Article and Photos by Michael Shillito
Premier Division returned after a two-week break, with four matches played over the weekend.
There was football played over those weeks; with scheduled and catch-up games through the divisions, and a successful Rep match in which AFL Sydney took the honours against AFL Canberra. But for many Premier Division players, the two-week break was an opportunity to get over niggles and recharge ahead of a new phase of the season.
For Pennant Hills, with the bye this week, their break continued.
St George and UTS took to the field at Olds Park on Saturday afternoon, and it would be a thriller. A roller-coaster of momentum and emotions as fortunes fluctuated and the game remained in the balance until the end.
The Dragons were kicking to the Forest Road End in the first quarter, and looked the better side early on. The football was closely-contested, and plenty of enthusiastic players gathered around every contest looking to make their mark on the game; and as the quarter drew on, the home side was creating the superior scoring opportunities and making more of them count on the scoreboard. With four goals to two in the opening term, the Dragons led by 14 points at the first change.
But the Bats regrouped well during the quarter time break, and lifted their intensity up a gear in the second term; and it wasn’t long before they were making serious inroads into the deficit. Five times during the second quarter they were able to find a way to draw twin flags from the goal umpires. The Dragons twice stemmed the flow of play by getting goals of their own, but the Bats had got on top around the ground; and it was the team in black and green who returned to the rooms for the long break with their tails up, and taking in a two-point lead.
But the break gave the Dragons a chance to turn their fortunes around, and they emerged the stronger side when the third term came around. Three quick goals restored the St George lead and the momentum looked to have swung their way. The Bats tried to slow the Dragons down, and got the ball forward as the quarter drew on; but could only manage behinds until a critical goal deep in time-on cut the St George lead to seven points at the last change.
Plenty of players from both sides’ Div One team had stuck around. The St George group had made their way onto the scoreboard hill, while the Bats were on the hill to the right of the clubhouse. And they were making plenty of noise; but it was the Bats’ fans who had more to cheer about as the final quarter got under way. Three goals in the space of ten minutes opened up a 12-point advantage, and as the ball travelled from end to end with neither side managing a major score for the next ten minutes, an upset looked to be brewing. The Bats were 11 points ahead as the clock ticked into time-on. But there would be one more twist in this tale. 
The Dragons had barely looked likely to goal in the last quarter and time was running out. But a long set shot from Ben Jones found the big sticks, and suddenly the margin was back within a kick. Another behind cut the margin to four points. The Dragons went forward again, barely a minute remaining on the clock. A borderline free kick was paid for a push-out, and Alex Wynn picked up the ball, advantage paid as he guided it through for the winner. Time ran out and the Dragons had pulled off an important win after one of the best matches in Premier Division this season; a game played hard but in great spirits by two willing combatants.
The Dragons had much to thank the efforts of Blake Guthrie, Jack Hill and Ben Hodgson for, as they put in valiant efforts to get the home side over the line. The Bats found useful goal-scoring power in Adam Baker and James Howard who managed four goals apiece; and in the work around the ground of Ben Nethersole, Josh Maddox and Tom Larby. But this was St George’s day, the win seeing the Dragons consolidate their hold on fourth place on the ladder and keeping the Bats out of the top five.
Saturday afternoon also saw Manly playing host to Wests at Weldon Oval. Two years ago, the Magpies were the first team to defeat the Giants in their Premier Division history; but there would be no re-enactment this time as the Northern Beaches side dominated from start to finish to record a convincing 75-point win.
From the early exchanges, it was looking like a one-sided encounter, as the Magpies were unable to match the relentless pressure of the Giants and there appeared no way to build a competitive score. The Giants were on top around the ground, and with four goals to one in the opening term and a 20-point quarter time lead, were also on top on the scoreboard.
The second quarter followed a similar theme to the first. The Giants never let up the pressure, and the Magpies struggled to get any coherent play going; and incursions into their forward 50 were few and far between. Another four goals to one quarter, a 37-point half time margin; and the Giants looked comfortable and set to cruise to a big win.
The Magpies had been under the pump, and had to come out swinging in the third term. Throwing caution to the wind, they threw their resources into attack and attempted to open up the game. To some extent they were successful, as they managed three goals for the term. But the Giants were also in the mood for some attacking football, turning on a more free-flowing style of play than was evident in the first half to score six goals and stretch the lead to 60 points at three quarter time. 
The game was safely won, and the Giants were happy to put their cue in the rack in the final quarter and enjoy the spoils of another win. But they were still able to get further in front during the last quarter, three goals to one.
