Men’s Premier Division MOTW: D’s deliver a second half clinic

Image Courtesy of Leigh Gazzard

 

Written by Michael Shillito

Sydney University vs. Pennant Hills Demons  – Sydney Uni No 1 Oval on Saturday 17th August

With the top five, the match-ups for the first week of the finals, and the wooden spoon already decided, the final round of the home and away season was never going to be pivotal to the outcome of the season. For the teams playing finals, it was an important chance to fine-tune preparations for the business end of the season. For the non-finalists, a chance to end 2019 on a positive note and build some momentum for next season.

The only clash between two teams that will play finals was at Sydney Uni No 1 Oval, where Sydney Uni played host to Pennant Hills. The Students had comfortably won the previous clash between the two sides, but you don’t need to have a long memory to recall the Demon heroics of 2017. Both teams were assured of playing in the finals, but both had tasted defeat last week. This was a chance to rebuild the winning momentum.

When this clash got under way, the Students burst out of the blocks and made the early front-running. But a swirling breeze and some wasteful finishing would set the Students back, as they were unable to reap full reward for their early efforts. There were plenty of shots that should have been converted but instead sailed wide of the big sticks. The Students still scored two goals to one and lead by nine points at quarter time.

Eventually the weight of possession and repeated raids inside the forward 50 would result in some scoreboard pressure being applied, and the Students made their move in the second quarter. Twice against the run of play the Demons would achieve goals, but for most of the quarter the Students were controlling the ball and the momentum of play. Four times the Students would draw twin flags from the goal umpires. Sydney University led by 21 points at half time, and a strong ovation from the Uni faithful reflected the pattern of play they had seen in the first half.

But whatever happened in the Demon rooms at half time is something they’d like to bottle and produce more often. When the two teams emerged for the second half, the transformation in the game was remarkable. Demon players who had been barely sighted in the first half began to accumulate possessions and assert themselves in the contest. In contrast, the Students had visibly slowed, the pressure of the first half unable to be replicated as the Demons shook off all attempts to contain them. The Students were held to a single goal, while the scoreboard began ticking over at the Demons’ scoring end. The fifth goal, deep in time-on, saw the Demons hit the front and take a three-point lead to the last change.

The tide had turned, and the Demons weren’t finished yet. The sniff of victory was theirs, and they weren’t letting go. The Students attempted to regroup at three quarter time, but they were powerless to stop the Demon force that had been unleashed in the third term. The final quarter would yield four goals to two, as the Demons made their way to an 18-point victory.

Marc Sheather, Harry Maguire and Stephen Wray led the way for the Demons. They’ll be in sudden death in the finals; but that didn’t worry them in 2017 or 2015. They have winning momentum behind them, and they’re ready to go. Even from fifth place, you can’t write them off.

The Students will be disappointed with their second half fade out. Tom Dunlop, David Johnson and Nick Bertino were best for the Students, but going into the finals on the back of a two-game losing streak isn’t ideal. The loss sees them drop to third after the regular season which matters little in a final five and they’ll be taking on a North Shore side they’ve already beaten twice this year.

UNSW Eastern Suburbs already had the minor premiership sealed, and have next week off. They’re going into the finals in strong form, after a 69-point win over Camden at Henson Park. North Shore moved up to second after defeating UTS by 42 points in a high-scoring shootout at Gore Hill Oval. East Coast Eagles were 83 points too good for Inner West at Kanebridge Oval. And Manly finished the 2019 season on a high with a strong second half to overcome St George by 11 points at Olds Park.

For Inner West, Manly, St George, Camden and UTS, the 2019 season is over and planning for the 2020 campaign is already under way.

Now we get to the business end of the season. UNSW-ES have next week off, and will be waiting for the winner of Saturday’s North Shore v Sydney Uni clash. And on Sunday, East Coast and Pennant Hills will lock horns in a battle from which only one team will survive.

Bring on the finals!!

Match Results

Pennant Hills Demons – 1.3 | 3.5 | 8.8 | 12.12 (84)

Sydney University – 2.6 | 6.8 | 7.11 | 9.12 (66)

Pennant Hills Goals – T Moraitis 3, J Preedy 3, M Sheather 2, C Allison 1, M Carey 1, T Widmer 1, T Edmonds 1

Sydney University Goals – M Picken 3, A Day 2, D Johnson 1, A Lucy 1, M Valastro 1, N Bertino 1

Pennant Hills Best – M Sheather, H Maguire, S Wray, C Luscombe, C Allison, C Lee

Sydney University Best – T Dunlop, D Johnson, N Bertino, A Clarke, A Day, L McNamara

 

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