Round 10 Hostplus SANFLW Match Wraps

By WARREN PARTLAND

Central District has taken a massive step closer to finals action after beating West Adelaide by six points at Hisense Stadium in Round 10 of the Hostplus SANFLW League.

The Bulldogs stayed third on the ladder, but have climbed four points clear of fifth-placed Bloods, who are a point below Norwood with four rounds remaining.

Bulldogs’ potent attacking weapon Katelyn Rosenzweig also raised her hopes of claiming the goal kicking crown, bagging three goals to have a league-best 17 for the season.

Rosenzweig nailed her first goal just two minutes into the contest, only for Lucy Waye to respond for the Bloods.

Hannah Button kicked the only goal of the second term to give the home side the lead, before the Bulldogs took control of the contest when they kicked four of the five goals for the third quarter.

Hard-working midfielder Shelby Smith was again the Bulldogs’ leading possession winner, while she also had 11 tackles and eight clearances. Charlotte Riggs had an impact with seven clearances.

Asha Dufour, Emma Kilpatrick and Zoe Venning combined for 60 disposals for the Bloods.

North Adelaide finally broke through for its first win of the season after overcoming Woodville-West Torrens by 11 points at Prospect Oval.

The Roosters, with caretaker coach Kelly Barltrop in charge for her first game, snapped a nine-game losing streak to all but sink the Eagles’ hopes of making their first appearance in a finals series.

The Eagles will rue an inability to make the most of their opportunities and capitalise on a territory advantage, having 13 more inside 50 visits than the home side.

Laela Ebert and Jess Edwards were outstanding for the Roosters, while Kristi Harvey defused many Eagles’ raids with her desperation deep in defence.

Tayla Gordon and Aprille Crooks kicked brilliant goals for the Roosters in the first quarter when the home side kept the Eagles scoreless. When Indi Buckskin-James added a third early in the second term, the Roosters had escaped to a 19-point lead.

The Eagles’ first score, a rushed behind, did not come until 12 minutes into the second quarter and their first goal was late in the same term.

With Leah Cutting dominant in ruck for the Eagles and Marlie Fiegert prominent, the visitors threatened to overhaul the Roosters when they closed within four points at three-quarter time.

But the Roosters stood firm. Djimila Totham kicked a goal for the Roosters five minutes into the final term and they added a behind for the only other score for the quarter.

South Adelaide coach Rick Watts has stamped his name in the Hostplus SANFLW record books after the Panthers conquered Sturt by 21 points at Hisense Stadium.

Watts has now coached in 61 games, surpassing the previous record held by former Panthers and North Adelaide coach Krissie Steen. Watts’ 43 wins is also the most achieved in the league, also bettering Steen’s feat.

The Panthers were forced to come from behind after conceding the only goal of the opening quarter when Georgia King nailed a terrific goal on the run under pressure.

The Double Blues, without young gun India Rasheed who was rested because of shin soreness, challenged the second-placed Panthers with outstanding tackling pressure.

Isobel Kuiper amassed 12 tackles to add to her 23 possessions to have a huge influence for the Double Blues, who struggled to break down the Panthers’ miserly defence.

The Panthers bagged a goal in the second and third quarters, before cementing the win with two goals in the final term. Caitlin Couch, Nikki Nield and Jordann Hickey were brilliant, along with Soriah Moon in the ruck.

A rushed behind with just seconds left on the clock secured ladder-leading Glenelg a draw with dangerous Norwood at Prospect Oval.

The Redlegs held a one-point advantage for almost 10 minutes after Tesharna Maher snapped a goal under pressure eight minutes into the final quarter, only for the Tigers to earn a free kick and score a behind.

With four rounds remaining, the Tigers are three points clear of second-placed South Adelaide, while the point was valuable for the Redlegs, climbing half a game above fifth-placed West Adelaide.

Emma Clark gave the Redlegs the early ascendency when she nailed two goals in the opening quarter, while the title favourites could manage just two behinds.

The Tigers were getting plenty of ball from the clearances courtesy of Jessica Bates, who finished with 29 possessions, 23 tackles and 10 clearances in another best-on-ground performance, and bagged four of the next five goals.

Despite the Tigers’ clearance supremacy, the Redlegs had 12 more visits inside their attacking 50.