Australian Football

Match Report

Game number four takes us down to the outer south of the Adelaide metro, the Panthers hosting the Magpies at the Flinders Uni Stadium in Noarlunga. Back in Round 2 at Alberton Oval, the Panthers led by nine points at half-time but then bagged seven goals to two in the third and went on to win by six goals. Fast forward to now and without their most dominant ruckman who was taken in the mid-season AFL draft, the Panthers have fallen from the top three and are now at risk of missing September action. They fell to Norwood last week, while the Magpies were toppled by the Tigers at home. 

After a run of three straight defeats and sitting in sixth, South needed to respond. Early on the Panthers were able to match what Port threw at them, both sides kicking 2.2 each to begin the afternoon's proceedings. The Magpies would have the advantage going into the long break, they scored 4.3 to 3.2 in the second quarter to be up by seven points. The one thing about Noarlunga that has often made the difference is the wind. The Magpies made good use of that wind in the third term, they were able to bag 8.2 to 1.1 and run out to a 46-point lead going into the final term. The Magpies had to go on the defensive in the final term, but South couldn't bridge the gap even with whatever wind was there. They scored 4.6 to Port's 1.1, the visitors leaving with a 28-point victory. 

The Magpies named Peter Ladhams as their best on ground, Matt Rose took out South best afield votes.