Saturday Statewide Super League Match Wraps

By ZAC MILBANK

Glenelg scratched its seven-year itch against Woodville-West Torrens in emphatic fashion, blitzing the Eagles by 50 points at ACH Group Stadium on Saturday.

The Tigers last tasted victory against the Eagles in Round 11, 2012, losing their last 12 matches – including six at Brighton Road – in succession to the boys from Oval Avenue.

And while the Bays made their patient fans wait for success against one of SANFL’s perennial pacesetters, the performance to break the streak was well worth the admission price.

After Nick Hayes booted the first goal of the second term for the Eagles, Glenelg went on a 20-minute rampage to kick the next seven goals in succession to open up a 44-point lead nearing the main change.

Tiger tall forwards Luke Reynolds, who finished with four majors and eight marks, Liam McBean and Lachie Hosie were lapping up the repeat inside 50 entries as they made things count on the scoreboard.

Lesser-lights Darcy Bailey and Tom Schott also got in on the act to boot three goals each as the even team spread of contributions was again a feature of the Bays’ victory.

Three players – Marlon Motlop, Matt Snook and Elliot Chalmers – all chalked up 25 disposals to be at the head of the leading disposal winners while Jesse White continued his impressive form in the ruck to collect 18 disposals, six marks, four tackles, five clearances and 34 hitouts.

Five losses in succession have suddenly piled up for the Eagles, who managed to restore some respect on the scoreboard with six goals in the final term.

With James Boyd squeezed out of the side into the Reserves, the midfield load was left to former Gold Cast Sun Jesse Lonergan, who picked up a team-high 26 touches while former Power half-back Jimmy Toumpas had 24.

Jake Von Bertouch continues to show off his versatility this season by booting three goals after spending the majority of his Statewide Super League career as a key defender.

The Eagles will have a fortnight to reset themselves for their must-win Round 7 contest against Norwood at Maughan Thiem Kia Oval while Glenelg will look to keep things rolling when it travels to X Convenience Oval to face Central District.

GLENELG  2.3  9.6  13.9  19.9 (123)

EAGLES  1.2  3.4  4.8  10.13 (73)

LEADING DISPOSALS – Glenelg: Motlop, Snook, Chalmers 25, Partington 24, Bradley 22, Scharenberg, Schott 21, White 18, Agnew, Gould 17.

Eagles: Lonergan 26, Toumpas 24, Sinor, 21, Foote, J. Hayes, Poole 19, Comitogianni, Petrenko, Sharrad 18.

GOALS – Glenelg: Reynolds 4, Bailey, Schott 3, Agnew, Hosie, McBean 2, Bradley, Partington, Scharenberg.

Eagles: Von Bertouch 3, N. Hayes 2, Foote, J. Redden, Rowe, Sharrad, Toumpas.

South Adelaide’s Abe Davis proved a decisive influence in his team’s 32-point win against West Adelaide at Flinders University Stadium.

With scores locked away at 9.7 (61) a piece at the final change, the contest was crying out for a match-winner.

And that’s where the Panthers’ burly No.10 stepped up to the plate to deliver.

Having previously played as a key forward as a member of the Sydney Swans Academy, Davis has in the past fortnight spent longer periods inside 50m to positive affect for his team.

After missing the first set shot of the final term, Davis was quick to make amends when he marked and nailed his set shot from a 45C angle.

Fellow forward Sam Overall marked just inside the 50m arc before converting for a three-goal lead 12 minutes into the final stanza.

Then Davis put the icing on the cake with his fourth major of the game two minutes later, stretching the margin to 24 points with half a quarter to play.

Despite his team starting slowly – West banged on the opening three goals of the game – Panthers coach Jarrad Wright should be satisfied with the result given he was two rotations short for much of the second half.

Hard-running defender Emmanuel Irra (strained quad) and key position player Ben Haren (ankle) were unable to resume which meant their team-mates had to push through the pain barrier when the game was on the line in the fourth quarter.

Joe Haines pushed his cause for West End State selection with another fine game across half-back with 26 disposals while consistent veterans Joel Cross and Nick Liddle combined for 46 disposals.

In another positive for the Navy Blue, Ben Heaslip returned after a brief stint in the Reserves to finish with 23 touches, eight clearances and a goal.

West received significant service from tireless midfielder Will Snelling, who continued his ball-winning ways with 38 disposals to go with his incredible 13 clearances and 16 tackles.

Consistent Kaine Stevens finished with 29 possessions and former Crow Jono Beech booted four of his team’s 10 goals to round out the Bloods’ better performers.

They will now have to rebound quickly after the West End State Game, when they face Sturt at City Mazda Stadium in Round 7 while South will aim to keep itself in the top five with a win against North at Prospect.

SOUTH  2.2  5.4  9.7  15.11 (101)

WEST   4.0  7.3  9.7  10.9 (69)

LEADING DISPOSALS – South: Haines 26, Cross 24, Heaslip 23, Liddle 22, Davis, Rose 21, Brown 19.

