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SYDNEY AFL ROUND 13 2011
Article and Photos by Michael Shillito
We’re two-thirds of the way through the home and away season, and at this stage of the season the top teams are looking to keep the wins coming while the struggling teams are looking for a circuit-breaker, a win to boost the morale.
To the relief of the competition organisation, it was another weekend of glorious sunshine; and although most grounds by now are showing some signs of wear and tear, they were overall in good condition. A full round of matches was played through the divisions, with all Premier Division games being played in the Saturday afternoon sunshine.
Gore Hill was bathed in sunshine, but there was little wind when North Shore hosted St George. It wasn’t a classic game, and never reached any great heights; but for the third week in a row North Shore showed the ability to fall over the line in a close game.
People who look at the scoreline in the future would assume there was a wild cross-breeze; but the reality was that it was nothing more than pressure and some wasteful finishing that was responsible for the spate of behinds that plagued the first half.
The first six scores of the game were North Shore behinds, as the Bombers kept the ball forward but were unable to make anything of their attacking opportunities. And the Dragons would make them pay, Declan Donohue capitalising on a turnover in North Shore’s half-back line to score the only goal of the opening quarter.
Going to the Pacific Highway end in the second quarter, St George threatened to get on top in the second term. Nick Ryan and Daniel Napper marked and goaled from the pocket. Ryan in particular was looking dangerous, outmarking the Bomber defence several times. But whatever kicking disease North Shore was suffering from had also infected the Dragons, and several kickable shots sailed wide.
The Bombers had nine behinds before they finally broke through for their first goal, with Rory Pryor pouncing on a boundary throw-in and snapping truly. Two minutes later, a move from Brendan Fitzgerald saw a run and two bounces down the wing before hitting Daniel Roberts on the chest 30 metres out directly in front. But in the final minutes before half time, Nick Ryan again proved himself to be the most effective forward out there, going to the air to outmark three opponents and convert his set shot to give the Dragons a 10-point lead at the long break.
Into the premiership quarter, and the inaccurate finishing continued. It was a willing contest in the midfield between two desperate teams, and tempers threatened to boil over before cooler heads prevailed. Goals had been hard to come by, both sides working hard in a contest that was close on the scoreboard.
St George led by 12 points at the 14-minute mark. But Lady Luck was on North Shore’s side, and within a minute the lead was gone. Daniel Roberts was awarded a free kick for a push in the back from close range. And from the centre break, Dale Fitzgerald bombed the ball forward; and a freak bounce saw a leg-break goal, similar to the turn on Shane Warne’s memorable dismissal of Mike Gatting.
The Dragons regained the lead when Daniel Napper floated in front of a marking contest 25 metres from goal; but from the centre bounce the Pryor brothers combined to level the scores, with Lachlan clearing the ball from the centre to find an unmarked Rory 35 metres from goal. And the Bombers took the lead when a 50 metre penalty gifted Rory Pryor his third goal. But the Dragons fought back, with Napper scoring his third, and North Shore led by a point at three quarter time.
Scores were level early in the final quarter when Daniel Roberts sharked a throw-in and grubbered a goal through. But within a minute, Nick Ryan had taken advantage of a turnover by Chris Murphy, and scores were again tied up.
For North Shore, it was their third thriller in a row, having fallen over the line against Illawarra and UNSW-ES in the previous two weeks; and with scores level at the 16 minute mark, another game looked set to go down to the wire. But the crucial moment, the game-breaker, came when Ted Strudwick scooped up the ball from the 50 metre line next to the boundary. And after all the missed shots that happened early in the game, Strudwick’s shot on the run was a beauty, and the Bombers were back in front.
A minute later, Chris Murphy went for a run and two bounces through the centre before finding Ben Attwood, who played on and goaled. And shortly afterwards, Adrian Harry capitalised on a St George defensive error and snapped truly, and the game was safe.
It had been an important win for the Bombers. They didn’t play particularly well, but were able to take the game when it mattered. Rory Pryor, Ron Wason and Pat Brackin were among the Bombers’ best. St George had fought hard all day, but just weren’t able to last the distance when North Shore stood up at the end. Ben Sharp, Bryce McEvoy and Mitchell Edwards had worked hard all afternoon for St George.
Pennant Hills returned to Ern Holmes Oval for the Hills derby against East Coast Eagles. The Eagles haven’t won at Ern Holmes since 2006, and that record would be maintained as the Demons hung on to pull off the upset of the round with a six-point victory.
The Demons made better use of their chances in the first quarter to lead by eight points at quarter time, and then stepped up a gear in the second term. It was entertaining football, a high-scoring first half, as the Demons played inspired football to lead by 20 points at the long break.
But the Eagles weren’t finished yet, and as the game tightened in the third term, the Eagles worked their way back into the contest. The Demons struggled to create chances in the third term, and were unable to score a goal as the margin was cut to five points at the last change. And in a thrilling final term, the Eagles threatened to steal the contest but were denied by the desperate defence of the Demons, who hung on for dear life to snatch an important victory. Matt Thomas, Brant Jack and Jarred Mobbs were among the key performers for the Demons, while the Eagles were well served by Stephen O’Connor, Damien Charleston and Ben Bourke.
Illawarra’s vastly-improved season took another turn for the better when the Lions took on Campbelltown in the TV game at North Dalton Oval on Saturday afternoon. Scores were level at quarter time, but an upset looked on the cards when the Blues kicked six goals in the second term to lead by 16 points at half time.
