SYDNEY AFL ROUND 10 - Dragons Come Out Breathing Fire
Article originally published on RedAndWhiteOnline.

 

After victories in their first two matches, a 7-game losing streak saw their season threathening to unravel. Second last on the ladder, three games out of the top 5 at the half-way mark of the season; St George needed something to kick-start their season to get them back into contention.

St George had planned a Back to St George promotion for their match against North Shore on Sunday. Back in their traditional red and white colours this season, the plan was a reunion of former players at the match. But the weather was unkind to them, and at the last minute Olds Park was closed and with just a couple of hours' notice was transferred to Mahoney Park. It was unfortunate for St George, but at the end of the day they were able to hold another kind of celebration after their losing streak was ended.

Skies were overcast, although it hadn't rained for a few hours, as the match got under way. Although the rest of the park was a bog, the playing surface was in surprisingly good nick considering the recent weather. And in just 2 minutes it was first blood to the Dragons, Ben Maddern on the run receiving the ball 30 metres out and putting the ball through. And a few minutes later, Maddern was again in the thick of the action when he set up a running Declan Donohue for St George's second.

It was open and free-running football, and the Bombers quickly got the goals back, through the marking power of Anthony Lowes and Daniel Dickerson. The Dragons got the centre break, with Donohue finding coach Shane Demir 30 metres out. But Demir was unable to take his kick, being blood ruled for the second time. Nathan Smith stepped up and took the kick, converting truly. As the clock ticked into time-on, a low slips catch mark to Anthony Lowes gave the tall number 20 his second goal and levelled the scores. But the final minutes of the quarter favoured the Dragons. A handball in North Shore's defensive 50 metre zone was intercepted by Declan Donohue, before Cuthbert found himself in space to mark and play on. The lead could have gone to 3 goals, but Donohue's set shot after the siren went wide.

The second quarter was to be one of constantly changing fortunes. There were 9 goals scored, but neither side was able to manage consecutive goals during the quarter. It was end to end football, with both sides able to find loose men and the running players from both sides excelling. But late in the term were a few key events that favoured St George. One was a spectacular mark from Nathan Smith on the half-forward flank, flying over his North Shore opponent to take what was both an aesthetic highlight and a morale booster. Another was a brief brouhaha on the opposite forward flank that saw North Shore's Ron Wason shown a yellow card. As the half-time siren sounded, and the rain started, the Dragons went into the rooms with a 6-point lead.

The second half saw a heavy track, a heavy ball, and game plans that tightened considerably compared to the first half. Only three goals were scored in the third term, as the tacklers and hard-ball getters came into their own. Shaun Wicken found some space to restore the 2-goal lead for the Dragons. At 16 minutes, a clever give by Ben Attwood set up Brendan Fitzgerald, and in the dying stages of the quarter a free to Donohue for in the back 30 metres out gave the Dragons a 13-point lead at the last change.

North Shore weren't finished yet, and came into the last quarter with all guns blazing. James Webster scored the opening goal in almost farcical style; marking well but playing on, making a complete mess of a handball, recovering possession, should have been tackled but shrugged it and scored. And just 2 minutes later, a hit-out from a throw-in on the forward pocket found Ben Attwood who banged the goal through to level the scores. A thrilling finish looked to be on the cards.

But it was St George who held their nerve better during the final stages of the match. After what had been a low-scoring and close checking half, Dylan Taylor and Stephen Wilson were both the recipients of 50 metre penalties that turned what would have been tough shots into certainties. And the result was a 2-goal win to St George; a welcome return to form. The Dragons, although still 2 games out of the top 5, finally have the confidence boost they needed to be able to salvage their season. It was a chance gone begging for North Shore to return to the top 5. Dylan Taylor kicked 3 for the Dragons, while Anthony Cuthbert and Jon Shineberg were among their best. For North Shore, Ben Attwood and Cameron Holmes were standouts.

Click here to see Harboursport's photo gallery of the St George v North Shore match.

 

Wests maintained their grip on second place when the Magpies were 59 points too good for Campbelltown. In a game moved from Picken Oval to Henson Park, the Magpies got on top early with a 6 goals to 1 opening term before booting 9 goals in the second term to put the result out of reach for the Blues. Although the second half was closer, the damage was already done and the Magpies were happy to cruise to victory. Matt Withers kicked 4 goals for Wests in a best-on-ground performance, while Dwain Watkins kicked 3 and Ben Absolum was prominent around the ground. For the Blues, Luke Coughlan kicked 3 while Chris Lees and Dale Chivas played solid games.

