Round 5 SANFL Snapshot – Sunday

Port Adelaide prevented Glenelg from producing yet another escape act when it claimed a nail-biting three-point win at ACH Group Stadium.

With the Tigers’ Reid Kuller producing a game-winning goal against the Eagles on Anzac Day, first-year Bays forward Hugh Stagg nearly repeated the dose in the 29th minute of the fourth term against the Magpies.

After pouncing on the loose ball 25m out, directly in front, Stagg chose to grubber his shot along the ground which proved fatal as the ball bounced the wrong side of the behind post.

It ensured Port would be deserved winners for the afternoon after controlling the contest for the match by denying the Tigers the space they crave to produce their entertaining brand of football.

The move of burly half-back Lachie Jones into the centre square helped the visitors secure their first victory of the season, Jones finishing with 20 disposals, seven marks and six tackles which should put him under notice for AFL selection.

Magpie Sam Mayes collected a team-high 28 disposals and kicked a nice snap goal in the first term and Taj Schofield displayed his impressive foot skills with 19 possessions and two goals.

Port captain Cam Sutcliffe returned from a hamstring strain to lay 10 tackles while hard-working forward Ollie Lord continues to present well through half-forward, finishing with 12 disposals, six marks and two majors.

Glenelg star Luke Partington was his team’s only genuine four-quarter contributor, tirelessly working for his 31 disposals, 11 clearances and eight tackles while forward Lachie Hosie kicked five goals to keep his side in the game at various junctures.

Sturt forward Abe Davis was a key difference-maker in his team’s 28-point win against Norwood at Wigan Oval.

Booting a game-breaking six goals, Davis was instrumental in setting up his team’s fourth win with two goals early in the first and second terms.

Just when the Redlegs thought they had curtailed the strongly-built utility, he bobbed up again to finish off the game by nailing the last two majors of the afternoon.

Star Sturt midfielders James Battersby (27 disposals, five clearances, one goal) and Patrick Wilson (27 disposals, nine clearances, two goals) also proved difficult for the visitors to negate while Tom Lewis (21 disposals) was unsurprisingly forced into the No.51 guernsey after bleeding for his team’s cause.

West End State squad defender Casey Voss did his chances of selection no harm with 18 disposals and eight marks while the mobility of Double Blues ruckman Amos Doyle is a feature of his game as he tallied 14 disposals, six tackles, six clearances and 31 hit outs.

Norwood’s Nik Rokahr was everywhere for his 36 possessions and 11 marks as he continually tried to drag his team back into the match but after the Legs got within 14 points twice in the final term, it was Davis who put victory beyond reach for the visitors.

Redleg Jay Rantall collected 27 disposals and eight tackles while experienced pair Matthew Nunn (22 disposals, 10 tackles) and Declan Hamilton (25 possessions) also fought hard for the visitors.

Adelaide’s was pushed to the brink to claim its first win at Flinders University Stadium in seven years when it outlasted South Adelaide by 11 points.

Despite skipping out to a commanding 25-point lead after kicking the first four goals of the game, the Crows were forced to withstand several Panther fightbacks to hold on to the premiership points.

Leading by just two points at the final change, the visitors – without coach Michael Godden who was out due to Covid protocols – looked in trouble with exciting South debutant Kim Kantilla put his team in front two minutes into the fourth term.

But consecutive majors to Darcy Fogarty and Fisher McAsey opened up a nine -point lead before Kantilla struck again with his third goal for the game to trim the margin back to three on the verge of time-on.

But with James Rowe earning the Coles Valued Player award for his 24 disposals, seven marks and a goal, Crows defender Mitch Hinge sealed the deal with a goal from long range on the final siren.

Fellow Crows midfielders Nathan Freeman (24 disposals, seven marks) and Wayne Milera (23 disposals, eight marks) were also influential while Luke Nankervis (22 disposals and a goal) continues to develop with each League outing.

Adelaide defender Josh Worrell registered a team high 27 possessions while Hinge had 20 and his long bomb major to celebrate his team’s first win at Lovelock Drive since Round 17, 2015.

South’s Mitch O’Neill returned to the side to have an impact with 33 disposals, five clearances and eight tackles while Oliver Davis performed strongly against his old side to finish with 29 possessions and six marks.

Bryce Gibbs had a strong second half after shaking a tag from Crow Louis Sharrad to tally 25 disposals but the South fans were all talking about the first League game of Kim Kantilla, the great grandson of South premiership ruckman David Kantilla.

From the Tiwi Islands, Kantilla was electric with his speed and evasive skills, finishing with 18 disposals and 11 marks to go with his three goals and three tackles.