Norwood put the Ealges to the sword to claim the minor premiership, Adelaide's finals dreams came to an end after falling short of Sturt, Glenelg tuned up for finals with a triple-figure win, while Central District relegated Port Adelaide to their first wooden spoon in more than a century.
Read all about it in this week's SANFL Wrap.
Glenelg 21.22.(148) def South Adelaide 3.12.(30)
Glenelg delivered the best possible tune-up ahead of their elimination final clash with a thumping 118-point thrashing of a demoralised South Adelaide at the Bay on Saturday.
After losing third spot to Central District in a heartbreaking one-point loss last week, Glenelg played with a steely resolve as they put the poor Panthers to the sword.
Easily the biggest winning margin of the season, the Tigers were at their ferocious best as they displayed unrelenting pressure and excellent forward cohesion that netted 43 scoring shots to the Panthers' 15.
Glenelg recorded an astonishing 78 inside 50s to win the stat by 45 as they continually won the ball back from South Adelaide and moved the ball with precision.
It is a bitterly disappointing end to the season for South Adelaide, who narrowly avoided the wooden spoon but will have plenty to work on over the summer.
As they prepare for another finals assault, the Tigers had winners all over the field as they convincingly controlled every aspect of the game.
Matthew Allen (30 disposals, 14 marks and seven clearances) played predominantly through the midfield and was typically damaging with ball in hand.
Corey Lyons (32 disposals and two goals), James Bell (27 disposals and two goals) and Matthew Snook (16 disposals and six inside 50s) all played excellent games in the midfield.
Billy Stretch (19 disposals) and Chris Curran (28 disposals and eight inside 50s) roamed the wings expertly and found plenty of the Sherrin.
Captain Liam McBean feasted on the bevy of opportunities inside 50 and kicked five goals, while Riley Holder (22 touches and three goals) was just about unstoppable as he rotated between full-forward and ruck.
Luke Reynolds (three goals) recaptured his best form ahead of the finals, while Will Chandler grabbed his opportunity back at league level with two goals and five inside 50s.
Jonty Scharenberg (18 touches), Max Proud (17 disposals and eight marks) and Darcy Bailey (17 disposals) patrolled the backline superbly and provided terrific rebound from defence.
On a very lean day for the Panthers, there were several solid contributors that South fans can take solace in.
Kobe Mutch (25 disposals and six clearances) and Ollie Davis (24 disposals and four clearances) battled hard but were ultimately overpowered by the depth of the Glenelg midfield.
Hayden Sampson (20 disposals and six rebound 50s) never stopped trying, while Finn Emile-Brennan (20 touches) competed well.
Defenders Elliot Dunkin (24 disposals and 10 rebound 50s) and Jonti Schuback (26 disposals and 10 rebound 50s) were unsurprisingly busy, holding up well under enormous pressure.
Damon Freitag (two goals) fought valiantly despite limited opportunities and gave Ollie Megins a chop-out in the ruck.
Central District 15.14.(104) def Port Adelaide 5.6.(36)
Central District confirmed wrapped up the valuable third spot and double chance with a comprehensive 68-point win over Port Adelaide at Elizabeth.
Needing a win to hold off Glenelg and retain third spot, the Bulldogs started shakily and were plagued by inaccuracy in front of goal, kicking nine consecutive behinds to lead 1.9 to 2.1 late in the first term.ย
A crucial major from Aiden Grace started a run of nine goals without a miss as Central powered away to a 49-point lead at the half to settle the nerves of the Bulldogs faithful.
The home side kicked away further in the second half, keeping the Magpies goalless across the second and third quarters as they cruised to a comfortable victory.
The loss relegated Port Adelaide to their first wooden spoon since 1900, finishing percentage behind South Adelaide to cap off a disappointing season at Alberton.
Meanwhile, the Bulldogs have booked the double chance for the first time since 2012, ticking off another big milestone in their resurgence under coach Paul Thomas.
The only sour note for the day was a serious injury to star midfielder Harry Grant, who was collected by Port Adelaide's Hugh Ferrari in a heavy collision early in the third quarter.
In his absence, fellow midfielders Leyton Chisolm (17 touches and five clearances), Kyle Presbury (20 disposals) and Jarrod Schiller (21 touches and two goals) took control of the engine room and performed well.
Dyson Sharp (16 touches and four inside 50s) followed up his outstanding first game with another solid outing, with his agility and smarts holding him in good stead.
Kai Pudney (20 disposals) and Wilson Barry (16 touches) were important influences on the wing and played their part.
Jez McLennan (26 disposals and 11 marks) and Rhett Montgomerie (24 touches and eight marks) were instrumental in defence, controlling the aerial battle and repelling almost every Magpies attack.
Dayne Posthuma (16 disposals), George Kendall (four rebound 50s) and Brinn Little (five marks) all held up well in the key defensive posts.
Up forward, Aiden Grace was again a key factor in the victory, kicking four goals and remaining composed while others around him missed shots at goal.
