An upset defeat for Woodville-West Torrens leaves them clinging to a spot in the five, Sturt continued their march towards a top-three finish after overcoming a fellow contender, while Adelaide put a huge dent in North Adelaide's finals hopes.
Read all about it in this week's SANFL Wrap.
Norwood 12.14.(86) def Central District 6.8.(44)
Norwood strengthened their grip on top spot of the SANFL ladder with a commanding 42-point win over Central District at The Parade on Saturday.
The Redlegs' fifth consecutive win was set up with a dominant first half, taking a 43-point lead into the main break that could have been more if not for inaccuracy in front of goal.
Norwood controlled the midfield battle from the outset, winning clearances by 16 and disposals by 53 in the first half alone.
This allowed the Redlegs to lock the ball in their forward half and set up repeat entries, resulting in an incredible 35-7 inside 50 advantage by half-time.
At one stage early in the second term Norwood led inside 50s by a staggering 23-1, with their pressure denying Central any opportunity to move the ball.
Despite registering 17 scoring shots to four in the opening half, the Redlegs frittered away chances in front of goal, leading 8.9 to 2.2.
The Bulldogs wrestled back some momentum in the second half and outscored their hosts by a point, but the damage was already done.
Redlegs ruckman Harry Boyd was pivotal to the win, putting in one of the best ruck performances in recent memory as he collected a mammoth 30 disposals, 48 hitouts and 17 clearances against the inexperienced Harvey Howe.
Using his superior strength and position, Boyd consistently gave first use to his midfielders or cleared the ball himself as he helped get the ball moving in his team's direction.
Baynen Lowe was one of the midfielders who feasted on Boyd's dominance, recording 18 disposals, seven clearances and a goal in another sparkling performance.
Skipper Jacob Kennerley spent more time through the midfield to finish with 22 touches and three clearances, while Alec Wright (14 disposals and six tackles) was tough in the clinches and Billy Cootee was polished with ball in hand.
Jackson Callow was a key playmaker in the first-half onslaught, kicking three goals in the second quarter and continually presented as a strong marking target.
Finn Heard (three goals) also took some towering grabs inside 50 and held his own as a pinch-hitting ruck with six hitouts and six clearances.
Jayden Gale (two goals) and Izaak Twelftree were also dangerous around goal.
Matthew Ling (19 disposals and four rebound 50s) worked hard across half-back despite receiving a heavy tag from Jordan Tippins and was key in kick-starting the Redlegs' ball movement.
Jack Heard played a valuable game on Bulldogs key forward Hugo Munn, keeping the big man to just four touches and no goals, while Tom Graham played a solid lockdown role on Dale Pearce.
For the visitors, Harry Grant worked tirelessly through the midfield to be Centrals' best player, amassing 20 disposals and six clearances.
Billy Iles (20 disposals and 14 rebound 50s) regularly repelled the Bulldogs out of defence, while Rhett Montgomerie (16 disposals and five marks) read the play well to take a couple of important intercept marks.
Brinn Little fought hard against Jackson Callow and performed admirably considering the barrage of entries coming his way, while Zac Buechner deserves praise for backing up after playing reserves and running out two full games on a soggy Norwood Oval deck.
Aiden Grace and Jake Gasper kicked two goals each and were lively inside 50, while Jordan Tippins was disciplined playing as a defensive forward on Matt Ling and made life difficult for the Norwood playmaker.ย
West Adelaide 12.6.(78) def Woodville-West Torrens 5.9.(39)
West Adelaide caused one of the upsets of the season after toppling Woodville-West Torrens by 39 points at Richmond Oval on Saturday to keep their faint finals hopes alive.
With their season quickly spiralling out of control following five consecutive losses, West played with a spirit and dogged determination that had their long-suffering supporters beaming with pride.
The Bloods' fifth victory of the season gives them their best win tally in six years as they move one step closer to avoiding the wooden spoon for the first time since 2018.
It also marks the first time in almost two years that West Adelaide have beaten a top-five team in another key milestone for this developing side.
The Eagles are now in a spiral of their own, having lost their past four games to sit only one win clear inside the top five with four rounds to play.
Despite enjoying a better start and taking a narrow lead into the first break, the Eagles were completely outplayed after quarter-time as West Adelaide ramped up the pressure.
They went goalless for over an hour of play from early in the second term to midway through the last and were held to their lowest score of the season.
