South Adelaide have notched a commanding 43-point win over Sturt in the first-ever Hostplus SANFLW clash played at the club’s Southern Zone at Strathalbyn.

Eager to solidify their spot in the top four and bounce back from a loss to the Panthers just two rounds earlier, the Double Blues came in with something to prove. 

The opening minutes were tightly contested between the arcs, with neither side able to find space or move the ball cleanly.

Sturt appeared the more likely to register the first major, generating several promising inside-50 entries. However, the ever-reliable Esther Schirmer, stood firm and repelled repeated attacks. 

The Panthers began to gain the upper hand through relentless pressure, with Caitlin Ross and Emma Charlton laying the groundwork with their tackling intensity.

South registered the first score of the match after a slick handball in the ruck from Soriah Moon released Charlton, who missed a golden opportunity from close range. 

The Double Blues continued to struggle exiting their defensive 50, with the Panthers' structure forcing a turnover that led to a shot for Hope Taylor—though she too missed the mark.

It was Mel Anderson who eventually broke the deadlock, showing great composure on the run after receiving a clever handball from Doreena Hansen. 

Minutes later, Hansen added her own name to the scoresheet, staying on her feet in traffic and snapping truly to extend South’s lead to 15 points.

South’s midfield began to stamp their authority, with Layla Vizgaudis and Caitlin Couch both proving instrumental around the contest and on the spread. 

The Panthers took a 15-point buffer into quarter-time, a fair reflection of their early dominance.

South came out firing in the second quarter, eager to turn pressure into scoreboard impact. 

A strong intercept mark from Shae Archbold at centre-half forward gave them a chance within seconds, finding Lauren Clifton 40 metres out—but her kick fell short. 

Nevertheless, South locked the ball in their forward half, and after another quality passage of play, Vizgaudis found space outside the stoppage and snapped a classy goal, her first at SANFLW level. 

The ruck pairing of Taya Maxwell and Moon was beginning to bear fruit, with both providing quality service to their on-ballers. 

Maxwell’s mobility stood out as she gathered cleanly at a stoppage and launched a shot from outside 50, which narrowly missed.

Hansen continued to be a vital link between the midfield and forward line, taking a strong mark before quickly finding Vizgaudis in space. 

The latter played on and slotted her second, stretching the lead to 27 points. Sturt had no answers for South’s dominance. 

Moments later, Maxwell took a commanding intercept mark and delivered a precise pass to Archbold, who made no mistake from 30 metres out. 

At the main break, South had kept Sturt to a solitary behind and held a 32-point lead.

Sturt emerged with renewed energy in the third quarter, determined to turn the tide. They kicked two goals within five minutes to trim the margin to 22 points, giving themselves a glimmer of hope. 

But South’s defence, led by the composed Jaslynne Smith, absorbed the pressure. Debutant Molly Jenkins also showed she was comfortable at the level.

Charlton’s continued work around the stoppage helped South wrestle back control, while persistent forward pressure began to pay dividends. 

Litonya Cockatoo-Motlap intercepted a hurried kick and moved the ball forward smartly. Soon after, Lucy Northcott absorbed heavy contact to mark just outside scoring range.

Northcott’s deep entry created a dangerous stoppage, which eventually resulted in Maxwell earning a free kick in the ruck and converting from point-blank range to restore a 28-point buffer. 

The remainder of the term became a stalemate, with neither side able to impact the scoreboard, and South took a five-goal lead into the final change.

Sturt needed a miracle in the final term and sparked some hope with a goal inside the first minute. But any momentum was short-lived. 

Moon continued to assert her influence, taking a crucial intercept mark on the wing and delivering a low ball to Hansen. 

Despite the pass being at her shoelaces, Hansen collected cleanly, burst away from her opponent and finished brilliantly on the run for her second major.

Anderson’s pressure didn’t let up, spoiling what looked like an easy Sturt mark on the wing. 

South were eager to land the final blow but found it hard to break through Sturt’s last-line defence for a clean look at goal. 

However, as had been the case all day, the Double Blues faltered under South’s relentless pressure, coughing the ball up in dangerous territory.

Fittingly, Vizgaudis was in the right place once more, receiving a sharp handball from Hansen and strolling into an open goal for her third. 

Around the contest, South remained dominant, consistently wrapping up opponents and preventing clean exits. Couch was particularly influential, laying a team-high 11 tackles for the match. 

Her work wasn't limited to defensive pressure, either—she showed her class by delivering a pinpoint pass to the red-hot Hansen, who slotted a set shot from 40 metres out to push the lead to 43 points.

As the final siren sounded, South Adelaide secured a thumping win over a fellow finals contender, setting up a tantalising top-of-the-table clash in Round 9. 

South Adelaide will be full of confidence ahead of their showdown with ladder-leaders Woodville-West Torrens at Maughn Thiem KIA Oval on Saturday, 24 May at 12:10pm.

The club would like to extend a massive thank you to the Great Southern Football League and the Strathalbyn Roosters for hosting a fantastic match in our Southern Zone.