks, seven tackles, four inside 50s) and Soriah Moon (22 disposals, 26 hitouts, six clearances) anchored the Panthers superbly in the absence of Charlton and Vizgaudis. Melissa Anderson and Jordann Rugless each kicked two goals. For the Bays, Asha Dufour (22 disposals, five clearances, four inside 50s) and Isla Wiencke (22 disposals, eight tackles, five clearances) worked hard in a difficult afternoon.

Woodville-West Torrens extended their unbeaten run to seven games with a hard-fought 13-point victory over Central District at Maughan Thiem Kia Oval, 4.7 (31) to 3.0 (18), though the Dogs will feel they let one slip having failed to convert any of their three goals into a score that included a single behind. Alice Tentye (24 disposals, four marks, six tackles, eight clearances) and Lucy Moore (21 disposals, five tackles, six clearances, six inside 50s) were again the driving force through the middle, while Tahlita Buethke (24 disposals, four marks, eight inside 50s) caused havoc up the ground and Maia Freemantle (19 disposals, six tackles, six inside 50s) and Julia Faulkner (18 disposals, seven tackles, seven inside 50s) were tireless.

For Central District, Izabella Nisbet (20 disposals, 12 tackles, six clearances) was relentless, Laitiah Huynh (22 disposals, six rebound 50s) was sound across half-back, and Georgia Madigan (18 disposals, six marks, five rebound 50s) was composed in defence.

Sturt claimed the Ellen Maple Medal bragging rights on Queen’s Birthday Monday, defeating Norwood 6.4 (40) to 3.5 (23) at Thomas Farms Oval in the round’s standalone game, with Isobel Kuiper taking home the match medallion with an extraordinary 32-disposal, 12-tackle, six-clearance performance. Skout Young (19 disposals, five clearances, nine inside 50s) was damaging going forward, while Lily Whiteman (15 disposals, 13 tackles, seven clearances) continued her remarkable season of pressure acts and Georgia Swan (15 disposals, eight tackles, four rebound 50s) was important at the other end. Summer Ross chipped in with a goal from 16 disposals and eight tackles.

For Norwood, Coby Morgan (21 disposals, four clearances, four inside 50s), Jade Halfpenny (19 disposals, nine tackles, five inside 50s), Elke Cameron (18 disposals, nine tackles, five clearances) and Ella Anderson (18 disposals, four rebound 50s) all worked hard in defeat.