SYDNEY AFL ROUND 17 2013
Article and Photos by Michael Shillito
We have a new ladder leader and it is a case of déjà vu for North Shore who like last year are now on top of the ladder with one round remaining. It took a day of high drama and two thrilling results to get them there.
The late winter weather in Sydney has been sensational; and it was a glorious sunny day on Saturday with the temperature climbing into the mid 20s. The grounds were looking a treat, although Gore Hill Oval was edging close to dustbowl status when the wind picked up.
It was a twilight match with North Shore Bombers playing host to defending champions UNSW-ES Bulldogs. The Bombers were going into the game on the back of a five-game winning streak; while the Bulldogs had returned to form last week with a big win over Pennant Hills.
It would be a game of twists and turns. The Bombers had a goal in the opening minute, the Bulldogs then took the lead and held a five-point advantage at the first change. North Shore hit the front in the second term, then the Bulldogs kicked two goals clear before the Bombers fought back to level the scores at half time.
By then, news had filtered through Gore Hill of the result of the St George v Manly game; and that top spot on the ladder was up for grabs for the Bombers. Day had turned into night, but the lead was hard to get, as the Bulldogs were able to come up with the answering goals. When the siren sounded for the three quarter time break, UNSW-ES were three points ahead. But there was plenty of drama to come.
The ball was bounced to start the last the quarter. The Bombers got the centre break, pumped the ball forward, and Daniel Schacher snapped over his shoulder to give North Shore the lead. Bulldog playing coach Rhys McAllister would have been far from impressed with the defence that enabled Schacher to drift forward unmarked. But soon McAllister wasn’t the only person to be taking a dim view of proceedings; as seconds after the umpires bounced the ball in the centre, the lights went out.
The umpires left the field but both sides remained on as frantic phone calls were made to the local council. After about ten minutes, the lights were back on and play would resume.
It was the Bulldogs who would emerge with the running when play restarted. An early behind, then a mark and goal as Henry Mason stood tall on the forward line. Josh Parmenter then found room to move and kicked long and straight. Two more Bulldog behinds followed, and ten minutes after the resumption the Bulldogs were 12 points ahead.
For ten agonising minutes, the scoreboard would not move. The Bulldogs, searching for the knockout blow, would try to score the goal that would make the game safe but were unable to penetrate the Bomber defence. But UNSW-ES were also forced to spend plenty of time defending grimly at the other end against a North Shore side that had lifted around the ground. It was an arm-wrestle, no quarter asked or given; the tension rising as the clock ticked down.
It would be the Bombers who would break the deadlock, with Jake Monk receiving the ball from a pack 40 metres out and dribbling the ball home. Two minutes later, Matt Varjavandi burst through the forward 50 metre arc and slammed the ball through the big sticks. The two Rising Star nominees had drawn the game level, the clock now deep in time on.
North Shore would get the centre break and pumped the ball forward, looking for Danny Roberts to mark. Under pressure from the Demon defenders, Roberts was unable to take the mark, and a second effort to attempt to control the ball was unsuccessful but saw the ball spill off hands for a behind. Bombers by a point.
A series of bounces and throw-ins would follow, as the Bulldogs desperately tried to find a way forward. But finally they found some loose men in the centre. Forward options were hard to find, but the ball made its way to Mitch Somes, who marked on the 50 metre line next to the boundary line. As he lined up his kick, the siren sounded.
A goal after the siren would win the game. A point would be a draw. Somes’ kick looked good off the boot, but just failed to make the distance. North Shore had won by a point, and there would be plenty of celebrations in the Bomber camp.
Sam Carruthers, Tom McMahon and David Martin had been best for the Bombers; while for the Bulldogs, Josh Parmenter kicked four goals and Adam Gulden, Hayden Nichols and Tim Widmer had picked up plenty of the ball. It had been a memorable game, one of the best of the season; a twisted tale that had drama and unpredictability to the very end.
The win for North Shore put them top of the ladder. But for that, the Bombers can be thankful for the result at Olds Park. The two teams that had been level on points with the Bombers and with a better percentage were playing off. And that match was to be even closer than the game at Gore Hill.
It had been unseasonably warm, but also windy; and in an open ground like Olds Park, the blustery conditions would be a factor all day. Top spot was on the line, and the contest would go down to the wire.
Goals were hard to come by early, as both sides defended resolutely and refused to allow easy possessions to their opponents. The Wolves kicked two goals to one in the opening term, leading by five points at the first change. And although the second quarter was higher scoring, three goals apiece, the Wolves would retain the lead through the quarter and lead by four points at the long break.
When the teams returned to the field for the second half, it was clear the Dragons had come out a more intense side, as they would assert themselves around the ground and it would translate into scoreboard pressure as the home side took the lead. It wasn’t a high scoring quarter; but with three goals to one, the Dragons led by seven points at the last change.
But the Wolves weren’t finished yet, an early goal in the last quarter putting the margin back to within a kick. The Dragons were forced to defend, even when they would get a couple of goals; but the Wolves took the lead by a point during time-on. The Dragons went forward to get a point to level the scores. The siren sounded, it was a draw.
For the Dragons, David Lycakis, Blake Guthrie and Jordan West had been ball magnets all day. Nathan Bosschieter, Daniel Pearson and Angus Buncle had been Manly’s best. It had been a thrilling contest, one worthy of two teams that will be contesting finals. But for both teams, it was a result of mixed feelings. The two points ensured the double-chance in the finals; but not getting four points cost top spot.
