SYDNEY AFL ROUND 9 2013
Article and Photos by Michael Shillito
We’re at the half-way point of the season, and it’s a year that’s put up plenty of surprises already. Not least the rise of Manly, who shot straight to the top in their first season in Premier Division. And at the other end, the fall of Balmain; who after back-to-back Grand Final appearances in 2011 and 2012 have dropped out of the finals reckoning already this season.
Good weather in the leadup to the weekend meant that, for a pleasant change, there was no last-minute venue switching stress. And when the weekend game, the grounds were bathed in sunshine; and although the air had a wintery chill, conditions were good for footy.
It’s been a difficult season so far from Balmain. After back-to-back grand final appearances, the Dockers have fallen behind this season, with just two wins so far. And it didn’t look likely to get any better for them as they travelled to Gore Hill to take on the high-flying North Shore. Even though the Bombers had plenty of key players out, they still went in as warm favourites.
It didn’t take long for the Bombers to exert scoreboard pressure on the Dockers. Sam Mason was on the scoreboard in the opening minute, and a couple of minutes later Evan Davis threaded a shot through from an impossible angle. But for much of the quarter, although the ball was camped on the North Shore forward line, goals were hard to come by. But with four unanswered goals in the first term, and a 21-point lead to North Shore at quarter time, they were looking good.
With Danny Roberts not playing, Sam Mason was a dominant force on the forward line for the Bombers, easily outmarking his Docker opponents time after time. Another first-year player, ruckman Justin Walsh, was also turning on his best form for North Shore yet as he was giving the Bomber midfielders first use of the ball every time.
But despite Mason’s consistent outmarking, his kicking radar was far from faultless as several shots sailed wide. Other Bomber forwards were also missing their targets as the Bombers scored 3.6 for the quarter; but they still looked comfortable with a 37-point lead at the long break.
But despite the exodus of players at Balmain, there’s still plenty of quality players in the Dockers’ lineup. The Dockers were well represented in the Sydney AFL Rep side that took on AFL Cairns last week. Balmain had knocked North Shore out of last year’s finals, and for a fleeting moment in the third term they turned the clock back to last year’s form.
North Shore lost sight of the goals at the start of the third term, and the first five scoring shots of the quarter were Bomber behinds. But then the Dockers sprung into action.
The Dockers had only scored one goal in the first half. But players who were missing in action in the first half began to get their hands on the ball, and forward options began to present themselves. The Dockers would score four unanswered goals in a ten-minute burst that cut the margin back to 17 points; and suddenly the game was back in the balance.
But the Bombers steadied, scoring two goals to end the Balmain charge and maintain a 24-point lead at the last change. It had been a bold charge by Balmain during the quarter, but they could get no closer.
The Dockers continued to talk themselves up as they went into their huddle at three-quarter time, making plenty of noise to convince themselves that they were still in the contest. But by the time they returned to their positions for the final quarter, their momentum was gone.
The final quarter was one-way traffic, and it was North Shore who were back on top. The sun was setting, the lights had been switched on as the shadows lengthened across the ground. As the light faded, so did Balmain; as the Bombers kept the ball permanently on their forward line over the closing stages of the game.
The Bombers were pumping the ball forward with regularity; but their accuracy let them down. A return of 6.12 for the last quarter, and 15.26 for the game; and although it was a comfortable win for the Bombers, more than doubling Balmain’s score, it could have been so much more.
But a 65-point win was comfortable enough for the Bombers, maintaining their two-game break in second spot on the ladder. Sam Mason kicked six goals for the Bombers and Evan Davis four; with Mason, Davis and Justin Walsh being among the Bombers’ best. For the Dockers, Jerome Farrell, Kristian Ericson and Bradley Plug gave solid service.
Manly continued on their winning ways at Sydney Uni No 1 on Saturday evening, getting off to a flying start on their way to a 67-point win over the Students.
Not willing to let the week off kill the momentum the Wolves have created, they wasted little time in getting off to a commanding lead, with five goals to one in the opening term to lead by 23 points at quarter time. The second quarter was closer, three goals apiece, as the Wolves had the answers to any challenge the Students would throw up.
The Wolves led by 26 points at half time, and there would be no way back into the contest for the Students during the premiership quarter. The Students defended solidly and only conceded three goals, but were only able to manage two themselves. And with the Wolves having won the quarter and being 32 points clear at the last change, the game looked to be safely won.
The floodgates opened in the last quarter, as the Manly procession continued. Seven goals to one in the last quarter extended the margin well beyond what had looked likely earlier. Thomas Farrelly finished with six goals for the Wolves and Hayden Washington contributed four. Angus Buncle, Harry Webb and Anthony Robertson were standout contributors for the Wolves. For the Students, Etiosa Okunbor, Ryan Edwards and Glenn Smith made important contributions.
Manly’s debut season in Premier Division continues to go from strength to strength as they remain undefeated at the halfway point of the season. The Students have been big improvers, within reach of the top five after a wooden spoon season last year, but still have some work to do to challenge the leading contenders.
Campbelltown had been on a four-game losing streak when they took on St George at Monarch Oval on Saturday afternoon, but the Blues gave the Dragons a scare and went so close to pulling off what would have been the boilover of the season.
The Blues showed from the start that they had come to play as got off to a flying start, leaving the Dragons chasing the game. The Dragons were never in the contest during the first quarter, barely getting the ball anywhere near their forward 50 as the fired-up Blues drove the ball forward time and again. A run of six goals, while holding the Dragons scoreless, opened up a shock 37-point quarter time lead to the Blues.
