Round 8 Hostplus SANFL Snapshot – Sunday

Woodville-West Torrens produced a statement-making four quarter performance when it crunched previously unbeaten Norwood by 39 points at The Parade.

With veterans Matt Goldsworthy and Luke Thompson winding back the clock, Adam D’Aloia rampaging through the midfield and James Rowe torching his father Stephen’s old team, the Eagles looked every bit a genuine contender.

Skipping out to an 18-point lead inside the opening eight minutes after booting the first three goals of the game, Sam Jacobs’ charges were able to respond to every challenge thrown at them.

Norwood came within a goal at the first break but that would be as close as the Redlegs would get as the visitors led by 20 points at the main change and 26 at three quarter-time before kicking the last three goals of the game to build percentage.

Despite having 62 fewer handballs, the Eagles were keen to use the ball well by foot as they earned 12 more clearances than their top five rivals.

Enjoying a breakout season, D’Aloia was superb as he racked up 28 disposals, 11 clearances, seven tackles while also hitting the scoreboard with two goals.

Rowe was ultra constructive with his 27 possessions and six clearances for the Eagles while bigman Connor Ballenden is hitting form after banking 18 disposals, nine marks and three majors.

Max Beattie is building touch after his long-term leg injury to have 16 disposals and two goals while Josh Morris played his best game since returning from Hawthorn to tally 23 touches and five marks.

Goldsworthy booted three goals, including one from the boundary from outside 50m while Thompson got some hang time with an eye-catching overhead mark in front of the Redlegs’ vocal members.

Even with Eagle Troy Menzel sidelined by a hamstring strain in the second half, the Legs were never able to conjure any fluency moving the ball forward.

Norwood captain Jacob Kennerley and Matt Ling each had 22 touches while Declan Hamilton and Baynen Lowe finished with 21 each.

Nippy Redleg Henry Nelligan collected 20 disposals, kicked two goals and laid a sizeable 16 tackles but the hosts clearly missed the presence of key midfielders Mitch O’Neill (ankle) and Billy Cootee, who was a late withdrawal.

North Adelaide’s six-goal first term catapulted it toward a much-needed 38-point victory against South Adelaide at Prospect Oval.

Desperate to atone for a lack-lustre loss to West Adelaide in Round 7, the Roosters looked on a mission as they built a commanding 33-point lead by the first change.

”We set the scene early in that first quarter, we thought we would get going a bit and use our leg speed on the outside,” North captain Alex Spina said.

”We were a bit sloppy last week but the energy before the game was as good as it’s been so when you start like that, it helps a lot, hopefully we can keep it going the next few weeks.”

North dominated possession as it racked up 48 more kicks and 40 more marks which translated into six more inside 50s and eight more scoring shots.

And the Roosters’ First Nations players certainly lapped up the festivities for First Nations Round as they put a show for the Prospect faithful, led by former Crow Tariek Newchurch with four goals.

Fighting back for his place in the League team after booting five majors in the Reserves last round, Newchurch had a big say in the outcome of the match by also collecting 16 disposals and eight marks.

Frank Szekely (23 disposals), Blayne O’Loughlin (22 disposals, 10 marks) and Nigel Lockyer (12 disposals, five marks, 1.4) all looked equally desperate to ensure a win would result for First Nations Round.

North teammates Harrison Wigg and Harrison Magor each collected 25 disposals while Campbell Combe was solid with his 24 touches and eight clearances.

Rooster Lee Minervini managed to keep South dangerman Eamon Wilkinson quiet in the first half before he broke free to boot three goals while veteran Mitch Harvey kicked two goals and gave off multiple others.

Former Panther Sam Ramsay booted the first goal of the game against his old side before having to leave the ground to a head knock, while South’s Scott Bedford was also forced from the field to be assessed for concussion.

South’s First Nations star Hayden Sampson refused to give in with 26 disposals and a fine running goal late in the contest while Ollie Davis battled hard in the middle for 24 disposals.

Key Panthers defender Sam Skinner snared 14 marks to go with 20 disposals while Noah Howes booted two eye-catching goals for the visitors.