1st Semi Final - Sturt v South @ Adelaide Oval (Sat 6/9)

[Cambridge Clarrie]

Loving the confidence of the Panther supporters!

Sturt haven't lost 3 on the trot this year. South haven't won 6 in a row this year...

Should be a great game.

Sturt by 14 points.

[StrayDog]

Both teams playing some pretty good footy this year, good luck to both today...and anyone queuing up to fork over 14 clams for a couple of ordinary hot-dogs.

Heart says South, head says Sturt inside a few goals. But, as a once great northern suburban seated Premier once said..."Go Panthers!"

Time for South to step up a notch or four. Outside of the CDFC, how far South can go pretty much sums up the interest left in footy for me in 2014.

[Dog_ger]

Both teams playing some pretty good footy this year, good luck to both today...and anyone queuing up to fork over 14 clams for a couple of ordinary hot-dogs.

Heart says South, head says Sturt inside a few goals. But, as a once great northern suburban seated Premier once said..."Go Panthers!"

Time for South to step up a notch or four. Outside of the CDFC, how far South can go pretty much sums up the interest left in footy for me in 2014.

x2

[johntheclaret]

Congratulation to South on a job well done.
Sounded like another all round team effort with 10 individual goal scorers.

Score could have been even worse for Sturt had South not taken the foot off the pedal allowing them to kick 4 late goals.

Let's hope they can carry this form right through to the GF

[dedja]

Didn't see any of the match but obviously from the score South were too strong all day.

After so much promise this year a very disappointing finals campaign for Sturt.

I went to the Port v South GF in '79, but have South and Norwood ever played against each other in a GF?

[CUTTERMAN]

Pathetic performance by Sturt. Waste of a good season. Well done South. Good luck for next week.

[gadj1976]

Two weeks ago I went to Carlton Port. This week, South Sturt. Combined losses of 187 points. Get ****** Adelaide Oval, you shit me.

South were way way way too good. We looked like a Div 5 Ammo's side vs an AFL side today. They outran us, out-spread us, got the fall of the ball, had a better game plan than us and executed their skills much better than us.

Shocking, shocking waste of a season. At three times this season, we could've gone top if we'd won when Port lost. We didn't and couldn't and that's the ball game really. Waste. What promised so much finished up delivering so little.

I hope they beat Port next week because before I cark it, I'd love to see a South Adelaide, Western Bullies, St Kilda and Melbourne grand final victories.

[dedja]

Are you going to live to 628?

[gadj1976]

Are you going to live to 628?

have you read my Dear Mick's? I'm being cryogenically frozen at years end.

[dedja]

[Freo HeaveHo]

Great to see the commitment of some of our local boys from our zone , off loading some money grabbing mercenaries and some faith that hasnt been shown for a long time from our interstate recruits get the result south supporters have been waiting for for a long time. Gotchy has the group playing a great brand of footy and playing with some real belief ! What a great day to be a Southie , bring on next week

[blueandwhite]

Proud day to be a Southie today...can only say it was a great committed team effort , not one passenger. margin could hve been even more had we taken more of our opportunities early in the game and not taken the foot off the pedal in the last.
A few supposed no-names made a name for themselves today as well.

Cant say how great it is to be involved and winning finals after so many years/decades of misery. Plenty of southies now coming out of the woodwork and jumping on the bandwagon too, which is great to see.
Really happy with the result today, but have to get over it quickly and get on track to beat the POWER RESERVES next week..

GO PANTHERS!!

[zipzap]

Onya Panthers, thoroughly deserved today. Sturt were beyond insipid. Hope you guys smash the oiks next week

[Cambridge Clarrie]

That's what happens when one team comes prepared to play committed football and the other team arrives just expecting things to happen.

Certainly the most disappointing game I've seen in a number of years. No good when it really mattered. Midfield smashed, nothing forward except for Beard and our defence was panicked and slow.

Best of luck next week Panthers, but you won't have an opposition as lazy as you did this week...

