IT was quite the day of action on Saturday at Adelaide Oval, with all four games of South Australian National Football League (SANFL) Women’s competition taking place in a massive quadruple-header at the ground. The top of the table Norwood enjoyed a hard-fought win, there was a draw between Glenelg and Sturt, last year’s wooden spooners smashed the reigning premiers, and West Adelaide had a big win to bounce back from three consecutive losses.

GLENELG 1.4 | 2.7 | 3.9 | 5.9 (39)
STURT 2.0 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 6.3 (39)

GOALS:

Glenelg: M. Freeman 2, L. Armitage, L. Bungey, A. Bradley.
Sturt: A. Healy 2, A. Ballard, A. Brooks-Birve, C. Forby, I. Kuiper.

DC BEST:

Glenelg: E. Kellock, L. Armitage, J. Bates, M. Freeman, T. Kohn
Sturt: J. Good, K. Harris, J. Wittervan, I. Kuiper, H. Prenzler

After four quarters of action, Glenelg and Sturt could not be split, with the Bays and Double Blues playing out a 39-apiece draw to open the massive day of action at Adelaide Oval. The Bays were more inaccurate, having 14 scoring shots to nine, though manage to still come away with a point from the match, and it could have been even more if Alysha Healy had not kicked her second goal in the dying minutes of the match. Nonetheless the teams were evenly matched with a number of standouts, and the team stats reflected that, as the Double Blues – led by Jess Good dominated the hitouts (54-16) and won the clearances (27-22), but the Bays trumped the inside 50s count (32-25).

Good recorded a season competition-high 46 hitouts for the Double Blues, getting better and better as the weeks go on, also picking up 10 touches, five tackles, three clearances and five inside 50s in the process. She was far from the only standout though, with Kate Harris having a game-high seven clearances to go with 16 touches and six tackles, whilst Jaimee Wittervan (19 disposals, four clearances, four inside 50s and seven tackles) and Isobel Kuiper (14 disposals, four clearances, four tackles and four rebound 50s) were strong in midfield. Hannah Prenzler returned from captaining her state to pick up a game-high seven rebound 50s with 11 disposals and three marks, while Alisha Gepp was busy once again with 14 touches, five tackles and three clearances.

Glenelg’s Ellie Kellock did all she could in a losing effort, racking up 21 disposals, three marks, seven tackles, six clearances and five inside 50s, working hard alongside the likes of Lucy Armitage, Jessica Bates and Tessa Kohn. The trio combined for 12 clearances and 25 tackles themselves, providing a staunch defence to the opposition. Madisyn Freeman slotted two goals up the other end, also amassing 13 disposals, two marks and six tackles in the process.

CENTRAL DISTRICT 3.1 | 4.1 | 6.3 | 9.3 (57)
NORTH ADELAIDE 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.1 (13)

GOALS:

Central: K. Rosenzweig 2, C. Reynolds 2, P. Allan, L. Breguet, A. James.
North: B. Arthur, J. Tabb.

DC BEST:

Central: K. Rosenzweig, P. Allan, L. Breguet, A. Butler, C Wendland.
North: L. Daniel. K. Harvey, E. Greet, K. Reynolds, J. Tabb

Central District reaffirmed itself as a genuine contender after putting reigning premiers North Adelaide to the sword in an outstanding performance. The Bulldogs beat the Roosters at their own game, absorbing the pressure early, and piling on the goals in the second half to run away with the contest by 44 points. Rarely does a reigning wooden spooner account for a reigning premier by more than seven goals, but the Bulldogs did just that, kicking five consecutive goals after leading by 13 points at half-time to continue their high-scoring escapades this season. Katelyn Rosenzweig was again the chief architect with 2.1, equalling the entire opposition team, whilst Chantel Reynolds also kicked a couple of majors. The Bulldogs shared the ball around but win the disposal count by 26 (193-167), marks by 17 (59-42) and led all the hitouts, clearances, inside 50s, rebound 50s ad tackles in an all-round promising performance.

Rosenzweig was strong with three contested marks out of her five or the game, as well as 10 disposals, three hitouts and two rebound 50s with her two goals. Reynolds was efficient with two goals from three kicks and five touches, whilst there were others who stepped up for their best games of the season. Paige Allan had a day out with 12 disposals, four marks and a goal, while Taryn Wills (13 disposals, five marks), Caitlin Wendland (12 disposals, five marks and a goal) and Alicia Butler (11 disposals, three marks – two contested – three clearances and three inside 50s) were also busy.

Erica Greet had the most touches on the ground, with the Rooster picking up 18 disposals, two marks, two tackles and three inside 50s in the loss. Kristi Harvey was strong throughout once again with 15 touches, five marks and three rebound 50s, teaming up with youngster Amelie Borg (eight disposals, three marks, three tackles and three rebound 50s) in defence. Lauren Daniel (14 disposals, six marks, three clearances and two inside 50s), Kathryn Reynolds (10 disposals, five marks, three tackles and three inside 50s) and Jaimi Tabb (10 disposals, six tackles, two clearances and a goal) were others who worked hard throughout the game.