The Blues, looking for their first win of 2011, had hopes of finally breaking through. But their chances took a dip in the third term, when the Lions lifted to score five goals to one for the quarter, turning their deficit into a 10-point lead at three-quarter time. The game was in the balance, but the Lions stepped up in the final quarter. It was vintage Wollongong, as the Lions raced away with the game, scoring nine goals to one in the final quarter to win by 58 points.
Ryan Price was a handy target up forward all day for the Lions, finishing with five goals, while Ken Ewen-Chappell contributed four. Jeremy Daniher, Troy Bartlett and Mitchell Daly were among the Lions’ best. On another disappointing day for Campbelltown, Scott Hardy, Nils Williams and Matthew Scully worked hard all afternoon.
After their loss last week, Sydney Uni needed a win to consolidate their hold on a top three position, and the Students not only achieved that, but boosted their percentage, when they dominated from start to finish to record a resounding 158-point win over UTS at Sydney Uni No 1.
The Bats were competitive early, and scored four goals in the opening term, but would only manage one more for the remainder of the game. The Students led by 16 points at quarter time, but it would be in the second quarter that they would assert their dominance. Eight unanswered goals for the quarter blew the margin out to 69 points at the long break, and after another eight goals in the third term the margin was already over three figures.
By then the major question was whether the Students could bring up their double century. They would ultimately finish eight points short, but had been easily the better team all day, clearing the ball from the midfield and getting it into their scoring zone with ease, and so many attacking options were created that 13 of their number would score goals.
Peter Dugmore scored seven goals for the Students, while Desmond Worrell celebrated his debut in Premier Division in style with a five goal return. Chris Clarebrough, Kane Murphy and Ben Mankarious were named as the Students’ best, but it was hard to find a single Sydney Uni player who didn’t play his role in a resounding performance. It was a dirty day for the Bats, their biggest loss since their promotion to Premier Division; but Luke Trimboli, Tom Steinfort and Michael Atkinson never stopped trying.
Balmain moved further ahead at the top of the ladder when the Dockers pulled away from UNSW-ES to win by 59 points at the Village Green on Saturday afternoon. The Dockers led all day, but the Bulldogs stayed within reach until late in the game.
The Dockers scored five goals in the first term to lead by 16 points at quarter time, and had extended that lead to 22 points at the long break. But the Bulldogs weren’t going away, and won the third quarter; and with the margin being 19 points at the last change, the game was still up for grabs.
But the final quarter was one-way traffic. The Bulldogs were unable to score a goal in the final term, as the Dockers lifted around the ground. Seven unanswered goals turned the game into a blowout, the final margin being far more than the run of play in the first three quarters suggested.
Chris Bolt has had limited availability for Balmain this season, but the youngster relished his return to action with six goals in a best on ground performance. Joseph Britton and Braedon Jones were also prominent performers for the Dockers. For the Bulldogs, Josh Parmenter was their best with four goals, while they were also well served by Angus Robson and Joel Robbie.
Next week’s RedAndWhiteOnline match of the round will come from Drummoyne Oval, and has all the potential to be another thriller; and will certainly be pivotal to the makeup of the finalists in 2011.
After ten years without appearing in the finals, Balmain have a chance to ensure a return to playoff action. A win next week will guarantee them a finals berth in 2011. But it won’t be easy against another side who had an important win this week. Pennant Hills, if they can defeat the Dockers next week, can extend the gap between them and the teams outside the finals; and if North Shore go down to East Coast, a Pennant Hills win can see the Demons move up to fourth place.
North Shore 0.7 2.9 6.12 10.15 (75)
St George 1.4 4.7 6.12 7.13 (55)
Goals : North Shore – D Roberts 3, R Pryor 3, B Attwood, D Fitzgerald, A Harry, T Strudwick. St George – D Napper 3, D Ryan 3, D Donohue.
Best : North Shore – R Pryor, R Wason, P Brackin, C Murphy, T Strudwick, L Kilpatrick. St George – B Sharp, B McEvoy, M Edwards, A Wynn, N Ryan, D Donohue.
At Gore Hill Oval, Saturday 2nd July 2011.
Pennant Hills 6.1 12.3 12.7 14.11 (95)
East Coast Eagles 4.5 8.7 11.8 13.11 (89)
Goals : Pennant Hills – Brant Jack 3, B Unwin 2, J Gourlay 2, Brandon Jack 2, D De Looze, L Bilbe, K Wright, M Thomas, J McInerney. East Coast – S O’Connor 3, B Rogers 2, A Moeller 2, Jon Vlatko, Jamie Vlatko, J Mann, D Charleston, D Spiteri, J Steer.
Best : Pennant Hills – M Thomas, Brant Jack, J Mobbs, K Wright, J Keen, J Gourlay. East Coast - S O’Connor, D Charleston, B Bourke, J Steer, A Savage, D Spiteri.
At Ern Holmes Oval, Saturday 2nd July 2011.
Illawarra 4.1 7.4 12.7 21.8 (134)
Campbelltown 4.1 10.2 11.3 12.4 (76)
Goals : Illawarra – R Price 5, K Ewen-Chappell 4, M Daly 2, T Bartlett 2, B Patterson 2, E Hailey 2, J Daniher, D McClure, J Weavers, R Cutifani, R Woodward. Campbelltown – M Moore 2, B McCrossen 2, C Gordon 2, N Williams 2, S Doherty, L Parsons, F Brown, R Cooyou.
Best : Illawarra – J Daniher, T Bartlett, M Daly, D Goodley, T Green, R Woodward. Campbelltown – S Hardy, N Williams, M Scully, B Joynson, R Cooyou, R Beveridge.
