SYDNEY AFL ROUND 10 2013
Article and Photos by Michael Shillito
Saturday was the solstice, the shortest day of the year. It was dark, it was wet, it was cold; and it was a day to throw the form book out the window as there were plenty of upsets.
St George have worked hard on some improvements to Olds Park in the last couple of years. They vacated the ground last year to enable it to be re-surfaced; while an expansion renovation to the clubhouse also took place. The value of the re-surfacing work was there to be seen on Saturday; as not only did the ground remain open, but was in good condition.
And there was a step back to the past. It was St George’s Past Players Day, with plenty of Dragons greats from seasons past in attendance; including a reunion of their 1993 premiership team.
After the re-opening ceremony, there was a game of footy; and St George were drawn a tough opponent in North Shore. The Bombers had only lost one game in the first half of the season, while the Dragons had only just entered the top five for the first time in 2013 last week. There were no signs of pre-match nerves by the Dragons, as they raced out of the blocks and had two goals on the board in the first ten minutes.
The Bombers fought back to level the scores at quarter time. And as the second quarter got under way, the heavens opened again. The heavy conditions appeared to suit the Dragons more than the Bombers, as they scrapped and were under the bottom of every pack. Both sides were creating chances, but the Dragons made better use of theirs. There were five scoring shots apiece for the quarter, but with the Dragons converting four of theirs into goals and just one for the Bombers; it was St George by 15 points at the long break.
The premiership quarter was decisive. The Bombers would have been hoping to get back into the contest, but the game wasn’t running their way. Instead, the Dragons wasted little time in adding to their already impressive lead. Nick Ryan on the forward line twice stood tall to mark and goal. Ben Jones chipped in with a goal; and when Alex Wynn on the run snapped his second, the Dragons had opened a 40-point lead. Ron Wason got one back for the Bombers, but the Dragons were in control with a 32-point lead at the last change.
The sting had largely gone out of the contest in the last quarter. Nothing was going to spoil the St George party, even though the rain was even heavier and ball handling was near to impossible. Ruckman Paul Sain kicked the only goal of the final term; as the Dragon greats of the past roared their approval. It was a 20-year reunion of their last premiership, but with the intensity the Dragons showed in this game, it may not be too many years before the 1993 team have younger company in St George premiership reunions.
The final margin was 38 points, strengthening St George’s hold on a top five berth. Nick Ryan scored four goals for the Dragons, while Dean Gilbert, Jordan West and Stephen Wilsen were the Dragons’ best. For the Bombers, Jared Shattock, Chris Murphy and Tom McMahon worked hard all day. It was a missed opportunity for the Bombers, who could have had a share of the competition lead had they got up in this match.
Manly went into their home clash against Western Suburbs at Weldon Oval undefeated and the hottest of favourites. But in the boilover of the season, the Magpies took the points against the Wolves, scrapping though tricky conditions in appalling weather to take the game by three points.
The Magpies had the better of the early exchanges with two goals to one in the first term to lead by five points at quarter time. The Wolves took the lead during the second term, threatening to get on top around the ground but being frustrated by both the weather and the determination of the Magpies. The Wolves were three points ahead at half time, but it was clear they’d have a fight on their hands.
When the teams emerged from the sheds for the second half, the weather was even worse and both the ball and the ground were slippery. Clean possessions were as rare as clean jumpers, and it was a slog for both sides. But the Magpies made the breakthrough with the only goal of the quarter, levelling the scores at the last change.
It was a nervous final quarter, as the game was in the balance. The Wolves had chances, but were only able to manage one goal. At the other end, the Magpies somehow managed to conjure up two goals to take the lead. And when the siren blared out through the darkness, the Magpies had pulled off a remarkable victory.
Levi Sands, Marcus Linsen and Matthew Lemme had been influential around the ground for the Magpies, playing key roles in the upset result. For the Wolves, Harrison Koch, William Brassil and Anthony Robertson had been among their best.
Pennant Hills have been in imposing form in recent weeks, and the rain wasn’t going to stop them from continuing their purple patch. Taking on UTS at Mike Kenny Oval on Saturday afternoon, the Demons dominated proceedings to record a convincing 89-point victory.
There was little to excite about the first quarter, which was one goal apiece with the Bats leading by two points at the first change. But when the Demons emerged from their huddle for the second quarter, it didn’t take long for it to be clear that they had clicked into gear and were ready to take control. Unaffected by the greasy conditions, the Demons took control with a run of eight goals to one in the second term, racing away to a 43-point half time lead.
