NORTH Adelaide will contest a second successive finals series after destroying South Adelaide in a jaw-dropping performance down in Noarlunga yesterday. The fourth placed Roosters needed a win to lock in a finals spot, while a loss would hand over the spot to the reigning back-to-back premiers South Adelaide and put the ball into the Panthers’ court heading into the last round.

While the result itself could have gone either way, South Adelaide – who aside from a dominant win over Glenelg – has struggled to find its typical form, barely fired a shot and will instead sit out the post-season for the first time in women’s club history, not adding to its league-leading four-flag tally. It was a sobering experience for the home fans at a windswept Magain Stadium, who waited for a response that never came.

North Adelaide kicked with the breeze in the opening term and had six scoring shots to nil, leading 2.4 (16) to 0.0 (0) at quarter time. The Panthers by comparison could only add one behind to that scoreline in the second, unable to get proper looks on goal, and uncharacteristically turning the ball over in the corridor. The Panthers had brought back a trio of talls coming off injury layoffs in Soriah Moon, Taya Maxwell and Shae Archbold, of whom the latter two had spent more than 12 months on the sidelines.

While it did give the Panthers marking targets forward of the ball and greater ascendancy in the ruck – something the side had lacked for the most part over the past couple of months – the Roosters defence was up to the task and despite conceding both in the hitouts and around the ball – with a 45-30 hitout and 36-29 clearance differential – the visitors locked the ball in the front half with 38 inside 50s to 16.

The match was won in the premiership quarter as the Roosters piled on four goals to nil. Young guns Polly Turner and Chloe Nettle each kicked their second goals after converting their firsts in the openign quarter, while forward targets, captain Amber Ward and Zara Molloy joined in on the party. By the time Turner kicked her side’s sixth in the 22nd minute of the term, it was the icing on the cake and she duly celebrated.

South Adelaide had to throw caution to the wind in the lat term and attack at all costs, but aide from a couple of misses from Maxwell – one from a spray and one after not being paid a mark that arguably could have been there – the Panthers could not put one through the big sticks. They at least got to their equal lowest scores in history, replicating their disappointing performance from two years ago under lights against Norwood. Incredibly. the Panthers went on to win the flag, however fast forward to 2026, that will not be the case as the reigning back-to-back-premiers will be watching on during the post-season.

Ward was unstoppable in the air for the Roosters, clunking nine marks – two contested – from 17 hitouts, six inside 50s and a goal – pairing well with Turner (11 disposals, three marks, three tackles, three inside 50s and two goals) and Nettle (six disposals, two marks and two goals) all looking dangerous. Aprille Crooks (19 disposals, 10 tackles, six clearances and seven inside 50s) was huge, almost kicking a great team goal. Krystal Thompson (15 disposals, five marks and five rebound 50s) stood up in defence alongside Ella Metcalfe and Maya Fuller who contributed well.

For the Panthers, it was a one-star show at ground level as Emma Charlton was comfortably best on ground despite the loss, racking up 28 disposals, eight tackles and nine clearances in a real defiant performance. Moon’s return saw her dominate in the ruck with 41 hitouts and nine clearances, while laying six tackles from 16 disposals. After that, it was tough for the Panthers, with the likes of defenders Tiffany King, Madison Brown, Esther Schirmer and Charlotte Dolan trying hard but always under siege. The loss was further soured by an injury to Hope Taylor after a big clash.

SOUTH ADELAIDE 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 (3)
NORTH ADELAIDE 2.4 | 2.4 | 6.6 | 6.7 (43)

GOALS:
South Adelaide: Nil.
North Adelaide: C. Nettle 2, P. Turner 2, Z. Molloy, A. Ward

RMC BEST:
South Adelaide: E. Charlton, S. Moon, T. King, M. Brown, E. Schirmer
North Adelaide: A. Ward, A. Crooks, P. Turner, K. Thompson, C. Nettle

AROUND THE GROUNDS

The match of the ground from a result perspective was undoubtedly the draw between West Adelaide and Norwood. The Redlegs needed to win to keep the dream of the minor premiership alive, but instead had to settle splitting the points with the Bloods, the fifth draw of the 2026 SANFLW season. West Adelaide lead throughout the match, but a couple of fourth term goals – and then behind to Lani Cocks late – ensured Norwood could take something from the contest and remain in second spot by the barest of percentages.

Cocks would finish with 21 disposals, six tackles and nine clearances in the draw, with skipper Jade Halfpenny continuing her push towards the league best and fairest with 36 disposals, three marks, 15 tackles, eight clearances, six inside 50s and three rebound 50s. Young gun Mia Wood and running machine Coby Morgan were also impressive for the Redlegs. Zoe Venning (33 disposals, three marks – one contested – four tackles and seven clearances) and Emily Mableson (23 disposals, 11 tackles, five clearances and seven inside 50s) lead the way for the Bloods, while Chelsea Newitt kicked a couple of important goals and Ella Maxwell also found plenty of the ball.

Earlier in the day, Woodville-West Torrens overcame a spirited Glenelg outfit to secure the minor premiership by 20 points, defeating the wooden spooners 5.7 (37) to 2.5 (17). The Eagles always looked in control despite the Bay keeping the ladder leaders to just two goals in the first half, with the game eventually opening up a little more and the Eagles taking home the crucial two points to go three clear on top of the ladder and ensuring a home final first up.

The top-end youth of the Eagles lead the way with Maia Freemantle (26 disposals, eight tackles, five clearances and six inside 50s), Lucy Moore (22 disposals, six tackles, nine clearances and five inside 50s), Julia Faulkner (20 disposals, six clearances) and Ruby Lynch (17 disposals, five clearances and four inside 50s) were superb. Up forward the duo of Klaudia O’Neill and Brianna Walling each booted two goals in the win. For the Bays, Kori Webb won a team-high 17 disposals and clunked four marks, while premiership skipper Ellie Kellock and bottom-age talent Tori Evans were also impressive in defeat.

Sturt gave itself a shot at a double chance, defeating Central District by 22 points at X Convenience Oval on Saturday. The Double Blues raced out to a 14-point lead at quarter time with six of the nine goals booted in the first term. It was a hard-fought scrap after that, but the visitors kept the Dogs to just two behinds in the second half, coming away with the 6.7 (43) to 3.3 (21) victory.

Unsurprisingly, Isobel Kuiper was enormous with team-highs in disposals (27), tackles (12) and clearances (11) to lead the way, while Lily Whitcombe (21 disposals, three marks, five tackles, four clearances and three inside 50s) was also prominent. Georgia Swan (19 disposals, four marks, five tackles, five clearances and a goal) ably assisted between midfield and attack, while Madeline Nuss slammed home three goals to be the difference up forward. Central District top-ager Miyu Endersby (15 disposals, seven marks – one contested – 32 hitouts and six rebound 50s) was a standout in defeat, while skipper Laitiah Huynh and wing Karissa Searle tried hard all game.