A six-goal opening quarter set the tone for Norwood, as the Redlegs powered to a 52-point win over South Adelaide at Coopers Stadium.

South Adelaide couldn’t have asked for a better start, with Callum McCarty winning a free kick in the opening seconds and finding a leading Eamon Wilkinson inside forward 50.

Wilkinson converted his set shot from 45 metres out on a slight angle, giving the Panthers the perfect start — but unfortunately, goals would prove hard to come by for the remainder of the match.

Despite sustained tackling pressure from several South Adelaide players, Norwood’s slick ball movement consistently broke through the Panthers’ defensive structure.

The Redlegs gradually took control of the contest, generating dangerous forward entries that placed the visitors’ backline under immense pressure.

After a long-range miss from Finn Heard, Norwood got on the board through a set shot from Tristan Binder, handing the home side the lead for the first time.

Olivier Northam made his presence felt in the ruck and around the contest in a competitive battle with Luke Surman.

The Redlegs quickly pushed the margin to 13 points with back-to-back goals, and South Adelaide scrambled to stop the bleeding after what had been a promising opening few minutes.

In defence, Nich Weightman and Oscar Clavarino worked hard to resist the constant pressure, throwing themselves into contests and creating turnovers.

But three Norwood goals in five minutes blew the margin out to 33 points just before the quarter-time siren, leaving the Panthers with a mountain to climb.

South began the second term with intensity, generating an early inside 50, but the Redlegs refused to concede. A goal-saving smother on a Sam Skinner snap typified their desperation.

Luke Bogle and Elliot Dunkin continued to apply pressure around the stoppages, but Norwood’s midfield brigade kept winning the clearances and pushing the ball forward.

Minutes after Norwood posted a minor score, Skinner again presented at a forward stoppage, taking the ball from the ruck and snapping a behind.

The missed opportunity proved costly, with Norwood swiftly transitioning coast-to-coast and extending their lead to 40 points through Jackson Callow.

Jaiden Magor provided his usual spark off half-back, but even he found it tough to generate any fluent ball movement.

Callow soon had his second, stretching Norwood’s advantage even further and putting the game at risk of becoming a blowout.

South pieced together one of their best passages of the day when Charlie Duncan used his precise foot skills to find Corey Grocock on the lead.

However, Grocock’s long-range set shot faded to the near side, with the minor score the closest South would come for the remainder of the half.

At the main break, the Redlegs held a commanding 48-point lead.

As with the first half, South started the third quarter brightly, but their entries inside 50 continued to let them down.

McCarty remained one of South’s best, leading the way in both tackles and clearances.

Outside users started to get involved for South, with Jay Chapman and Emmanuel Ajang generating drive from the back half.

However, it was Norwood who struck first again, pushing the margin to a game-high 53 points.

South finally responded through Damon Freitag, who took a strong contested mark and converted his long-range set shot to give the visitors some reward for effort.

The Panthers kept pushing, with Wilkinson delivering a dangerous ball to the top of the square. Bailey Pilmore pounced but could only manage a behind from the snap.

Freitag continued to present well, taking another mark inside 50 and drilling his second goal of the term from a tough angle.

The Panthers won the quarter and reduced the margin to 40 points at the final change — though a comeback still seemed unlikely.

South nearly snatched a goal in the opening seconds of the final term, with Northam collecting the ball from a ruck contest, taking a bounce and launching from 50 — just missing to the right.

The next few minutes were a stalemate, but as they had done all day, Norwood regained momentum and capitalised on their forward entries. Three goals in six minutes snuffed out any faint hope of a South resurgence.

After forcing a turnover in the back half, they moved the ball cleanly through the corridor, with Dunkin and Ajang linking up to find Pilmore inside 50. Unfortunately, Pilmore’s set shot skewed off the boot and went out on the full.

Angus Bradley provided a few highlights with his work rate, and he was rewarded with a 25-metre penalty that brought him within range. His set shot, however, drifted across the face.

