SUMMARY
Adelaide can sew up its place in this year’s SANFL finals series if the Crows can overcome the Redlegs at Coopers Stadium on Saturday. Coming off their final bye of the season, the SANFL Crows need just one win from their remaining three games to deny Port Adelaide and Glenelg an unlikely last-gasp finals berth. If Adelaide finishes the minor round with three victories and other results go its way, the Club could yet earn a valuable double chance. The season hasn’t gone as Norwood would’ve wanted, but the Redlegs cannot be underestimated this weekend. They’ve won two of their past three games and always play their home ground well, with four of Norwood’s five wins this season coming at The Parade.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Adelaide: 2
Norwood: 3
WHERE AND WHEN: Coopers Stadium, Saturday, August 13, 2.10pm ACST
LAST FIVE TIMES
R11, 2016, Norwood 7.11 (53) d by Adelaide 14.16 (100) at Coopers Stadium
R16, 2015, Norwood 8.17 (65) d by Adelaide 14.10 (94) at Coopers Stadium
R6, 2015, Norwood 12.15 (87) d Adelaide 6.9 (45) at Coopers Stadium
R18, 2014, Norwood 18.12 (120) d Adelaide 8.17 (65) at Coopers Stadium
R7, 2014, Norwood 16.9 (105) d Adelaide 11.8 (74) at Coopers Stadium
THE SIX POINTS
1. Ricky Henderson collected a match-high 41 possessions and 11 marks while Luke Lowden bagged four goals in Adelaide’s 47-point win over Norwood in Round 11 the last time the two teams met.
2. Norwood is out of this year’s finals race in eighth spot on the SANFL ladder, but the Redlegs have won two of their past three games only falling to Glenelg with the last kick of the day in Round 17.
3. Redlegs ruckman Sam Baulderstone leads the competition for hit-outs to advantage (161) and is ranked second for total hit-outs (508) behind North Adelaide’s James Craig.
4. Adelaide has won the past two games between the two sides, but Norwood holds the overall advantage 3-2 head-to-head.
5. The Redlegs handed Adelaide its worst ever SANFL defeat in the final round of 2014, with the eventual premiers downing the SANFL Crows by 55 points.
6. Norwood is the most inaccurate goalkicking team in the SANFL this season with a 52.3 per cent conversion rate. Adelaide ranks sixth at 59.4 per cent.
IT'S A BIG WEEK FOR… Paul Hunter and Luke Lowden
Reilly O’Brien may be required again at AFL level this weekend, leaving Paul Hunter and Luke Lowden to share ruck duties against one of the SANFL’s leading big men in Sam Baulderstone. Lowden has spent the majority of his time up forward this season to good effect, kicking 18 goals including a bag of four the last time the two teams met. First-year rookie Hunter has carried more ruck responsibility, particularly of late, but has also split his time inside attacking 50. If O’Brien is unavailable, Saturday afternoon looms as a great opportunity for the pair to show their wares against the ever-consistent Baulderstone.
