Round 16 Hostplus SANFL League Match Previews

There’s more on the line for Port Adelaide than just a shot at pushing into the top five – there’s a trophy up for grabs with the name of the Magpies’ greatest, Russell Ebert, on it.

So Hamish Hartlett’s men will be desperate to do the Ebert name proud and pay tribute to the four-time Magarey Medallist who died in 2021, aged 72.

But West Adelaide fans with very long memories will love the chance to beat Port Adelaide for a trophy, the Magpies pipping the Bloods in a series of grand final thrillers in 1954 (three points), 1956 (16 points), 1958 (two points), 1959 (10 points) and 1962 (three points).

History would have had a different look without a couple of goalposts getting in the way. Either of these sides can make a little piece of history on Saturday in this key match-up.

When these sides last met it was Bloods interim coach Sam Elliott’s first game in charge and Port ran over the top of them, kicking the last 11 goals to win by 63 points.

But you don’t feel West will be as easy to push aside this time. These sides have both suffered at the hands of Adelaide in their most recent match and the Bloods, up and about after a strong win against the Eagles, did concede a run of goals again against the Crows – nine in 21 minutes in the second term.

But, for a side battling under the weight of a debilitating injury list, Elliott felt “for 105 minutes out of the 120 we actually played a really good brand of footy”.

Among the positives was the outstanding leadership of Isaac Johnson, who picked up 28 disposals and three goals.

There were positives for Hartlett as Port, pushing for a spot in the five, pushed the Crows all the way in a 15-point loss, especially with ruckman Ivan Soldo a late withdrawal with a corky and forward Benny Barrett limping off with an ankle worry at half-time, while AFL emergency Rory Atkins – who announced during the week he would retire at the end of the season – was put on ice for the second half.

Will Lorenz amassed 35 touches, a stunning goal inside the first 20 seconds, 11 inside-50s and nine clearances, Mani Liddy was outstanding all game and Dylan Williams continued his rejuvenation as a forward in booting six goals.

One of these coaches will be even more positive after this contest.

These sides will be aiming to turn a strong half into a consistent four quarters after the Dogs were blown away in the first half by top side Sturt and the Roosters fell short in the second half against Port last time out.

Central coach Paul Thomas wasn’t surprised – and neither were we – his side didn’t throw in the towel after trailing the Blues by 45 points by the long break at Unley, showing spirit in being outscored by just one goal in the second half.

Feisty Kade Dittmar earned 19 possessions, five tackles and five clearances, while Beau Thomas took six strong marks and booted four goals while pinch-hitting in ruck.

The Barrie Robran tribute game was also a game of two halves and the Roosters played with plenty of spirit to lead the Magpies by 19 points at the long break.

But frustrated interim coach Sam Mayes lamented in the second half “we just didn’t stand up in the contest … it allowed them to gain momentum” and the result was a 32-point loss.

Who will turn two quarters into four and turn a fighting loss into a crucial win?

The win-loss records of the Eagles, Norwood and Port Adelaide aren’t what their coaches would have set their sights on when the season kicked off, the Eagles 6-8, the Redlegs and Magpies 5-9.

Despite their unconvincing records they are locked in a tight battle for fifth spot and the last finals berth and it’s Norwood, with by far the stronger percentage of these three rivals, despite starting the season with five losses, that’s coming.

Only, now it’s facing a side – and club – on a roll. The Crows, flying high in the AFL, have won six of their past seven SANFL games for an 11-3 record and in the past two weeks have won the Neil Kerley Memorial Trophy in knocking off West and beaten their biggest rival Port at rainswept Adelaide Oval.

The Redlegs started the season with a troubling injury list but could not have shown more clearly they’re up for finals in dismantling the now injury-hit Eagles by 131 points.

The Legs were on a mission from the opening bounce, banging through seven goals in the first quarter, playing with speed and precision, highlighted by two class goals to Billy Cootee.

Tristan Binder booted six goals and Finn Heard five as Cootee continued his stunning form with 39 disposals, while Declan Hamilton, Baynen Lowe, Cooper Murley and Nik Rokahr were prominent.

Norwood coach Jade Sheedy was thrilled with his team’s response after the previous week’s loss to Central but was not getting hung up on the premiership table.

“We haven’t looked at the ladder but are just concentrating on getting things right and done properly.”

And that’s what they’re starting to do. Adelaide could have had a win wrapped up earlier with better finishing in its 12.22-to-12.7 win against Port, kicking a staggering nine successive behinds in the third quarter.

But the Crows had a huge amount of the ball and 66 inside-50s as Matt Crouch led the way with 36 disposals and Harry Schoenberg was a powerhouse.

Crouch had earned 28 touches in three quarters in his return from a hip injury in Adelaide’s 61-point win against West when it piled on nine unanswered goals in a brutal burst in the second quarter.

The Panthers are turning it around.

Their improvement is there for all to see and they have been closing in on a win against a high-flyer, so this clash against the top-of-the-table Blues presents the chance to show how much better they are travelling.

They were unlucky as they took it right up to Adelaide in a one-point loss in Round 9 and in their most recent clash against back-to-back premier Glenelg they were edged out by 14 points after leading going into time-on of the last quarter.

And in their past four games they have had impressive wins against Port and North. After Round 10 a side of up-and-coming talent was 1-9 with a percentage of 39.5. In the past month they have been 2-2 with a percentage of 49.6.

That’s what you call improvement. With continued hard work and getting experience into their youngsters the bad luck with close losses will be replaced by confidence-boosting close wins with coach Jarrad Wright saying, “there’s a lot of pride and excitement with what this group’s future holds”.

The ruck-rover combination of Olivier Northam and Oliver Davis is exciting and dangerous, while Sam Skinner (four goals) continued to thrive since his shift into attack with four goals against Glenelg and Tom Barrett bagged four goals from four kicks. But they will be facing a torrid test against Sturt, a staggering 14 out of 14 this year.

The Blues had overcome the challenge of fourth-placed Central by half-time at Unley, leading by 45 points on the way to a 17th straight win at home.

Midfielder Tom Lewis continues to play like a Magarey Medallist, earning 28 touches and 11 clearances, while ruckman Amos Doyle is starting to get the credit he deserves, outstanding with 21 disposals, six clearances, 34 hit-outs and a goal. His battle with Northam should be a ripper.

Keep having a crack. That was the message from shattered Eagles coach Sam Jacobs as his side battled to be competitive with such a depleted – there are 23 players on the club’s injury list – and inexperienced line-up.

“We are trying to stay connected but it is really hard,” Jacobs said after the Eagles suffered their fifth loss in succession, this time by 131 points to Norwood.

“One thing just snowballs on to another. It’s still about just putting the head down and fronting up.”

It’s something midfielder Kobe Mutch has been consistently doing and Connor Ballenden, with three goals, James Rowe, Joseph Sinor and Jordan Lukac battled it out against the Legs.

But it’s getting to crisis time for their finals chances with clashes against the top two sides – Glenelg and Sturt – next up.

The imminent return of matchwinning brothers Jack and Nick Hayes will make a big difference but the Eagles know the Tigers aren’t letting anyone get the better of them without an almighty fight.

They trailed South in time-on of the last quarter before deadly duo Lachie Hosie and Liam McBean banged on three goals between them in the last eight minutes to claim the W.

It’s something Glenelg has come to expect over the past seven seasons and it’s another thing the Eagles will have to overcome to stay in the finals hunt.