Travelling fans had one final moment to cheer when Ajang found space out the back, strode inside 50, and calmly slotted a goal on the run.

As the final siren sounded on a disappointing afternoon, South could at least take some pride in their second-half effort, which they only lost by four points.

The Panthers will now turn their attention to a crucial clash with Port Adelaide at Magain Stadium on Saturday, 28 June, with the bounce scheduled for 1:10pm.

South Adelaide have climbed to the top of the ladder following a clinical 27-point victory over Norwood at Coopers Stadium.

After a frantic opening few minutes, Norwood transitioned quickly along the wing to register the first goal of the match.

South Adelaide responded moments later, with Sam Foley winning a free kick for high contact at a stoppage. His 50-metre set shot sailed straight through to open South’s account.

On the outside of the contest, South’s prime movers began to assert themselves, with Finn Emile-Brennan and Isaac Birt using their foot skills to dismantle Norwood’s defensive structure.

Kyle Marshall, playing his first senior game for South Adelaide after several seasons with Port Adelaide, showcased his intercepting prowess with a strong contested mark in defence.

His effort sparked a scoring chain, as he received a one-two handball and found Cody Lowe on the 50-metre arc. Lowe converted with a brilliant long-range set shot.

South started to get reward for effort on the scoreboard, with Kaleel Ross finishing from the top of the square after earlier behinds from Tye McManus and Sam Hindes.

Lowe was proving a handful deep inside 50, taking a strong contested mark in the goal square from a long forward entry by Liam Fitt.

His second goal of the quarter pushed South’s lead beyond three goals. At quarter-time, the Panthers held a 21-point advantage.

South Adelaide continued to dominate in the second term, though four consecutive behinds prevented them from extending the margin significantly.

Foley’s influence grew, with the classy midfielder getting his hands dirty around stoppages and winning several important clearances.

In defence, Dayne McGary, Lachlan Scott and Marshall repeatedly halved aerial contests, limiting Norwood’s tall forwards.

The Redlegs looked to capitalise on South’s inaccuracy, and after 20 goalless minutes from both sides, finally broke through via Jack Saunders.

It would be the only major of the term, as both sides struggled with execution inside 50. Despite the missed opportunities, South Adelaide held a healthy 16-point lead at the main break.

With the game still up for grabs, the third quarter loomed as a pivotal one.

It was the Panthers who struck first, with Tommy Barrett getting on the move at a forward stoppage and snapping truly under pressure within the opening minute.

South’s ability to rebound off half-back became increasingly damaging, as McManus streamed down the wing and delivered to a leading Ryan Borlace, who calmly slotted his set shot.

Norwood responded with a goal of their own, but South regained momentum through Tom Gillett’s ruck work, which provided first use to midfielders like Lachlan Gill.

Gill then produced a moment of brilliance, smothering a defensive exit and launching a long-range goal from the boundary.

Despite the highlight, inaccuracy again crept into South’s game, with three straight behinds to close the quarter allowing Norwood to stay in touch.

Still, the Panthers held a 30-point lead at the final change.

Norwood sparked concern early in the final term with the first two goals, setting the stage for a tense finish. With the pressure mounting, South lifted their defensive intensity, led by Foley and Gill.

A crucial moment came when Lowe laid a strong tackle at half-forward, forcing a loose ball which Borlace gathered before running inside 50 and snapping a vital goal around his body.

Norwood gave themselves a faint hope with Saunders' second major, cutting the margin to 20 points with around five minutes left.

Hope dissipated when Hayden Kernahan delivered a bullet pass inside 50, giving Borlace a chance to seal the game. Despite the missed set shot, there wasn’t enough time for a comeback.  

However, the miss proved inconsequential. From an errant shot at goal by Lowe, Emile-Brennan marked uncontested in the forward pocket.

His snap from the boundary sealed the win and secured the premiership points for South Adelaide, sending them to the top of the ladder heading into Round 11.

The Panthers will aim to continue their winning ways when they take on premiership contender North Adelaide at Magain Stadium on Saturday, 28 June at 10:00am.