At North Dalton Oval, Saturday 2nd July 2011.
Sydney University 6.4 14.10 22.12 29.18 (192)
University of Technology 4.0 4.1 5.3 5.5 (35)
Goals : Sydney Uni – D Pugmore 7, D Worrell 5, K Murphy 4, C Wells 3, R MacPherson 2, B Mankarious, C Clarebrough, N Roberts, T Barrett, D Mitchell, T Elkington, C McCreary, M Clarke. UTS – D Williams 2, M Trehwella, M Atkinson, J Caica.
Best : Sydney Uni – C Clarebrough, K Murphy, B Mankarious, P Dugmore, T Barrett, M Higgins. UTS – L Trimboli, T Steinfort, M Atkinson, L Madsen, M Trehwella, R Hanmore.
At Sydney Uni No 1 Oval, Saturday 2nd July 2011.
Balmain 5.5 10.7 12.11 19.14 (128)
Uni NSW-Eastern Suburbs 3.1 7.3 10.6 10.9 (69)
Goals : Balmain – C Bolt 6, J Britton 3, A Azhar 2, T Schmidt, J Howard, K Underwood, A Clark, M Edwins, J Farrell, J Ryder, D Naughton. UNSW-ES – J Parmenter 4, L Lavery 3, P Kefalas 2, A Robson.
Best : Balmain – C Bolt, J Britton, B Jones, J Farrell, R Lilly, J Howard. UNSW-ES – J Parmenter, A Robson, J Robbie, M Collett, R Pert, P Kefalas.
At Village Green, Saturday 2nd July 2011.
Black - Confirmed finallists
Green - Currently in a finals position, but not yet guaranteed a place in the finals
Blue - Not currently in a finals position, but still a chance to qualify
Purple - Will not be competing in the finals
Red - If the season ended now, would be relegated.
First Division:
Southern Power 12.8 (80) d North Shore 8.4 (52)
Pennant Hills 9.6 (60) d East Coast 6.9 (45)
Manly-Warringah 21.11 (137) d Illawarra 4.8 (32)
Sydney Uni 11.2 (68) d UTS 9.10 (64)
UNSW-ES 15.5 (95) d Macquarie Uni 10.7 (67)
Ladder (Match Ratio) – Manly-Warringah (83.33, 265.76%), Southern Power (81.82, 125.93%), Sydney Uni (75, 109.87%), Macquarie Uni (66.67, 186.51%), East Coast (45.45, 122.37%), UTS (45.45, 98.43%), Pennant Hills (45.45, 72.38%), UNSW-ES (41.67, 72.86%), North Shore (36.36, 70.82%), Wests (18.18, 61.41%), Illawarra (8.33, 45.92%).
Second Division:
Auburn 15.9 (99) d St George 4.10 (34)
Penrith 14.16 (100) d Balmain 6.4 (40)
NorWest 13.10 (88) d Camden 6.7 (43)
Holroyd-Parramatta 15.14 (104) d Manly-Warringah 4.1 (25)
Sydney Uni 9.9 (63) d Moorebank 7.4 (46)
Ladder (Match Ratio) – Penrith (75, 174.96%), Holroyd-Parramatta (75, 156.92%), Balmain (75, 139.15%), Sydney Uni (66.67, 123.60%), NorWest (58.33, 113.82%), Auburn (58.33, 104.91%), St George (33.33, 62.92%), Moorebank (25, 82.52%), Manly-Warringah (25, 68.43%), Camden (8.33, 49.95%).
Third Division:
Southern Power 14.11 (95) d North Shore 1.1 (7)
UTS 16.9 (105) d East Coast 5.1 (31)
Sydney Uni 9.14 (68) d Campbelltown 5.9 (39)
Saints AFC 10.7 (67) d Western Suburbs 8.11 (59)
UNSW-ES 20.14 (134) d Macquarie Uni 13.3 (81)
Ladder (Match Ratio) – UNSW-ES (91.67, 263.26%), UTS (80, 167.46%), Sydney Uni (75, 141.73%), Saints AFC (63.64, 167.76%), Southern Power (54.55, 106.21%), East Coast (40.91, 70.75%), Wests (36.36, 76.14%), Macquarie Uni (33.33, 103.52%), Campbelltown (25, 44.03%), North Shore (8.33, 31.27%).
Fourth Division:
Penrith 15.6 (96) d UTS 6.3 (39)
UNSW-ES 13.10 (88) d NorWest 10.11 (71)
Holroyd-Parramatta 17.8 (110) d Manly-Warringah 9.5 (59)
Moorebank 11.14 (80) d Auburn 6.6 (42)
Ladder (Match Ratio) – Macquarie Uni (100, 177.01%), Penrith (90.91, 220.58%), Moorebank (54.55, 98.94%), UNSW-ES (54.55, 95.84%), UTS (50, 117.18%), Holroyd-Parramatta (45.45, 106.26%), NorWest (25, 84.22%), Manly-Warringah (20, 65.74%), Auburn (9.09, 42.05%).
Fifth Division:
Sydney Uni 15.24 (104) d Holroyd-Parramatta 3.6 (24)
Moorebank d Manly-Warringah – forfeit
Southern Power 15.22 (102) d Camden 5.1 (31)
Macquarie Uni 12.21 (93) d Saints AFC 10.6 (66)
Ladder – Southern Power (48, 293.23%), Moorebank (32, 168.84%), Sydney Uni (28, 145.74%), Saints AFC (28, 125.50%), Manly-Warringah (28, 87.87%), Macquarie Uni (20, 98.90%), Camden (8, 54.18%), Holroyd-Parramatta (0, 25.86%).
