Australian Football

Match Report

The sudden death clash in the Elimination Final between the Redlegs and the Bulldogs kicked off at midday. The Redlegs season began really promisingly, with only a single loss by the half-way mark of the year among their nine victories. But the wheels began to fall off a bit from there, a couple of losses on the trot to lower-placed sides including an away loss to Glenelg followed by a humiliating defeat to Centrals at The Parade just the beginning of a drama-filled second half of the year which saw them win just two out of the last seven games of the minor round. They would finish fourth on the ladder and although an Elimination Final is no new thing for Norwood, given that they won the flag from this game back in 1984, their path to the finals was far more rocky this time around.

On the other hand there was the Bulldogs, who didn't figure into last year's finals and were dumped from the major rounds of 2012 and 2013 with relative ease and were probably the most unlikely contender for finals this year. Their form this year had been patchy at best, not breaking into the top five for the majority of the season. The Dogs would win just three matches and draw one in the first 11 rounds of the year, but their second half efforts would suddenly make them a contender with six wins from the last eight rounds which included the aforementioned win against the Redlegs in Round 12 and their last round win against South Adelaide which inserted them into fifth position, their first entry into the top five for the year. In their other encounter with the reigning premiers this season, the Dogs would go down by four goals at Elizabeth in Round 2.

The skies were grey early on in the match, both teams struggled to get on the board in a scrappy and error-ridden first term. It took skills best reserved for the world game to get the first majors on the board for both sides, Ben Mabon and Michael Newton booting volleys through the big sticks for their respective teams' openers. Another goal to the Redlegs and pairs of behinds to both sides saw the 'Legs ahead by a goal at quarter-time as the sun started peeking in. The Redlegs wouldn't post another major for the entire second quarter, only managing three behinds as the Bulldogs posted a pair of majors through Justin Hoskin and Caleb Edmead, the former taking an speccy grab for the highlight reel as the Dogs went into the half-time break with a three-point lead.

When play resumed, the Bulldogs began turning the screws a bit more as the Redlegs started to wilt under the body pressure being exerted. Peter Persinos bagged a much-needed goal from the 50-metre arc but a trio of Bulldog goals would extend the gap by the final change. Centrals' 3.3 to Norwood's 1.2 would see the Dogs up by 16 points at three quarter-time. Unfortunately the Redlegs' title defence would be in tatters from here as the Doggies went on their merry way to finish the match with a barnstorming final term. With the Centrals army in full voice, they rammed home 6.2 to the 'Legs 1.4 to run out 44-point winners, Hoskin and Potter bobbing up again along with Trent Goodrem with their goals.

Luke Habel was a vital cog in defence and bagged a goal as well in his best afield effort for Centrals, the Redlegs named Kristian Roocke as their best in a forgettable 50th match.