Under 18 Penrith
Rams V Pennant Hills Demons- Sunday June 22
The Rams
headed off early on Sunday Morning to Ern Holmes Oval to play Pennant Hills
Demons Challenge Cup team, a team that was languishing at the bottom of the
ladder without a win all season. The boys only needed to play to part of their
potential to regain fourth spot on the ladder. In fact, when the match was
finished, the young Rams had played one of their best games of the season
despite losing a thrilling match which saw them behind on the scoreboard by
twenty three points.
Unfortunately
for the integrity of Sydney AFL Under 18’s footy, the Rams encountered a
different team to the one they were scheduled to play with a side littered with
Premier Cup players from the second placed Demons who had played and won the
previous day.
The Demons
have , of course, done nothing illegal in scheduling their matches on different
days to allow this. They have done nothing improper in playing their “stars” in
the lower division and leaving their Challenge Cup players on the bench for
most of the match. It is just one of the inequalities of Sydney AFL football
that has not been rectified and probably encourages other clubs to do the same
when they have the luxury of two 18’s teams.
The match started
well for the Rams with intensity not seen for a long time in the first quarter
which resulted in the boys having a seven point lead at the first break. The
Demons, however, came back strongly in the second and booted four majors to the
visitors one by the time both teams went to the sheds. The second half saw some very physical footy
by both sides but it was the Premier Cup boys who proved a little bit stronger
as the match went on. Two fifty metre penalties (and a rare seventy metre one)
proved costly for the rams and resulted in 3 easy goals for the Demons, which probably
decided the match.
Despite the
result, it was a great effort by all of the team who went in hard all day and
proved that they are not far away from Premier Cup football. With a few of the “bigger
names” out of the match due to injury and personal reasons, it has been
rewarding to watch some of the younger brigade really come of age with immense
improvement. Under 16’s players Matt Payne (Emu Plains/Glenmore Park Lions)
again had a sensational match whilst new Collingwood Scholarship inductee,
Michael Hartley (Penrith Swans) at just fifteen years of age showed maturity
and skills beyond his years in his 18’s debut and only his first year of AFL
football. The future in Sydney West is very bright looking at the talent coming
through the junior ranks.
Thanks to
all the support staff on the day. Jason Bradley (Club Umpire), Max Jaworski ,
Phil Lane (Penrith 16’s coach) and Nick “Hurry Back” Perry (Runners) and our
goal and boundary umpires for their great work.
It is back
to GreyGums on Saturday when the boys will need to claim victory over the
Southern Sharks to regain that all important 4th spot on the ladder.
The match commences at 10 AM
Pennant Hills Demons 10.7 – 67 def Penrith Rams 6.8 – 44
Goal Kickers: Hamish. Mulligan 2, Kirk. Perkins, Michael Morgan, Mitch Reinhard, Alex Henry
Best Players: Kirk Perkins, Mitch Reinhard, Tayt Corless, Tim Conallin,
Cameron Jaworski, Ben Robinson
Last Modified on 25/11/2008 06:23