Norwood has strangled the life out of North Adelaide to claim back-to-back premierships for the first time in 90 years with a 40-point win in the last SANFL Grand Final at AAMI Stadium on Sunday.
Not since the Redlegs won flags in 1922 and 1923 had they landed consecutive premierships, on that occasion defeating West Adelaide and North Adelaide.
After beating the Bloods in 2012, the Legs repeated the dose with a grinding triumph against the Roosters after leading at every change.
“It’s been a good couple of years,” Norwood coach Nathan Bassett said.
“The playing group is improving, their desire to want to get better – we needed to see them get rewarded again for their effort throughout the year and that happened today.
“I’m a bit lucky with my career really as I grew up a Norwood supporter and then when the Crows came in I was a Crows supporter. I played my whole career at the Crows and now I am coaching Norwood so I don’t know how I would go at another club which I haven’t supported in my life.
“It has been fantastic, the players are a terrific group of people and the coaches are outstanding as every club would love to have them. They drive our culture, as does our leadership group.”
The Norwood fans among the 36,685 at AAMI Stadium were seemingly in for an easy day at the office when their side went 33 points up 21 minutes into the second term.
Veteran forward Ben Warren kicked his second of four goals after marking a long bomb from Matt Fuller in the goalsquare while the Roosters just had the one major – kicked by Leigh Ryswyk on the board.
Young gun Trent Dumont was proving why he is working his way up the AFL Draft order by winning plenty of ball in the midfield for the Redlegs while Fuller, captain Kieran McGuinness, vice-captain Alex Georgiou and
Power-listed Lewis Stevenson were working as a well-oiled machine in defence.
But as North searched for its first premiership since 1991, it unleashed the tremendous spirit displayed throughout the finals series as they aimed to be the first side since 1984 to win the flag from fifth spot.
Tagger Brian Fenton was well on top of Norwood’s Mat Suckling in the midfield while Crows-listed Lewis Johnston and former Swan Nathan Gordon kicked important goals nearing half-time to keep their team in touch.
Delisted Power forward Daniel Stewart kicked the only major during the third term with a set-shot from 30m out, putting North within 13–points at the final change.
This only seemed to awaken the Redlegs, who booted four goals to North’s zero in the final quarter, two to Warren who curled one along the ground from the boundary line in the second minute.
Despite the Redlegs’ fans starting to celebrate, last year’s acting premiership captain Brett Zorzi was still continuously throwing his battle-weary body in to every stoppage as he willed his side across the line.
The 34-year-old – who announced his retirement after the final siren – finished with 20 disposals, six marks, six clearances, six inside 50s and a goal to be a fitting winner of the Jack Oatey Medal.
“It has all worked out well,’’ said Zorzi, who was recruited from the Northern Bullants in the VFL.
“I was thinking about retiring last year thinking it was a good way to go out but a couple of boys conned me into playing once more so I am so happy I did.
“I gave everything today and I was cramping up in that third quarter so my body is only just hanging in there. I was just a little part of a team and was just so happy to contribute.
“I’m 34 years old with two kids so it’s a good way to go out on top.”
Aside from Fenton, who kept Suckling to just 10 disposals for the match, North was well served by Johnston (19 disposals, five marks and a goal), midfielder Jay Shannon (16 disposals, five clearances and four tackles) and acting captain Todd Miles, who took several relieving marks in defence.
Guiding his team into the club’s first Grand Final since 2007, North coach Josh Francou did an admirable job of lifting his men into the title-decider considering they had lost their last five matches of the minor round.
The former Power star will now take the next step in his coaching journey at AFL club Sydney, in a development role.
GRAND FINAL SCOREBOARD
Norwood 2.5 6.5 6.8 10.12 (72)
North 1.2 3.2 4.7 4.8 (32)
BEST – Norwood: Zorzi, Fuller, Grigg, Warren, Dumont, Stevenson, Georgiou, Aish.
North: Miles, Fenton, Johnston, Shannon, Anderson, Keller.
GOALS – Norwood: Warren 4, Grigg 2, Fuller, Zorzi, Thomas, Davis.
North: Stewart, Ryswyk, Johnston, Gordon.
INJURIES – Norwood: Baulderstone (knee).
North: Gordon (hand).
REPORT – Norwood: Jefferies for allegedly kicking Shannon.
UMPIRES – Michael Avon, Curtis Deboy, Leigh Haussen.
CROWD – 36,685 at AAMI Stadium. (Largest Grand Final crowd since 1999)
JACK OATEY MEDAL – Brett Zorzi (Norwood).
Jack Oatey Medal Voting
Brenton Phillips (ABC TV and SANFL High Performance Manager) – 3) Zorzi, 2) Dumont, 1) Georgiou
Zac Milbank (SANFL Website) 3) Zorzi, 2) Fuller, 1) Grigg
Stephen Rowe (FIVEaa radio and SANFL State Team Chairman of Selectors) 3) Warren, 2) Zorzi, 1) Johnston
Reece Homfray/Warren Partland (The Advertiser – shared vote) – 3) Grigg, 2) Zorzi, 1) Warren
John Nankivell (Life FM) – 3) Grigg, 2) Zorzi, 1) Warren
Darryl Smith (5RPH and SANFL 200 Club Member – Sturt/West Torrens) – 3) Zorzi, 2) Dumont, 1) Johnston
– www.sanfl.com.au
