Round 8 Hostplus SANFLW Match Wraps

By WARREN PARTLAND

Glenelg has put some fingernails on the Hostplus SANFLW League minor premiership after overcoming a determined Sturt by 13 points at Stratarama Stadium.

The win was the Tigers’ seventh, and third in succession, and lifted them two games clear of second-placed South Adelaide.

Jessica Bates was again the prime mover for the home side, with terrific support from Jo Miller, as the Tigers withstood a spirited challenge from the Double Blues.

The Double Blues wasted prime opportunities early and they were punished when Lucy Armitage nailed the first goal for the Tigers 16 minutes into the contest.

Sturt hit the front in the second quarter with back-to-back goals from Amy Brooks-Birve and India Rasheed. The move of classy youngster Rasheed onto the ball gave the side drive from the stoppages.

But the confident Tigers had the answers, bagging four unanswered goals to blow the game apart.

Georgia Swan kicked two late goals for the Double Blues after the Tigers had ballooned their lead to 25 points.

West Adelaide has climbed back into the top four on the ladder after overcoming a spirited North Adelaide by 17 points at Prospect Oval.

The Bloods have bounced back from three successive losses to win their past two games and grab fourth spot, a game above Norwood.

Asha Dufour was a driving force for the visitors, amassing 29 possessions, while Zoe Venning had her usual highly-productive game.

Bloods’ Emma Chapman kicked the only goal of the opening quarter and the visitors were rewarded for a territorial domination with majors from Hannah Button and Ruby Ballard to build a 16-point lead in the second quarter.

The Roosters, with defender Amber Ward being used in attack and in ruck, showed plenty of fight and cut the deficit to only 10 when Brianna Arthur goaled.

But Lucy Waye thwarted the Roosters’ challenge when she gathered the ball after it spilled from a marking contest and nailed her first goal at league level.

Laela Ebert was outstanding for the Roosters and classy Jess Edwards overcame a slow start to have a heavy influence for the home side.

Central District’s roller-coaster ride stretched into Round 8 when it was forced to come from behind to beat Woodville-West Torrens at Maughan Thiem Kia Oval.

The Bulldogs kicked the final two goals to retrieve an 11-point deficit after the Eagles’ Brianna Walling nailed her side’s sixth goal.

The Eagles, fighting a desperate battle to qualify for the finals for the first time, bagged three unanswered goals in the first quarter to have the Bulldogs on the back foot.

Grace Martin had a huge influence for the home side, while Poppy Waterford was at it again, finishing with 15 tackles. Olivia Evans, Walling and Rosette Zerella all kicked two goals as the Eagles posed plenty of questions to the Bulldogs.

Bulldogs captain Shelby Smith had a massive impact in the comeback win, amassing 29 possessions, 15 tackles and eight clearances. Katelyn Rosenzweig nailed the winning goal 19 minutes and 15 seconds into the final term.

The Bulldogs are third on the ladder, percentage below South Adelaide, and the Eagles are now two wins outside the top four.

Norwood handed South Adelaide an unwanted Hostplus SANFLW League club record with a 25-point victory at Coopers Stadium.

The Panthers managed just three behinds in a miserable performance to record their lowest score in the league. Their previous lowest total was 10 points against Woodville-West Torrens in Round 7 last year.

The Redlegs, who conquered the Panthers by 20 points in Round 2, bagged two goals in the first quarter courtesy of Amelia Rusden and Kiana Lee.

Mykaela Walker added another in the second quarter, the only score for the term, and when Lee nailed her second early in the third quarter the game was all but out of reach of the visitors.

The Panthers won the hit outs and clearances, only to struggle moving the ball into attack and remarkably, they failed to impact on the scoreboard in the first half. Their two behinds in the third quarter were rushed.

Coby Morgan had a huge influence for the Redlegs, along with Jade Halfpenny and Candice Belbin, who amassed 16 possessions and 10 tackles.