HARBOURSPORT |
SYDNEY AFL FINALS
WEEK 1 - Magpies and Demons Take the Spoils
This article was originally publised on RedAndWhiteOnline.
The business end of the season is upon us; and while minor premiers East Coast Eagles had a week off, the four remaining finals teams faced off. By the end of the weekend, one of them would be out of the race, while two others would find themselves in a position of having no more margin for error. Blacktown Olympic Park was looking a treat and the sun shone brightly for two days of football action.
Saturday's qualifying final between Wests and UNSW-ES would see the winner just one win away from a grand final berth, but the loser would be forced into sudden death. The two sides had split the points in their previous meetings this year. At Henson Park in May, Wests had the game won at quarter time and cruised to an 81-point win. But just three weeks ago the Bulldogs turned the tables with a 49-point victory at the Village Green.
It didn't take long for it to become apparent that this game would come closer to the events at Henson Park than the Village Green. An explosive opening saw the Magpies race eight goals through before the Bulldogs got on the board. David Clout got the first, taking advantage of a turnover from a kick-in. Matt Eurell's set shot from a slight angle was Wests' second. After a Bulldog behind, the Magpies ran the ball the length of the field for Matt Withers to score. A poor kick-in found Clout, whose mongrel punt boomeranged in for another goal. From the centre break, Eid Kassem found Eurell, a 50m penalty making the shot a certainty. Troy Cole bent his long-range shot nicely in the wind for another goal, and a strong mark to Matt Eurell resulted in another. And when Marcus Linsen went down in a collision but recovered to receive the ball in the square and score, the Magpies had recorded the half-century with the clock barely in time-on.
By the last change the lead was out to 91 points and the main question was whether the Magpies would stretch the lead into 3 figures. And despite the Bulldogs scoring the first two goals of the last quarter, the Magpies would kick the last 6 goals to extend the final margin over the ton.
The final margin was 114 points, as comprehensive a win in finals as they come. Matt Eurell kicked 7 goals, Ben Absolum 4, and Matt Withers and Troy Cole 3 apiece. Eurell, Joel Minichiello and Chris Noordhof were named as Wests' best, but it was hard to find a member of the team who didn't make a solid contribution to the team cause. For the Bulldogs, in what had been a disappointing day, Troy Luff and Jon Bradfield were among their best. The result means that Wests will take on East Coast on Saturday for a spot in the Grand Final; while the Bulldogs are now into sudden death.
UNSW-ES's opponent next week will be Pennant Hills, after the Demons overcame Campbelltown by 44 points on Sunday. The Demons had defeated the Blues in both their previous meetings this season, and would do so again. Two critical passages of play, at the start and late in the second term, would determine this match.
As was the case in Saturday's game, a flying start would be all-important; and it was the Demons who got the break. After just 2 minutes, Luke Bilbe received a short chip-kick that had travelled barely 15 metres, although a downfield free kick may well have been paid anyway, and the Demons were on the board. Tom Angel found a leading Nick Campbell 20 metres out for another. When Ray Love, struggling to find an option, was called to play on from a kick-in and his kick was smothered, the resultant turnover set up Daniel De Looze. The Demons continued to pepper the goals, but could manage only behinds until Campbell forced a turnover and set up Ben Beaston 25 out directly in front. And when Jon Moraitis was positioned perfectly to receive a handball and run in to kick another, the Demons were leading by 35 points with the clock not yet in time-on and the game threatened to be as one-sided as Saturday's.
The second term started with high passion; when Pennant Hills got the centre break and moved the ball inside 50 where Matt Carey received a heavy bump. A free kick was awarded, and players from both sides ran in to remonstrate; but when the fuss had died down, Carey stepped back and kicked the goal. But within 20 seconds of the centre bounce, a running Owen Love had made a quick reply; and a free in the pocket to Moller saw the margin reduced to just 10 points. Hopes were high for the Blues at that stage, but the next 15 minutes would effectively end their 2009 campaign. At 11 minutes, Bilbe took advantage of some loose checking to mark and kick his second.
The Demons rode their luck nicely when Carey shook off some pressure from Matt Edwins, his shot landing just centimetres from the base of the goalpost before a freak bounce saw it sit up for Campbell run in for the easiest of goals. And the Blues would have felt that the forces of nature were conspiring against them when a shot from Moraitis into an empty goalsquare cleared the goal-line by the smallest of margins. But there was nothing lucky about the Demons' next goal, a superb cross from Kieran Wright to Matt Carey. And when Carey and Myers both marked and goaled, the lead was out to 46 poiints.