Beau Thomas (three goals and eight marks) was imposing as a key forward, while Luca Whitelum moved forward and kicked two majors from 18 disposals.
Despite another heavy loss, Quinton Narkle was a major shining light after being dropped from Port's AFL side, collecting 32 disposals, seven clearances and two goals.
Will Lorenz continued his terrific run of form, tallying 25 touches, seven clearances and a goal and looked at home through the midfield.
Ivan Soldo (35 hit-outs and three clearances) took the bulk of the ruck duties and dominated proceedings, while Tom Scully (15 hit-outs) also spent some time through the ruck.
Xavier Walsh (14 disposals and six rebound 50s) was solid in defence, as was Tom Clurey (19 disposals and five rebound 50s).
Woodville-West Torrens 6.11.(47) def by Norwood 19.8.(122)
Norwood wrapped up their first minor premiership since 2018 with a commanding 75-point win over Woodville-West Torrens on Saturday.
The Redlegs secured the win and percentage boost they needed to hold off Sturt in one of the tightest races for top spot in recent memory, finishing just 1.2% in front of their eastern suburbs rivals.
Needing a win to make sure of their place in the finals, the Eagles threw everything at Norwood early, trailing by just three points midway through the second term.
With Sturt briefly overtaking the Redlegs on percentage, Norwood kicked into gear and booted the next 14 goals in succession to retake top spot for good.
Despite the heavy loss, the Eagles confirmed their place in September following Adelaide's loss at Unley as they return to finals for the first time since 2021.
After losing Jackson Callow earlier in the week to a knee injury, key forward Tristan Binder stood up superbly in his absence, kicking five goals among a series of strong contested marks to tear the game apart up front.
Goy Lok relished his return to the senior side and similarly took some big grabs to finish with two goals of his own, while Sam Morris finished with two.
Baynen Lowe was outstanding in the midfield and was at his damaging best, recording 27 touches, five clearances and three goals.
Billy Cootee (32 disposals and six clearances) played his best game for some time, while Mitch O'Neill (28 disposals and a goal) won plenty of the ball in a sublime display.
Captain Jacob Kennerley split his time between midfield and forward and had a huge influence, collecting 20 disposals and kicking two crucial goals in the second quarter that helped seize the momentum.
Jake Creswell (20 disposals) worked hard on the wing and was consistent throughout, while Matthew Ling (21 disposals) was impactful across half-back.
Ruckman Harry Boyd was restricted to one of his quieter games of the season by Jarrad Redden but grew in stature as the game progressed, still recording 19 disposals, 28 hit-outs and five clearances.
Jack Heard (24 disposals and seven marks) continued his rich vein of form and was prominent in defence, while Pierce Seymour was a strong intercepting presence.
Tom Donnelly did an outstanding job on imposing Eagles key forward Connor Ballenden, keeping the big man goalless from just eight disposals.
Alec Wright suited up again in defence and couldn't have been more impressive in shutting down James Rowe whenever the Eagles' star played inside 50.
On a disappointing day for the Eagles, skipper Joe Sinor led from the front as usual, finishing with 20 disposals and eight tackles as he continued to crack in at the contest.
Zane Williams (21 disposals and six clearances) was one of the Eagles' strongest performers, while Luke McKay (19 disposals and seven clearances) was impactful early when the home side looked threatening.ย
Veteran ruckman Jarrad Redden (29 hit-outs and four clearances) was outstanding in the ruck and did as much as any ruckman has managed this year to quell Harry Boyd's influence.
Emerging forwards Lukas Cooke (one goal and seven marks) and Jack Wheare (two goals) showed plenty in an attack starved of opportunities after half time.
Josh Morris (16 disposals and five inside 50s) was an important attacking weapon by foot, while Jack Firns, Luke Thompson and Sam Rowland all battled hard in a defence under siege.
North Adelaide 17.7.(109) def West Adelaide 13.14.(92)
North Adelaide signed off on a year of frustrating inconsistency with a solid 17-point win over West Adelaide at Prospect on Saturday.
The Roosters had extra reason to celebrate with cult hero Mitch Harvey sealing the club's first Ken Farmer Medal since 2002 with a three-goal outing.
Despite another loss in a disappointing second half of the season, West Adelaide have officially avoided the wooden spoon for the first time since 2018 in a major step for Adam Hartlett's developing side.
Much like their season itself, West Adelaide will be wondering what could have been had they shown a bit more polish with the ball, especially in front of goal.
The Bloods registered 11 more inside 50s and three more scoring shots but couldn't put in on the scoreboard, kicking a diabolical 1.9 in the first term including a string of seven consecutive behinds.
North made them pay for their wastefulness, leading by 25 points at half time with three fewer scoring shots and kicking clear by as much as 45 points late in the third following a run of four quick goals.
To their credit, the Bloods responded with four of their own just before the final break, but couldn't reel in the deficit in the last as the teams went goal-for-goal.
The Roosters enjoyed a plethora of strong performers throughout the day, particularly through the midfield, which put in one of their best games of the season.