The third term was as one-sided as the second, as the Demons ran the ball at will and faced little opposition in guiding the ball to the forward line. The scoreboard was ticking over with regularity, eight goals to two; and by the time the three-quarter time the lead was 81 points and their fifth win on the trot was assured. The last quarter was closer on the scoreboard, but the Demons further boosted their already imposing percentage. And with the teams above them, Manly and North Shore, both going down; the Demons narrowed the gap on the ladder leaders.
Ranga Ediriwickrama again looked dangerous on the forward line to finish with four goals, one of 13 Demons to make the goal umpires wave both flags; while Tom Edmonds, Matthew Thomas and Tim Wales were among their best. For the Bats, Michael Puhle, David Lavender and Mitchell Hall were tireless contributors. But the Bats, among the favourites for the premiership before the season started, still find themselves well outside the top five.
It was a University derby at the Village Green, as defending champions UNSW-ES played host to Sydney Uni. But it was the Kensington campus that would emerge with the spoils, thanks to a clean sweep in the first half to set up a 56-point win.
The weather had been tricky, but even harder than controlling the ball in the wet conditions was the task of getting a score against the miserly Bulldog defence. It was a task that proved beyond the Students in the first half, as every inside time they got the ball inside their forward 50 it was quickly and efficiently returned to the midfield. The Bulldogs kicked four goals in the first term and three in the second, while holding the Students scoreless to set up a 48-point lead at half time.
The ground was slippery and the ball was hard to handle, and the third quarter was a scrap. The Students finally broke their scoring duck, kicking the only goal of the third term to narrow the margin to 43 points at the last change. And although the Students would add another in the final quarter, the Bulldogs scored three to underline their undoubted domination.
The Bulldogs’ 56 point margin keeps them in fourth spot, level on games with Pennant Hills but with an inferior percentage. On a day when scores were hard to come by, Tom Williamson conjured up four goals in a best-on-ground performance; while Richard Troon and Ben Way were also prominent performers for the Bulldogs. For the Students, Dominic Vincent, Brendan Norton and Ben Coffey got plenty of the ball. But after two losses in a row, the Students have fallen out of the top five; with some work to do to get back into the finals zone.
A Saturday twilight fixture at North Dalton Oval saw two teams looking for their first win of 2013 up against each other, as Illawarra played host to Sydney Hills Eagles. And it would be the Eagles who would break their duck after a comfortable 30-point win.
There wasn’t much between the teams in the first term, as two sides desperate for a win matched up against each other and refused to concede any advantage to the other. The Eagles led by six points at the first change. But the visitors would make the decisive break in the second quarter, leaving the struggling Lions behind as they scored five goals to two for the quarter to open up a 25-point lead at half time.
If the Lions were to have any hope of getting back into the contest, they needed to launch a run of goals to put the Eagles under scoreboard pressure. But they were unable to score anything more than four behinds for the quarter as the scoring options dried up; and with the Eagles managing three goals, the margin was out to 47 points at the last change and the result was beyond doubt. The Lions played their best football for the night late in the game, and won the last quarter, but by then it was too little too late.
With a 30-point win, the Eagles have got themselves off the bottom and left the Lions as the only winless team so far this season. Tim Kear played the wet conditions with ease to finish with four goals and be the Eagles’ best, while William Bradley and Trent Baker also got plenty of the ball for the Eagles. For the Lions, Jeremy Daniher, Nathan Wright and Ken Ewen-Chappell kept working hard all evening.
The only Sunday game in Premier Division saw even worse weather than the Saturday games, as the heavens unleashed their fury on the Balmain v Campbelltown game at Henson Park. But nothing would dampen the Campbelltown spirit, as the Blues took control in the second half to record a 28-point win, their third victory of the season.
There were plenty of goals in the first quarter, nine in total; with the Dockers managing five of them to lead by seven points at the first change. And through the second term, as the game tightened, the Blues were unable to snatch the lead from the Dockers and the margin was five points at the long break.
When the teams returned for the third quarter, the Campbelltown back line tightened the screws and the Dockers could find no way of rising above the determined defence of the Blues. The Blues held the Dockers scoreless in the premiership quarter, while taking the lead with three goals to lead by 18 points at the last change. The Dockers would manage a goal in the last term, their only scoring shot in the second half; but it was all Campbelltown as the Blues had the scent of victory for the first time since round five and weren’t letting go.
Matt Withers was a handy focal point on the forward line for the Blues, finishing with five goals; and along with Dave Linsen and Bryce Joynson was among the Blues’ best. For the Dockers, Leigh Conway, Sean Bowen and Kristian Ericson were valuable contributors.
And so the race for finals positions tightens. Manly have been beaten for the first time, North Shore have also tasted defeat and the Demons are now the form team of the competition. But with eight rounds to go, there’s plenty more twists to come in the 2013 tale before finals positions are decided.
Last Modified on 24/06/2013 19:45