 

After last week's disappointing performance against East Coast Eagles, UNSW-ES travelled to Wollongong and were again looking down the barrel when the Bulldogs were scoreless at quarter time. But the Lions had only managed a single goal, and when the Bulldogs had the scoring end in the second term made more of their opportunities to take a 12-point lead at half time. The third quarter was evenly fought, the Lions throwing everything they had into the contest to trail by just a kick at the last change. But UNSW-ES pulled away in the last quarter to take a 32-point victory in a match that for much of the contest looked to be considerably closer. Ryan Underwood kicked 3 goals for the Bulldogs in a low-scoring contest, while Jeremy Kiel and Michael Beardsley were among their best. For Wollongong, Luke Favetta and James Weavers were key contributors.

 

Balmain had a red-hot go in their match against Sydney Uni at the University, and there was less than a kick in it at half time. But the premiership quarter was decisive, with the Students scoring 5 goals to 1 before maintaining their lead during the final quarter to run out winners by 23 points. Mark Egan kicked 5 goals for the Students and Mitchell Thompson 4, Thompson and Tim Barton being prominent around the ground. After a season that was looking to be going bad just a few weeks ago, the Students' 3-match winning streak sees them just one win outside the top 5 and with a superior percentage to the other challengers for the final position in the top half. For Balmain, Ryan Officer kicked 3 and was their best.

A rare Sunday night fixture saw East Coast Eagles remain unbeaten with a 29-point victory over Pennant Hills at Bruce Purser Oval; a result which gave the Eagles some small measure of revenge for last year's grand final and one which saw the Demons fall out of the top 3. The Eagles, wearing the old Baulkham Hills Falcons heritage strips, struggled with inaccuracy early and had 0.8 on the board at quarter time to trail by 6 points. But the Demons were not to manage another goal until the final quarter, facing problems with their goalkicking accuracy; and by then the Eagles had built enough of a lead to be safe in a low-scoring contest. Jon Vlatko and Mark Skuse were among the key contributors for the Eagles, while the Demons were well served by Luke Turner and Mitchell Aitken.

 

St George   5.3   9.6   11.8   13.9 (87)

North Shore   3.3   8.6   9.7   11.9 (75)

Goals : St George - D Taylor 3, D Donohue 2, S Wilsen 2, S Wicken 2, N Smith, B Maddern, A Cuthbert, D Carey. North Shore - A Lowes 2, B Attwood 2, R Wason, K Tangney, B Fitzgerald, L Pryor, D Dickerson, T Strudwick, J Webster.

Best : St George - A Cuthbert, J Shineberg, A Buttling, R Craig, R Talbot, R Bennett. North Shore - B Attwood, C Holmes, J O'Dell, A Lowes, B Fitzgerald, A Sutton.

At Mahoney Park, Sunday 21st June 2009.

Western Suburbs   6.5   15.8   19.12   21.15 (141)

Campbelltown   1.1   6.5   11.5   12.10 (82)

Goals : Wests - M Withers 4, D Watkins 3, B Absolum 3, A Eurell 2, D Williams 2, D Clout 2, G King 2, T Cole, C McGuirk, C McGrath. Campbelltown - L Coughlan 3, O Love 2, B Reid, S Kershaw, B McAllister, D Chivas, B Yakimov, J Brazill, R Love.

Best : Wests - M Withers, B Absolum, D Watkins, D Williams, D Clout, G King. Campbelltown - C Lees, D Chivas, M Moore, I Sumner, S Kershaw, J Edwards.

At Henson Park, Sunday 21st June 2009.

 

Uni NSW-Eastern Suburbs   0.0   3.4   6.8   10.10 (70)

Wollongong   1.2   1.4   5.6   5.8 (38)

Goals : UNSW-ES - R Underwood 3, P Kefalas 2, A Friedlieb, J Coulloupas, B Sutton, M O'Regan, M Beardsley. Wollongong - L Favetta 2, G Batty, M Hogan, K Ewan-Chappel.

Best : UNSW-ES - J Kiel, M Beardsley, B Sutton, J Bradfield, P Kefalas, E Shaw. Wollongong - L Favetta, J Weavers, M Toussis, A McConnochie, A MacKenzie, M Hogan.

At North Dalton Oval, Saturday 20th June 2009.