The Dragons had been shell-shocked by the opening term, but began to work their way back into the contest during the second term. Some inaccurate finishing saw the Dragons score 4.8 for the quarter. Had they been able to kick straighter, they may have taken the lead; but with the Blues unable to score a goal for the quarter, the margin was reduced to eight points at the long break.
The third quarter was an arm-wrestle, as two sides refused to concede any ground to the other. There were just two scoring shots for each team during the quarter, all of them goals, and the eight-point margin remained intact at the last change. The Blues had the sniff of an upset win, but were unable to close out the deal during the last quarter. Held scoreless by the Dragon defenders, the Blues could only watch on as the Dragons scored four goals to run over the Blues and complete the comeback win.
The final margin was 18 points to the Dragons, enough to see them move into the top five. Michael Milner, Jesse Mudge and Nicolas Shaw were pivotal to the Dragons’ comeback win. For Campbelltown, it had been a disappointing last-quarter fadeout; but Bryce Joynson, Taran Etto and Hamish Sherwood had played solid games for the Blues.
Pennant Hills remain in third spot on the ladder, maintaining their solid form of recent times with a 49-point win over Wests at Picken Oval on Saturday afternoon.
The Magpies have been a much-improved side this year, and took the fight up to the Demons in the first term. Against all expectations, the Magpies scored four goals to two to lead by 11 points at the first change. But the Demons sprung to life in the second quarter, wasting little time in taking the lead as they stepped the pace and pressure up to a level too high for the Magpies. Seven unanswered goals for the quarter turned the deficit into a 37-point lead at the long break.
But the Magpies weren’t going to roll over, and they would again take the fight up to the Demons in the third term. Four goals to two for the quarter cut the margin to 28 points. But the Demons remained in the lead, and the Magpies weren’t able to peg any more of the deficit back in the final term. Instead, the Demons opened the floodgates with six goals to three for the quarter.
Cameron Smith, Stephen Wray and Daniel Witt were among the Demons’ best; while for the Magpies, Rory Miller scored four goals and Matthew Lemme, Brenton Mumme and Patrick Wilmot worked hard all afternoon.
The result sees the Demons consolidate their hold on third spot on the ladder, but sees the Magpies drop out of the top five.
Sunday afternoon in Wollongong saw Illawarra play host to UNSW-ES. The Lions, looking for their first win of 2013, matched it with the defending champions in the opening term; a quarter which saw four goals apiece and scores level at the first change. But the Bulldogs lifted when they went out of their quarter-time huddle, and spent the second quarter building a handy lead.
Five goals to one in the second quarter saw the Bulldogs open up a 31-point lead at the long break, doubling the Lions’ score. But the Bulldogs weren’t given everything their own way in the third term, as the Lions kept the game tight. The Bulldogs were held to two goals for the quarter, but only conceded one; with the Bulldogs 38 points ahead at the last change.
But the Lions had nothing more to give, and the Bulldogs stepped up another gear and blew the game out of the water during the final term. It was one-way traffic, as the Bulldogs scored seven goals to one as they finally achieved the running game they had been striving unsuccessfully for earlier.
In the end, the margin was 79 points; a scoreline that didn’t do justice to the Lions’ fighting effort in the first and third quarters. But with Henry Mason scoring five goals, the Bulldogs had a target up forward to aim at. Jack McKinlay, Adam Gulden and Joel Robbie were ball magnets for the Bulldogs; while Joshua Tier, David Nolen and Joshua Roebuck kept working hard for the Lions.
UTS had started the season slowly but are building some momentum to get back into finals contention, with the Bats winning their fourth game on the trot at Henson Park on Sunday afternoon. But the Bats had to hang on against a spirited comeback by the winless Sydney Hills Eagles before they took the points.
The Eagles are yet to win a game this season, but started strongly against the Bats with three goals to two in the opening term to take a surprise eight-point lead at quarter time. But the Bats clicked into gear in the second term, with five goals to one, to take a 13-point lead into the rooms at half time.
The Bats looked the stronger side when the teams re-emerged for the premiership quarter, and they looked comfortable as they controlled proceedings around the ground with five goals to one for the quarter. With a 38-point lead at the last change, the Bats looked to be cruising to an easy win.
But the Eagles turned on their best form for the season to date in the last quarter, raising hopes of an unlikely come-from-behind win. A run of five goals to one in the last term made the game far closer than had been expected at three-quarter time. But the Eagles were unable to pull off the upset, as the Bats defended resolutely in the closing stages of the game to hang on and take the game.
The final margin was 13 points, far from convincing but enough to keep the Bats’ winning run going. Luca Miceli, Daniel McFarlane and Lachlan Lamont were among the Bats’ best. For the Eagles, Dean Costello, Ryan Fitton and Mark Skuse were prominent contributors through the afternoon.
At the half-way point of the season, Manly are top with an unbeaten record. North Shore are a game behind. There’s a two-game break behind the Bombers to Pennant Hills and UNSW-ES. St George, UTS, Wests and Sydney Uni are a game behind, but the Dragons and Bats have a game in hand.
Unless something remarkable happens in the second half of the season, the finalists will come from those teams. There’s a three-game break to Campbelltown and Balmain. Illawarra and Sydney Hills are yet to record their first win of 2013, but play each other next week so one of them will break their duck.