Under 18s Premier:
St Ignatius Riverview 8.11 (59) d Sydney Uni 8.4 (52)
East Coast 13.8 (86) d Pennant Hills 6.6 (42)
Illawarra 21.9 (135) d Penrith 6.6 (42)
Western Suburbs 12.9 (81) d UNSW-ES 5.8 (38)
North Shore 13.9 (87) d St George 5.7 (37)
Ladder (Match Ratio) – East Coast (95.83, 244.32%), North Shore (86.36, 201.04%), St Ignatius Riverview (66.67, 119.75%), Pennant Hills (63.64, 108.54%), Sydney Uni (58.33, 128.41%), St George (33.33, 93.55%), Illawarra (31.82, 86.75%), Wests (31.82, 72.34%), Penrith (25, 49.70%), UNSW-ES (8.33, 42.11%).
Under 18s Challenge:
Holroyd-Parramatta 10.12 (72) d Southern Power 8.6 (54)
Manly-Warringah 17.5 (107) d East Coast 10.11 (71)
Mac Uni Warriors 17.12 (114) d Mac Uni Kookas 6.3 (39)
Balmain 21.17 (143) d Moorebank 3.7 (25)
Ladder (Match Ratio) – Campbelltown (100, 341.21%), Mac Uni Warriors (80, 160.64%), Manly-Warringah (63.64, 148.84%), Holroyd-Parramatta (54.55, 120.71%), Balmain (50, 98.15%), Southern Power (45.45, 105.88%), Moorebank (27.27, 70.89%), East Coast (27.27, 62.30%), Mac Uni Kookas (9.09, 24.05%).
NEXT WEEK’S FIXTURES:
Premier Division (Lurker’s Kiss of Death in bold):Saturday 9th JulyMonarch Oval – Campbelltown v Western Suburbs (2:10pm)
North Dalton Oval – Illawarra v UNSW-ES (2:10pm)
Olds Park – St George v Sydney Uni (2:10pm)
Bruce Purser Reserve – East Coast v North Shore (4:10pm)
Sunday 10th July
Drummoyne Oval – Balmain v Pennant Hills (2:10pm)
BYE – UTS
First Division:
Saturday 9th July
North Dalton Oval – Illawarra v UNSW-ES (12pm)
Bruce Purser Reserve – East Coast v North Shore (2pm)
Weldon Oval – Manly-Warringah v Western Suburbs (2:10pm)
Gwawley Oval – Southern Power v Sydney Uni (2:30pm)
University Oval – Macquarie Uni v Pennant Hills (4:30pm)
BYE – UTS
Second Division:
Saturday 9th July
Olds Park v St George v Sydney Uni (12pm)
Weldon Oval – Manly-Warringah v Moorebank (12pm)
Greygums Oval – Penrith v Camden (2:10pm)
Mona Park – Auburn v NorWest (2:10pm)
Sunday 10th July
Drummoyne Oval – Balmain v Holroyd-Parramatta (12pm)
Third Division:
Saturday 9th July
Gwawley Oval – Southern Power v Campbelltown (10:30am)
Picken Oval – Western Suburbs v Sydney Uni (12pm)
Village Green – UNSW-ES v East Coast (12pm)
Trumper Park – UTS v North Shore (2:10pm)
University Oval – Macquarie Uni v Saints AFC (2:30pm)
Fourth Division:
Saturday 9th July
Weldon Oval – Manly-Warringah v Moorebank (10am)
Mona Park – Auburn v UNSW-ES (12pm)
Trumper Park – UTS v Holroyd-Parramatta (12pm)
University Oval – Macquarie Uni v NorWest (12:30pm)
BYE – Penrith
Fifth Division:
Saturday 9th July
Gwawley Oval – Southern Power v Holroyd-Parramatta (8:30am)
University Oval – Macquarie Uni v Camden (10:30am)
St Pauls Oval – Sydney Uni v Manly-Warringah (12pm)
Rosedale Oval – Moorebank v Saints AFC (2pm)
Under 18s Premier:
Saturday 9th July
North Dalton Oval – Illawarra v UNSW-ES (10am)
Olds Park – St George v Sydney Uni (10am)
Riverview First Field – St Ignatius Riverview v Western Suburbs (10am)
Bruce Purser Reserve – East Coast v North Shore (12pm)
Greygums Oval – Penrith v Pennant Hills (12pm)
Under 18s Challenge:
Saturday 9th July
University Oval – Mac Uni Warriors v Moorebank (8:30am)
Monarch Oval – Campbelltown v Manly-Warringah (12pm)
Gwawley Oval – Southern Power v Mac Uni Kookas (12:30pm)
Sunday 10th July
Drummoyne Oval – Balmain v Holroyd-Parramatta (10am)
BYE – East Coast.
Article and Photos by Michael Shillito
We’re two-thirds of the way through the home and away season, and at this stage of the season the top teams are looking to keep the wins coming while the struggling teams are looking for a circuit-breaker, a win to boost the morale.
To the relief of the competition organisation, it was another weekend of glorious sunshine; and although most grounds by now are showing some signs of wear and tear, they were overall in good condition. A full round of matches was played through the divisions, with all Premier Division games being played in the Saturday afternoon sunshine.
