Australian Football

Match Report

To start the thread off this week, we kick off with some Friday Night Lights at the Coopers Stadium in Norwood where the Bloods faced the Redlegs. It was only six weeks ago that these sides last met, back in Round 10 at Richmond the Bloods fell agonisingly short of a streak-breaker. A one-point win allowed the 'Legs to keep a winning streak that started in Round 5 all the way to last week against the Blues at Unley. Westies' final term flurry against the Bulldogs allowed them to keep their faint finals hopes alive, but their inaccuracy on goal was of primary concern to the faithful. 

The rain poured down from the start of play, both sides not finding it too difficult to score but accuracy was an issue. The Redlegs would take a seven-point lead into the first change, scoring 3.4 to 2.3 in the opening term. Norwood exerted more control of the play in the second term, the Bloods goal-kicking woes allowing the 'Legs to start building a lead. Not that they weren't having some woes of their own, they scored 4.5 to 1.4 to take their lead out to 26 points by half-time. When play resumed, it was the Bloods that struck first but the Redlegs would soon strike hard. Norwood would not be threatened again after this, they piled on 9.3 to the Bloods' 2.3 to break out to a 68-point lead by three quarter-time. By night's end, the streak would go to 10 matches undefeated. On the minus side, their last quarter shooting was a bit off. They scored 2.5 to 1.1 to run out 13-goal winners. 

Matt Panos was named Norwood's best afield, the Bloods named Tom Keough as their standout.