Lumin Sports Match Report: Round 4 @ North Adelaide

Lumin Sports Round 4 Match Report

South Adelaide @ North Adelaide
Round 4 - Prospect Oval - 23/04/2022

Goals: Wilkinson 4, Gaden, Garthwaite 
Best: Davis, Summerton, Brooksby, Wilkinson, Haines 
Frank Barry Medal: Oliver Davis
Crowd: 1584

South Adelaide’s ANZAC Clash was a tale of two halves that ended with a bitter 11-point loss to North Adelaide at Prospect Oval on Saturday.

It was truly a tale of 2 halves as the Panthers, who lost several key players before the bounce, went goalless for the first half, were a rotation down, and trailed by 35 points at halftime.

Yet somehow, the boys clawed themselves back into the match and came within a kick of snatching the win from the jaws of defeat. But it was too little too late as they fell by 11 points, 6.12 (48) to 8.11 (59).

Performance-wise, Oliver Davis enjoyed his best game in the blue and white, finishing with 32 disposals and 11 marks. Meanwhile, Eamon Wilkinson made his mark with 4 goals of which all came within the second half.

The Panthers, with their growing list of unavailable or injured players, headed into their clash with the Roosters as underdogs: but this didn’t stop South from getting the jump on their opponents early.

Setting up well behind the ball, the Panthers dictated the majority of the opening term but, similar to the previous week, they lacked some polish inside their forward arc—which meant they couldn’t get the reward for their hard work.

A down the ground free allowed the Roosters to break through the Panthers’ wall for the first time but, after a huge, contested grab by Sam Overall, the ball was soon back in South’s forward half.

However, despite enjoying plenty of inside 50 entries, the Panthers couldn’t capitalise. After kicking 3 straight behinds, a free-kick handed the Roosters the opening goal of the game, 17 minutes in.

This then greatly swung the momentum into the Roosters' favour as they kicked another goal to end the first term, which handed South a 0.3 (3) to 2.1 (13) deficit at quarter time.

Things started to look worse for the Panthers, who were now a rotation down for the second term.

Lacking some polish up forward, conceding costly free kicks and just missing their chances, the Roosters wrestled control of the match.

Lachlan Hayes stood firm, literally as he courageously took a late unsociable hit from behind to stop a Roosters’ goal; but even this gutsy act couldn’t swing the momentum back into South’s favour.

Joe Haines also tried to keep the defensive sturdy in the dying minutes, but his desperate tackle was sadly ruled the other way.

By halftime, the Panthers trailed by 35 points, 0.5 (5) to 6.4 (40).

They were a man down, and the pressure had seemingly got the better of them as they had given away 18 to 9 free kicks: yet all this seemed to be forgotten as they mounted a massive final half fightback.

Minutes into the third term, Davis set up Wilkinson who drilled the Panthers’ opening goal of the day. Then, after a thumping kick by Fraser Turner, Wilkinson marked and scored his second.

Then, after a linkup play between Clavarino, Davis and the other debutant, Tate Lovering, the ball found its way to Garthwaite who, from afar, read the breeze beautifully to cut the deficit to 2 points.

However, once the visitors came within striking distance, the match ground to a halt: at times, every opposition player sat within the Panthers' forward arc, denying any easy looks at the footy.

And, to make things harder, the Roosters eventually found a goal midway through the term, and this would prove to be the final major score of the match as the Panthers ran out of time.

Oliver Davis was also awarded the Frank Barry Medal which was presented to the South Adelaide player whose conduct and play during the game best demonstrates the qualities of skill, courage in adversity, self-sacrifice, team work and fair play that befit the Anzac Spirit.

The Medal is named after South Adelaide's first Magarey Medallist, Frank "Dinky" Barry, who was awarded South Australian football's highest individual honour as the competition's 'fairest and most brilliant player' in 1915.

The Frank Barry Medal has been awarded since 2019.

After being so far behind and a man down, the Panthers fought back valiantly and could’ve, arguably should’ve, snatched victory. Instead, they suffered a tough 6.12 (48) to 8.11 (59) loss. 

Hungry for a win, South Adelaide turns their attention toward its clash with Adelaide at Flinders University Stadium on Sunday, 1 May, from 12:05pm. 

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