Round 12 Torrens University Cup Wrap

Second placed South Adelaide struggled to shake bottom-of-the-table West Adelaide on Saturday but escaped with a 23-point win at Flinders University Stadium.

The Bloods led at quarter time and continued to kick important goals when the Panthers looked like getting a run on.

Luke Young was fantastic during the middle portion of the match for West Adelaide, kicking three crucial goals during the second and third terms and ended up with 13 disposals and seven marks along with his three majors.

Bloods midfielder Michael Laudato was the leading ball-winner on the ground with 28 disposals, including 12 marks and six tackles.

West Adelaide won the clearance battle 34-30 but South’s Max Clifton and Luke Mitton combined for 13 clearances.

Clifton finished with 26 disposals, six marks, five tackles and a goal, while Mitton had 24 disposals.

South medium forward Hugo Hoeck was fantastic in the attacking 50m zone, clunking a difficult mark back with the flight and kicking a goal in the first term before swooping on a bouncing ball one-handed, breaking a tackle and slotting his second minutes later.

He looks a special talent, collecting 12 disposals, including three goals.

Hoeck sits third on the competition goal kicking tally with 17 majors from his 10 matches, behind teammate Brayden Cook with 19 and Eagle Jack Wheare on 18.

North Adelaide’s Leo Coates had a day out against Central District on Saturday at X Convenience Oval, in the Roosters’ 94-point win over the Bulldogs.

The tall forward booted four straight goals and had 16 disposals, taking seven marks.

Coates led hard all day and was rewarded as the likes of Kyle Brazell, Blayne O’Loughlin and Matt Borg had a field day.

The classy Brazell had 28 disposals, including 22 kicks and 13 marks, setting up attacking plays from his midfield role.

Borg was dominant with 26 disposals, seven tackles, nine clearances and two goals.

O’Loughlin was a class act collecting 27 disposals, four marks and four tackles while earning the Round 12 Torrens University Cup MVP nomination.

Bulldogs ruckman Wyatt Ryan was outstanding with 32 hitouts, 26 disposals and 11 marks.

North set the tone early with six goals in the opening term.

The Bulldogs stemmed the flow during a two-goals-to-one second quarter, but could only manage one goal after half-time.

The Roosters charged away with nine second-half goals of their own.

As the in-form side in the competition, North has won its last five matches and sit in fifth place with two rounds to play.

Sturt went to the top of the U18 Torrens University Cup ladder following a 56-point win over Norwood at Peter Motley Oval on Saturday.

The Redlegs entered the Round 12 clash with the Double Blues sitting in top position, and in good form, but were out-played from the outset as Tom Powell again dominated for Sturt.

The competition’s premier ball-winner and AFL Academy SA Hub member Powell ran rampant with 33 disposals, 11 marks, six clearances and a goal.

Powell is averaging 35 disposals from his 11 matches.

Sturt was off to a flying start as Mt Barker junior Ethan Field slammed through the Double Blues’ first goal in the opening minute.

Powell, who found Field in space to set up the first goal, again came charging through the centre square from the re-start and booted his goal from 60m out.

AFL Academy SA Hub midfielder Henry Nelligan – who is having a great season for Norwood – kicked his side’s first goal at the four-minute mark, but Sturt booted the next three to set up what went on to be a big win.

Nelligan was outstanding with three goals for the match from his 26 disposals.

He also gathered seven clearances, while Michael Cavallaro was everywhere with 34 disposals and 10 marks for the Redlegs.

Lachlan Bates and Russell Rigney booted three goals each for the Double Blues.

Port Adelaide father/son prospects Jase Burgoyne and Taj Schofield had huge matches for Woodville-West Torrens in their side’s demolition job on Glenelg, winning by 93 points at ACH Group Stadium.

Burgoyne (son of Peter) had 36 disposals, nine marks, four clearances and kicked a goal, while Schofield (son of Jarrad) enjoyed 32 disposals and a goal.

Burgoyne has been a prolific midfielder this year, averaging 28.8 disposals from his 12 matches.

The Eagles kicked three goals to one in the opening term but had nine scoring shots.

The damage was done in the second term when Woodville-West Torrens booted six unanswered goals to lead by 56 points at the main break.

Eagles forward Jacob Godden, the son of League premiership coach and current Crows assistant Michael Godden, kicked his first goal late in the second term and concluded with four for the match, along with 17 disposals.

The Eagles kicked another nine goals in the second half.

Frazer Bradley was the Tigers best ball winner with 26 disposals, while forward Elijah Owen battled hard with two goals from 12 disposals.