Men’s Premier Division Match of the Round Review- St George Dragons v Pennant Hills Demons

Written by Lucas Holmes

 

Recap

St. George finished fourth in the 2021 season including a 71 point victory over Pennant Hills in round 10.

For Pennant Hills, they finished 2021 once spot behind the Dragons in fifth. The Demons were victorious in last year’s early-season encounter by 25 points.

 

First quarter

Both sides had their hands on the football in the opening minutes but it was the Dragons who broke through first. Noah Casalini was paid a free kick between the centre wing and half-forward flank. Casalini’s cultured left boot found a leading Dominic Soffe who converted the long set shot on the angle.

Both sides’ pressure without the football was immense as the two sides continued to feel each other out.

It was the milestone man who would get the Demons on the board first. After a free kick on the half-back flank, the ball was chipped onto the centre wing by Zac Elliott. Chain handballs allowed Sam Eynaud to launch the ball high inside the forward fifty. Matt Carey playing in his 250th match crumbed the pack and snapped across his body from thirty-five metres.

Goals to Patrick Tegg, Matt Saunders and a Ben Jones goal after the siren capped off a successful quarter for the Dragons.

Quarter time St George Dragons 4.5.29 Pennant Hills Demons 1.1.7.

 

Second quarter

Pennant Hills had the first opportunity of the second quarter. After an acrobatic intercept by Wilson Mudge, the Demons attacked the centre corridor with a long kick inside the forward fifty that found Joshua Boag. His handball found Luke Skrivanic who was tackled without the football. However, his long set shot was pulled to the left.

Both sides continued to impose themselves physically before St George broke through with nine minutes elapsed time. From a stoppage on the half-forward flank, Alexander Wynn provided an overlapping run for Tegg. Wynn collected the handball in stride and kicked from forty metres out on the non-preferred boundary for an outstanding finish.

The Demons answered back straight away. Harry Maguire unleashed a kick from outside the arc to the goal line where Theo Moratis took a relatively straightforward mark.  Moratis made no mistake with the kick around the corner, the Demons trimmed the margin to twenty-two points.

St George extended their lead to thirty-four points at the main break as tensions rose.

Half time St George Dragons 7.8.50 Pennant Hills Demons 2.4.16.

 

Third quarter

After an end-to-end opening to the third term from both sides, the Demons struck from a full-field counterattack. A long kick found Nick Richards on the centre wing, Richards immediately handballed to Maguire who went off his non-preferred inside the forward fifty. Moratis was able to maintain his feet at full speed and dribbled home his second.

The Demons (and Moratis) made it two in quick succession, once again from long range. A stoppage on the defensive side of the centre square saw Aaron Crisfield link up with Skrivanic, who sent the ball tumbling inside the forward fifty. Moratis playing in front received a push in the back a kicked comfortably from forty metres out.

The Dragons were able to stem the momentum of the Demons slightly as Casalini took a big pack mark and converted the long set shot. The Demons kicked three late goals to the Dragons one to find themselves right in the game at the last change.

Three quarter time St George Dragons 9.11.65 Pennant Hills Demons 7.5.47.

 

Fourth quarter

It didn’t take long for the Demons to find themselves within a goal. A free-kick on the centre wing saw Mudge kick short to Richards. Richards went high towards the hotspot, with the umpire adjudicating that Moratis was held in the marking contest and he didn’t miss from thirty-five metres out.

Just over one minute later, the Demons were in front. Lee’s third effort from the backline got the ball to the centre wing. Jason Blackmore wheeled around sending the ball to centre half-forward. Carey who stayed out of the contest received a wide handball and finished on the run, Pennant Hills had eight goals in just over one quarter’s worth of play.

Mudge was then taken high at a stoppage and then shoved to the ground as it looked like the Dragons had started to fade, the fifty-metre free-kick ensured Mudge his first goal.

Another fifty-metre free-kick this time to Lee who kicked truly from outside the arc threatened to be the nail in the coffin.

This wasn’t to be as goals to Ethan Maher and Jon Pearson got the Dragons with two points.

Ultimately this would be as close as St George would get in the end as Pennant Hills hung on to clinch a nail-biting round 1 win.

Full time St George Dragons 11.12.78 Pennant Hills Demons 12.8.80. 

 

For St George, Timothy Tegg’s speed and accurate short kicking off half-back broke the game open and was instrumental in the Dragons’ late onslaught. Timothy Coenen was consistent, whilst Noah Casalini’s ability to crash packs as a key forward and his field kicking was a feature.

Charlie Allison was dominant in the ruck for Pennant Hills. Whilst Cooper Lee’s repeated efforts in defence were the foundation for many Demons’ attacks. And Theo Moratis provided a target in the forward line.

 

St George 11.12.78

Goal kickers: N. Casalini 3, A. Wynn 2, P. Tegg, M. Saunders, B. Jones, D. Soffe, E. Maher, J. Pearson

Best: N. Casalini, C. Flanagan, K. McKellar, D. Michalak, B. Hodgson, M. Saunders

 

Pennant Hills Demons 12.8.80

Goal kickers: T. Moraitis 4, H. Maquire 2, M. Carey 2, M. Blow, C. Lee, W. Mudge, S. Wray

Best: N. Eynaud, N. Richards, H. Maguire, T. Moraitis, M. Vidler, C. Allison