Anzac Round SANFL Snapshot – Sunday

A Covid-hit Sturt showed plenty of resilience to overcame Port Adelaide by just 13 points in a tight tussle at Alberton Oval.

Without a host of first-choice players who were placed in Health and Safety Protocols, the Double Blues trailed by 14 points when Magpie Trent Burgoyne kicked his second goal in succession 16 minutes into the third quarter.

But a much-needed major from Anzac Lochowiak, who ran into an open goal after a chain of handballs, narrowed the gap to just six points by the final change.

Then it was the visitors who slowly strangled the life out of Port in the final term as busy goalsneak Josh Hone converted just 29 seconds after three-quarter time.

Fittingly, it was the Coles Value Player of the game – Sturt’s Patrick Wilson – who stepped up when his team needed it most, bursting through a stoppage to kick his second goal.

Wilson was outstanding throughout the afternoon, finishing with 32 disposals, eight marks, eight tackles, six clearances and another goal which was an immaculate set shot from the boundary in the second term.

The former Crow received excellent support through the midfield from Malachy Carruthers (28 disposals), James Battersby (27 disposals) and Tom Lewis (18), who was particularly important in critical moments during the final term.

Small defenders Henry Carey (27 disposals) and Guy Page (25 disposals) were masters of soaking up the clock while showing plenty of poise in the absence of fellow defenders Will Coomblas and Sam Wundke, who were joined by Steven Slimming, Josh Shute and Jack Penfold in being sidelined by Covid Health and Safety Protocols.

Port’s Xavier Duursma finished with a team-high 27 disposals, six tackles and five clearances to go with his set shot goal despite leaving the ground in discomfort with what appeared to be a recurrence of his shoulder injury.

He was able to reappear and have an impact in trying to haul his team over the line but it wasn’t to be as teammates Sam Mayes (23 disposals) and Jackson Mead (22 disposals) were unable to prevent falling to a 0-4 win-loss record.

Norwood ensured its historic trip to Port Lincoln would be a memorable one when it coasted to a comfortable 68-point win against West Adelaide at Centenary Oval.

Playing in the heart of their Eyre Peninsula regional zone for the first time, the Redlegs were barely troubled by the Bloods, who were aiming to honour premiership forward Jono Beech in his 200th Hostplus SANFL League match.

Inaccurate kicking was preventing the Legs from bursting away from West in the opening half, the hosts leading by just 19 points at half-time.

But this soon changed during the third quarter, as Norwood – powered by Anzac Medallist Matthew Nunn – booted 7.1 to West’s 2.2 to open up a commanding 48-point advantage by the final break.

From there, it was party time for the Redlegs as local products Cam Taheny, Jacob Kennerley and Ben Jarvis all hit the scoreboard in the fourth term.

Jarvis finished with four goals, including an eye-catching major after dashing through the corridor with two bounces in the first term while Taheny kicked three.

Central recruit Connor McLean added four goals for Norwood while Nunn, who collected 35 disposals and seven clearances, also chimed in with a pair of majors.

Norwood midfielder Nik Rokahr tallied 27 disposals while another West Coast boy, Henry Nelligan, chalked up 22 disposals and four clearances in familiar territory.

West’s Josh Carmichael continued the form which saw him earn a Powerade Breakthrough Player nomination last round, this time finishing with 25 disposals and a goal while teammates Callum Park and Joel Stevens had 20 disposals each.

Key Bloods backman Kaiden Brand was a steady presence in defence with 17 disposals and nine marks but his job wasn’t made an easier when star veteran Hamish Hartlett left the field with a strained hamstring.

Milestone man Jono Beech registered 10 disposals and four marks to go with a trademark set shot during the second stanza but it wasn’t enough to prevent a fourth consecutive loss for the Bloods.