WWT EAGLES 0.1 | 1.2 | 2.3 | 3.4 (22)
NORWOOD 1.5 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 4.8 (32)

GOALS:

Eagles: K. Lee, J. Tabb, J. Zecevic.
Norwood: E. Drake 2, R. Zerella, M. Breed.

DC BEST:

Eagles: N. Collie, R. Forth, K. Lee, A. Falkenberg, S. Goody
Norwood: S. Armitstead, J. Halfpenny, L. Cutting, E. Drake, S. Syme

Norwood has won its fifth consecutive game with a 10-point triumph over the in-form Woodville-West Torrens Eagles. The Redlegs peppered the goals early and did not make as much of their chances as they could have, with the Eagles cutting the deficit to just three points at the final break. Two goals early in the fourth term cemented the Bloods’ control, and whilst the Eagles kicked a consolation major in the last minute, it would not be enough, going down 4.8 (32) to 3.4 (22). Norwood dominated possession (210-167), and easily won the hitouts (34-10), clearances (28-19) and inside 50s (35-15), which was a credit to the Eagles’ defence to not suffer a larger defeat, but they racked up the 29 rebound 50s to 12 to show a staunch resistance to the Redlegs’ attack.

Sophie Armitstead led the way with 17 disposals, five clearances and four inside 50s, as youngster Jade Halfpenny again stepped up in the midfield with a fantastic 15 touches, four marks, three clearances and seven inside 50s. Isabel Martin (14 disposals, three inside 50s), Sachi Syme (13 disposals, four tackles, five clearances and three inside 50s) and Leah Cutting (12 disposals, four marks, 33 hitouts, four tackles, two clearances and four inside 50s) were others in the midfield who impressed, as Elizabeth Drake slotted two goals from 13 touches and five marks up forward.

The defensive work of Nicole Collie (20 disposals, six marks – two contested – three tackles and five rebound 50s) and Renee Forth (17 disposals five marks, three tackles and five rebound 50s) helped keep the Eagles in the contest, while Shineah Goody (14 disposals, two clearance sand two tackles) and Anastasia Falkenberg (13 disposals, three marks, five tackles and three rebound 50s) were good once again. Kiana Lee slotted the last goal of the game for her side yet again, and finished with 12 disposals, six marks – three contested – three tackles and 1.1.

WEST ADELAIDE 2.3 | 2.6 | 4.11 | 7.11 (53)
SOUTH ADELAIDE 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 2.4 (16)

GOALS:

West: C. Biddell 2, M. Elsegood 2, K. Culhane, S. Whjiting, L. Young.
South: J. Kirk, L. Whiteley.

DC BEST:

West: C. Biddell, L. Young, L. McCarthy, A. Considine, K. Kustermann
South: B. Wedding, M. McKinnon, L. Whiteley, J. Griffen, J. Kirk

West Adelaide bounced back from three consecutive losses to produce a sterling 37-point win over South Adelaide in the last game at Adelaide Oval. The Bloods booted five goals to one after half-time following a tight first half, to begin to capitalise on their scoring opportunities, of which they had 18 scoring shots to six during the comprehensive 7.11 (53) to 2.4 (16) victory. With their AFL Women’s stars and State Academy members back in the side and leading the way again, the Westies had too much firepower for the Panthers during the big win. The key differences in the stats were the hitouts heavily in South’s favour (27-7), though West just sharked them with a domination in the clearances (23-9) and inside 50s (29-23).

Keeley Kustermann relished the open space of Adelaide Oval with a team-high 17 disposals, as fellow young guns Lauren Young (15 disposals, two marks, five tackles, three clearances, three inside 50s and a goal) and Zoe Venning (11 disposals, two marks, five tackles and two clearances) also had good days upon return. Chelsea Biddell was huge with 2.2 from 15 touches, eight marks and five inside 50s, while fellow Adelaide Crows talents, Madison Newman (16 disposals, three marks and five tackles) and Ailish Considine (12 disposals, five marks, four inside 50s and three rebound 50s) were also impressive. Louella McCarthy continued her strong form with 17 touches, four tackles, four clearances and three inside 50s in the victory.

Brianna Wedding‘s work in defence this year remained strong with four marks – two contested – six rebound 50s and 20 disposals the end result for the tall. Supporting her throughout the match were Jaimi Griffen (17 disposals, five marks, two tackles and two rebound 50s), Lisa Whiteley (15 disposals, five marks, four tackles and two inside 50s) and Czenya Cavouras (12 disposals, five tackles, two clearance and three inside 50s) impressive through the midfield. Montana McKinnon dominated in the ruck yet again with 11 touches, four marks – three contested – 23 hitouts and six inside 50s, while Jess Kirk slotted 1.1 from eight disposals, three marks – two contested – and four tackles.

Picture credit: Scott Starkey