SANFL 2006 ROUND 13:
SOUTH ADELAIDE v STURT
Farmer Medal on the line
By ROB BIDMEADE
A RESURGENT South is on the march to playing in this year’s major round
after its second percentage-boosting victory in a row.
Sparked by an outstanding performance by former Brisbane and Essendon
forward Damian Cupido, the Panthers crushed an inept
Sturt by 90 points at Noarlunga Oval last Saturday.
This followed South’s 107-point drubbing of the Port Magpies in the
previous round.
Cupido, 24, who was regarded by his coaches
as having plenty of ability but lacking discipline during his AFL career, has
turned this football career around this season.
His match-winning 11 goals against Sturt last Saturday took his tally
to 40 for the season.
He is second in the race for the Ken Farmer Medal behind teammate Ben Warren, who kicked five goals against the
Double Blues to bring his total to 42.The Sturt defence was unable to control
this two-pronged attack, which is sure to trouble other teams for the rest of
the season.
Buoyed by its drubbing of the Magpies the previous week, South began the game against Sturt in fine style with five
unanswered goals in the opening 10 minutes.
South went further ahead in the second and third quarters with another
12 goals to four, for a 91-point lead at the last change.
Apart from the dominance in attack with Cupido
and Warren, South also had the best ruckman on the ground in Craig Parry, who
set up many opportunities for the running brigade.
This included Scott McGlone, Stephen Kenna and Rhys Archard, who
outclassed their Sturt opponents to provide a feast of scoring opportunities.
The Panthers face top team North at Prospect this Saturday in a game
which should indicate if South is a genuine premiership contender this season.
SCORES:
BEST: South - Cupido,
Thewlis, Archard, McGlone, Neagle, Handby; Sturt - Chambers, O'Keefe, Colreavy, Rischbieth, Sheedy, Wilson.
GOALS: South - Cupido
11, Warren 5, Neagle 3, Iljcesen
2, Handby, Davey, Kruger, Kenna, Twomey; Sturt - Chambers 5, Paley
3, Weatherald 2.