South Adelaide has ended its season on a positive note, holding off a finals-bound Woodville-West Torrens in the final quarter to secure a 12-point win at Maughan Thiem Kia Oval.

The Panthers looked set for the perfect start when Kodah Edwards won the opening centre clearance and found Patrick Carman, who was held in the marking contest.

However, the dynamic forward was unable to convert his set shot from just inside 50, missing narrowly to the near side within the opening 30 seconds.

Frantic forward pressure continued to create opportunities for South Adelaide, with Tom Simpson rewarded for a strong tackle deep in the pocket—only for his checkside attempt to miss as well.

A clever short pass from Archie Van Dyk while being tackled opened the door for Elliott Duffield to break the goal drought, but his running shot also missed to the near side.

Despite dominating territory and possession early, South couldn’t capitalise on the scoreboard.

Harry Wadewitz was proving a difficult match-up for the Eagles, combining his ruck work with strong aerial presence across the ground.

Against the run of play, it was Woodville-West Torrens who registered the game’s first major, much to South’s frustration. The home side extended their lead minutes later, taking a nine-point advantage as quarter-time approached.

Simpson had a chance to respond on the siren, but his wayward set shot continued the trend, leaving South Adelaide goalless at the first break despite their dominance.

In contrast, the Eagles' efficiency in front of goal gave them an eight-point lead at quarter-time.

Determined to make amends, South Adelaide again won the opening clearance of the second term and surged forward.

Amid a flurry of rushed disposals, the composure of Edwards stood out as he spotted up Simpson 30 metres out on a slight angle. Simpson looked destined to make it third time lucky—but his set shot struck the post, his third minor score.

The miss mattered little, as Wadewitz took a strong intercept mark on the wing and quickly found Angus White inside 50. After five consecutive behinds, the underage midfielder showed poise to finally break the goal drought with a classy long-range set shot.

While the Eagles responded shortly after, South began to turn its on-field dominance into scoreboard pressure.

Goals to Edwards, Wadewitz and White saw the Panthers transform a one-point deficit into an 11-point lead by half-time.

Woodville-West Torrens started the second half brightly, slotting the opening goal of the third quarter and missing two further chances to edge ahead.

Brady McDonald was instrumental off half-back, using his precise foot skills to launch attacking moves, while Kai Clark applied relentless pressure with several strong tackles.

The match remained an arm wrestle. Archer Price provided a highlight with a run down the wing before delivering to Carman, who ran back with the flight and converted calmly.

South Adelaide had opportunities to push the margin out to three goals, but Duffield and Kody Shortridge couldn’t find the target, with the latter hitting the post.

At the final change, the Panthers held a slender 11-point lead.

The first goal of the final term was always going to be vital, and the Eagles looked poised to strike—but desperate pressure from Duffield limited them to just a behind.

With weather conditions deteriorating, every goal became even more valuable. Simpson’s clean pick-up below the knees led to an opportunity for Max Savage.

The tall forward/ruckman snapped towards goal, with Shortridge nearly juggling a chest mark before the ball dribbled through for another minor score.

A composed set shot from Jack Mumford brought the Eagles back within five points, but South Adelaide consistently found answers.

Clean possession was hard to come by in the scrappy forward stoppages, but Tom Connolly showed composure when it mattered, flicking a handball to Van Dyk, who snapped truly from the top of the square to restore the two-goal buffer.

Minutes later, South struck a decisive blow when Noah Mulkerin found Edwards in attack. Despite dropping the mark, the midfielder regathered and snapped truly on his left to all but seal the result.

Tyler Lock was denied the chance to put the result beyond doubt by the goal post and an unfriendly bounce, but it proved inconsequential. The mountain was too tall for the Eagles to climb.

A late consolation goal added some respectability for the hosts, but it was South who finished their season on a high, holding on for a 12-point win over the finals-bound Woodville-West Torrens.

A nine-goal performance from Zemes Pilot has propelled South Adelaide into the finals in emphatic fashion, with the Panthers storming to a 114-point against Woodville-West Torrens at Maughan Thiem Kia Oval.

South Adelaide nearly made the perfect start, with Caleb Hyland bursting from the opening centre clearance and hitting up a leading Max Gregor 25 metres out on a slight angle. However, the forward was unable to convert, squandering the chance for a goal within the opening minute.

Around the stoppages, Hudson Boal and Oliver South brought energy and pressure, consistently winning contested ball and feeding it out to outside runners.

Pilot quickly stamped his authority on the game, proving an impossible match-up for the Eagles. His power and agility around stoppages were on full display, bursting clear and snapping truly for the opening goal of the match.

A 25-metre penalty gave Marshall Field the opportunity to extend the lead to 14 points, which he did with confidence, but the Eagles managed an immediate reply.

Jayce Potter’s rebound work off half-back was pivotal in South’s ball movement, while Sam Walsh was resolute in defence and proactive when the ball hit the deck.

After behinds to Joel Wigzell and Darcy Campbell-Kearney, the Panthers found their second goal through Pilot, who added to his tally from point-blank range.

Slick ball movement by hand set up Oliver South for a classy finish on the run from 40 metres, capping off a dominant opening term.

At quarter-time, South Adelaide held a commanding 24-point advantage.

The Panthers picked up where they left off in the second quarter, though inaccuracy in front of goal initially prevented the margin from blowing out further.

Goals to Hewston Fitzgerald and Campbell-Kearney helped offset three earlier missed chances, as South’s dominance around the contest began to tell.

Hudson Croser continued his strong development in the ruck, not only giving his midfielders first use but also winning several clearances himself.

Woodville-West Torrens briefly celebrated a goal from Jed Remphrey, but the joy was short-lived. A strong intercept mark from Gregor at half-forward led to set shot goal for Joel Wigzell.

The Eagles continued to be their own worst enemy, turning the ball over again in the middle of the ground. Kaden Pannach’s intercept led to Tom Meaney marking and converting from long range.

By half-time, a dominant quarter had seen South Adelaide stretch its lead to 46 points.

The second half followed a familiar script. Within a minute of the third quarter, Pilot launched a long-range goal—his third—and the onslaught continued.

Despite the sizeable lead, the Panthers remained ruthless. A flurry of quick handballs released Potter, who found Gregor on the lead.

Instead of taking the comfortable set shot, Gregor unselfishly passed to Boal in a better position, who finished truly from 35 metres.

South continued to pile on the goals, with Hyland hitting the scoreboard for the first time, Boal slotting his second, and Pilot adding two more to bring his tally to five by the final change.

At three-quarter time, South Adelaide held an unassailable 80-point lead.

With a finals spot on the line, the Panthers showed no signs of slowing down in the final term. Quick, direct ball movement from defence saw Pilot slot his sixth goal.

He continued to influence the game everywhere. Pilot looked certain to kick his seventh but instead opted for an unselfish handball to Field in the goal square—only for the handball to miss the target.

The missed opportunity opened the door for defender Riley Watchman, who found himself with time and space to calmly slot a rare goal from 35 metres.

Three more majors from Pilot took his tally to nine, though he fell just short of a remarkable 10-goal haul after missing two gettable chances late in the match.

It mattered little in the end. South Adelaide’s 114-point thrashing secured their place in the finals, with Glenelg falling to Central District in a must-win game.

South Adelaide will next take on North Adelaide in an Elimination Final on Saturday, 30 August, with the time and location to be confirmed.