AFL Sydney Premier Division Men’s & Women’s- Round 15 Preview
Written by Michael Shillito
It’s been another wet week, another challenging week. But our AFL Sydney footballers are a resilient breed, and through all the trials and tribulations of 2022 they keep turning up to play. And we’re now well into the run home to the finals.
For our women, just two rounds remain. Only four weeks to go for the men. And still the race for the final five is well and truly up for grabs. There’s some critical games this week.
MENS PREMIER DIVISION
UTS Bats v Sydney University
Gore Hill Oval, Saturday 9:30am
The Bats return to Waverley this week with their finals hopes hanging by a thread. They must win this week, that’s the bottom line. And it won’t be easy against a Sydney Uni side that is also looking to bounce back from a shock defeat last week.
Last Saturday the Bats travelled to Henson Park to take on top side UNSW-ES; but it was a local derby to forget for the Bats. They were never in the hunt against a well-drilled Bulldogs side and went down by 102 points. Billy Kanakis and Zack Bowles tried hard, but the Bats didn’t have the firepower to match it with the Bulldogs. The loss saw the Bats’ match ratio fall under 50%, and with a poor percentage, time is running out for the Bats to work their way up from seventh into the top five. There’s no second chances from here.
Sydney Uni last week were at Mike Kenny Oval, taking on Pennant Hills. With the Students 14 points up at the last change, everything seemed to be going to plan. But the Students ran out of legs in the last quarter, and the fast-finishing Demons stunned the Students to pip them at the post. There was only a point in it, but despite the best efforts of Austin Lucy and Nick Lees, the Students went down. They remain in third, but with only a narrow buffer over St George, Inner West and Pennant Hills; and in the context of an extremely tight ladder, they will need to hit back from that narrow loss.
When the two sides met in round 10, the Bats were held to a single goal as the Students romped to a 108-point win. The Bats can’t afford a repeat of that. We still have seven teams in contention for the finals, but that will only remain the case if the Bats can get up here. A loss in this one and they can forget about finals. For the Students, this one is also a must-win. They haven’t wrapped up their spot in the finals yet, and the double-chance in the play-offs is far from guaranteed. But a win will go a long way towards ensuring their participation at the business end of the season. There’s high stakes in this one.
Inner West Magpies v UNSW-ES Bulldogs
Blacktown International Sportspark No 2, Saturday 1:10pm
The big wet has seen the clash between the Magpies and the Bulldogs shifted to Blacktown No 2; and it’s an important match for the Magpies. Pennant Hills has the bye, which gives the Magpies the opportunity to tighten their grip on their spot in the top five; but to do that they’ll have to get past the competition leaders.
Inner West Magpies let a golden opportunity slip last week when they went down to St George by 27 points at Olds Park. There was only a kick in it at the last change, but the Magpies were unable to keep up with the Dragons in the final term. The Magpies were well served by the efforts of Nick Pleming and Michael Tuttle, but in the end it wasn’t enough to take the points. The Magpies were overtaken by the Dragons, dropping to fifth. But this week, if they can rise to the occasion, they can extend the gap between them and the teams outside the five.
The Bulldogs have barely put a foot wrong all season, only dropping one game; and it would take something truly remarkable for them to miss out on the minor premiership from here. And there was no sign of such a freak occurrence at Henson Park last week when they dominated UTS from start to finish to record a 102-point win. Keiran Emery was unstoppable with a five-goal haul, while Lachlan O’Callaghan chipped in with four goals in a best-on-ground performance. When they get a run-on like they did last Saturday, the Bulldogs are hard to stop.
There have been few threats to the Bulldogs this season, but the Magpies troubled them in round two; and the Bulldogs had to dig deep to get out of that one by 11 points. The Bulldogs are on a roll, but the Magpies will take plenty out of that previous encounter. If they can lift just a little bit more, enough to get over the line, it will strengthen their hold on their spot in the five. It won’t be easy, but the opportunity is there.