[therisingblues]

I feel sorry for South not having an adequate preparation for Port after the slack opposition we provided them today. They'll have to lift a gear or two to take on Port. Probably forgetting everything about tonight's game would be a good way for them to begin their preparation.
We were slaughtered in the center, often on our rare attacking forays the ball bounced the wrong way, or we fell over, engaged in bad decision making or dropped the bloody ball. South on the other hand held their marks, harassed finished their work off with freakish accuracy and did as they pleased basically all game.
Well played South and my apologies for not providing a tougher contest.

[prowling panther]

South really came to play today right from the word go. Brooksby got the ball to his smalls and they did damage to Sturt with quick hands, moving the ball around till they found space to send the ball into their forwards time and time again. Eddy was put under pressure every time the ball was put to him by the Sturt defenders, South smalls in Rolfe, Daniels C, McLeod made the most of every opportunity that came their way to keep Sturt chasing jumpers most of the night, a couple of goals Rolfe kicked were pure gems while Sturt supporters knew that things were not going to go their way unless Sturt tightened up. Joel Cross, Brent McLeod, Brett Eddy, Jake Veide, Xavier Gotch, Brad Crabb, Caleb Daniels,and Keegan Brooksby were all amongst South best players for 4 quarters tonight, I gave my best vote to Daniel Bass for his support to Brooksby, his tireless chasing and checking an opponent, his intelligent disposal and protecting the ball and above all his never give in attitude all night.

To the Sturt faithful, hang in there boys, your turn is just around the corner, both South and Sturt have been building over the last couple of years, at the moment it is our turn, and we look forward to meeting you in next years finals.

Roll on next week. SPAM, we are coming to get you.

[saintal]

South were excellent. Sturt were woeful.

Much like last week, although South didn't put the score on the board early the positive signs were there, especially kicking into the wind. The first 15 mins of the 2nd term were obviously pivotal, with South winning the clearances and running forward with ease. Some of the slick handball and supporting run was great to watch. We were wasteful and probably should have led by 10+ goals at half time given our dominance. After a holding period in the 3rd South again ran away in the last, the margin blowing out to 14 goals at one point.

Interestingly it was 408 possies to 255, yet only 2 more inside 50s to South. Clearances a huge 49-19 advantage to the victors.

I thought our backs were excellent again (Taylor and Fields in particular) while to manage 32 scoring shots (and 3 or 4 out on the fulls) from 44 inside can 50s can be put down to some excellent delivery and structure, lack of pressure in the mid-field, and some shocking errors in the back half from Sturt.

Rolfey turned the clock back to 2012. Few better SANFL players to watch at full-flight. Skipper Murphy named best by the club, Veide limited Kirkwood's output, and it really was case of 'all played well'. Beard clearly Sturt's most influential contributor.

After watching year after year of rubbish football, days like today are certainly all that much more rewarding as a result. Hopefully the players can 'keep a lid on it', as there is a GF spot on offer next week.

[southee]

Just an incredible day today !

I can't remember the last time I have seen South so good . Some of it was just freakish ! ( Rolfe and Cross goals )
Really not a passenger today .
Defensive pressure fantastic - fields , Thewlis , crabby , taylor , Rose .....
Killed Sturt in the midfield . Stoppage work outstanding .

Too me , once the pressure was applied on Sturt they just panicked .... Had no where to go and got confused .

Definitely the South bandwagon is rolling on with faces I have not seen come out but it's great !

I have been a South supporter all my life and must say it is nice to have some reward . It's about time .

We need to really bring our A grade game on this week against the port ressies , port magpies , port power ressies or whatever they call themselves !

Sturt best of luck next year as many critics tipped us as 8th and 9th this year . We surprised a few of those critics !

Love to have a good voice out next week as now #therearenolimits

[Panther Pack]

What a win!!!!!

Thought everyone played well our midfield depth is so good at the moment we have the luxury of resting Crossy up forward. That goal he scored in the last quarter from the boundary line was Delicious!!!!!

Best game Rolfey has played since he did his knee he is back to his best!

Great atmosphere at the presentations after the game big turnout of South supporters which was great to see.

Coach Gotchy an absolute professional and speaks so well. Compared to where we were 12 months ago it feels like I'm living a dream.

At our best we are a real show this weekend.

Go you Panthers!!!!!

[MatteeG]

Straight sets Blues! Must be those Bays fellas you picked up...