Gore Hill was bathed in sunshine, but there was little wind when North Shore hosted St George. It wasn’t a classic game, and never reached any great heights; but for the third week in a row North Shore showed the ability to fall over the line in a close game.
People who look at the scoreline in the future would assume there was a wild cross-breeze; but the reality was that it was nothing more than pressure and some wasteful finishing that was responsible for the spate of behinds that plagued the first half.
The first six scores of the game were North Shore behinds, as the Bombers kept the ball forward but were unable to make anything of their attacking opportunities. And the Dragons would make them pay, Declan Donohue capitalising on a turnover in North Shore’s half-back line to score the only goal of the opening quarter.
Going to the Pacific Highway end in the second quarter, St George threatened to get on top in the second term. Nick Ryan and Daniel Napper marked and goaled from the pocket. Ryan in particular was looking dangerous, outmarking the Bomber defence several times. But whatever kicking disease North Shore was suffering from had also infected the Dragons, and several kickable shots sailed wide.
The Bombers had nine behinds before they finally broke through for their first goal, with Rory Pryor pouncing on a boundary throw-in and snapping truly. Two minutes later, a move from Brendan Fitzgerald saw a run and two bounces down the wing before hitting Daniel Roberts on the chest 30 metres out directly in front. But in the final minutes before half time, Nick Ryan again proved himself to be the most effective forward out there, going to the air to outmark three opponents and convert his set shot to give the Dragons a 10-point lead at the long break.
Into the premiership quarter, and the inaccurate finishing continued. It was a willing contest in the midfield between two desperate teams, and tempers threatened to boil over before cooler heads prevailed. Goals had been hard to come by, both sides working hard in a contest that was close on the scoreboard.
St George led by 12 points at the 14-minute mark. But Lady Luck was on North Shore’s side, and within a minute the lead was gone. Daniel Roberts was awarded a free kick for a push in the back from close range. And from the centre break, Dale Fitzgerald bombed the ball forward; and a freak bounce saw a leg-break goal, similar to the turn on Shane Warne’s memorable dismissal of Mike Gatting.
The Dragons regained the lead when Daniel Napper floated in front of a marking contest 25 metres from goal; but from the centre bounce the Pryor brothers combined to level the scores, with Lachlan clearing the ball from the centre to find an unmarked Rory 35 metres from goal. And the Bombers took the lead when a 50 metre penalty gifted Rory Pryor his third goal. But the Dragons fought back, with Napper scoring his third, and North Shore led by a point at three quarter time.
Scores were level early in the final quarter when Daniel Roberts sharked a throw-in and grubbered a goal through. But within a minute, Nick Ryan had taken advantage of a turnover by Chris Murphy, and scores were again tied up.
For North Shore, it was their third thriller in a row, having fallen over the line against Illawarra and UNSW-ES in the previous two weeks; and with scores level at the 16 minute mark, another game looked set to go down to the wire. But the crucial moment, the game-breaker, came when Ted Strudwick scooped up the ball from the 50 metre line next to the boundary. And after all the missed shots that happened early in the game, Strudwick’s shot on the run was a beauty, and the Bombers were back in front.
A minute later, Chris Murphy went for a run and two bounces through the centre before finding Ben Attwood, who played on and goaled. And shortly afterwards, Adrian Harry capitalised on a St George defensive error and snapped truly, and the game was safe.
It had been an important win for the Bombers. They didn’t play particularly well, but were able to take the game when it mattered. Rory Pryor, Ron Wason and Pat Brackin were among the Bombers’ best. St George had fought hard all day, but just weren’t able to last the distance when North Shore stood up at the end. Ben Sharp, Bryce McEvoy and Mitchell Edwards had worked hard all afternoon for St George.
Pennant Hills returned to Ern Holmes Oval for the Hills derby against East Coast Eagles. The Eagles haven’t won at Ern Holmes since 2006, and that record would be maintained as the Demons hung on to pull off the upset of the round with a six-point victory.
The Demons made better use of their chances in the first quarter to lead by eight points at quarter time, and then stepped up a gear in the second term. It was entertaining football, a high-scoring first half, as the Demons played inspired football to lead by 20 points at the long break.
But the Eagles weren’t finished yet, and as the game tightened in the third term, the Eagles worked their way back into the contest. The Demons struggled to create chances in the third term, and were unable to score a goal as the margin was cut to five points at the last change. And in a thrilling final term, the Eagles threatened to steal the contest but were denied by the desperate defence of the Demons, who hung on for dear life to snatch an important victory. Matt Thomas, Brant Jack and Jarred Mobbs were among the key performers for the Demons, while the Eagles were well served by Stephen O’Connor, Damien Charleston and Ben Bourke.
Illawarra’s vastly-improved season took another turn for the better when the Lions took on Campbelltown in the TV game at North Dalton Oval on Saturday afternoon. Scores were level at quarter time, but an upset looked on the cards when the Blues kicked six goals in the second term to lead by 16 points at half time.
The Blues, looking for their first win of 2011, had hopes of finally breaking through. But their chances took a dip in the third term, when the Lions lifted to score five goals to one for the quarter, turning their deficit into a 10-point lead at three-quarter time. The game was in the balance, but the Lions stepped up in the final quarter. It was vintage Wollongong, as the Lions raced away with the game, scoring nine goals to one in the final quarter to win by 58 points.
Ryan Price was a handy target up forward all day for the Lions, finishing with five goals, while Ken Ewen-Chappell contributed four. Jeremy Daniher, Troy Bartlett and Mitchell Daly were among the Lions’ best. On another disappointing day for Campbelltown, Scott Hardy, Nils Williams and Matthew Scully worked hard all afternoon.
