Round 15 Hostplus SANFL League Match Previews

With the Neil Kerley Memorial Trophy up for grabs again, there could hardly be more at stake as these sides tussle for fifth spot.

Both teams last week had the chance to make strong claims on a finals berth but both fell agonisingly short having led for most of their games against flag contenders.

Both led in the last quarter and the Bloods were in front at every change until the wind whipped up and they were overrun by Norwood by 17 points.

The Crows were in it right to the end in another hard-fought thriller against Glenelg, coming up three points short.

“We gave ourselves an opportunity to win it but didn’t quite execute a few things late,” Adelaide coach Matthew Wright said.

Billy Dowling continued his outstanding form – he’s been averaging 27 disposals and he had 28 at the Bay.

The Bloods and the Crows both fought it out right to the end and there’s no doubt they will be doing that again here, in a contest that could decide who plays finals.

All while paying tribute to ‘King Kerls’, who contributed so much to Westies, the Crows and South Australian football and left an indelible mark on all.

Chris Burgess won the trophy, named in honour of Kerley, who died in 2022 aged 88, with Adelaide last year. Can he win it with the Bloods this time around?

A fast start – in the contest and on the scoreboard – is what the Eagles will be looking for after being outgunned by Sturt last week when a win would just about have wrapped up the double-chance.

The Eagles trailed 1.1 to 7.3 at half-time in bleak conditions that just about put the game out of reach.

Sam Jacobs’ men went to work after the main break, boosted by the return of Kobe Mutch, who kicked three goals, for his first game of the year and won the second half but now they are just one win ahead of the Blues in the all-important third spot.

The Eagles thrashed Port by 86 points when these sides last met, in Round 7 at Woodville – three days before the AFL’s mid-season draft and we all know what happened then.

The Eagles still have top-five sides Glenelg, Adelaide and Norwood to play again this minor round, so they will be more than keen to win at Alberton – but they haven’t won there in Jacobs’ time in charge, Port winning by 15 points last year and 44 points in 2024.

But it’s been tough going for the Magpies lately with their ranks considerably thinned as the Power’s injury list has been lengthening, last week beaten by North by 57 points.

The last time these sides met the Panthers were all over the Tigers, getting hold of the Carey-Darley Cup with an impressive 22-point win at the Bay.

South was equal third with Norwood with a 3-2 record, just one win behind the Bays. But a lot has changed since – most notably South having a different coach.

Glenelg, under impressive first-year mentor Matthew Clarke, has won its past six games.

South in that time has had just one win, to farewell Jarrad Wright as coach two weeks back against bottom side Port.

Jack Maher has stepped up as interim coach and he received a baptism of fire in a 66-point loss against Central in Lyndoch.

Back in familiar territory almost 100km south in Noarlunga, there is sure to be a response.

But Glenelg, written off as a flag hope by some before the season considering the loss of dual premiership coach Darren Reeves and a host of experienced stars, is well and truly in the hunt for a fourth flag in eight years, on top of the table and having eventually got the better of an Adelaide side brimming with AFL talent last week at the Bay.

It was a ripper contest with a breathtaking finish as for the second time this year these sides fought it out to the finish.

The Crows won by seven points in Round 7 but it was the Bays this time by just three.

When Glenelg was looking for a hero trailing 7.13 to 8.10 at the 22-minute-mark of the last quarter, who should pop up but brilliant Lachie Hosie?

Taking his game to another level this year with ‘Doc’ Clarke’s surprise move to give him midfield minutes, Hosie still leads the race for a third Ken Farmer Medal in four years by 18 goals – with 48 already for the season.

None had been more valuable than the one he screwed around from deep in the pocket to give his side a stunning 11-2 record

They are old-fashioned virtues. Loyalty, hard work, team first, doing it for the guernsey.

But then Mitch Harvey is an old-fashioned sort of footballer. He’s proof the game isn’t just about helter-skelter speed and extraordinary athleticism but it’s about being in the right place at the right time, about footy smarts.

It’s about resilience to play and keep playing. Harvey is up to 166 games in a row for the Roosters and the 2018 premiership star is showing no signs of flagging, leading the way in a 57-point win against Port Adelaide with 32 disposals, 11 clearances and 16 hit-outs.

And the 2024 Ken Farmer Medallist still knows how to kick a goal – he added two of those as well.

“I thought Mitch was our most influential player today, he was outstanding,” coach Josh Francou said.

“He loves North Adelaide – he bleeds red and white and he would do anything to help us get the win.”

Also helping North win was James Battersby, also an Iron Man, up to 13 games out of 13 with the Roosters and having picked up 24 disposals, six tackles and four clearances against the Magpies.

The former Sturt captain heads back to Unley having had a wonderful career there including 149 games in a row before injury ruled him out early last year.

While North’s big win kept it within striking distance of playing finals, Sturt’s powerful victory against the Eagles kept it well-and-truly in the hunt for a top-three finish.

Starting the day two wins behind the third-placed Eagles, the reigning premier simply dismissed the tough conditions to lead 7.3 to 1.1 at half-time, mission basically accomplished in a comfortable 26-point win.

Coach Martin Mattner isn’t one to get carried away but he said, “our first half was the best footy we have played against quality opposition in a long time”, the Blues going on to win the inside-50 count 49-28 and defender Rory Illman celebrating his 100th game with a typically tenacious, desperate performance.

Francou was similarly happy, saying, “it was a really good four-quarter performance” as the Roosters racked up 53 more disposals than Port but also won the tackle count 55-45.

It all points to it being a much tighter contest than in Round 2 at Prospect when Sturt won by 59 points.

The Bulldogs took the strain off their stressed supporters by having a win in the bag early, avoiding their usual nail-biting finish by leading South 5.7 to 0.2 at half-time, then by 45 points at the final break on the way to a commanding 66-point win in Lyndoch that pushed them well clear of bottom place.

Skipper Kyle Presbury led from the front with 31 disposals and 10 clearances while Anzac Lochowiak was dangerous with 3.3 and Josh Fahey continued his impressive campaign with three goals.

They will all need to be at their best this week against a Redlegs outfit that has won 10 of its past 11 games and showed plenty of grit to overcome West by 17 points.

The Legs are up to their necks in the race to the minor premiership and star defender and possible recruit of the year Aaron Francis returns from a one-match suspension.

While Norwood’s win at Richmond was “a bit of a grind”, according to coach Jade Sheedy, one player earned praise as “pretty special”.

Finn Heard continued his outstanding run of contributions by picking up 23 disposals, 36 hit-outs, 10 clearances and eight inside-50s. Can the Bulldogs curb his massive influence?