Sam Ramsay (36 disposals and 11 clearances) played his best game for the club since crossing from South Adelaide last year, while Hughen Wissman (23 touches and four clearances) moved back into the midfield and looked solid.
Ewan Mackinlay (21 disposals and six rebound 50s) played one of his best games for the season, while Port Adelaide father-son prospect Will Francou (18 touches and five rebound 50s) had plenty of good moments.
Liam Hoy returned to the side and took charge of the ruck division, recording 22 hit-outs and seven clearances in an excellent display.
Wingman Frank Szekely had a day out and finished with four goals from 13 disposals, with his blistering speed and sharp skills on full show.
Ruckman-turned-key forward Mitch Harvey capped off a fantastic season with three goals and 19 hit-outs to complete his run of hitting the scoreboard in every match this year.
Sam McInerney pitched in with three majors for the afternoon, as did Noah Casalini who cashed in on his reprieve at senior level, while Cody Raak continued his experiment in the forward line and kicked two goals.
Alex Spina (21 disposals and seven rebound 50s) and Harrison Magor (20 disposals and eight marks) were busy across half-back, while Dyson Hilder moved back to defence and competed well.
Although not the result the Bloods were looking for, there were plenty of positives for Westies fans to take away as they build towards next season.
Kobe Ryan (27 disposals and seven clearances), Brady Searle (19 disposals and eight tackles) and Sam Frost (25 disposals and nine tackles) were all strong in the engine room.
Riley Corbett (26 disposals, 15 hit-outs, nine clearances and a goal) played arguably his best game at league level and was a dominant force for the Bloods in the ruck and in the forward line.
Isaac Johnson (19 disposals) was consistent on the wing, while Callum Park (27 disposals and six rebound 50s) was prominent with his ball use exiting the defensive 50.
Dylan McCormick (three goals) was able to hit the scoreboard after spending much of the year as a defensive forward, while Tom Morrish and Joel Stevens managed two goals each.
Liam Delahunty was a welcome return to the side and added defensive stability at full-back, while Lucas Meline (14 touches and nine marks) was a strong aerial presence.
Sturt 7.18.(60) def Adelaide 5.16.(46)
Sturt extended their extraordinary winning streak to 13 games with a 14-point victory over Adelaide, but it was not enough to secure top spot as they were left to rue costly misses in front of goal.
Needing a percentage boost to jump over Norwood into top spot, the Blues frittered away countless chances to leave them 1.2% short of Norwood in second.
The loss ended Adelaide's finals hopes, as they were also left only percentage short of an unlikely finals berth behind Woodville-West Torrens.
Adelaide also struggled in front of the sticks, managing only 5.16 including a wasteful 1.5 in the last quarter when they threatened to make a late charge towards victory.
Aside from the poor conversion, Sturt can take solace in continuing their winning streak and securing a double chance qualifying final against Central District this Sunday.
The Blues controlled most of the proceedings, registering 80 more disposals, 44 more marks, 16 more clearances and 13 more inside 50s.
Once again, the Sturt midfield did much of the damage, with James Battersby (24 disposals and six tackles) and Tom Lewis (23 touches and eight clearances) at their combative best at the stoppages.
Joel Thiele (23 disposals and a goal) enjoyed one of his best games for the season, while Jared Dakin (17 touches and five clearances) and Will Snelling (23 disposals and five tackles) were both solid contributors.
Luke Giacometti (19 disposals and five inside 50s) and Steven Slimming (16 touches and five inside 50s) controlled the wings as they have done for much of the season.
Flynn Perez (18 disposals and nine rebound 50s) showed the damage he can do by foot, while Casey Voss (21 disposals and eight marks) was impactful across half-back.
Will Coomblas (16 disposals and 13 marks) and emerging key defender Zac Becker (18 disposals and 11 marks) were almost impassable as they repeatedly halted Adelaide's attacking forays.
Josh Hone (20 disposals and two goals) worked hard up the ground and was influential all day, while Sam Conforti (14 disposals and a goal) and Angus Anderson (16 touches) were dangerous customers inside 50.
Despite ultimately missing finals, Adelaide showed what they are capable of when at full strength, with several AFL-listed players again putting themselves in the mix for AFL selection.
After a week of drama surrounding Josh Rachele's demotion to the SANFL side, the young gun responded positively and played mostly through the midfield to collect 17 disposals and six clearances.
Charlie Edwards (14 touches and six tackles) was tireless in his efforts, while Ned McHenry (19 touches) worked hard to find the footy up the ground.
Will Hamill (25 disposals and 13 rebound 50s) played one of his best games for the season, while Brodie Smith (17 disposals) was a steady hand in defence.
Jack Madgen (14 touches and nine marks) was resolute with his intercept work, while Elliot Himmelberg (10 disposals and six marks) was sent to defence and looked reasonably comfortable in his new position.
Lachie Gollant (two goals) made a solid return to the SANFL outfit after being dropped from the AFL side, while Toby Murray was on track for a breakout performance up forward but was a key culprit in the Crows' wastefulness and finished with 1.5.
