Round 2 Hostplus SANFLW League Match Wraps

By WARREN PARTLAND

Glenelg put rivals on notice of its premiership title credentials with a powerful 36-point victory over Sturt at Thebarton Oval.

Kept scoreless by the Double Blues in the opening quarter, the Tigers bared their teeth and responded to take control after quarter time.

Jessica Bates was outstanding for the Tigers, amassing 27 possessions, while Piper Window was her usual busy self. Ellie Kellock and Jasmin Stewart also had a heavy influence.

The Double Blues seriously challenged the Tigers in the first term, relying on terrific forward pressure to test the Tigers’ defence. It was that pressure which enabled Monique Bessen to snap their first goal, and India Rasheed to nail the second.

The Tigers needed answers and they found plenty in the second term, bagging four unanswered goals and keeping the Double Blues scoreless.

Bays skipper Samantha Franson then goalled less than two minutes into the third term to put the Tigers in a commanding position.

History has repeated for West Adelaide after conquering North Adelaide by 18 points at Hisense Stadium.

The Bloods have now won their opening two games, as they did last year, when they also beat the Roosters in the second round.

An impressive second quarter from the Bloods, led by Asha Dufour and Keeley Kustermann, when they added three goals, while conceding just a behind, proved decisive.

There was only one goal in the first quarter, courtesy of individual brilliance from Roosters’ Jemma Whitington-Charity, who kicked the major as the quarter-siren sounded.

Despite the Bloods having plenty more trips inside their 50, the Roosters also registered the only goal in the third quarter when Julia Clark kicked truly.

But the Bloods finally got some reward for their territorial domination when they bagged both goals in the final quarter.

Composed Katelyn Pope, with 24 disposals, was outstanding for the Roosters, along with captain Jess Edwards, whose class was again on show.

A dominant final quarter propelled Norwood to its first win of the season with a 20-point triumph over South Adelaide in testing weather conditions at Flinders University Stadium.

With a strong wind at their backs, the Redlegs kicked the only three goals of the final term and kept the Panthers scoreless. In fact, the Panthers failed to go inside their attacking 50 in the final quarter.

The Panthers lost just two minor round games last season, but have been beaten in their first two rounds this year.

Midway through the first quarter, Panther Emily Brockhurst soccered the ball through for the only goal of the term. However, the home side will rue an inability to use the wind, adding five behinds for the first quarter.

The Panthers still led at three-quarter time, only for Morphettville Park product Amelia Rusden to put the Redlegs in front with a goal three minutes into the final term.

Her teammate Adrienne Davies then took advantage of a favourable bounce to nail a brilliant goal and all but seal the deal for the visitors.

Reigning premier Central District raised its premiership flag at X Convenience Oval and celebrated with a 12-point win over a highly-competitive Woodville-West Torrens.

The Bulldogs rode to victory on the back of a dominant first quarter when they kicked four goals and conceded just a behind to establish a commanding 25-point buffer.

Among the goalscorers in the first quarter was gun Bulldogs’ forward Katelyn Rosenzweig, the league’s leading goalkicker who failed to register a major in the opening round win over Norwood. She finished with three goals.

Faced with a mammoth task at quarter-time, the Eagles showed enormous fight to outscore the Bulldogs by three points for the final three quarters.

Eagles trio Poppy Waterford (21 disposals), Grace Martin (20) and Annie Falkenberg (19) were the leading possession-winners. Caitlin Wendland led the Bulldogs with 18.

It was a terrific team-performance from the Bulldogs, well illustrated by the opening goal to Julia Teakle, with the workload shared.

The Bulldogs were well beaten in the ruck hitouts and clearances, but squared the inside 50 count.