Round18: West v Norwood - Saturday 22 August @ City Mazda Stadium

West had a shock loss to South last week while Norwood inflicted another hammering to North. This is pretty much for the double chance - who will take it?

as they say a week is a long time in football because 2 weeks ago i'd be picking West comfortably, i'd expect a response from them but i think Norwood to win a cliffhanger by 7 points

It was strange to hear Ben Warren describe Norwood's win over North as their best win of the season given that North right now are about as weak a side as the SANFL has seen for many years. As for West, we need a top 3 scalp and we need to show we can play good footy against a good side.

This was always going to be an early grand final for these clubs. Both will understand the importance of the 2 points on offer and both teams have developed a rivalry with one another. I think West are due to beat Norwood and on their home deck I think they'll overrun the Legs in a relatively tight encounter (as we've come to expect from these two teams).

This is a crucial game for both sides. A loss by West consigns it to an Elimination Final, a win puts it back in the top 3, albeit on percentage only.

West have only won one game against Norwood in recent years, but that was at City Mazda and was followed by a kick after the siren loss. The previous meeting at Norwood this year was tight and West were a bit stiff, by all reports, not to draw the game.

Norwood are certainly travelling better now, with some players back, while there are still question marks on West against top teams and last week's display was poor.

As Scrunch says, both sides will be ready for this clash and it should be a beauty.

50/50 game to me.

Match of the round, going to go with West Adelaide at home, Westies by 7pts.

Bloods by 24pts will master logs defence.

WEST
West Adelaide has boosted its midfield with the return of captain Chris Schmidt for Saturday’s clash with Norwood at City Mazda Stadium.
Schmidt, who was a late withdrawal against South last Saturday, has been joined in the Bloods’ 23-man squad by former Richmond on-baller Brad Helbig and Reserves Magarey Medallist Nick Homburg.
A former Crow, Schmidt will play his 100th SANFL match for the Bloods against the Redlegs.
Running defender Riley Bonner, who made his League debut last round against the Panthers, is the only certain exclusion at this stage.
Magarey Medallist James Ezard will play his last game for the club in the Reserves after announcing he will retire due to a persistent shoulder injury.

League
F: Middleton, Hardy, Fielke
HF: Green, Tuck, Beech
C: Snelling, Stevens, Schiller
HB: Caire, Hartlett, Wasley-Black
B: Anderson, Keough, Hill

R: Willits, Schmidt, Silverlock
INT: Porplyzia, Haysman, Helbig, Klemke, Homburg
IN: Schmidt, Helbig, Homburg
OUT: Bonner

Reserves
Agostino, Ezard, Newell, Hayball, Hopton, Webb, Milne, Munn, Nelson, Taheny, Vick, Favretto, Dijksman, Holliday, Johnson, Brind, Bonner, Cua, Burgess, Sporn, G. Hampton.

Under-18
Ferraro, Cornish, Cameron, L. Evans, Stevens, Karpany, Johnson, Stidiford, Thunig, Toohey, Nisbett, Inglis, Brown, Hayball, O’Driscoll, Noonan, Pillion, Rodman, Butterworth, J. Hampton, Vick, Crump, Maroney, J. Noble, M. Noble, Coates, Beard.

Norwood by 3 points

The Bloods to prevail by 9 points. Norwood, their massive win last week notwithstanding, seem a bit off the boil.

Wow this is a huge match.

Will be extremely close all day, just hoping West fall on the right side of the ledger.

West by 4 points.

West by a couple of goals, we are not going along too flash

Wolves maul red legs

Total team performance today!

10 minutes into the first quarter and most West supporters were thinking 'here we go again' as the Redlegs blitzed West to lead by 4 goals to zip.

From that time, West slowly got back into the game and then produced some fast, skilful and attacking football to add 18 goals to 4 to produce an emphatic and psychologically important win.

After kicking 8 without a miss, they dominated play, but kicked 2.12, before an 8 goal last quarter for an emphatic win.

West put enormous pressure on Norwood and didn't allow them time or space, while moving the ball quickly to dominant marking forwards, Green, Fielke, Beech and Middleton.

Willits was on top in ruck, but the dominance came through Schmidt and Porplyzia, who were wonderful.

Schmidt had around 40 possessions at roughly 100% efficiency, while Porps was just lovely to watch.

Baulderstone came off after getting a knock in the back and reportedly was taken to hospital. Let's hope he hasn't suffered any damage.

After so many defeats by Norwood in recent years, it took a while for it to sink in that West had beaten Norwood by 12 goals, but the manner of the win sent a big signal that West's best was perhaps good enough to challenge anyone.

Their challenge, however, will be to maintain that form.

Norwood's challenge is to regroup and beat the Eagles next game.2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th spots are still up for grabs.

Lee wrote:2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th spots are still up for grabs.

The game next Sunday between Port and West looks set to be a rip snorter...

Big Phil wrote:

Lee wrote:2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th spots are still up for grabs.

The game next Sunday between Port and West looks set to be a rip snorter...

AS much as I hate either of the afl sides getting a show on the TV, I hope they do televise this match next weekend. I will be away and miss the South game.

the prowler wrote:

Big Phil wrote:

Lee wrote:2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th spots are still up for grabs.

The game next Sunday between Port and West looks set to be a rip snorter...

AS much as I hate either of the afl sides getting a show on the TV, I hope they do televise this match next weekend. I will be away and miss the South game.

The South v Central game (winner plays final) from Hickinbotham will be the TV game next weekend, mate...

Great win. Good crowd. What was the Final number. Looking forward to next Sunday already