Round 9 Hostplus SANFL Snapshot – Saturday

By STEVE BARRETT

Undermanned Central District produced a performance for the ages, overcoming a slow start and a depleted bench to snap a three-game losing streak with a thrilling six-point victory over Woodville-West Torrens at Maughan Thiem Kia Oval.
The Bulldogs trailed the high-quality clash for most of the afternoon, mounting their brave rearguard without co-captain Kyle Presbury (calf) after half-time, before losing defenders Dayne Posthuma (leg) and George Kendall (hamstring) during the gripping fourth term.
The Eagles rushed out of the blocks with the first three majors before being reined in by Central.
Having trimmed their deficit to five points at three-quarter-time, the Dogs attacked relentlessly in the fourth period, while the Eagles’ 0.5 return proved costly.
Nick Lange tied the scores midway through the quarter before Luke McKay missed a shot with the outside of his boot at the other end.
Central then went coast-to-coast from the ensuing kick-out, Grace spotting up Jarrod Schiller for the go-ahead goal.
Zane Williams missed an open-goal dribbler and a snap down the stretch before Isaiah Dudley swooped on a crucial loose footy fumbled by Adam D’Aloia in the last minute before booting to the safety of Grace.
Coles Value Player Jez McLennan for the Seven broadcast game chalked up 28 disposals and nine marks, his aerial intercepting preventing the Eagles from further pressing home their initial advantage and helping set up the Bulldogs’ forward chains.
“It was an arm wrestle all day,” he said.
“They (Eagles) came out throwing punches early but we did well to match it.
“This was an important one, especially after the last three weeks.
“We’re happy to be in the top five and that’s where we want to stay.”
McLennan’s fellow backman Billy Iles also starred with his bursting rebounds, while Magarey Medallist Harry Grant (26 possessions, seven clearances) impacted strongly in his comeback from a knee injury.
Williams (27 disposals) and D’Aloia (25) were prolific for the Eagles, while big Connor Ballenden (three goals, four contested marks) was the most impactful forward on the park.
That trio had the Eagles well on top early, the hosts strong at the contest and feasting on turnovers to lead by 15 points at quarter-time.
McLennan turned it on in the second, during which Central lost Presbury at the 19-minute mark.
The lead changed hands numerous times in the third term, setting up the pulsating final stanza.

South Adelaide defied bouts of inaccuracy and a late scare to grind out a seven-point win over Adelaide at Flinders University Stadium.
The Panthers should have stitched up the contest earlier but their strong territorial advantage was sabotaged by errant goal-kicking, granting the fast-finishing Crows a sniff in the fourth quarter.
Half-back Elliott Dunkin racked up 31 disposals, as did midfielder Kobe Mutch, who had a whopping 24 of those in the first half to help lay South’s steady foundation.
Hayden Sampson and Oliver Davis were busy in the middle, while co-captain Jake Summerton was strong behind the ball for the Panthers.
Adelaide’s Zac Taylor slotted the first – and best – goal of the game with a scintillating, two-bounce goal, starting his run from behind centre and finishing superbly from 55m, helping the Crows to a slender quarter-time lead.
First-gamer Bailey Pilmore replied with South’s opening major – slotting a goal with his first kick – before fellow debutant Sam Hindes goaled with his second kick.
Teenager Tom Wheaton then converted his first league goal to help the Panthers pull ahead by a straight kick at half-time.
Their lead swelled to 27 points late in the third following back-to-back majors from the goal-square to Wheaton and Damon Freitag before Lachlan Gollant pulled one back on the cusp of three-quarter-time.
The Crows comfortably controlled the centre-square all afternoon, with big Reilly O’Brien responding to his shock AFL omission by racking up 20 touches and 32 hit-outs and Luke Pedlar putting his hand up for a recall with 26 disposals and nine clearances.
But the error-riddled visitors repeatedly broke down across half-forward through skill errors and, as a result, South led the inside-50s 42-25 at the last break.
Buoyed by O’Brien’s tap supremacy, Adelaide completely flipped that trend with an 18-4 fourth-term advantage in entries.
The momentum was with the Crows when Steve Burton became the fourth player to notch his maiden SANFL goal, reducing the gap to eight points.
Finn Emile-Brennan made it five maiden goal-kickers when he converted a much-needed steadier against the grain for South before Charlie Edwards scored a consolation six-pointer after the siren.