Round 2 Hostplus SANFL Snapshot – Saturday

Adelaide responded to North Adelaide’s bold final term challenge to record a comfortable 29-point win at Prospect Oval.

Leading by as much as 35 points entering time-on of the third term, the Crows saw their advantage whittled down to just 10 points when the Roosters kicked four goals in succession either side of the last change.

But after Noah Casalini cut the margin to under two goals, Matthew Wright’s men responded with five of the final seven goals to push their win-loss count out to 2-0.

Adelaide controlled the Sherrin with more possession and 31 more marks while also registering 11 more inside 50 entries.

Rooster draftee Billy Dowling enjoyed his return to Menzies Crescent with a team high 26 disposals, eight marks and a goal while Charlie Edwards and SSP signing Lachlan McAndrew each collected 21 disposals.

McAndrew, from the Sydney Swans, also finished with 32 hit outs and nine clearances while Chris Burgess headlined the list of Crows’ goal kickers with five as a further 10 teammates hit the goal scorers’ list.

North skipper Alex Spina racked 28 possessions and a goal while Angus Schumacher also found 28 touches to go with nine clearances.

Casalini booted three goals in a lively display for the hosts while James Willis, making his Hostplus SANFL League debut upon his return from AFL club Geelong, showed promise with 11 disposals, four marks and two goals.

Sturt took the best part of three and a half quarters to shrug off a persistent Port Adelaide by 29 points at Thomas Farms Oval.

With scores level at half-time and leading by just 11 points at the final change, the Double Blues were confronted by the Magpies in the fourth term when Jake Weidemann brought his side within four points in the 11th minute.

But the hosts banged on the next five goals in succession to suddenly earn valuable percentage from a contest which barely stretched beyond a double-figure margin.

Sturt’s efficiency finally clicked into gear during the last term, making the most of a 55-38 inside 50m advantage and a whopping 46-25 edge in clearances.

Magarey Medallist Will Snelling was the leading disposal-winner on the ground with 31 to go with seven tackles and four clearances while Tom Lewis and Casey Voss, who applied plenty of tackling pressure early, each had 23 touches.

Mitch Crowden tallied 21 disposals in his League return for the Blues from East Perth while wingman Nick Sadler used the ball nicely with his 20 touches.

Versatile Daniel Fahey-Sparks booted four goals, including a vital one on the three-quarter time siren while crumbing forward James Mathews was lively with three majors for Sturt.

Port’s Tom Cochrane, who returned to SANFL level after making his AFL debut against Essendon, booted four goals from his 11 disposals and three marks while rebounding Rory Atkins accumulated a team-high 28 possessions.

Magpies midfielder Hugh Jackson had 23 disposals while Will Lorenz and Jack Watkins each had 22 as former Bulldog Shay Linke stayed in the contest with 14 disposals, eight marks and 3.2.

Woodville-West Torrens displayed plenty of spirit to produce a gutsy six-point win against Norwood at Maughan Thiem Kia Oval.

Trailing at every change and by as much as 30 points nearing time-on of the third quarter, the Eagles swung the contest with the next four goals in succession before Redleg Billy Cootee appeared to snuff out their charge with a pressure-relieving major.

But the hosts were stirred on by their vocal fans in the fourth term as they quickly transformed a 12-point deficit into a 14-point buffer by the 12th minute of the last stanza.

Cootee again fired back, this time producing an eye-catching snap goal to bring the margin back to eight points entering time-on.

The Legs then scored the next two behinds to get within a goal but just as they were set to charge inside 50m, the final siren sounded.

Norwood will lament its inefficiency in having 15 more inside 50m entries and six more scoring shots as it is now laden with an 0-2 win-loss count.

The Eagles, with as many as 10 goal scorers, had Riley Knight lead the way in his 100th game with 27 disposals, five clearances and six tackles while Kobe Mutch had 25 disposals, six clearances and a goal.

But Eagles ruck Jordan Lukac was a significant difference-maker with 17 disposals, six clearances, 22 hit outs and five inside 50s in his best game at Hostplus SANFL League level.

Former Panther Daniel Sladojevic kicked four goals for the Eagles while James Rowe booted two to go with 16 disposals.

Nik Rokahr continued his ball-winning ways for Norwood with 33 disposals and five clearances while Mitch O’Neill had 28 and seven clearances.

Norwood’s Jayden Gale booted three goals while Tristan Binder, Finn Heard and Cootee, who also had 19 disposals, all booted two majors.

Glenelg celebrated the unfurling of its 2024 premiership flag with a comfortable 30-point victory against Central District at Stratarama Stadium.

Determined to also give 100-gamer Matt Allen a match to remember, the Bays led at every change in the absence of Jack Oatey Medallist Lachie Hosie, who was attending a family wedding.

Glenelg rarely looked out of control of the contest despite only leading by 15 points at half-time, before putting the visitors on the back foot with 4.2 to 1.1 in the third quarter.

Allen was his classy self with 22 disposals, 13 marks and three goals in his milestone match as Jarryd Lyons racked up a game-high 29 disposals, six marks and six tackles.

Younger brother Corey had 25 disposals and six clearances while rebounding defender Nick Stevens finished with 24 possessions and six marks for the Bays.

Ben Ridgway booted two goals for the hosts with his 13 disposals while captain Liam McBean also booted a pair from his 13 disposals and four marks.

Central’s Harry Grant collected 25 disposals and laid 10 tackles while fellow midfielders Mani Liddy and Kai Pudney each tallied 24 disposals.

Bulldog forward Jake Gasper was a constant threat inside 50m for his team with three goals and three behinds.

South Adelaide survived a major scare from West Adelaide to fall across the line by just four points in a pulsating finish at Magain Stadium.

Keeping the Bloods without a goal until the third minute of the third term, the Panthers were in cruise control for most of the afternoon, leading by as much as 39 points early in the fourth quarter.

But West then proceeded to boot seven of the final eight goals of the encounter to outscore the hosts 7.1 to 1.3 in the final term.

Experienced Bloods midfielder calmly slotted his set shot from 40m out in front in rushed fashion to trim the deficit to under a goal but seconds after the ball was restarted in the centre of the ground, the final siren sounded.

Morrish was high among the leading-disposal winners with 23 to go with his 2.2 and nine marks while Kobe Ryan (28 disposals) and Sam Frost (24 disposals) combined for 14 clearances.

Long-kicking Bloods tall forward Hamish Ellem kicked three goals from his 11 disposals and three marks.

South’s Elliot Dunkin, playing against his old side, tallied a team-high 21 disposals while Phoenix Hargrave had 19 and Jaiden Magor (19 possessions) kicked his team’s only goal for the last term.

Liam Fitt kicked three goals for the Panthers, including one from two bounces and a lucky snap, while Corey Grocock kicked two after managing four in Round 1.