Round 8 Hostplus SANFL Snapshot – Saturday

Sturt stamped itself as the standout premiership contender of the Hostplus SANFL League, showing off its depth with a comfortable 38-point win against Central District at X Convenience Oval. 

The Double Blues were without four of their best midfielders – Will Snelling, James Battersby, Mitch Crowden and Jared Dakin – yet still managed to strangle the life out of the Bulldogs.

Central, heading into the contest with a 6-1 win-loss record, could only manage one goal across the first three quarters as the visitors stretched their winning streak against the hosts to nine.

‘I know we had a few players out but that just goes to show our depth at the moment,” Sturt midfielder Tom Lewis, the X Golf Player of the Day, told Channel 7 after the match.

With Snelling rested due to calf tightness, Luca Slade – the son of premiership Bulldog Matthew – made his League debut as the Double Blues queued up to ensure they would remain undefeated after eight rounds.

Sturt led the inside 50 count 34-8 in the first half before it finished at 55-19 as its miserly defence – led by Will Coomblas and Zac Becker – dictated terms.

Lewis racked up 26 disposals, seven clearances and seven tackles to have a huge impact while Casey Voss was polished with 23 disposals and 14 marks.

Inclusion Luke Giacometti made an impression with 22 possessions while lesser lights Charlie Parker (21 disposals, 11 marks) and Angus Anderson (19 disposals, two goals) were also positive influences.

Sturt’s Sam Conforti and Connor McFadyen also booted two goals each.

Losing Jake Gasper before half-time to an AC-joint injury, Central had Harry Grant collect 26 disposals and nine marks while Rhett Montgomerie held up his team’s defence with 27 disposals and eight marks.

Central’s Dale Pearce kicked his team’s first goal from a set shot 19 minutes into the second term and he was his team’s only multiple major kicker with two.

Norwood produced a clinical 104-point thrashing of West Adelaide at Hisense Stadium. 

Seeking to stay in touch with the top five, the Redlegs did their chances no harm by building valuable percentage in the confidence-boosting outing.

Twin talls Jackson Callow (six) and Tristan Binder (four) booted ten goals between them as Jade Sheedy’s charges restricted the Bloods to just three goals for the afternoon.

Norwood piled on 11 goals in the opening half on its way to a comfortable 56-35 inside 50 advantage as it controlled the air with 106 marks to the Bloods’ 47.

Redlegs Billy Cootee (25 disposals, one goal, nine clearances) and Declan Hamilton (22 disposals, three goals) were influential in the outcome while Callow finished with 16 disposals and 10 marks to go with his 6.2.

Cooper Murley had 22 touches for the Legs as Nik Rokahr tallied 17 while Pierce Seymour controlled the back half for the visitors with 20 disposals and 10 marks.

Westies had Lachie Squire stand tall with 20 disposals while Sam Frost battled hard for his 19 as Tom Morrish and Brady Searle collected 17 possessions each.

Free-wheeling Glenelg carried on its scoring spree with an accurate 68-point victory against South Adelaide at Magain Stadium.

Coming off an 87-point triumph against West Adelaide, the Tigers again showed off their potency as they piled on a laser-like 19.5 (119) for premiership defender Alex Martini’s 100th game in perfect conditions at Noarlunga.

Ken Farmer Medallists Lachie Hosie and Liam McBean booted four goals each for the Bays while Will Chandler and Cole Gerloff kicked two as the hosts led at every change.

But the most dominant on the ground as smooth-moving Matt Allen, who racked up 22 disposals, 10 marks, four tackles and three goals for the Tigers.

Jarryd Lyons continues to build into his season nicely with 27 disposals and six marks while Magarey Medallist Luke Partington returned from his hamstring strain to rack up 26 disposals and a goal.

Triple premiership defender Jonty Scharenberg read the play superbly to snare 12 marks with his 22 disposals while Patrick Parnell is always composed with Sherrin in hand, rarely wasting any of his 22 touches.

South’s Jaiden Magor is thriving in his midfield role with 29 disposals and 11 marks to lead his team well while centre square counterparts Ollie Davis, Phoenix Hargrave, Brad Jefferies and Tom Wheaton each had 18.

Wheaton was South’s only multiple goal kicker with two, as the Panthers remained with a 1-7 win-loss record.

North Adelaide earned its first victory under interim coach Sam Mayes with a stunning third-term surge propelling the Roosters to an upset 34-point win against Woodville-West Torrens at Prospect Oval.

Leading by nine points at half-time, the Roosters slammed on a defining 7.3 to the Eagles’ solitary behind after half-time to earn a match-winning 53-point lead at the final change.

North only had four more inside 50 entries yet managed nine more scoring shots for the afternoon as it kept its final five hopes alive with a third triumph for the season.

Star Roosters recruit Angus Schumacher made his hefty presence felt with a monster performance, collecting 36 disposals, nine marks, five clearance and five tackles while also booting a goal.

Veteran Rooster Harrison Wigg had 33 disposals, 10 marks and eight clearances while Hughen Wissman made the most of his recall to the League team to find 25 disposals and five clearance while laying 10 tackles.

Versatile Cody Raak tallied 20 disposals and 12 marks while Will Francou continues to develop nicely with 19 disposals and a goal.

Frank Szekely was his dangerous self with four goals from 12 disposals while Evan Bradley, Jed Dignan and Lachie Wilsdon each booted two goals for North.

The Eagles were led by Riley Knight with 27 disposals and nine clearance while captain Joey Sinor had 26 disposals and Kobe Mutch 23.

Youngster Kade Herbert collected 18 disposals and two goals while Lukas Cooke had 16 touches, 11 marks and two goals as he continues to look comfortable at League level.