Article and Photos by Michael Shillito
Two weeks remain in the home and away season. For a long time, it’s looked like the final five was settled, and in all probability that remains the case. But the boilover of the season means that the mathematical possibility of a late change to the finals lineup is still alive.
The shock result happened at Mike Kenny Oval, on a glorious Saturday afternoon, when Pennant Hills were at home to UTS. The Demons were sitting comfortably in the top three, counting down the days till their double-chance finals appearance; while UTS are in sixth place and clinging to nothing more than a remote mathematical finals chance.
And there was little in the first quarter to suggest anything other than a routine win to the home team favourite. The Demons didn’t have everything their own way, and the Bats were putting in a determined effort. The Bats had come to play and put in some positive, attacking football in the first term; and scored three goals for their efforts. But the Demons looked to have the answer to any challenge the Bats would mount, and scored five goals in the opening term to lead by ten points at quarter time.
But after the quarter time break, the Bats lifted another notch; and the Demons didn’t look to be their normal selves. Relishing the challenge of a visit to one of the competition’s power teams, the Bats threw themselves willingly into every contest. There was a Bat at the bottom of every pack, and any player who performed a positive act had no shortage of team-mates willing to get around them. The momentum had swung, and slowly but surely the scoreboard reflected that as the Bats scored four goals to one for the quarter, turning the quarter time deficit into a surprise nine-point half time lead.
The Bats had the sniff of a major scalp, and continued their efforts in the third term. It didn’t always go to plan, and a couple of missed shots at goal and a few turnovers would frustrate them. But the pressure remained, the determination was intact; and although they would get close, the Demons were unable to regain the lead during the third term. The Demons had scored three goals to two in the third quarter, but when the siren sounded the Bats were still six points ahead. 
It was a thriller, and everyone watching the game was enthralled at a final quarter that would leave everyone guessing until the end whether the upset could be completed. Both sides were leaving nothing in the tank through a final quarter of twists and turns. Three goals were scored by each side, the margin within a kick as the ball travelled from end to end. The shadows were lengthening, tired bodies were straining hard for one last effort to create one final twist in the tale. The siren sounded, and the Bats had hung on for a remarkable win.
Patrick Brennan spearheaded the UTS forward line to finish with four goals; and along with Jason Fleming and Josh Maddox was among the Bats’ best on what was a memorable day for the black and green club.
It won’t be easy for UTS to make the finals. They have to beat St George at Waverley next week and hope Sydney Uni lose to UNSW-ES. And then the Bats need to beat the Students in the last round. The odds against the Bats making their first Premier Division finals appearance are still very remote. But while there’s life, there’s hope.
James Dunn kicked five goals for Pennant Hills and was best on ground in a losing side; while Aaron Crisfield and Damian Dell’Aquila also featured prominently for the Demons. It was a shock loss for them, and gives them plenty to work on in training and match-day tactics; but in the context of the season it’s no major calamity; as their place in the qualifying final is already mathematically guaranteed.
There were no such boilover thrillers at Olds Park when St George took on North Shore; only a finals-bound side going through their paces and picking up their form and momentum against a non-finallist team that didn’t have the firepower to match it with their more highly-fancied rivals.
It was a high-scoring opening term, as both sides took advantage of a lightning-fast surface to create plenty of run. It was free-flowing footy, with attack the aim of both sides and the forward lines were able to make plenty of space to run and lead. But it was the Dragons who had the edge, opening up a match-winning lead with a run of eight goals to three to lead by 34 points at the first change.
The Bombers attempted to stem the tide in the second term; but this is a young and rebuilding side that were no match for a St George team who were flying high and growing in confidence with every kick. And the long time-on period would see St George pull away again, finishing a run of five goals to two for the quarter to lead by 51 points at the long break. 
The Dragons had the game safely won, but there was no letting up on the pressure and no respite for North Shore during the premiership quarter. The Dragons had a game plan to work on, and momentum to build with the finals not far away; and they were doing everything to keep their impressive game going. The Bombers would manage two goals in the third term, but five to the Dragons extended the margin to 68 points at the last change.
There was little to excite about the last quarter, but the Dragon juggernaut rolled relentlessly onwards. Four goals to one blew the final margin out to 87 points. It had been a mismatch between two teams at vastly different stages of their development.
Dylan Sanderson led the way on the forward line to finish with five goals; while the numerous possessions of Brayden Kilpatrick, Tim Coenen and Daniel Napper gave the Dragons a substantial advantage around the ground. The Dragons will be playing sudden-death in the finals; but with the form they displayed in this match, they could potentially do some damage when they playoffs comJae around.
