Round 6 Hostplus SANFLW Match Wraps

By ALEXANDRA BULL

South Adelaide celebrated Jaslynne Smith’s 100th SANFLW game in style, with a resounding 41-point victory over Sturt at Thomas Farms Oval. 

Lucy Northcott scored back-to-back goals for the Panthers to get the party started, with Sturt responding in style thanks to Molly Fletcher and Zara Walsh to put the Double Blues within two points of the visitors at quarter time.

Sturt opened the scoring in the second quarter, with Edwina Thornquest slotting one to give Sturt its only lead of the day, but South responded quickly, as Northcott kicked her third goal of the half, before Hope Taylor kicked her first goal of the season to give the Panthers a handy nine-point lead heading into the main break.

Unfortunately for Sturt, it was all South in the third quarter as the Panthers scored four unanswered goals courtsey of Shae Archbold (two goals), Melissa Anderson and Lauren Clifton, with Sturt struggling to enter inside 50 throughout the quarter, leaving them without any score during the third.

Both teams went goalless in the final term, but the damage was already done for the home side, as South Adelaide dominated in all areas across the ground to cruise to a comfortable victory, with the Panthers now sitting one win behind ladder-leaders Woodville-West Torrens.

Soriah Moon once again had a field day for the Panthers, with 27 disposals, 23 hit outs and eight clearances, and was well supported by her midfield, with Emma Charlton (20 disposals, nine tackles) and Caitlin Crouch (18 disposals, three clearances) both contributing well to their side’s strong win.

The milestone woman – Jaslynne Smith – did what she does best, calmly controlling the backline as she has done so many times before as her Panthers cruised to victory.

Sturt’s Isobel Kuiper was once again one of her side’s best, with 22 disposals, 10 tackles and nine clearances, along with Monique Bessen (21 disposals, six inside 50s) as the Double Blues now sit just 1.7 per cent outside the top four.

Norwood notched up its second win of the season with a nine-point win against Glenelg at Stratarama Stadium. 

Goals were hard to find for both teams down at the Bay, with the first major score coming via Glenelg’s Kaitey Whittaker at the five-minute mark in the second quarter, with Norwood’s Amelia Rusden following suit four minutes later, giving the Redlegs a three-point lead heading into half-time.

A stagnant third quarter, which saw both teams go goalless again, set up a tight contest heading into the final term, with Glenelg desperately playing for its first win of the season.

However, it was not meant to be for the home side, with Norwood’s Sophie Armitstead kicking the third, and final goal of the game, to give Redlegs the win in an otherwise scrappy affair.

Norwood’s Charlee Brooksby and Charli Hazelhurst (five tackles each) were both relentless with their pressure around the ground, along with Jade Halfpenny (20 disposals, four tackles), as the Redlegs continue their rise up the ladder.

Tigers captain Jess Bates (22 disposals, seven tackles) did everything she could to get her side over the line, along with Marie Martino (25 disposals, five marks) and Georgie Fielder (17 disposals, nine tackles, four inside 50s) but it was not enough to give Glenelg the win they desperately need.

Central District burst out of the blocks to secure a 12-point win against West Adelaide at Hisense Stadium.

Central forward Katelyn Rosenzweig got the visitors off to a hot start, kicking the first goal of the game, before Westies stalwart Nicole Hooper kicked her team’s first of the day to give the Bloods a three-point lead heading into the quarter time break.

However, it was short lived as the Doggies scored back-to-back goals, courtsey of Lauren Breguet and Alysha Healy, to give the visitors a nine-point buffer heading into the main break.

Westies’ Emma Kilpatrick got the scoring going in the third quarter, to reduce the margin to three-points, but unfortunately for the home side, Central controlled the rest of the contest.

Alysha Healy scored her second of the afternoon, to give her team a seven-point lead at three-quarter-time, before Rosenzweig and Breguet got the goals going again in the fourth quarter.

Lucy Waye kicked her first for the day midway through the last quarter, bringing the margin back to 12-points, but was quickly extended back to 19-points when Breguet kicked her third for Centrals.

A late goal from superstar Zoe Venning (24 disposals, one goal) got Westies within two goals, but it was too late for the Bloods, who now sit three wins outside the top-tour.

Dakota Williams was excellent for the visitors, finishing with an astonishing 19 disposals, nine clearances and nine tackles, along with Laitiah Huynh (24 disposals, five marks) and Miyu Endersby, who had a field day in the ruck and finished the day with 34 hit outs.

West’s Hannah Button was everywhere, finishing with 18 disposals, five clearances and a whopping 10 tackles, and was well supported by Chloe Tonkin (21 hit outs, seven inside 50s), as well as Waye, who racked up 19 disposals and five tackles, to go along with her goal.

Woodville-West Torrens has continued its unbeaten run with a thumping 41-point win over North Adelaide at Maughan Thiem Kia Oval. 

Eagles forward Ashley Baker got the scoring started, before North’s Laela Ebert got the Roosters on the board, to give the visitors a one-point lead at quarter time.

Woodville-West Torrens showed why they are the team to beat, with former Crows AFLW player McKenzie Dowrick kicking three unanswered goals in the second term, to give the Eagles a comfortable 20-point lead heading into the main break.

The goals kept coming for the home side, with Klaudia O’Neill slotting her first for the day in the third quarter, before North’s Aprille Crooks kicked her side’s second goal of the match, but the Eagles continued to flex their muscles, with Dowrick kicking her fourth goal, with the game seemingly over at three quarter time.

The Eagles continued to dominate throughout the fourth quarter, with Rosette Zerella and Sophie Zuill adding to North’s pain.

Julia Clark provided some relief for the Roosters, but it was short lived as Zerella kicked her second of the day, providing the cherry on top for the Eagles, who are still sitting firmly on top of the ladder.

Leah Cutting was prolific for the Eagles in her side’s sixth straight win, recording 39 hit outs, 20 disposals, seven clearances and six inside 50s, with Chistina Leuzzi also continuing her excellent start to season 2025, notching up 26 disposals and five tackles, along with seven clearances and four inside 50s.

Laela Ebert (25 disposals, four tackles) and Julia Clark (18 disposals, seven tackles, six clearances) were both excellent for the visitors, who still remain third on the ladder heading into the bye round for the SANFLW v WAFLW State Game.