Round 14 SANFL U18 Match Wraps

By ZAC MILBANK

South Adelaide kept its SANFL U18 finals chances alive with a much-needed 16-point win against North Adelaide at Magain Stadium. 

Now within two wins of fourth-placed Central District, the Panthers managed to conjure the premiership points by winning the clearances 36-23 despite being well behind on the overall hit out count (51-13).

Panthers captain Jesse Nye, who has thrived under the mentorship of Crow Alex Neal-Bullen, racked up 30 disposals, five clearances, eight tackles and two goals while teammates Kodah Edwards (22 disposals, two goals) and Max Savage (11 disposals, 12 tackles) also shone.

North’s Flinn Blieschke kept his team in the game with four goals from eight kicks as captain Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier (35 disposals, eight clearances) and Armani-Jacom Scullino also battled hard for the visitors.

Eighth-placed Norwood proved there is very little separating each team when it held off fourth-placed Central District by three points at The Parade.

Redlegs bigman Sam Ainsworth put his side up by 15 points with six minutes to play as the hosts managed to cling on to their lead despite late majors to Bulldogs pair Aidan Schubert and Cameron Nairn.

Ainsworth (18 disposals, two goals), and Legs midfielders Jim Kelly (28 disposals, one goal) and Micah Kretschmer (26 disposals, 10 clearances), were dominant forces.

Central’s Naite Slade, the son of premiership Bulldog Matthew, was adjudged his team’s best while Jake Eime (20 disposals, nine tackles) and Schubert (22 disposals, one goal, eight clearances) also gave Norwood plenty to think about.

West Adelaide leapfrogged Woodville-West Torrens into the top four with a thrilling two-point victory at Hisense Stadium. 

Now suddenly sitting in third position and just three wins behind pace-setter Sturt, the Bloods were forced to defend their slender advantage for more than three minutes after Eagle Zane Peucker kicked truly in the 22nd minute.

The Bloods’ coaching staff hailed the efforts of Mitch Dickinson, Harper Ryan (17 disposals) and Hamish Illman (16 disposals) throughout their stirring triumph.

The Eagles, playing without captain Jevan Phillipou who made his Hostplus SANFL League debut, had Peucker (34 disposals, two goals), Max Farrugia (29 disposals) and Noah AhChee (21 disposals, one goal) refusing to concede throughout the contest.

Glenelg gave itself an injection of confidence when it toppled first-placed Sturt by 11 points at Thomas Farms Oval.

The Tigers’ second stanza set up the win as they kicked 5.3 to the Double Blues’ 1.3 to establish a defining 21-point advantage at half-time.

Glenelg’s midfielders Harvey Croker (24 disposals) and Tim Alver (21 disposals, two goals) were strong influences as was the athletic Ned McCarthy (17 disposals, eight marks).

Sturt lauded the efforts of Sam White (18 disposals), Hugh Jaeschke and Noah Roberts-Thomson (22 disposals, two goals) as it maintained a five premiership-point buffer on the second-placed Tigers.