SANFL 2006 ROUND 19: SOUTH
ADELAIDE v NORWOOD
Toughest win yet – Pyman
By JAI BEDNALL
The come from behind win was the Panthers' fifth consecutive win at Noarlunga – its longest streak since moving to the ground
in 1995.
It was the manner in which South achieved victory that was the most
pleasing, battling back with a dominant second half after a disappointing
start.
Their side so often a choker in these kind of season-defining clashes,
Panther fans feared the worst when an errant Stephen Kenna
handball resulted in a Matthew Brunoli goal putting
the Legs 27 points clear midway through the second term.
With skipper Clay Sampson sidelined with a knee injury and on-baller Josh Thewlis unable to return after being knocked
out in a sickening collision in the centre square, South's hopes of playing
finals for the first time since 1992 looked over.
But a goal after the half-time siren to Jarrad
Wright gave the Panthers a sniff, and that was all they needed as they slammed
on five goals in seven minutes during the third term to snatch the lead.
With Nathan Twomey (five goals) dominant up
forward the Panthers never looked back kicking away with a nine-goal final
term.
Coach Robert Pyman described the comeback as
the “gutsiest win we've had at the footy club in my time''.
“The players capacity to be able to lift when they had to in the second
half in light of the fact we didn't have a bench was most pleasing,'' he said.
“The fact that we came off a short week – six days – meant that we
couldn't do a lot of work on the track, so it was a very short week in terms of
preparation.
“The players can hold their heads high.''
Stephen Kenna (28 disposals) and Wright (29
disposals) again led the way, Craig Parry was outstanding in ruck and Damien Cupido chipped in with four goals.
South is now just one game out of the five and a real finals chance
with crucial away clashes against Sturt and
SCORES:
BEST: South - Kenna,
Wright, Twomey, Torney,
Parry;
GOALS: South - Twomey
5, Cupido 4, Iljcesen, Archard, Wright, Handby 2, Kenna, Warren, Torney, Davey, Clarke, Williams; Norwood - Hughes 4, Borlace, Brunoli 3, Carslake 2, Culpitt, Vlatko, Gallagher, Bartemucci, Meesen.