North Shore Bombers v St George Dragons
Gore Hill Oval, Saturday 1:40pm
Two teams with some winning form on the board that has taken them inside the top five face off at Gore Hill on Saturday when the Bombers host the Dragons on the Gore Hill synthetic.
North Shore are on a roll, and took out their fifth win on the trot last week when they were 110 points too good for East Coast. Kyle Devlin and Nick Brewer were possession-gathering machines as the Bombers asserted themselves in style. The Bombers have moved up to second, six points clear of the third-placed Sydney Uni; but they have a tough last couple of rounds, and will be keen to add another win here to build a buffer around the double-chance.
The Dragons were under the pump last week when they hosted the Magpies at Olds Park, but responded in the way that matters; hitting back hard and working their way to victory. There was only a kick in it at three quarter time, but the Dragons took control in the last term to complete a 27-point win. Daniel Widders controlled the forward line to finish with six goals, while Tim Coenen was influential around the ground. The result saw the Dragons leap-frog the Magpies into fourth, not just four points but a significant morale boost.
When the two sides met in round eight at Olds Park, the Dragons got over the line by seven points after a day of fluctuating fortunes. With the Bombers playing for the double-chance in the finals, and both sides looking to consolidate their position ahead of the upcoming playoffs, you can expect another tightly-contested clash this time. There won’t be much in this one.
Manly-Warringah Wolves v East Coast Eagles
Weldon Oval, Saturday 2:00pm
It will be desperation stakes as the Eagles host the Wolves at Kanebridge. This match will be streamed live on Kayo Sports and the AFL Sydney Facebook page; and although the main interest on the telecast will be the womens’ game to follow, there’ll be plenty of passion and relief for whoever gets to sing the song in this mens’ game.
The Eagles are yet to salute in 2022, and they were given a tough lesson by North Shore last week when they were humbled by 110 points. Brandon Clark and Nathan Coxall kept putting the effort in all day, but the Eagles were unable to keep up with a North Shore side that was in strong form. After everything they’ve gone through this season, the Eagles won’t want to finish empty-handed; and this is the best opportunity they’re going to get to sing their song in 2022.
Manly go into this game refreshed after last week’s bye. At their last start, they went down to Sydney Uni by 56 points. Kyle Martin and Hayden Washington battled gamely all day, but the Wolves on that occasion didn’t have the firepower to match it with the Students. The Wolves haven’t won since round one, despite a few close calls; and they’ll have been counting down to this game as a chance to break the cycle and get some winning form on the board at last.
The two sides met in the opening round of the season at Gore Hill, and on that occasion the Wolves got up by 28 points. Neither team has won since, and neither team will be part of this year’s finals. Having gone through so many tough weeks, so many heavy defeats; finally one team will break the drought. And after a long losing streak, victory for one of these teams will taste so sweet. But for the loser, another chapter of disappointment. This is the chance, and you can expect to see plenty of desperation.
WOMENS PREMIER DIVISION
UTS Bats v Sydney University
Mike Kenny Top Oval, Saturday 11:20am
In a tight battle for finals positions, the clash between UTS and Sydney Uni at Waverley Oval will be of critical importance. The Bats have had a great week to move into the top five; but they will need to continue that momentum into this match to stay there.
It’s been a big week for the Bats. Last Saturday at Henson Park, they completed a 16-point win over UNSW-ES, led by big efforts from Ruby Reid and Gabriella Stanwix. Then in a mid-week catch-up game at Waratah Oval they defeated Southern Power by 15 points, with Serina Baukes and Melissa Lindsay featuring prominently. The back to back wins lifted the Bats to fifth place; a game ahead of North Shore but with an inferior percentage. And the Bats will play the Bombers in the final round, in what is likely to be a playoff for the finals.
Sydney Uni will be looking to hit back in this game after being shocked by Pennant Hills at Mike Kenny last week. It was a low-scoring slog, but the Students found themselves six points behind when the final siren sounded, despite the strong efforts all day from Chaylee Reeve and Mikayla Sheehan. The Students remain two games plus percentage clear in third, and their double-chance in the finals is assured. But with this game and then East Coast in the last round, the Students will be looking to this game as an opportunity to build some pre-finals momentum.