West: Snelling 38, K. Stevens 29, Noble 21, Fairlie 20, Hill 19, Dunkin 18, B. Turner 17.

GOALS – South: Davis 4, Karpany, Overall 2, Cailotto, Cross, Emery, Fitt, Heaslip, Rose, Whittlesea.

West: Beech 4, H. Haysman, Karpany, Keough, Noble, Snelling, B. Turner.

Sturt won its second match in succession after accounting for North Adelaide by 34 points at Peter Motley Oval. 

After refusing to hit the panic button under new coach Nathan Grima with a 1-3 win-loss record, the Double Blues suddenly take some momentum into the weekend off due to next Sunday’s West End State game.

Beating a resurgent South Adelaide by 22 points in Round 5, Sturt produced a match-defining second stanza against last year’s premier to square its ledger at 3-3 in the win-loss column.

Booting six goals to North’s three after the first change, the Double Blues were then able to keep Josh Carr’s charges in check for the rest of the contest at Oxford Terrace.

Playmaking Sam Colquhoun continued his ball-winning ways to collect 34 disposals and nine clearances while setting up numerous passages for his team-mates to go on with.

Sturt skipper Zane Kirkwood is also in strong form, finishing with 30 touches while Steven Slimming continues to contribute significantly to his team while playing any role asked of him by first-year mentor Grima.

North – still without topline players Max Thring, Mitch Clisby and Jake Neade – tried hard to work its way back into the encounter after half-time but whenever the Roosters got close, Sturt would steady to put enough space between it and the opposition.

Sandover Medallist Aidan Tropiano worked hard both ways to collect 28 disposals while also laying 12 tackles while Tom Schwarz (24 possessions) continues to provide plenty of grunt at the stoppages.

The Roosters are still negative two in the premiership points column, making a win vitally important after the West End State game when they confront South at Prospect while the Double Blues will play West at City Mazda Stadium.

STURT  2.6  8.8  10.10  13.14 (92)

NORTH  2.3  5.6  6.8  8.10 (58)

LEADING DISPOSALS – Sturt: Colquhoun 34, Kirkwood 30, Battersby 24, Pearce 22, Riley, Slimming 20, Crocker 18, Sumner 16.

North: Tropiano 28, Allmond, T. Schwarz 24, A. Barns 19, Spina 18, Combe 17, Harvey 16.

GOALS – Sturt: J. Hone, Patullo 3, M. Evans, Kirkwood 2, Greenslade, Riley, Slimming.

North: Ramsey, Verity 2, Agorastos, A. Barns, Hender, Olekalns.

Port Adelaide’s push to return to the top five continues gain momentum after warding off Central District by 34 points at Alberton Oval.

After dropping out of finals action last year, the Magpies again displayed plenty of resilience as they fought back repeated surges from the desperate visitors.

The Bulldogs got within just nine points when veteran Jarrod Schiller kicked truly 25 minutes into the third quarter.

But an almost instant reply from impressive Port rookie Tobin Cox stretched the margin back out to 15 points at the final change.

From there, the hosts then booted the next four goals in succession, with Cox inking his fourth for the match to create a 42-point buffer 16 minutes into the fourth quarter.

Former Melbourne skipper Jack Trengove continued his push for AFL selection to collect a team-high 32 disposals while Steven Motlop, Joe Atley and Kai Pudney also provided plenty of punch for the black and white midfield unit.

And one of Port’s early success stories for the year, ruckman Peter Ladhams, continued his rapid development to finish with 28 disposals, six marks, 10 clearances and two goals in an eye-catching display.

Big Billy Frampton backed up his five-goal haul in Round 5 with another four against the Dogs while Mitch Mead, with two goals, is another showing positive progress despite not being on Port’s AFL list.

Without star midfielder Travis Schiller, the Bulldogs relied on veterans Jarrod Schiller (30 disposals) and Luke Habel (26 disposals) while Kyle Presbury elevated his game to finish with 32 touches and nine marks.

Former Crow Troy Menzel tried to provide a spark for Central with four goals from his 17 disposals but it wasn’t enough as the Dogs fell to a 2-4 win-loss record.

Roy Laird’s men will now prepare to face Glenelg at X Convenience Oval in Round 7 while Port will prepare to host Adelaide in the SANFL Showdown on May 18.

PORT   3.4  8.7  13.8  18.11 (119)

CENTRAL  3.2  7.3  11.5  13.7 (85)

LEADING DISPOSALS – Port: Trengove 32, Atley, Ladhams, Pudney 28, Motlop 27, Farrell, Sutcliffe 24, McKenzie 21, Garner, Woodcock 18.

Central: Presbury 32, J. Schiller 30, Habel 26, Jydon Neagle 22, Hoskin 21, Barreau 19, Menzel 17.

GOALS – Port: Cox, Frampton 4, Ladhams, Mead, Woodcock 2, Farrell, McKenzie, Motlop, Sutcliffe.

Central: Menzel 4, Gillard 3, Dew, J. Schiller 2, Hoskin, McKenzie.