Down on personnel, a competitive South Adelaide start wasn’t enough as the Crows ran over the top in a dominant second half display.

The absences created an opportunity for Noarlunga product Jacob Sheehan (#1863) to make his League debut in the backline, while Arie Schoenmaker was sidelined with a foot injury.

A pleasing first quarter edged the way of the Panthers who started positively, Jack Delean strolling in for the opening goal inside forty seconds.

South Adelaide linked up well from the wing, taking strong marks overhead as Ben Shillabeer converted.

Fans were left in disbelief after Mark Keane’s spoil fell perfectly for Finn Emile-Brennan, who gathered at pace to nail a spectacular checkside on the run.

Key forwards Finnbar Maley and Archie Ludowyke kept the Crows in touching distance, but Tye Gander was gifted a shot into time on after he was blocked out of a marking contest. 

The goal extended the Panthers’ lead to a game-high 13 points, which ultimately proved to be their best advantage for the match.

Tasked with facing seasoned ruckman Reilly O’Brien, young Ryan Borlace suffered an early injury, forcing South Adelaide to expose its fourth and fifth preferred ruck options.

It would prove decisive as O’Brien would get the better of the situation to give Adelaide’s midfield first service, even finding his way onto the scoresheet as the game shifted their way.

Shillabeer and Gander doubled up, but a seven-goal second quarter from the Crows set the platform.

Harley Sparks had a goal wedged in between, his first in the blue and white, positioning himself front and centre from a forward-half spoil to momentarily regain the lead.

From that point, Adelaide leveraged their superior size and running capacity to break the game open and dictate terms across the ground.

The Panthers’ resistance unravelled either side of half-time as they conceded seven consecutive goals, unable to contain the Crows’ forward spread.

Gander’s third goal offered a rare highlight to stop the run in an otherwise flat opening to the second half.

He would add a fourth in the final quarter, while Delean also contributed a second, but the Crows would turn a 13-point deficit at quarter time into a 44-point winning margin.

Adelaide kicked 15 of the next 21 goals after the first change, driven by their authority over the contested ball and clearance work. 

Four individual Crows kicked three goals or more, with Ludowyke finishing on five, emphasising the strain on South Adelaide’s undermanned defence, further compounded by the loss of Seamus Mitchell to another injury during the course of the game.

The loss sees the teams switch places inside the top five, the Crows with a game in hand.

Sparks was injected into the middle amid heavy rotations, leading the way for the Panthers with 26 disposals and a tidy goal.

Gander was the other encouraging performer on a day to forget, presenting with seven marks and four goals.

Oliver Davis and Arlo Draper dug deep for 25 and 21 disposals respectively, while Sheehan was thrown in the ruck in his first game, finishing with seven disposals and five tackles.

Emile-Brennan showed his talent with 20 disposals and a genuine Channel 7 Goal of the Year contender during the Panthers best patch of the game.

Looking ahead, South Adelaide travel to Maughan Thiem Kia Oval to face the Eagles on Saturday, 13^th June at 2:10pm, with both sides entering the game following inconsistent recent form.

Despite a brave comeback from Glenelg, the Panthers claimed a tight win in a nervous finish by 3 points at Magain Stadium.

South Adelaide led by as many as four goals in the last quarter after making the most of a gritty first half.

It took twenty minutes for the opening goal, kicked by the Tigers’ Connor McLeod.

A sloppy run of possession called for some class and Oliver Goss answered, reading the ball better than anyone else in the contest to snap a terrific goal as his momentum carried him towards the boundary.

That was the only action the first quarter saw, as both teams found it difficult to piece together clean disposal chains.

The story started to change out of the break, Austin Hogg breaking the shackles with a set shot that just about travelled the distance.

Built off turnover, the Panthers were able to connect with targets inside 50, with Thomas Simpson and Sam Foley adding to the scoreboard.

Glenelg didn’t allow the game to get away from them though, keeping the margin at 7 points to half-time.

Ethan Johnson and the tough Foley were busy early as South Adelaide got more of their hands on the ball.

The Panthers also enjoyed the better of the third quarter, but inaccurate kicking of 2.5 prevented them from putting the game beyond reach.

Eamon Wilkinson, omitted from the League side, got things going on the counter as goal sneak Corey Grocock struck inside the first minute. Goss then followed with his second goal from the set shot late on.

Jake Gasper kicked what would be the Panthers’ last goal, before the game appeared to wind down.

Glenelg didn’t allow for any complacency however, providing a real scare with the last three goals of the contest, but the final siren denied them.

Foley got in and under all day with his 27 disposals and team-high six clearances and five tackles. Johnson delivered the run, ending with 21 disposals and nine marks.

Wilkinson didn’t get reward in front of the sticks but was still a presence moving forward with 16 disposals and five inside 50s. 

Goss was the only multiple goal-kicker with two, while he also collected 20 disposals and five inside 50s in a well-rounded performance.

South Adelaide now turn their attention to a clash with Woodville-West Torrens in Round 10, the game set to take place at Maughan Thiem Kia Oval on Saturday, 13^th June at 11:30am.