Norwood Clinches 2024 SANFL Reserves Premiership Over Sturt

Norwood Football Club secured a significant victory over Sturt to win the 2024 SANFL Reserves Premiership, marking their first title since 2019. The match, held at Adelaide Oval, concluded with Norwood defeating Sturt by 16 points. The Redlegs, under the guidance of coach Aaron Jelfs, maintained their lead throughout the game, largely due to Sturt’s inability to convert opportunities into scoreboard pressure effectively.

The match started with missed opportunities from both sides until Norwood’s forward, Jay Polkinghorne, broke the initial deadlock at the 16-minute mark, cruising into an open goal. In the closing moments of the first quarter, Goy Lok‘s pass found Liam Robinson, who added to the Redlegs’ lead with a successful conversion, placing them ahead by 15 points.

Sturt showed determination in the second quarter but initially failed to capitalize. It was not until wingman Alex Holt‘s impressive goal from beyond the 50-meter arc that the Double Blues managed to shake the Redlegs’ defense. Holt continued to be an influential player, setting up another goal for teammate Luca Slade. Despite their efforts, Norwood held a seven-point advantage at half-time, controlling possession significantly with 59 additional disposals and 12 more inside-50s than Sturt.

As the third quarter progressed, Robinson secured his second goal, and alongside Polkinghorne, contributed crucial goals that extended Norwood’s lead to 21 points by the end of the quarter. Although Sturt fought back with a goal from Tommy McCormack, Norwood’s Isaac Saywell delivered the decisive blow by scoring a sealing goal in the final quarter.

The win was particularly noteworthy considering Norwood had lost to Sturt by 67 points in the semi-final just two weeks prior. Their success was driven by a dominant midfield performance that allowed them to control much of the play. Saywell’s remarkable performance earned him the Bob Lee Medal for best on ground, highlighting his 30 disposals, five marks, and four inside-50s.

Key contributions for Norwood included Robinson’s three goals, which were pivotal on a day of overall goal inaccuracy, and the consistent efforts of midfielders Ben Simpson, Xavier Tranfa, and Luke Bogle. On the Sturt side, Brad Jeffries ended as their top ball-winner with 28 disposals, while Alex Holt collected 24 disposals and tied for seven inside-50s, the highest in the game.