The Blues bow out in the first week of the finals, but to make the finals was a great achievement for the Blues. After missing out on playoff action in 2008, few people outside Monarch rated their chances of returning to finals action this year. The Blues often struggled for depth, with their reserves struggling in Second Division; but to assemble a finals team from limited playing stocks was a remarkable feat. The rise of the young guns was recognised with Fraser Brown and Ben Yakimov receiving Rising Star nominations; while Chris Lees and Dale Chivas were valuable members of the Sydney AFL rep squad.
Click here to see Harboursport's photo gallery from the Qualifying Final.
Click here to see Harboursport's photo gallery from the Elimination Final.
Premier Division - Qualifying Final
Western Suburbs 8.6 13.9 18.16 23.22 (160)
Uni NSW-Eastern Suburbs 1.2 3.2 4.3 6.10 (64)
Goals : Wests - M Eurell 7, B Absolum 4, M Withers 3, T Cole 3, D Clout 2, J Lear, A Eurell, L Roehrig, M Linsen. UNSW-ES - S Pech 2, M O'Regan 2, B Abbott, K Emery.
Best : Wests - M Eurell, J Minichiello, C Noordhof, B Bedwell, S Hudson, L Roehrig. UNSW-ES - T Luff, J Bradfield, A Heffernan, D Ward, S Pech, M O'Regan.
Umpires - M Gestier, F Kalayzich, A Rutherford.
At Blacktown Olympic Park, Saturday 29th August.
Premier Division - Elimination Final
Campbelltown 3.1 7.5 12.7 15.10 (100)
Goals : Pennant Hills - M Carey 7, N Campbell 4, D De Looze 2, J Moraitis 2, L Bilbe 2, K Wright 2, S Myers, C Richardson, B Beaston. Campbelltown - O Love 7, R Moller 4, C Lees, T Wright, S Kershaw, B Yakimov.
Best : Pennant Hills - K Wright, M Carey, C Richardson, D Dell'Aquila, D De Looze, B Jack. Campbelltown - O Love, B McAllister, S Kershaw, J Brazill, D Chivas, K Cochrane.
Umpires - D Anderson, D Deigan, S Richardson.
At Blacktown Olympic Park, Sunday 30th August.
First Division
Qualifying Final - East Coast Eagles 10.12 (72) d Manly-Warringah 10.9 (69)
Elimination Final - Sydney University 9.10 (64) d UNSW-ES 7.5 (47)
First Semi Final - UTS 19.13 (127) d Holroyd-Parramatta 3.3 (21)
Second Semi Final - Macquarie University 10.7 (67) d Southern Power 5.4 (34)
Third Division
First Semi Final - UTS 12.11 (83) d Macquarie University 5.8 (38)
Second Semi Final - UNSW-ES 11.8 (74) d NorWest Jets 6.6 (42)
Fourth Division
First Semi Final - NorWest Jets 10.11 (71) d Manly-Warringah 5.5 (35)
Second Semi Final - Sydney University 17.9 (111) d UNSW-ES 5.8 (38)
Under
18s Premier
Qualifying
Final - St George 9.12 (66) d East Coast Eagles 6.7 (43)
Elimination Final - Wollongong 8.6 (54) d Pennant Hills 7.9 (51)
Under 18s Challenge
First Semi Final - Penrith 15.9 (99) d Moorebank Sports 5.12 (42)
Second Semi Final - Sydney University 18.15 (123) d Southern Power 5.3 (33)
NEXT WEEK'S FIXTURES
Saturday 5th September
Second Semi Finals - Bruce Purser Reserve
10:00am - Under 18s Premier - North Shore v St George
12:00pm - First Division - UTS v East Coast Eagles
2:15pm - Premier Division - East Coast Eagles v Western Suburbs
Sunday 6th September
First Semi Finals - Blacktown Olympic Park
10:00am - Under 18s Premier - East Coast Eagles v Wollongong
12:00pm - First Division - Manly-Warringah v Sydney University
2:15pm - Premier Division - UNSW-ES v Pennant Hills
8:30am - Under 18s Challenge - Southern Power v Penrith
10:30am - Fourth Division - UNSW-ES v NorWest Jets
12:45pm - Third Division - NorWest Jets v UTS
3:00pm - Second Division - Southern Power v UTS