 

Sydney University   3.0   7.4   12.6   14.10 (94)

Balmain Dockers   2.4   6.6   7.9   10.11 (71)

Goals : Sydney Uni - M Egan 5, M Thompson 4, A Lee 2, B Mankarious, T Barton, S Crichton. Balmain - R Officer 3, J Dickens, D Napper, D Turner, D Brian, N O'Brien, J Mobbs, L Mitchell.

Best : Sydney Uni - T Barton, M Thompson, G Burch, M Egan, G Stevens, C Clarebrough. Balmain - R Officer, A Randell, L Mitchell, J Mobbs, B Jones, D Brian.

At Sydney Uni No 1 Oval, Sunday 21st June 2009.

 

East Coast Eagles   0.8   3.9   6.10   8.13 (61)

Pennant Hills   2.2   2.4   2.9   3.14 (32)

Goals : East Coast - G Seebeck 2, M Skuse, A Lovett, K Pearson, J Vlatko, R Smyth, M Sankey. Pennant Hills - D De Looze, D Dell'Aquila, C Smith.

Best : East Coast - J Vlatko, M Skuse, L Stanford, M Maher, J Dimery, B Bourke. Pennant Hills - L Turner, M Aitken, L Shepherd, A Richardson, K Wright, C Richardson.

At Bruce Purser Oval, Sunday 21st June 2009.

 

First Division:

UNSW-ES 10.2 (62) d Wollongong 6.3 (39)

Manly-Warringah 10.12 (72) d Western Suburbs 6.4 (40)

Sydney University v UTS - Postponed

North Shore 12.18 (90) d St George 6.5 (41)

East Coast Eagles 16.9 (105) d Pennant Hills 10.8 (68)

Ladder (Match Ratio) - UTS (100, 230.47%), Manly-Warringah (80, 178.18%), East Coast (70, 168.63%), UNSW-ES (70, 123.72%), Sydney Uni (66.67, 165.62%), Pennant Hills (40, 101.73%), North Shore (40, 85.89%), Wollongong (20, 50.40%), Western Suburbs (20, 46.09%), St George (0, 38.63%).

 

Second Division:

Camden 13.13 (91) d Balmain 3.9 (27)

Holroyd-Parramatta 8.3 (51) d UTS 5.7 (37)

Macquarie Uni d Campbelltown - forfeit

Southern Power 23.14 (152) d East Coast Eagles 4.1 (25)

Sydney Uni v Manly-Warringah - postponed.

Ladder (Match Ratio) - Southern Power (100, 360.63%), Macquarie Uni (90, 280.29%), UTS (70, 227.25%), Holroyd-Parramatta (60, 106.58%), Sydney Uni (55.56, 124.31%), Balmain (40, 96.90%), Camden (30, 53.33%), Manly-Warringah (22.22, 68.52%), East Coast (20, 41.34%), Campbelltown (10, 23.19%).

 

Third Division:

UNSW-ES 10.9 (69) d Pennant Hills 6.6 (42)

UTS 14.16 (100) d Holroyd-Parramatta 1.3 (9)

Macquarie Uni 21.15 (141) d Penrith 4.2 (26)

NorWest Jets 23.18 (156) d Southern Power 0.0 (0)

Ladder (Match Ratio) - UNSW-ES (100, 325.64%), UTS (88.89, 263.33%), NorWest Jets (87.5, 255.52%), Macquarie Uni (66.67, 162.47%), Moorebank Sports (55.56, 106.42%), Pennant Hills (30, 80.38%), Penrith (22.22, 57.53%), Southern Power (11.11, 41.96%), Holroyd-Parramatta (0, 19.50%).

Fourth Division:

Sydney Uni 13.12 (90) d Manly-Warringah 2.6 (18)

UTS 18.23 (131) d Holroyd-Parramatta 1.0 (6)

Penrith 10.9 (69) d Macquarie Uni 8.9 (57)

NorWest Jets 18.20 (128) d UNSW-ES 3.3 (21)

Moorebank Sports 22.28 (160) d Camden 0.5 (5)

Ladder - Sydney Uni (36, 369.10%), UTS (32, 247.31%), NorWest Jets (26, 253.88%), UNSW-ES (24, 126.11%), Manly-Warringah (24, 109.21%), Macquarie Uni (22, 128.68%), Moorebank Sports (20, 102.73%), Penrith (8, 46.33%), Holroyd-Parramatta (8, 40.07%), Camden (0, 12.13%).