West's intent to close down space and apply pressure to the ball carrier made it extremely difficult for Woodville-West Torrens to move the ball and find targets in attack.
Additionally, the Bloods were well set up in defence and were disciplined in locking down their opponents, halting countless Eagles attacks with strong intercept marks that ensured the game was played in their front half.
But it all started in the midfield for West Adelaide, with their toughness at the contest and desire to apply pressure on their opponents proving vital to the result.
Kobe Ryan was a standout for the Bloods, claiming 36 disposals, six tackles and a goal as he worked tirelessly around the ground.
Sam Frost (22 touches, nine clearances and seven tackles), Brady Searle (20 disposals and eight tackles) and Lachie Squire (15 disposals and five clearances) were all influential through the midfield.
Young ruckman Wyatt Ryan enjoyed one of his best performances at senior level, tallying 20 hitouts and three clearances as he took charge of the ruck duel.
Captain Isaac Johnson stepped up for the hosts and was damaging with ball in hand, while Jye Sinderberry (18 disposals and two goals) played one of his best games at league level on the wing.
Hamish Ellem was a strong presence in attack and finished with three goals, while Michael Laudato was a key attacking threat with his speed and pressure inside 50.
Dylan White again executed a defensive forward role, this time minding Josh Morris and blanketing him to the extent that Morris was pushed into the midfield in the last quarter.
Liam Delahunty continues to grow in his new role down back, locking away Lukas Cooke and taking several strong intercept marks.
Darcy Minchella returned to the side and proved his value in locking away big man Connor Ballenden, restricting him to just one goal.
Callum Park (25 disposals and 11 rebound 50s) was assured in defence and negated small forward Max Beattie.
Harvey Bock kept the dangerous Troy Menzel to just one goal and seven touches, while Jordan White took care of James Rowe whenever he was stationed in the forward line and significantly restricted his influence.
The Eagles were well served again by Joe Sinor (24 disposals and five clearances) and Riley Knight (21 disposals and six tackles) who toiled away through the midfield.
James Rowe (19 disposals) was busy early and tried to make things happen with his creativity, while Dane McFarlane (22 disposals and a goal) held up well on the wing.
Jordan Lukac relished the opportunity to play first ruck in the absence of Jarrad Redden, winning 23 hitouts and four clearances and showing his mobility around the ground.
Jordan Moore enjoyed another excellent game at full-back and kept Ned Stevens to just three touches and no goals, while Sam Rowland (16 disposals and seven marks) was a steadying influence.
Max Litster largely held Josh Gore in check and worked hard in the aerial contests, while Zac Buck played a solid close-checking role on Tom Morrish.
North Adelaide 7.13.(55) def by Adelaide Crows 14.9.(93)
North Adelaide blew a golden opportunity to boost their finals chances with a costly 38-point loss to Adelaide at Prospect on Saturday.
With Woodville-West Torrens suffering another defeat that left them teetering on the edge of the top five, a win would have seen North draw level with the Eagles on points.
But, much like their season itself, the Roosters could not sustain their good work for long enough and lacked polish when needed.
North managed 11 more inside 50s across the day but were wasteful in front of goal, especially during the second quarter when they dominated territory for a return of 5.7.
Meanwhile, Adelaide remain an outside chance of sneaking into the finals, currently sitting two games out but with a favourable fixture and cavalry on the way back.
Often praised for their offensive flair, it was Adelaide's defensive work that underpinned the victory, completely stifling North Adelaide's ball movement and forcing them into short chip kicks that ultimately resulted in turnovers.
Adelaide were also effective in clamping down on North Adelaide's dangerous rebounding defenders, ensuring they were not afforded the time or space to set up attacking forays.
The Crows were well served by several AFL-listed players across the park who are putting their hand up for AFL selection.
Dan Curtin (21 disposals, five clearances and two goals) continued his new role in the midfield and showed plenty of promise, spending much of the day opposed to Campbell Combe and holding his own.
Harry Schoenberg (23 disposals and five tackles) thrived in the muddy conditions and was tough in the clinches, as was Charlie Edwards (14 disposals and five clearances), who did some nice things breaking away from stoppage.
Kieran Strachan (15 disposals, 43 hitouts and five clearances) was instrumental in the ruck again, working hard around the ground and providing an aerial presence in attack and defence.
