Australian Football

Match Report

The last Friday Night Mayhem fixture for the 2020 season takes us to the Coopers Stadium in Norwood for the clash between the Redlegs and the Bloods. These sides last met in Round 6, which ended in a heavy defeat for the Bloods at Richmond. The Redlegs romped to a 67-point win, scoring nine goals in the opening half followed by 10 in the second. At that time, the Redlegs were in fourth position on the league ladder. But thanks to last week's horrid loss to South Adelaide, their season was done and dusted. The Bloods were handed a belting last week as well, a 76-point smashing by the Eagles at Richmond effectively guaranteeing them their third wooden spoon in the five seasons following their 2015 premiership. 

The wet weather ensured this would end up being a low-scoring affair, the Redlegs only keeping the Bloods at arms length in the opening term thanks to their defensive work on the goal-line keeping the visitors to just two rushed behinds. At the other end, the 'Legs kicked five behinds before a goal in the last minutes of the first term saw them up by nine points at quarter-time. Westies found the goals in the second term, but were still down by seven points at the long break after outscoring the 'Legs 2.3 to 2.1. The third term was quite the struggle in the sodden conditions, the two sides going goal for goal with the teams scoring three goals each. The margin was back out to nine points again by the final change, Norwood adding three behinds to the Bloods' one. But the Bloods were determined to go out with a bang and kept the home side to just two behinds in the final term, they went on to kick 3.3 on their way to a 10-point win to close their dismal season on a positive note. 

Kaine Stevens is sure to take out his third Neil Kerley Medal, named Westies' best afield with 34 disposals. The Redlegs would name Matthew Nunn as their best on ground, he notched up 25 disposals and laid 10 tackles.