For North Shore, Jake Saunders, Pat Codliing and Matt Varjavandi toiled hard all day. But this was another heavy loss in a disappointing season that has netted just three wins and sees the Bombers stuck second last on the ladder.
Meanwhile at Kanebridge Oval, top side East Coast Eagles were untroubled in wrapping up the minor premiership as they dominated from start to finish to complete a 75-point win over Sydney Uni.
From the start, the Eagles looked in complete control. Incursions by Sydney Uni into their forward 50 were few and far between as the Eagle defenders time and again took the ball away from the danger zone. And at the other end, when chances were created they were completed. Four goals to one in the opening term saw the Eagles holding a 19-point advantage.
The second term was imposing, as the Eagles stepped up another gear and turned on a scintillating burst of footy. This was the Eagles at their best, and the Students were powerless to stop the Eagle momentum as time and again the ball was cleared from the centre to the myriad Eagle forward targets. The scoreboard was ticking over, seven goals to one in a lopsided term of footy that took the half time margin out to 56 points and the result beyond doubt. 
With the game safely won, the Eagles looked happy to put their cue in the rack and there was little of the free-flowing dominance of the second term. The third quarter was a relatively lacklustre affair, with the outgunned Students kicking poorly to put paid to any remote hopes of a comeback; while the run that had been so evident for the Eagles in the second term had slowed in the third. The Eagles won the quarter by two goals to one, leading by 58 points at the last change.
Top of the ladder, unbeaten since the opening round, the Eagles are the hottest premiership favourites for many years. Even a slow quarter like the third term saw the Students unable to make any dent in the deficit. And in the final quarter, the Eagles were cruising home to another big win. Four goals to one in the last quarter extended the final winning margin to 75 points.
Jamie Vlatko continued his purple patch on the Eagle forward line to finish with six goals; and along with Blake Anderson and Kieran Emery was among their best. It was another dominant performance by a dominant team; one who have surged to virtual unbackable favouritism for this year’s premiership.
Leigh Maples, Daniel Potts and Rory Avis-Foster worked hard all afternoon for the Students; but they had been no match for the Eagles. Mathematically their finals spot isn’t yet wrapped up, but they should make it through. Last year, having limped into the finals, the Students were able to claim a scalp during the playoffs. Could the same thing happen again this year?
The other Premier Division game had no bearing on the finals, with UNSW-ES and Wests both out of the running when they played off at Village Green on Saturday afternoon. But Wests’ 51-point win keeps them in seventh place, and condemns UNSW-ES to the unwanted wooden spoon. 
The Magpies got off to a flying start, and ensured the Bulldogs would never be in the contest. From the opening, it was clear that this was a Wests side vastly improved from some early-season losses. Going in hard early, winning the clearances and forcing the Bulldogs to chase the game, the Magpies extracted plenty of scoreboard pressure with four unanswered goals in the opening quarter to lead by 26 points at quarter time.
The Bulldogs finally got on the goal-scoring column of the scoreboard during the second quarter, and had two major scores on the board by half time. But it wasn’t enough to prevent the Magpies from continuing their run and extending their lead. The Magpies had the edge around the ground, their midfielders accumulating touches at will, and with a run of five goals in the second term had extended their advantage to 45 points at the long break.
The home side had been shell-shocked by the Wests machine during the first half. But they would salvage something during the third term, with three goals to two to win the quarter and cut the margin to 40 points at three-quarter time. The Magpies weren’t the dominant force they had been in the first half, while the Bulldogs had lifted during the half time break after what had been a lacklustre first half. But although the Bulldogs had won the quarter, the overall result of the game was never in doubt and the Magpies, while not as dominant as they had been in the first half, still had everything under control.
And that was illustrated in the final quarter. It wasn’t a quarter of footy that reached any great heights, but the Magpies showed they had the edge around the ground and erased all the Bulldog gains of the third term with a run of three goals to one in the final quarter.
In the end, the margin was 51 points. A season that started so badly saw the Magpies fall out of finals calculations early in the season; but there is no disputing they have improved dramatically as the season progressed. Paul Bevan, Brenton Mumme and Yannick Milligan-Saville were standout performers for the Magpies in this match.
Jeremy Daniher, Kirk Lower and Alex McKenzie were the Bulldogs’ best. But this was another loss in what has been a season well below expectations for UNSW-ES. Premiers just three years ago, the Bulldogs have fallen to the other end of the table; and this loss seals their fate as 2015 wooden spooners.
Last Modified on 16/08/2015 23:00
