Australian Football

Match Report

Another week, another trip across the Torrens River Bridge and into the Adelaide Oval for the Preliminary Final where the Redlegs and the Crows would face each other once more. It was just a fortnight ago that these two teams last clashed in the Qualifying Final. Adelaide dominated the day, especially in the second and third quarters where they kicked a combined 11 goals to Norwood's miserly three. The Crows would emerge victorious by 55 points, but then dropped their guard just enough the following week to go down to the Roosters by 10 points in their 2nd Semi-Final. The Redlegs redeemed themselves with a 28-point win over the Tigers to earn a second chance at the Grand Final. The third term was a test of their defensive mettle, keeping the Tigers to four behinds before kicking away in the final term. As stated earlier, for six seasons from 2015, the winner of the Preliminary Final has gone on to win the premiership. The Bloods of 2015 started the trend, ending with the Eagles of 2020. In between, the Blues went back-to-back in 2016 & 2017, along with the Roosters (2018) and Glenelg (2019). The Tigers' eventual loss in the 2021 decider broke the streak. The Redlegs have participated in 40 Preliminary Finals and have won 20, while the Crows have yet to take victory in two previous outings in 2016 against Sturt, then 2019 against Glenelg. Norwood have been successful on several occasions in going through a Prelim and winning the lot, the most recent case being their 1997 season. There is also their famous 1978 and 1984 premiership seasons, both of which they were never truly expected to win against seemingly superior opposition. Of course with this in mind there have been some forgettable matches, including the Redlegs' previous PF appearance back in 2011. The Eagles kept them to just 3.5, winning by 44 points on their way to that year's flag, which at the time was 13 years since the last PF winner that won a title. That was Port Adelaide, who thumped the Bloods by almost 13 goals and went on to defeat Sturt in the 1998 decider.

Norwood were exposed in several areas two weeks ago and no doubt there were some extra things being worked on in training sessions at The Parade. The word from the 'Legs camp on that loss to the Crows was that they didn't play "the Norwood way". And speaking of training, there was the initial lockout from training on the Adelaide Oval before the media got wind and then the Redlegs were allowed onto the hallowed turf eventually. If they needed some real motivation, they got it. There was a difference in mentality for the Redlegs this week and although the Crows did have more chances in the opening term, they fluffed their fair share. The Crows would be just one goal up at quarter-time, a last-minute major before the siren had the scoreboard showing them with 4.3 and the Redlegs' with 3.3. Less than half a minute into the second term and the Crows would find that the Redlegs did indeed mean business this time and though Adelaide did hit a patch of form in the middle of the term to kick out to a 19-point lead, the Redlegs closed the quarter in fine fashion to keep that one-kick gap going into the rooms at the long break. The Crows scored 3.2, the Redlegs had 4.1, at half-time it was a one-point lead to Adelaide. Stat check now, the Redlegs' attacking zone was seemingly easier to break out of going by the rebound 50 count. Obviously for the most part, Norwood's defenders were making life difficult for Adelaide's attack to make up for that, despite the Crows winning the clearances. In the centre, the Redlegs' ruck was doing quite well against an AFL-caliber opponent. The Crows threatened to break away in the third term, but their shooting kept the Redlegs well and truly in it. It could have been a four-kick deficit, but instead it would be just two. A last chance to make it just one went astray for the 'Legs in the last minutes and at three quarter-time, Adelaide were holding onto a seven-point lead. For over three quarters, the Crows were either in front or level. Six minutes into the final term, the Redlegs drew level once more. After 15 minutes, Norwood got their breakthrough. They took the lead and didn't let go. The question about desire was answered as the Redlegs forged onward, altogether scoring 4.3 to Adelaide's 1.3. Two of those Crows behinds were in the dying stages as they desperately tried to wrestle back the lead, but the Redlegs weren't to be denied as they emerged 11-point winners. Magarey runner-up Nik Rokahr was named Norwood's best, with 30 disposals, 11 tackles and six clearances to his name. For the Crows, it was Brett Turner with 26 disposals, 11 clearances and 10 tackles.