The draw at Olds Park was good news for North Shore, enabling them to get to top spot. But it was a disaster for Pennant Hills. With both teams scoring points, it ended any hopes of Pennant Hills sneaking into the double-chance for the finals. The Demons were in action against Sydney Uni at the University No 1 Oval; but found themselves pushed all the way by a determined Students side.
There were few signs early that the Demons would be under too much pressure. The Demon midfield were getting the centre clearances early, and plenty of scoring opportunities were opening up. A free-flowing opening quarter saw the Demons 19 points ahead at quarter time; and although the second quarter was tighter, the lead was out to 24 points at half time.
But the Demons found themselves under pressure in the third term, and the tide had swung Sydney Uni’s way. On their forward line, the Demons just couldn’t find the way through the big sticks and kicked 1.5. But the damage was being done at the other end, as the Students had lifted and were attacking hard. With five goals for the quarter, the Students found themselves only one point behind at three quarter time.
It had been a stirring comeback by the Students, and the Demons were under the pump. But the Demons would hang on, and eventually fell over the winning line by eight points. It was far from convincing, the Demons having an injury run and a form slump at the wrong time of the year; but they dug deep to salvage the four premiership points.
Ranga Ediriwickrama was the difference between the two sides, the former Geelong-listed player contributing six goals; and along with Damian Dell’Aquila and Daniel Witt being among the Demons’ best. For the Students, Charles Shaw, Jack Morwood and Glenn Smith made important contributions to the Sydney Uni cause on a day when they were far from disgraced with a good fighting effort against a finals side.
Western Suburbs still hold an extremely faint mathematical hope of making the finals, and the Magpies kept that flicker of hope alive with an easy 67 point win over Sydney Hills Eagles at Picken Oval on Saturday afternoon.
There wasn’t much in it at quarter time, with an evenly contested first term around the ground seeing the Magpies kick three goals to two and leading by seven points at the first change. But the home side made a decisive break in the second term, as Rory Miller began to look menacing on the forward line and the Magpies kicked five goals to three to lead by 16 points at half time.
Goals were hard to come by in the third term, as the Eagles defended and desperately tried to prevent the scoreboard from blowing out. Only three goals in total were kicked in the third term, but the Magpies looked comfortable enough with a 23-point lead at the last change. And when the last quarter was played out, the Eagles had no more resistance to offer up. Seven unanswered goals turned the game into a big margin, enabling the Magpies to bridge some of the percentage gap they need to make up should other results go their way next week in the race for that last finals spot.
Qualifying for the finals is unlikely, but the Magpies may well have an individual honour coming to one of their number. Rory Miller kicked nine goals for Wests, putting him into the lead in the goalkickers’ list and leaving himself well placed in the race for the Stan Milton Medal. Levi Sands, Matt Lemme and Miller were Wests’ best on the day; while the Eagles received solid service from Ben Wharton, Theo Gavuri and Alex Ritchie.
Campbelltown hosted Illawarra at Monarch Oval on Saturday afternoon in a game that had no impact on the finals race; but it was a game that gave Campbelltown another opportunity to show how much they’ve improved as this season has progressed.
Accurate goalkicking was tricky in the blustery wind. But the Blues, kicking with the wind in the first term, had the ball permanently on their forward line during the first term; and the Lions barely got the ball inside their forward 50. The Blues scored 5.8 to nothing in the first quarter, bursting off to a flying start and by quarter time the Lions were already locked out of the contest.
The remainder of the game never reached any great heights. The Lions won the second quarter, cutting the margin back to 28 points at half time. But the Lions were again unable to score into the wind in the third term, as the Blues added three goals to stretch the lead to 49 points; and although the Lions won the last quarter, the damage was already done.
In the end, the Blues won by 40 points; leap-frogging Sydney Uni to climb to seventh on the ladder. On a day when goals were hard to come by, Matt Edwins scored five in a best on ground performance; while Hamish Sherwood and Bryce Joynson were also prominent. The Lions, remaining winless this season, found hard workers in Jack Nugent, Duane Jefferis and Jacob Brookfield. But only one game, against Balmain at North Dalton next week, remains for Illawarra to avoid a winless season.
A Sunday game completed the round, with Balmain taking on UTS at Henson Park in a game that had no bearing on the makeup of this year’s finals. UTS continued their strong late-season form, with the Bats winning their third game on the trot and condemning the Dockers to their fifth straight defeat with a 52-point result.
The Bats were in control from the start, and with four goals to one in the opening quarter opened up a 22-point quarter time lead. And another four goals to two in the second term saw the Bats return to the rooms at half time with a 32-point lead.
With half of Balmain’s senior team suspended as a turbulent season draws towards it conclusion, the Dockers didn’t have the firepower to compete with the Bats; who after struggling during the middle of the season have staged a resurgence in recent weeks. With the Bats scoring three goals to one in the third term, the margin was out to 51 points at the last change and the result of the game was beyond doubt. The pressure valve was released in the final term, with the teams scoring four goals apiece; but the Bats’ victory was already assured.
Lachlan Lamont, Justin Kenna and Tom Steinfort stood out for the Bats, picking up plenty of the ball; while Leigh Conway, Kristian Ericson and Selby Lee-Steere were among Balmain’s best.
Last Modified on 19/08/2013 11:32
