Round 2 Hostplus SANFL Snapshot – Thursday Night

A Steven Slimming-inspired Sturt answered all of Norwood’s challenges with ease as it cruised to a crushing 53-point win at The Parade.

After restricting Glenelg to just 49 points in Round 1, the Double Blues strangled the Redlegs while keeping the hosts to only 53 as they work to coach Marty Mattner’s effective team-defence method.

Hard-running Slimming was gifted the first goal of the game from close range after consecutive 25m penalties were conceded by Norwood and it was a sign of what was to come from Sturt’s No.39.

Finishing with a game-high five majors, Slimming snapped a beauty from long range 10 minutes into the second term before kicking a momentum-swinging six-pointer three minutes after half-time.

Norwood got within 10 points when Hawthorn recruit Jack Saunders floated his snap through at the midway point of the third quarter, only to have Slimming respond again to push the advantage back out to three goals.

Crafty Sturt forward Josh Hone sandwiched a goal from Norwood’s Ben Jarvis with two of his own to start the fourth term before Slimming put the reigning premier out of the contest with his fifth after a dashing run.

Hone and fellow crumbing forward James Mathews booted three goals each for the visitors as twin talls Oliver Grivell and Lachlan Burrows also played their roles nicely inside 50m.

Sturt finished with a significant inside 50m advantage of 56 to 34 while laying 103 tackles amid the driving rain which couldn’t dampen its spirit.

Double Blues hard nut Tom Lewis thrived in the conditions to tally 28 disposals, 12 clearances and 16 tackles while his skipper James Battersby had 10 clearances of his own to go with nine tackles and 20 disposals.

Their ability to read the ruckwork of Jack Oatey Medallist Harry Boyd proved pivotal as Boyd dominated the hit outs while registering a massive 54, together with 12 clearances and 15 disposals.

Legs midfielder Nik Rokahr battled hard for a game-high 32 disposals and 13 clearances while key forward Ben Jarvis made the most of limited opportunities to kick three goals from seven marks.

Cool Norwood defender Logan Evans backed up his impressive debut with another fine display, kicking a curling snap goal which caused his teammates to rush from all parts of The Parade to celebrate.

But it would be one of few highlights on the night for the red and blue, as Norwood was laden with an 0-2 win-loss record from a combined margin of 99 points.