Round 14 Hostplus SANFL Snapshot – Saturday

Central District fended off South Adelaide’s second-quarter challenge to easily account for the Panthers by 25 points at X Convenience Oval.

Having jumped the visitors which yielded the opening three goals of the game within eight minutes, the Bulldogs were able to maintain their charge for a finals berth with a fine defensive display in the second half.

Keeping Jarrad Wright’s charges without a goal for the second half, the Dogs’ efficiency was a feature of their win as they registered 12 more inside 50 entries despite having 41 fewer disposals.

Late inclusion Beau Thomas – the younger brother of Central coach Paul Thomas – kicked his first League goal with his first kick to open up the 18-point break.

From there, South managed to close within seven points after Magarey Medallist Bryce Gibbs goaled on the half-time siren but the hosts had all the answers as they eased back out to a 20-point lead by the final change.

Thomas’ had no shortage of contributors who provided an even effort as Billy Iles racked up 20 kicks from the back half while Harry Grant and Kyle Presbury each collected 19 disposals.

Dogs skipper Jarrod Schiller finished with 18 disposals and a goal while Luca Whitelum was the only multiple goal kicker for the game with two.

South now faces an enormous task to qualify for the top five as they sit eighth with a 4-10 win-loss record.

Panthers midfield trio Oliver Davis (26 disposals), Mitch O’Neill (22 disposals) and Gibbs (21 disposals) provided some resistance while reliable defender Joseph Haines tallied 22 possessions rebounding from defence.

North Adelaide survived a major scare from reigning premier Norwood to hold on by eight points at Prospect Oval.

Needing a win to retain their place in the top five, the Roosters were able to bank the vital premiership points by responding to the Redlegs’ late challenge in the final term.

Working hard to establish an 11-point lead at three quarter-time, North had their advantage cut to just two points when Legs skipper Matthew Nunn and key forward Goy Lok nailed their set shots amid the driving rain.

Fellow Norwood forward Baynen Lowe missed his opportunity to put the visitors in front and as the visitors trailed by a behind, North excitement machine Nigel Lockyer bobbed up to boot the sealer in the 24th minute.

Pouncing on the loose, bouncing ball, Lockyer snapped on his favoured left foot from 30m to send the Prospect faithful into raptures deep into time-on.

Without Magarey Medallist Campbell Combe (concussion), the Roosters had Harrison Wigg step up to be the Coles Value Player with 26 disposals and eight clearances.

”That was a really tough game,” Wigg told Channel 7 after the final siren.

”Credit to the boys to stick at it as we knew they would come at us. We’ve just got to keep winning and the rest will take care of itself.

”People think we are all about offence but today we showed we could win when it is a slog.”

Emerging midfielder Will Gowers racked up 26 disposals while mature-age utility Jack McCann continues to be a danger with his run and carry as he picked up 23 disposals.

Cameron Craig was rock solid in defence for 17 touches and five marks while premiership forward Keenan Ramsey made a welcome return with two goals, including a remarkable soccer goal to the Farmer End.

Norwood’s brave charge to ignite its season has all but come to a halt as it remains at the foot of the table with a 3-11 win-loss record.

Tireless midfielder Nik Rokahr tallied a game-high 33 disposals and Nunn finished with 29 and his vital goal in the fourth term.

Fellow onballers Jacob Kennerley (25 dispsosals) and Cory Stockdale (24 disposals) also battled hard but it wasn’t enough to prevent their side from falling short.

Good sides find a way to win and that’s exactly what Glenelg mustered against a brave West Adelaide as it carved out a 10-point victory at Stratarama Stadium.

Despite managing just one goal in the first half and trailing by as much as 22 points, four minutes into the third quarter, the Bays rolled up their sleeves in the challenging conditions to boot the last five goals of the game.

The Bloods had played to the conditions far better in the opening half as they made the most of their opportunities to create immense scoreboard pressure on the hosts, who were aiming to hold on to top spot.

But with Tiger talls Liam McBean and Lachie Hosie well held, it was Luke Reynolds who stepped up to provide the match-winning spark with two pivotal set shot finishes in the third term to reduce the margin to nine points.

Then Bays midfielder Brett Turner laid a crunching tackle which allowed Reynolds to handball through to Hosie, who soccered out of mid-air to have the deficit trimmed to just three points at the last change.

After Swans recruit James Bell calmly slotted through his set shot to put the Tigers in front for the first time in the seventh minute of the final term, it was only fitting that Reynolds sealed the deal.

The classy left footer helped ensure the ball would remain in a dangerous area 30m from goal before team-mate Will Chandler snared a loose handball, snapped the ball over the top to Reynolds, who ran into the open goal square for his third.

Turner’s strength in the contest was noticeable in the wet as he powered his way to 20 disposals, 11 tackles and four clearances while fellow Glenelg midfielders Corey Lyons (17 disposals) and Matt Snook (17 disposals, 12 tackles) provided plenty of grunt work around the ball.

Skipper Max Proud (19 disposals, eight marks) read the ball brilliantly across half back, particularly to help his side surge forward after half-time while Reynolds was a clear difference-maker with his three majors.

West’s Tom Morrish (26 disposals) and Kobe Ryan (22 disposals, 17 tackles) were immense in their effort to get the Bloods across the line, as was defender Josh Ryan in helping keep an inform McBean to one goal.

But ultimately, the Bloods couldn’t contain the Tigers considering the inside 50 count was 57-30 in the hosts’ favour as they also laid a whopping 110 tackles for the match.