A 75-point winning margin was a fair reflection of the nature of the game. The forward lines were poles apart, with Jackson Pola-Smith contributing seven goals and Braydon Fowler four. Around the ground, numerous touches from Jordan Weir, Jackson Pola-Smith and Max Carter were pivotal to the Giants’ dominance. It wasn’t a great day for the Magpies, but Vasili Romanas, Taran Etto and Clinton McGrath persevered tirelessly all afternoon. The Giants remain on top of the ladder, while the Magpies find themselves still with just one win so far this season to show for their efforts.
It was a blue and gold derby at Henson Park on Saturday night, with Sydney Uni playing host to East Coast. But it was the Hills blue and gold who easily emerged with the honours, taking out a 71-point win.
From the start, the Eagles were in control of the contest, pumping the ball forward with regularity and denying the Students any significant use of the ball. The Students could penetrate the scoring area only once in the opening term for a single goal; while at the other end the Eagles created scoring chances at will, converting five of them into major scores to lead by 29 points at the first change.
There was nothing in the second quarter to restore any sense of joy to the Students’ cause, as they were held goal-less for the quarter. At the other end, the Eagles were again in command, scoring five for the quarter to extend the advantage to 59 points at the long break.
The game was already safely won by then; and the Eagles were cruising in the third term. It wasn’t a quarter of football that reached any great heights, with the ground becoming dewy and slippery. The Students managed a mini-fightback at one point in the quarter to score two goals, but it wasn’t enough to make any impact on the deficit as the Eagles, despite squandering numerous kicks at goal, scored two of their own and the lead was out to 63 points at three-quarter time.
The last quarter saw the Eagles looking to add to their already imposing percentage, and there was no respite for the Students in the final term. Around the ground the Students attempted to work their way back and limit the damage, but it wasn’t enough to prevent another quarter going in favour of the visitors by four goals to two; and the final margin being stretched to 71 points.
Jamie Vlatko dominated around the ground for the Eagles, finishing with four goals in a best-on-ground performance; while Trent Stubbs also contributed four and Dean Costello and Jack Dimery were also prominent around the ground. On a night the Students would rather forget, Aron Everett, Danny Frawley and David Johnson continued to work hard.
The round was completed on Sunday afternoon, with UNSW-ES taking on North Shore. Both teams went into the game with one win for the season, and were playing to avoid the bottom position on the ladder. And it would be a thriller. 
The Bulldogs threatened to get on top early, but the Bombers were able to come up with answers when they were needed. It was already looking like being an even-flowing contest as the Bulldogs scored four goals to three in the opening term to lead by eight points at the first change.
But the Bombers took the upper hand in the second quarter. The midfield were looking stronger, the ball was coming quicker out of the centre, and attacking opportunities were opening up. Veteran Danny Roberts was back in the side for North Shore, and was looking in ominous touch in the forward line to complete the work done in the middle of the ground. And the scoreboard was ticking over quickly, a run of six goals to two for the quarter turning the quarter time deficit into a 16-point half time lead.
The Bombers were looking good at half time, but the Bulldogs weren’t beaten yet, and came back hard in the third quarter. It was an entertaining contest; free-flowing, high-scoring and getting closer as the Bulldogs took better advantage of the opportunities they created during the premiership quarter. Five goals to three for the quarter reduced the margin to five points at the last change; the Bombers still in front but the game going down to the wire.
This was a twisted tale, and the last quarter had plenty to excite the faithful supporters. When the Bulldogs took the lead, the Bombers had the answering goals. When the Bombers looked set to run away, the Bulldogs pegged them back. The stakes were high, the excitement building with every kick. Four goals apiece went through the big sticks; but the Bombers were four points to the good when the final siren sounded. An important win, their first since the opening round; lifting them off the bottom.
Danny Roberts was a star for the Bombers to finish with seven goals; while Charlie Parsons and Jimmy McKenzie also featured prominently for the Bombers. James Pascoe kicked four for the Bulldogs to be their best, while Joel Robbie and Jordan Lampi kept working hard all day for the Bulldog cause.
After eight rounds, Manly is the only team to have not had a bye; and the additional game they’ve played keeps them on top. East Coast are a game behind, but have a better percentage and will move to top if they win next week; with Pennant Hills a game behind the Eagles. 
St George leap-frog Sydney Uni into fourth, with the Students on fifth; those two teams playing each other next week. Despite their loss, the Students remain a game and a half clear of UTS and North Shore, who also play each other next week; with UNSW-ES and Wests remaining on one win.
Last Modified on 16/06/2015 13:39
