Round 16 Hostplus SANFL Snapshot – Saturday

Adelaide dented Norwood’s ambition to climb into the top five with a comfortable 20-point win at The Parade. 

Seeking to solidify their spot in the top three, the Crows did just that as they burst out of the blocks to boot seven goals in the opening term en route to leading at every change.

Matthew Wright’s charges could manage only four behinds in the second quarter but Norwood’s inaccuracy in front of goal played into the visitors’ hands.

Crows midfielder Harry Schoenberg impressed with 22 disposals, five marks and two goals while captain Jack Madgen was rock solid in his 50th Hostplus SANFL League match.

Adelaide forward Chris Burgess booted three goals while Tyler Welsh booted two in his first game back since Round 7 with a broken toe.

Norwood’s Billy Cootee did his best to turn the tide with 24 disposals and three goals while Matt Ling found plenty of the ball with 33 disposals.

Legs captain Jacob Kennerley collected 24 disposals while key forward Tristan Binder booted two goals.

Port Adelaide jumped into the top five with a comfortable 24-point win against West Adelaide in the Russell Ebert Tribute Match at Hisense Stadium. 

Suddenly sitting fifth as the Eagles prepare to play Glenelg on Sunday, the Magpies made their move in the second term by banging on 6.1 to the Bloods’ 1.4, opening up a 26-point lead at half-time.

With North Adelaide draftee playing his best game for the club since his mid-season selection, Port ran the ball well with hand to engineer 17 more inside 50 entries.

Mackinlay shone with his speed to collect a team-high 24 disposals, eight marks, four clearances and 2.2 to claim the Ebert Medal for best afield.

Magpie defenders Jez McLennan (22 disposals) and Rome Burgoyne (20 disposals) found their share of the Sherrin while Jack Watkins was a steady influence with 20 touches and four tackles.

Port’s Jeremy Finalyson put his hand up for AFL selection with 17 disposals, seven marks and three goals as Tom Anastasopoulos, Austin Harris and Shay Linke joined Mackinlay in booting two majors.

West’s Lachlan Squire refused to give in while collecting a match-high 29 disposals, six clearances and six tackles while also booting two goals.

Bloods defender Will Patton racked up 22 disposals and 15 marks while Brady Searle and Dylan White worked hard for 23 disposals each.

Sturt survived a major scare from a rapidly-improving South Adelaide, earning a 19-point win at Thomas Farms Oval. 

Fresh after coming close to knocking over Glenelg in Round 14, the Panthers were at it again when they led the undefeated Double Blues by 29 points at half-time.

Restricting Sturt to just two goals in the opening half, Jarrad Wright’s charges used their newfound confidence to their advantage in leading the inside 50m count 18-8 late in the first half.

But after some stern words at half-time, the hosts came out energised in the third quarter as Josh Hone booted three of his five goals, his third levelling the scores in the 26th minute.

The premiership favourites cruised to the line in the final term as they kicked another 6.1 to 3.1 despite having just two more inside 50s for the match.

Magarey Medal favourite Tom Lewis was again a force in the middle with 26 disposals, six clearances and 11 tackles while Zac Becker collected 20 possessions and booted an eye-catching long range goal.

Veteran Henry Carey was solid with 20 disposals while Sturt ruck Amos Doyle was a positive influence with 17 disposals, five clearances and six tackles to go with 32 hit outs.

Sam Conforti and Oliver Grivell kicked two goals each for Sturt.

South’s Elliot Dunkin, playing his 100th Hostplus SANFL League match, racked up a team-high 25 disposals while Finn Emile-Brennan provided plenty of dash with his 22 disposals, six marks and a goal.

Co-Captain Sam Skinner kicked three goals for the visitors while Tom Barrett and Luke Bogle booted two each.

It was the Dougie Cochrane show at X Convenience Oval as Central District swept aside a depleted North Adelaide by 45 points. 

The Bulldogs celebrated the Hostplus SANFL League debut of Cochrane, the son of premiership midfielder Stuart, as the 17-year-old caught the eye in the opening half.

Having overcome a serious hamstring strain, Cochrane kicked two goals with his first two kicks at League level, the second a long bomb from the edge of the centre square which bounced across the goalline.

The hosts lost ruck Kobe Annand to a knee injury in the first term but Cochrane was still capturing attention as he floated across the front of the pack to take an overhead mark.

After converting the set shot from 20m, he was at it again as he crumbed nicely before snapping on his left foot from a tight angle to open up a 34-point buffer at the main change.

From there, the Dogs were able to cruise to victory on the back of a 44-30 inside 5om count while also taking a staggering 60 more marks.

Cochrane finished with four goals to go with his 11 disposals and five marks but it was tough Dogs onballer Kade Dittmar who earned the X Golf Player of the Day award with 20 disposals and five marks.

Central winger Kai Pudney had 29 disposals and 13 marks while Luca Whitelum tallied 26 disposals and 11 marks.

SA U18 captain Dyson Sharp racked up 21 disposals and 12 marks for Central while Aiden Grace booted three goals and Finn Reed and Beau Thomas two each.

North had only one rotation for the last three quarters of the match as Sam Cumming (shoulder), Jake Patmore (hamstring) and Harrison Magor (head knock) were sidelined in the opening half.

Roosters recruit Angus Schumacher collected 28 disposals and took six marks while captain Alex Spina had 26 disposals and 11 marks in his 200th Hostplus SANFL League match.

Spina was chaired off by teammates Harrison Wigg and Mitch Harvey, the latter lining up in his 150th match in succession.

Regular defender Reed Van Huisstede kicked three of his team’s six goals after switching into attack for the afternoon.