Club
Sydney University
Key players
With a side synonymous with high levels of turnover week-to-week, Sydney University will turn to players renowned for their consistency. Jack Caspersonn in defence was a rock and deserved winner of the side’s Best and Fairest. Glenn Smith could again hold the key for the Students who surprised many to make the finals last year on way to a Semi Final departure. The utility bullocked his way into the AFL Sydney Team of the Year and can play a variety of roles.
Star on the Rise
Luke Freemantle by all reports has trained strongly in the pre-season and will be putting his name forward for NEAFL selection. The 23 year-old provides speed on the outside and has had three years in the Premier Division competition with the Students and before that, Balmain. He will be one that the club hopes that take their game to the next level. There are an abundance of youngsters coming through the Students ranks en-route to NEAFL football to keep an eye on.
Strengths
Their defensive structures were very sound last year- boasting the third best defence in the competition. They were competitive for all of last season- most memorably going within a couple of goals of defeating Manly-Warringah and Pennant Hills last year. Finished with a percentage (111%) that outshone the win-loss column. Their systems work and they have a great training program that is well-resourced. There is no excuse for players being under-prepared.
Weaknesses
It might seem a bit ironic noting their competitiveness above but they lacked the consistency required of a premiership-winning side. They lost to both UNSW/ES and Campbelltown (sides that finished below them on the ladder). By their own admission, they were lucky to scrape into the finals with only 7 wins from 18 games. Need that killer instinct.
Season defining month
The whips will be cracking after the June long weekend, with two matches at Henson hosting highly-fancied East Coast and St George. They follow this with trips to UNSW/ES and Western Suburbs to whom they conceded three home-and-away matches out of four last season. We will see if they have improved on last year after that stretch.
Notable Transfers
This is always hard to judge whether players coming in are of Premier Division of NEAFL quality. A lot of their inward transfers will play NEAFL and make their side one of the competition favourites. Of those to join their Premier Division squad include Dan Frawley, and returning players Josh Cole, Nick Roberts and Clint Wells. Most notably leaving the club is coach, Anton Turco. Turco’s departure has only been recently confirmed with the long-serving clubman and one of the best young developing coaches in the competition deciding to move back to Perth. Ben Merson is his replacement and brings strong experience playing and coaching in the WAFL.
Danny Says
6th
We are tipping a similar finish for the Students in 2015. The strength of their NEAFL squad should create a good energy around the club and expect them to start strongly in the opening month. Will the 36th-44th best players in the club be found out when the whips are cracking? I reckon that will be what prevents them from making finals this year.
Last Modified on 03/04/2015 10:31
