Australian Football

Match Report

Onto the traditional Saturday afternoon and we first head up north for the league's own "Distance Derby" between the Bulldogs and the Panthers. Since a stinging defeat at home to the Dogs in the final round of 2015 in which they missed the finals, the Panthers exacted their vengeance in two wins in 2016. In Round 17 they downed the Dogs by 21 points at Noarlunga, but it was their 31-point win in Round 4 at the Ponderosa that was the true measure of their fury. Last round, the Dogs led early against Norwood but still crashed while the Panthers sent an early warning through the Roosters at Prospect. 

This time around the Dogs wouldn't even bag a goal in the opening term, they were kept to just three lousy behinds while the Panthers slotted through 6.2 to lead by 35 points at the first change. In a far less inspiring second quarter, the Dogs outscored the Panthers but hardly made an impression on the gap already created. Centrals' 2.3 to South's 1.3 would bring the gap back to 29 points. Some more fight from the Dogs in the third quarter didn't faze the Panthers too much when play resumed, the visitors regaining their quarter-time lead of 35 points after scoring 4.2 to 3.2. The Dogs inaccuracy in the final term was probably what brought them fully undone in the final quarter, outscoring the Panthers 4.4 to 3.2 to reduce the final margin to 27 points. 

Nick Liddle was named South's best afield, the Dogs named David Haydon as their best.