After their loss last week, Sydney Uni needed a win to consolidate their hold on a top three position, and the Students not only achieved that, but boosted their percentage, when they dominated from start to finish to record a resounding 158-point win over UTS at Sydney Uni No 1.
The Bats were competitive early, and scored four goals in the opening term, but would only manage one more for the remainder of the game. The Students led by 16 points at quarter time, but it would be in the second quarter that they would assert their dominance. Eight unanswered goals for the quarter blew the margin out to 69 points at the long break, and after another eight goals in the third term the margin was already over three figures.
By then the major question was whether the Students could bring up their double century. They would ultimately finish eight points short, but had been easily the better team all day, clearing the ball from the midfield and getting it into their scoring zone with ease, and so many attacking options were created that 13 of their number would score goals.
Peter Dugmore scored seven goals for the Students, while Desmond Worrell celebrated his debut in Premier Division in style with a five goal return. Chris Clarebrough, Kane Murphy and Ben Mankarious were named as the Students’ best, but it was hard to find a single Sydney Uni player who didn’t play his role in a resounding performance. It was a dirty day for the Bats, their biggest loss since their promotion to Premier Division; but Luke Trimboli, Tom Steinfort and Michael Atkinson never stopped trying.
Balmain moved further ahead at the top of the ladder when the Dockers pulled away from UNSW-ES to win by 59 points at the Village Green on Saturday afternoon. The Dockers led all day, but the Bulldogs stayed within reach until late in the game.
The Dockers scored five goals in the first term to lead by 16 points at quarter time, and had extended that lead to 22 points at the long break. But the Bulldogs weren’t going away, and won the third quarter; and with the margin being 19 points at the last change, the game was still up for grabs.
But the final quarter was one-way traffic. The Bulldogs were unable to score a goal in the final term, as the Dockers lifted around the ground. Seven unanswered goals turned the game into a blowout, the final margin being far more than the run of play in the first three quarters suggested.
Chris Bolt has had limited availability for Balmain this season, but the youngster relished his return to action with six goals in a best on ground performance. Joseph Britton and Braedon Jones were also prominent performers for the Dockers. For the Bulldogs, Josh Parmenter was their best with four goals, while they were also well served by Angus Robson and Joel Robbie.
Next week’s RedAndWhiteOnline match of the round will come from Drummoyne Oval, and has all the potential to be another thriller; and will certainly be pivotal to the makeup of the finalists in 2011.
After ten years without appearing in the finals, Balmain have a chance to ensure a return to playoff action. A win next week will guarantee them a finals berth in 2011. But it won’t be easy against another side who had an important win this week. Pennant Hills, if they can defeat the Dockers next week, can extend the gap between them and the teams outside the finals; and if North Shore go down to East Coast, a Pennant Hills win can see the Demons move up to fourth place.
North Shore 0.7 2.9 6.12 10.15 (75)
St George 1.4 4.7 6.12 7.13 (55)
Goals : North Shore – D Roberts 3, R Pryor 3, B Attwood, D Fitzgerald, A Harry, T Strudwick. St George – D Napper 3, D Ryan 3, D Donohue.
Best : North Shore – R Pryor, R Wason, P Brackin, C Murphy, T Strudwick, L Kilpatrick. St George – B Sharp, B McEvoy, M Edwards, A Wynn, N Ryan, D Donohue.
At Gore Hill Oval, Saturday 2nd July 2011.
Pennant Hills 6.1 12.3 12.7 14.11 (95)
East Coast Eagles 4.5 8.7 11.8 13.11 (89)
Goals : Pennant Hills – Brant Jack 3, B Unwin 2, J Gourlay 2, Brandon Jack 2, D De Looze, L Bilbe, K Wright, M Thomas, J McInerney. East Coast – S O’Connor 3, B Rogers 2, A Moeller 2, Jon Vlatko, Jamie Vlatko, J Mann, D Charleston, D Spiteri, J Steer.
Best : Pennant Hills – M Thomas, Brant Jack, J Mobbs, K Wright, J Keen, J Gourlay. East Coast - S O’Connor, D Charleston, B Bourke, J Steer, A Savage, D Spiteri.
At Ern Holmes Oval, Saturday 2nd July 2011.
Illawarra 4.1 7.4 12.7 21.8 (134)
Campbelltown 4.1 10.2 11.3 12.4 (76)
Goals : Illawarra – R Price 5, K Ewen-Chappell 4, M Daly 2, T Bartlett 2, B Patterson 2, E Hailey 2, J Daniher, D McClure, J Weavers, R Cutifani, R Woodward. Campbelltown – M Moore 2, B McCrossen 2, C Gordon 2, N Williams 2, S Doherty, L Parsons, F Brown, R Cooyou.
Best : Illawarra – J Daniher, T Bartlett, M Daly, D Goodley, T Green, R Woodward. Campbelltown – S Hardy, N Williams, M Scully, B Joynson, R Cooyou, R Beveridge.
At North Dalton Oval, Saturday 2nd July 2011.
Sydney University 6.4 14.10 22.12 29.18 (192)
University of Technology 4.0 4.1 5.3 5.5 (35)
Goals : Sydney Uni – D Pugmore 7, D Worrell 5, K Murphy 4, C Wells 3, R MacPherson 2, B Mankarious, C Clarebrough, N Roberts, T Barrett, D Mitchell, T Elkington, C McCreary, M Clarke. UTS – D Williams 2, M Trehwella, M Atkinson, J Caica.
