Australian Football

Match Report

We begin the action with a long trip out to the west coast and into the Eyre Peninsula for the first of four Saturday games, where the Redlegs faced the Bloods at Port Lincoln's Centenary Oval for the Teakle Cup. Shockingly for the eventual premiers, the points ended up being divided last season. The Redlegs first foray into their newly-acquired country zone resulted in a 68-point win in Round 4, up by just four kicks at half-time the 'Legs overcame their first half inaccuracy and put on the afterburners in the second half kicking 12 goals to four. But the Bloods would have the last word and almost put some seeds of doubt into the Norwood camp, a one-point win at Richmond in the final round of 2022. Of course history will show that the Redlegs rebounded from this loss to take out the flag, but this season has not been kind to them. Still without a win in five games, their latest disappointment coming at Alberton thanks to the Magpies last week while the Bloods' final term wasn't enough to steal victory at Elizabeth. The Redlegs' opening quarter was one of their best so far for this year, kicking three goals before the Bloods could get one of their own. At quarter-time, the 'Legs were ahead by two goals with the board reading 4.1 to 2.1. But the inaccuracy bug came calling for the Norwood camp from here, putting a litany of chances wide as the Bloods chipped some points off their lead by the long break. Westies scored 3.1 to 2.5, bringing the gap back to nine points come half-time. It was the Bloods' turn to get a visit from the bug in the third quarter, but they were starting to win more of the ball and made just that little bit more of their chances. Despite kicking the opening goal of the second half after three minutes, the Redlegs would eventually lose their lead just six minutes later after West kicked four goals on the trot. The Bloods would hold a three-point lead at the final change after scoring 4.5 to 2.4. The last quarter was an arm-wrestle with both sides missing some cruicial chances early on. Unfortunately the Redlegs wouldn't find the big sticks in this period, kicking five behinds. The Bloods on the other hand managed to bag two majors from their three scores and would run out 12-point victors to secure their second win of the season and consign the "home" side to one of their worst starts to the season for over 110 years. Bloods' young gun Kobe Ryan is no doubt in the sights of the scouts with his best afield effort, notching up 28 disposals, laying 16 tackles and effecting 11 clearances. Matt Nunn was best for Norwood, with 29 disposals, nine tackles and nine clearances.