Australian Football

Match Report

At Coopers Stadium in Norwood the Redlegs faced the Panthers for some Friday Night Mayhem. The Redlegs have whacked the Panthers from pillar to post over the last few years, although the blue & whites have caused the 'Legs some blushes during that time. From the past 13 matches, the Redlegs have dropped just three games, but up until this season they had not lost points to them at Noarlunga for the previous seven games when the Panthers took a 40-point win in Round 6 this season. The Panthers, in past years, have shown that they are capable of winning at Norwood.

But a horror start for the visitors would kick off proceedings as the Redlegs raced out to a 44-point lead by quarter-time after kicking eight goals to South's four behinds. However in astonishing fashion, the Redlegs machine sputtered and slowed to a crawl from this point as the Panthers sought to repair the damage. The 'Legs kicked just two behinds in the second term, the Panthers kicked 2.3 to bring the gap back to 31 points by the long break. Norwood's sudden drop in form after such a barnstorming opening would continue long after half-time, but the Panthers' couldn't make a significant impact on the scoreboard when play resumed. The Redlegs' 1.3 to South's 1.2 would see the three quarter-time gap set at 32 points. The Panthers would win almost every stat possible on the field and made a last-ditch run at the suddenly ordinary Norwood outfit. But the Redlegs' first quarter was the real difference maker as it held off the Panthers by 13 points, after kicking 1.2 to 4.3 in the closing term.

Matthew Panos was voted the Redlegs' best, while the Panthers named Tom Fields as their best afield.