Chayce Jones (15 disposals and four inside 50s) played mostly on the wing but was pushed through the midfield in the last quarter and won a couple of crucial contests.
Jack Madgen (28 disposals and seven marks) had a huge influence across the backline, completely blanketing Keenan Ramsey and repelling repeated North Adelaide attacks.
James Borlase (18 disposals and six rebound 50s) was another important figure in defence and spent time on both Mitch Harvey and Matt McKenzie, as the North ruckmen split time between ruck and defence.
Darcy Clifford played one of his most impressive SANFL games, finishing with 18 disposals and four rebound 50s, while Stephen Tahana fought hard to keep the dangerous Nigel Lockyer relatively quiet.
Oscar Ryan put in another eye-catching performance at half-back, collecting 23 disposals and eight rebound 50s while also locking down on Ewan Mackinlay and keeping him goalless.
Toby Murray was prominent up front for the Crows and booted three goals, showcasing his aerial ability with several strong marks.
Chris Burgess (two goals) also had a major impact on the game with his contested marking, proving too strong for his young opponent Kye Pfrengle before pushing back into defence as a spare man in the last quarter.
While largely kept quiet by Harrison Magor, father-son prospect Tyler Welsh showed some promising signs in kicking two goals and was dangerous around goal.
North Adelaide had Campbell Combe (29 disposals and 16 tackles) and Harrison Wigg (29 disposals and seven clearances) lead the way through the midfield.
Sam Ramsay (26 disposals) found plenty of the ball around the ground, while Hughen Wissman was assigned a tagging role on Harry Schoenberg and competed strongly at the stoppages.
Mitch Harvey fought hard in the ruck and at full forward to finish with 16 hitouts and three goals.ย
Captain Alex Spina still found 24 disposals across half-back, but many of these were rushed under significant pressure, which somewhat blunted his influence.
Harrison Magor (19 disposals) was a solid contributor throughout, while Dyson Hilder competed strongly in the air against Toby Murray and read the play nicely to take some important pack marks.
In a desperate attempt to win the game in the last quarter, Hilder was moved to his traditional position as a key forward and looked lively, while Keenan Ramsey was switched to defence.
Sturt 14.8.(92) def Glenelg 10.12.(72)
Sturt took a major step towards locking in a top-three spot with a hard-fought 20-point win over Glenelg at Unley Oval on Sunday.
A contest befitting a top-three battle between last year's grand final combatants, the game was one of the most gripping played so far this year as both sides challenged each other at different stages.
In the end, Sturt's fast start that saw them kick the first four goals and lead by 28 points at the first break proved crucial, with Glenelg winning the final three quarters but unable to reel in the hefty deficit.
As we have come to expect, Sturt's pressure around the ball was immense, forcing Glenelg into turnovers in their back half that the Blues were able to punish on the scoreboard.ย
The Tigers did well to regroup and kick six goals in the second quarter to trail by just five points at the main break, employing more daring ball use to break the lines and get out the back of Sturt's defence on several occasions.
Three quick goals from Oliver Grivell late in the third broke the game open and gave the Blues a 24-point lead heading into the last quarter.
Glenelg mounted one final charge and made all the running when Luke Reynolds nailed his fourth goal and got the Tigers within 12 points after just six minutes of play.
The visitors continued to pepper the goal front but wasted several golden opportunities to take the lead, scoring four consecutive behinds as numerous chances went begging.
After defending grimly for 15 minutes, Sturt took the ball the full length of the ground and made Glenelg pay, with Grivell kicking another goal to seal the win.
Will Snelling made a welcome return to the Sturt lineup after missing the last two games, collecting 23 disposals, eight clearances, 12 tackles and a goal despite receiving a hard tag from Alex Martini.
James Battersby (21 disposals and 10 clearances) and Tom Lewis (22 disposals and nine tackles) were tireless in the engine room and applied enormous pressure to their Glenelg counterparts.
Grivell was the hero up front, finishing with four goals and nine marks as he continually led up at the ball and marked strongly.
Josh Hone was lively early with two goals in the opening quarter, as was Connor McFadyen, who kicked two majors and was an important target inside 50.
Daniel Fahey-Sparks (19 disposals, 34 hitouts and five clearances) had the better of the ruck duel, while Steve Slimming worked hard all afternoon on the wing.