Best : Sydney Uni – C Clarebrough, K Murphy, B Mankarious, P Dugmore, T Barrett, M Higgins. UTS – L Trimboli, T Steinfort, M Atkinson, L Madsen, M Trehwella, R Hanmore.
At Sydney Uni No 1 Oval, Saturday 2nd July 2011.
Balmain 5.5 10.7 12.11 19.14 (128)
Uni NSW-Eastern Suburbs 3.1 7.3 10.6 10.9 (69)
Goals : Balmain – C Bolt 6, J Britton 3, A Azhar 2, T Schmidt, J Howard, K Underwood, A Clark, M Edwins, J Farrell, J Ryder, D Naughton. UNSW-ES – J Parmenter 4, L Lavery 3, P Kefalas 2, A Robson.
Best : Balmain – C Bolt, J Britton, B Jones, J Farrell, R Lilly, J Howard. UNSW-ES – J Parmenter, A Robson, J Robbie, M Collett, R Pert, P Kefalas.
At Village Green, Saturday 2nd July 2011.
| Play | Won | Draw | Lost | For | Agnst | Pts | %age | Strk | |
| Balmain | 12 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1,117 | 794 | 91.67 | 140.68 | W6 |
| East Coast | 11 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 1,304 | 566 | 81.82 | 230.39 | L1 |
| Sydney Uni | 12 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 1,346 | 844 | 75 | 159.48 | W1 |
| North Shore | 11 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 933 | 793 | 72.73 | 117.65 | W5 |
| Pennant Hills | 11 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 993 | 756 | 63.64 | 131.35 | W2 |
| Illawarra | 12 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 908 | 932 | 50 | 97.64 | W1 |
| UNSW-ES | 12 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 992 | 1,096 | 41.67 | 90.51 | L4 |
| St George | 12 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 844 | 1,119 | 41.67 | 75.42 | L2 |
| Western Suburbs | 11 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 717 | 859 | 27.27 | 83.47 | W2 |
| UTS | 12 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 725 | 1,368 | 8.33 | 53.00 | L3 |
| Campbelltown | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 673 | 1,425 | 0 | 47.23 | L12 |
Black - Confirmed finallists
Green - Currently in a finals position, but not yet guaranteed a place in the finals
Blue - Not currently in a finals position, but still a chance to qualify
Purple - Will not be competing in the finals
Red - If the season ended now, would be relegated.
First Division:
Southern Power 12.8 (80) d North Shore 8.4 (52)
Pennant Hills 9.6 (60) d East Coast 6.9 (45)
Manly-Warringah 21.11 (137) d Illawarra 4.8 (32)
Sydney Uni 11.2 (68) d UTS 9.10 (64)
UNSW-ES 15.5 (95) d Macquarie Uni 10.7 (67)
Ladder (Match Ratio) – Manly-Warringah (83.33, 265.76%), Southern Power (81.82, 125.93%), Sydney Uni (75, 109.87%), Macquarie Uni (66.67, 186.51%), East Coast (45.45, 122.37%), UTS (45.45, 98.43%), Pennant Hills (45.45, 72.38%), UNSW-ES (41.67, 72.86%), North Shore (36.36, 70.82%), Wests (18.18, 61.41%), Illawarra (8.33, 45.92%).
Second Division:
Auburn 15.9 (99) d St George 4.10 (34)
Penrith 14.16 (100) d Balmain 6.4 (40)
NorWest 13.10 (88) d Camden 6.7 (43)
Holroyd-Parramatta 15.14 (104) d Manly-Warringah 4.1 (25)
Sydney Uni 9.9 (63) d Moorebank 7.4 (46)
Ladder (Match Ratio) – Penrith (75, 174.96%), Holroyd-Parramatta (75, 156.92%), Balmain (75, 139.15%), Sydney Uni (66.67, 123.60%), NorWest (58.33, 113.82%), Auburn (58.33, 104.91%), St George (33.33, 62.92%), Moorebank (25, 82.52%), Manly-Warringah (25, 68.43%), Camden (8.33, 49.95%).
Third Division:
Southern Power 14.11 (95) d North Shore 1.1 (7)
UTS 16.9 (105) d East Coast 5.1 (31)
Sydney Uni 9.14 (68) d Campbelltown 5.9 (39)
Saints AFC 10.7 (67) d Western Suburbs 8.11 (59)
UNSW-ES 20.14 (134) d Macquarie Uni 13.3 (81)
Ladder (Match Ratio) – UNSW-ES (91.67, 263.26%), UTS (80, 167.46%), Sydney Uni (75, 141.73%), Saints AFC (63.64, 167.76%), Southern Power (54.55, 106.21%), East Coast (40.91, 70.75%), Wests (36.36, 76.14%), Macquarie Uni (33.33, 103.52%), Campbelltown (25, 44.03%), North Shore (8.33, 31.27%).
Fourth Division:
Penrith 15.6 (96) d UTS 6.3 (39)
UNSW-ES 13.10 (88) d NorWest 10.11 (71)
Holroyd-Parramatta 17.8 (110) d Manly-Warringah 9.5 (59)
Moorebank 11.14 (80) d Auburn 6.6 (42)
Ladder (Match Ratio) – Macquarie Uni (100, 177.01%), Penrith (90.91, 220.58%), Moorebank (54.55, 98.94%), UNSW-ES (54.55, 95.84%), UTS (50, 117.18%), Holroyd-Parramatta (45.45, 106.26%), NorWest (25, 84.22%), Manly-Warringah (20, 65.74%), Auburn (9.09, 42.05%).