 

Under 18s Premier:

Wollongong 8.11 (59) d UNSW-ES 7.11 (53)

Balmain 8.22 (70) d St Ignatius Riverview 6.10 (46)

Western Suburbs 11.10 (76) d Campbelltown 7.6 (48)

St George 12.11 (83) d North Shore 6.9 (45)

Pennant Hills 13.8 (86) d East Coast Eagles 10.5 (65)

Ladder (Match Ratio) - North Shore (88.89, 247.20%), East Coast (80, 197.89%), Pennant Hills (70, 190.49%), St George (70, 173.05%), Wollongong (70, 128.24%), UNSW-ES (30, 78.52%), Balmain (30, 52.51%), Campbelltown (22.22, 56.64%), St Ignatius Riverview (20, 58.30%), Western Suburbs (20, 37.45%).

Under 18s Challenge:

Pennant Hills 13.16 (94) d Holroyd-Parramatta 4.0 (24)

Sydney University v Manly-Warringah - Postponed

Penrith 11.19 (85) d Macquarie Uni 3.4 (22)

Southern Power 12.6 (78) d East Coast Eagles 3.8 (26)

Ladder (Match Ratio) - Penrith (88.89, 234.23%), Southern Power (88.89, 198.303%), Sydney Uni (85.71, 264.29%), Pennant Hills (66.67, 126.50%), Moorebank Sports (55.56, 114.78%), Manly-Warringah (22.22, 54.62%), Macquarie Uni (22.22, 44.25%), East Coast (12.5, 87.65%), Holroyd-Parramatta (11.11, 31.44%).

 

 

NEXT WEEK'S FIXTURES (Lurker's Kiss of Death in bold)

Saturday 27th June

Gore Hill Oval - North Shore v Western Suburbs (2:10pm)

Monarch Oval - Campbelltown v St George (2:10pm)

Ern Holmes Oval - Pennant Hills v UNSW-ES (2:30pm)

Sunday 28th June

Drummoyne Oval - Balmain v Wollongong (2:10pm)

Sydney Uni No 1 Oval - Sydney University v East Coast Eagles (2:10pm)

 

First Division:
Saturday 27th June

Gore Hill Oval - North Shore v Western Suburbs (12pm)

Ern Holmes Oval - Pennant Hills v UNSW-ES (12:30pm)

Pittwater No 6 Oval - Manly-Warringah v St George (2:30pm)

Trumper Park - UTS v Wollongong (2:30pm)

Sunday 28th June

Sydney Uni No 1 Oval - Sydney Uni v East Coast Eagles (12pm)

 

Second Division:

Saturday 27th June

Monarch Oval - Campbelltown v Southern Power (12pm)

Pittwater No 6 Oval - Manly-Warringah v Camden (12:30pm)

Trumpier Park - UTS v Sydney Uni (12:30pm)

Charles McLaughlin Reserve - Holroyd-Parramatta v East Coast Eagles (2:30pm)

Sunday 28th June

Drummoyne Oval - Balmain v Macquarie Uni (12pm)

 

Third Division:

Saturday 27th June

Trumper Park - UTS v UNSW-ES (10:30am)

Charles McLaughlin Reserve - Holroyd-Parramatta v NorWest Jets (12:30pm)

Greygums Oval - Penrith v Southern Power (2:10pm)

Rosedale Oval - Moorebank Sports v Macquarie Uni (2:10pm)

Pennant Hills has the bye.

 

Fourth Division:

Saturday 27th June

Trumper Park - UTS v Sydney Uni (8:30am)

Charles McLaughlin Oval - Holroyd-Parramatta v NorWest Jets (10:30am)

Pittwater No 6 Oval - Manly-Warringah v Camden (10:30am)

Greygums Oval - Penrith v UNSW-ES (12pm)

Rosedale Oval - Moorebank Sports v Macquarie Uni (12pm)

Under 18s Premier:

Saturday 27th June

Gore Hill Oval - North Shore v Western Suburbs (10am)

Monarch Oval - Campbelltown v St George (10am)

Ern Holmes Oval - Pennant Hills v UNSW-ES (10:30am)

Sunday 28th June

Drummoyne Oval - Balmain v Wollongong (10am)

Riverview First Oval - St Ignatius Riverview v East Coast Eagles (10am)

 

Under 18s Challenge:

Saturday 27th June

Charles McLaughlin Reserve - Holroyd-Parramatta v East Coast Eagles (8:30am)

Ern Holmes Oval - Pennant Hills v Sydney Uni (8:30am)

Greygums Oval - Penrith v Southern Power (10am)

Rosedale Oval - Moorebank Sports v Macquarie Uni (10am)

Manly-Warringah has the bye.