Australian Football

Match Report

We head back towards the city and continue past the buildings and monuments towards the inner south and into the Thomas Farms Oval in Unley where the Double Blues faced the Magpies. Many fans would say that the Blues' last outing against the Magpies was an opportunity lost despite winning under lights at Queen Street back in Round 8. In the icy conditions the Blues held the Magpies goal-less in the first half but had a devil of a time of their own on the big sticks. It was practically over by the long break given the effort it took just to get a shot at goal for either side, but Sturt could have really punished the old enemy by more than just four goals in the end with a tally of 6.15, their worst return since Round 1 where they kicked 7.8. They have won ugly since then as well, but with some better returns. Last week wasn't really ugly though, a much tidier effort saw them home by 20 points against the premiers, while the Magpies would find themselves back in the cellar after a loss to the Panthers at Alberton. The winds that affected play up north also had a part to play here at Oxford Terrace, both sides kicking four behinds each. The Blues had more chances during time-on but fluffed them bad as the Magpies led by a goal at quarter-time having scored three majors to two. The Blues upped the attacking pressure in the second quarter and kept the Magpies relatively quiet, keeping them to 1.1. It was their late goal that gave them the lead going into the long break, they had burned several other chances to score 2.5, taking a four-point lead at half-time. Two key players would be out of action by this time, but Blues fans needn't have worried too much because it wouldn't be long before the Magpies would be silenced once and for all. Though the visitors would regain the lead by one point going into the final change, scoring 2.2 to Sturt's 1.3, that was the last time the visitors would find the big sticks. With the visitors now carrying wounds of their own, the Blues would capitalise and kick four goals in the final stanza to run out 23-point winners and be adrift only by a small percentage in the fight for top position with Norwood. Will Snelling was at his brilliant best again for Sturt, with 36 disposals, nine tackles and six marks. Hugh Jackson was Port's best afield with 20 disposals and eight tackles.