Fifth Division:
Sydney Uni 15.24 (104) d Holroyd-Parramatta 3.6 (24)
Moorebank d Manly-Warringah – forfeit
Southern Power 15.22 (102) d Camden 5.1 (31)
Macquarie Uni 12.21 (93) d Saints AFC 10.6 (66)
Ladder – Southern Power (48, 293.23%), Moorebank (32, 168.84%), Sydney Uni (28, 145.74%), Saints AFC (28, 125.50%), Manly-Warringah (28, 87.87%), Macquarie Uni (20, 98.90%), Camden (8, 54.18%), Holroyd-Parramatta (0, 25.86%).
Under 18s Premier:
St Ignatius Riverview 8.11 (59) d Sydney Uni 8.4 (52)
East Coast 13.8 (86) d Pennant Hills 6.6 (42)
Illawarra 21.9 (135) d Penrith 6.6 (42)
Western Suburbs 12.9 (81) d UNSW-ES 5.8 (38)
North Shore 13.9 (87) d St George 5.7 (37)
Ladder (Match Ratio) – East Coast (95.83, 244.32%), North Shore (86.36, 201.04%), St Ignatius Riverview (66.67, 119.75%), Pennant Hills (63.64, 108.54%), Sydney Uni (58.33, 128.41%), St George (33.33, 93.55%), Illawarra (31.82, 86.75%), Wests (31.82, 72.34%), Penrith (25, 49.70%), UNSW-ES (8.33, 42.11%).
Under 18s Challenge:
Holroyd-Parramatta 10.12 (72) d Southern Power 8.6 (54)
Manly-Warringah 17.5 (107) d East Coast 10.11 (71)
Mac Uni Warriors 17.12 (114) d Mac Uni Kookas 6.3 (39)
Balmain 21.17 (143) d Moorebank 3.7 (25)
Ladder (Match Ratio) – Campbelltown (100, 341.21%), Mac Uni Warriors (80, 160.64%), Manly-Warringah (63.64, 148.84%), Holroyd-Parramatta (54.55, 120.71%), Balmain (50, 98.15%), Southern Power (45.45, 105.88%), Moorebank (27.27, 70.89%), East Coast (27.27, 62.30%), Mac Uni Kookas (9.09, 24.05%).
NEXT WEEK’S FIXTURES:
Premier Division (Lurker’s Kiss of Death in bold):Saturday 9th JulyMonarch Oval – Campbelltown v Western Suburbs (2:10pm)
North Dalton Oval – Illawarra v UNSW-ES (2:10pm)
Olds Park – St George v Sydney Uni (2:10pm)
Bruce Purser Reserve – East Coast v North Shore (4:10pm)
Sunday 10th July
Drummoyne Oval – Balmain v Pennant Hills (2:10pm)
BYE – UTS
First Division:
Saturday 9th July
North Dalton Oval – Illawarra v UNSW-ES (12pm)
Bruce Purser Reserve – East Coast v North Shore (2pm)
Weldon Oval – Manly-Warringah v Western Suburbs (2:10pm)
Gwawley Oval – Southern Power v Sydney Uni (2:30pm)
University Oval – Macquarie Uni v Pennant Hills (4:30pm)
BYE – UTS
Second Division:
Saturday 9th July
Olds Park v St George v Sydney Uni (12pm)
Weldon Oval – Manly-Warringah v Moorebank (12pm)
Greygums Oval – Penrith v Camden (2:10pm)
Mona Park – Auburn v NorWest (2:10pm)
Sunday 10th July
Drummoyne Oval – Balmain v Holroyd-Parramatta (12pm)
Third Division:
Saturday 9th July
Gwawley Oval – Southern Power v Campbelltown (10:30am)
Picken Oval – Western Suburbs v Sydney Uni (12pm)
Village Green – UNSW-ES v East Coast (12pm)
Trumper Park – UTS v North Shore (2:10pm)
University Oval – Macquarie Uni v Saints AFC (2:30pm)
Fourth Division:
Saturday 9th July
Weldon Oval – Manly-Warringah v Moorebank (10am)
Mona Park – Auburn v UNSW-ES (12pm)
Trumper Park – UTS v Holroyd-Parramatta (12pm)
University Oval – Macquarie Uni v NorWest (12:30pm)
BYE – Penrith
Fifth Division:
Saturday 9th July
Gwawley Oval – Southern Power v Holroyd-Parramatta (8:30am)
University Oval – Macquarie Uni v Camden (10:30am)
St Pauls Oval – Sydney Uni v Manly-Warringah (12pm)
Rosedale Oval – Moorebank v Saints AFC (2pm)
Under 18s Premier:
Saturday 9th July
North Dalton Oval – Illawarra v UNSW-ES (10am)
Olds Park – St George v Sydney Uni (10am)
Riverview First Field – St Ignatius Riverview v Western Suburbs (10am)
Bruce Purser Reserve – East Coast v North Shore (12pm)
Greygums Oval – Penrith v Pennant Hills (12pm)
Under 18s Challenge:
Saturday 9th July
University Oval – Mac Uni Warriors v Moorebank (8:30am)
Monarch Oval – Campbelltown v Manly-Warringah (12pm)
Gwawley Oval – Southern Power v Mac Uni Kookas (12:30pm)
Sunday 10th July
Drummoyne Oval – Balmain v Holroyd-Parramatta (10am)
BYE – East Coast.