Casey Voss (26 disposals and eight rebound 50s) was a damaging influence across half-back, while Rory Illman (14 disposals) played a superb game on Glenelg small forward Hugh Stagg.
Luke Edmunds locked down on Liam McBean and largely negated him in the one-on-one contests and was well supported by Will Coomblas, who patrolled the defence excellently.
For Glenelg, Corey Lyons (22 disposals and five clearances), Matthew Allen (22 touches and seven tackles) and James Bell (14 disposals and a goal) were all influential through the midfield at different stages.
Cole Gerloff (20 disposals) found plenty of the ball on the wing, while Darcy Bailey spent much of his day on the other wing and collected 18 disposals as his output increased after quarter time.
Alex Martini (12 tackles and six inside 50s) tagged Will Snelling and somewhat curbed his influence, especially at the stoppages.
Luke Reynolds (four goals) proved a handful in the air and at ground level, while Hunter Window received a call-up from the reserves and was a dangerous presence inside 50 with his pressure and speed.
Liam McBean fought through a tough match-up with Luke Edmunds to kick two goals and marked strongly on the lead on several occasions.
Austin Kitschke played another solid game at full-back on Lachie Burrows and kept the big man goalless, as did young key defender Oscar Adams on Connor McFadyen, competing admirably despite the obvious size difference.
Jonty Scharenberg (12 disposals and five rebound 50s) kept Josh Hone quiet after quarter time, while Brad McCarthy was impressive in blanketing the dangerous Sam Conforti.
Port Adelaide 12.8.(80) def by South Adelaide 14.11.(95)
South Adelaide climbed off the bottom of the ladder with a strong 15-point win over Port Adelaide that relegated the Magpies to last place.
After two competitive losses in recent weeks, the Panthers came out firing, kicking the first six goals to take a 30-point lead into the first break.
With the deficit out to 42 points early in the second, a thrashing was seemingly on the cards, but the Magpies kept themselves afloat with three quick majors just before the break.
Port were right back in the game with the first two goals of the third, before South steadied with the next three to take a comfortable 34-point lead into the last.
Trailing by 35 points heading into time-on, the Magpies piled on three goals in three minutes to give themselves a glimmer of hope, but it came too late as the Panthers held on for an important win.
Kobe Mutch (24 disposals and six tackles) was a valuable inclusion for South Adelaide and led the way through the middle with his ball-winning ability.
AFL draft prospect Sid Draper again shone at senior level, looking right at home in the midfield with 23 disposals, five clearances and a goal.
Fellow draft hopeful Phoenix Hargrave (15 disposals) spent some time through the midfield and showed plenty with his speed and creativity.
Ollie Davis (23 disposals and six clearances) and Hayden Sampson (23 touches and a goal) were other contributors through the middle.
Young small forward Corey Grocock was electric up forward and kicked five goals in just his third league game, crumbing the ball smartly off the packs and getting into dangerous positions.
Eamon Wilkinson (two goals) was a constant threat as always, while Liam Fitt chipped in with two majors of his own.
Elliot Dunkin (18 disposals) found plenty of the footy across half-back and was important in South's ball movement with his flair and creativity.
Oscar Clavarino was effective in closing down on Port Adelaide's Xavier Walsh, while Sam Skinner kept Tom Scully goalless and to just seven disposals.
Liam Nye also played a close-checking role on Cody Szust and kept him relatively quiet.
Port Adelaide will be buoyed by the form of several AFL-listed players who continue to push for selection in the Power team.
Ruckman Dante Visentini was a powerhouse once again, collecting 41 hitouts, 18 disposals, three clearances and a goal against young Panther Olivier Northam.
Will Lorenz (25 disposals and a goal) was a consistent performer through the middle, as was Hugh Jackson (18 disposals and four clearances).
In his second game back from a foot injury, Nick Moore was back to his brutal best, amassing 19 disposals, nine clearances and a goal.
Ryan Burton (22 disposals and seven rebound 50s), Trent McKenzie (15 disposals) and Josh Sinn (19 disposals and a goal) all made successful comebacks from injury.
Tom Clurey (14 disposals and nine marks) was solid in defence and curbed the influence on Liam Fitt, while Kyle Marshall played well on young key forward Sam Hindes.
Up forward, Jake Weiderman worked hard all day and finished with three goals, as did Xavier Walsh who continued his stint in the forward line and booted two majors.
