First Nations Round Hostplus SANFL Snapshot – Sunday

Don’t discount the reigning premier Redlegs just yet.

Despite losing its opening eight matches, Norwood is just two wins away from fourth spot after earning a third successive victory, by 29 points against Sturt at Wigan Oval.

Restricting the Double Blues to just three goals for the match, the visitors are now making the most of their chances to build some momentum toward an unlikely finals run.

Recording 13 fewer inside 50 entries, Jade Rawlings charges also benefited from an undisciplined Sturt outfit which gave away two crucial free kicks – which resulted in goals to 100-gamer Declan Hamilton and Connor McLean late in the third quarter.

Now with an eight-point advantage at the final change, Norwood stretched it to 14 points when Hamilton provided a superb goal assist to teammate Baynen Lowe for a close-range conversion.

McLean kicked another in the goal square when teammate Harry Boyd cleverly provided a volleyball spike for a goal assist and once Grand Final hero Matt Panos spun and snapped truly off balance, the Legs were home.

Norwood’s Nik Rokahr led the way on the stats sheet with 25 disposals and six tackles while midfielder Matt Ling and in-form intercept defender Pierce Seymour collected 20 possessions each.

Hamilton celebrated his milestone with two goals – his first being tough set shot from the boundary – while Panos and McLean also kicked two majors.

Still without injured Tom Lewis – who would have thrived in the heavy conditions – Sturt had Casey Voss rack up 23 disposals and 10 marks while Jared Dakin tallied 21 disposals and Pat Wilson 18.

Riley Holder’s chase down tackle with less than a minute to play paints a picture of Glenelg’s desperation in 2023.

With the Tigers already boasting a commanding 57-point lead, Holder put the accelerator down in the centre square to run down Central District’s Marcus Barreau in impressive fashion.

The tall forward’s defensive effort resulted in another major for his team after the siren, to Luke Partington, as their winning streak stretched to 10 with a 63-point triumph over the Bulldogs.

And if that moment wasn’t enough, vice-captain Liam McBean’s incredibly unselfish handball over the top to club debutant Connor McLeod in the goal square also spoke volumes of the team spirit at Brighton Road.

McLeod, in his first season with the Bays after crossing from the Eagles, was then swamped by every Tiger on the ground in the midst of a rampant seven-goal fourth quarter.

The hosts were challenged by the Bulldogs when they hit the front four minute into the second term after Barreau kicked his second goal in as many minutes.

But the Tigers were quick to respond as they led by 21 points at half-time and 30 by the final change as in-form Tiger Matt Allen continued his eye-catching run of form.

Chalking up 27 disposals, nine marks, four tackles and three classy goals, Allen is looming as a genuine difference-maker for the Bays.

As always, he had plenty of support in the midfield from Partington (29 disposals), Billy Stretch (27 disposals), Matt Snook (24 disposals) and Corey Lyons (22 disposals).

Defenders Darcy Bailey (35 disposals), Max Proud and Jonty Scharenberg (23 disposals and 10 marks each) have plenty of confidence in each other while Toby Pink and Brodie Newman hold down their posts.

In attack the options are plentiful as Lachie Hosie set the crowd alight with two huge marks and four goals to match efficient teammate Luke Reynolds on the goal kickers list while McBean and Allen kicked three each.

Central had Harry Grant battle hard in the mud for 27 disposals, seven tackles and seven clearances while defender Billy Iles collected 23 disposals and 11 marks.

Barreau, Aiden Grace and Nick Lange each kicked two goals for the visitors.

North Adelaide was quick to set the tone as it eclipsed Adelaide by nine points at Prospect Oval.

Busting out of the blocks with noticeable intent, the Roosters were clearly desperate to turn their form around as they piled on six of the first seven goals for the afternoon.

Heading to the quarter-time huddle with a statement-making 30-point lead, Jacob Surjan’s men appeared to be running out of steam when the Crows cut the margin to just three points 12 minutes into the third term.

But the visitors’ fightback was short-lived when Nigel Lockyer Junior celebrated First Nations Round in fine style to boot consecutive majors during time-on.

Having restored a 15-point lead at the last change, the hosts then made it 21 points when classy First Nations star Frank Szekely saluted less than three minutes into the fourth stanza.

Although it was North’s final score for the game, they had done enough to cling on as Adelaide squandered opportunities to steal the win while booting the final 1.6 of the contest.

The presence of Sam Mayes was noticeable for the Roosters as he kicked the opening goal of the game on his way to collecting 25 disposals and five clearances.

Harrison Wigg was excellent with 33 disposals and eight marks for North while captain Alex Spina tallied 29 disposals and nine marks.

Lockyer and Szekely booted two goals each for North, who had eight goal scorers in their fifth win of the season.

Adelaide ball magnet Matt Crouch loved the heavy conditions while tallying 37 disposals and six clearances while Jackson Hately and Patrick Parnell registered 23 possessions each.

Former Rooster Tariek Newchurch also put on a display for First Nations Round with his three goals, one being a skillful checkside finish from the boundary line.