Round 6 Hostplus SANFLW League Match Wraps

By WARREN PARTLAND

Woodville-West Torrens is entering foreign Hostplus SANFLW territory after crushing North Adelaide by 48 points at Maughan Thiem Kia Oval.

The victory was the Eagles’ third for the season after six rounds to be fifth on the ladder and they are only percentage behind fourth-placed Norwood.

In the five-year history of the Eagles in the League, they have finished no higher than seventh and they have already matched their most wins in a season – three in each of the past three years.

The Eagles put three behinds on the scoreboard in the first quarter and kept the Roosters scoreless. The game was still in the balance at half-time, before the home side upped the ante with a superb team effort.

Ruck Leah Cutting was again outstanding for the Eagles, Grace Martin was busy and tackling machine Poppy Waterford had a significant influence.

The Roosters, winless this season, had only 15 visits inside 50 compared to the Eagles’ 42 and their only goal was kicked by Tiara Hatchard 19 minutes into the second term.

South Adelaide used a powerful second quarter domination to overcome a plucky Sturt by nine points in a challenging tussle at Thebarton Oval.

With Soriah Moon controlling the ruck, the Panthers piled on four goals in the second term while keeping the Double Blues scoreless to blow the game apart. South teenager Lily Baxter nailed the third of those goals, her first at SANFLW level.

The Panthers only kicked one more goal, courtesy of Laquoiya Cockatoo-Collins in the opening seconds of the final quarter, and were kept scoreless in the third term.

When Summer Rose kicked the Double Blues’ first goal 11 minutes into the third term, it ended an amazing run by Panthers in which they had not conceded a goal for nine successive quarters.

The Double Blues, with Monique Bessen running amok and the side’s pressure worrying the Panthers, ate further into the deficit only a minute later when Kate Harris added a second goal.

But with the game on the line in the final quarter, Jordann Hickey and Moon had an impact to ensure the Panthers remained in second spot on the ladder.

Eloise Mackereth emerged the hero for Glenelg when she nailed a set shot from 30m just seconds from the final siren to give her side a four-point victory over Norwood at Stratarama Stadium.

The Tigers were seemingly headed for defeat, before Mackereth pulled down a strong mark and kicked truly for her third goal.

The Redlegs hit the front for the first time 17 minutes into the final term when Stephanie Simmonds took advantage of a free kick for high contact, and then a 25m penalty, to kick a goal.

But while Mackereth was feted as the hero, it was Jessica Bates who was the driving force, again, behind the triumph.

Bates amassed 34 possessions, kicked a goal and finished with an incredible 23 tackles, setting the record for most tackles laid by a player in a SANFLW League match.

The midfielder claimed the SANFLW best and fairest award in 2022 and she is a red-hot favourite to add another to her trophy cabinet.

The Tigers dominated the first quarter when they had eight more entries inside their 50 and bagged four goals.

However, the Redlegs won the inside 50 count 28-10 for the final three terms.

Central District’s title-defence has received a boost following the impressive return to SANFLW action of small forward Georgie McKee.

The 17-year old, making her first league appearance in 708 days because of surgery to repair her ACL, bagged four goals in the Bulldogs’ emphatic 40-point victory over injury-hit West Adelaide at X Convenience Oval.

The hefty win lifted the Bulldogs to third on the ladder, only percentage behind South Adelaide and a game and percentage below top-placed Glenelg.

The Bulldogs set the tone for the encounter from the outset, putting 3.3 on the scoreboard for the first quarter while keeping the Bloods scoreless.

With captain Shelby Smith typically throwing herself into the fray, leading from the front as the Bulldogs dominated hit-outs, clearances and the inside 50 count. Key forward Katelyn Rosenzweig finished with 1.6.

Hannah Button was busy for the Bloods and accumulated 20 possessions and 11 tackles.