The stakes are high for the Bats. If they drop this game, they risk falling out of the top five. Either way, their finals run is likely to come down to the final week of the season. While for Sydney Uni, they’ll be looking to this game to fine-tune their finals preparations and build some momentum for the challenges to come. Sydney Uni won by just three points when the two sides last met, and there shouldn’t be much in this one.
Pennant Hills Demons v Macquarie Uni Warriors
Mike Kenny Top Oval, Saturday 1:00pm
Neither team will be playing finals this year, and their home grounds are only a few kilometres apart. But there’s a world of difference in form between the Warriors and the Demons, who face off at Macquarie Uni Oval on Saturday afternoon.
It’s been a challenging season for the Warriors, with just two wins to date. And it didn’t get any better for them last Saturday when they travelled to Weldon Oval and went down to Manly by 94 points. Hannah Cerezo and Caitlin Fletcher tried hard all day, but it was a familiar story for the Warriors, who were unable to match it with the Wolves. This season has had its struggles, but they’ll be looking for a big finish to lay the foundation for future seasons.
Meanwhile, Pennant Hills have found their best form in recent weeks and have been taking it up to the top teams in the league. Last week at Mike Kenny they hung on in a low-scoring thriller to edge out Sydney Uni by six points. The heroics of Ella Morris and Riley Quinn were crucial in getting the Demons over the line; but the turnaround in form and confidence they have shown in recent weeks has been remarkable. Sadly for their finals aspirations, they left their run too late.
It’s the second meeting between the two clubs this season. The first was at Mike Kenny Oval in round two, which saw the Demons get up by 27 points. But that result was followed by a seven-goal losing streak, which cost the Demons a shot at a finals appearance. But the Demons have well and truly found their mojo in recent weeks, causing some damage to finals teams. They’ll be looking for a strong finish to this season, building momentum to carry into 2023.
Inner West Magpies v UNSW-ES Bulldogs
Blacktown International Sportspark No 2, Saturday 3:50pm
It’s a west v east clash between two teams in finals contention when the Magpies host the Bulldogs. Recent rain has seen this match shifted to Blacktown No 2.
The Magpies are in fourth place. Two games behind third, and the double-chance is unlikely. Level on games with UTS, a game ahead of North Shore and UNSW-ES and with a better percentage. Their finals hopes are in their hands, but it won’t be easy. After this game, they have Manly in the final round. Last week they did what they needed to and got the win against Southern Power, but there was only 18 points in it. But, well led by Amelia Causley-Todd and Madeline Convery, they did enough to get over the line.
The Bulldogs let a golden opportunity slip last Saturday at Henson Park when they went down to UTS by 16 points. The Bulldogs had some solid service from Sienna Reiners and Sera Kaukino, but after a slow start they were unable to catch the Bats. The result sees the Bulldogs in seventh place, a game plus plenty of percentage behind fifth. If the Bulldogs drop this game, their finals aspirations are officially over. It they win, it likely comes down to their final round game against Pennant Hills and hoping other results go their way.
These teams have played before this season, back in round two; and on that occasion the Magpies got over the line by eight points. But the Magpies aren’t secure in the finals yet. A win here should be enough to get them in. The Bulldogs are on their last chance. The stakes are high, the pressure will be intense. Another close game looks likely here.
North Shore Bombers v Southern Power
Gore Hill Oval, Saturday 4:00pm
It’s been a topsy-turvy season for North Shore, and another twist in the Bomber tale is set to unfold on the Gore Hill synthetic on Saturday afternoon as they take on Southern Power.
Last week the Bombers put up a fight against the ladder-leading East Coast, but a scoreless third quarter held them back and they went down by 17 points. Charlie Fyffe and Mel Brydon were in good form for the Bombers, as they put up a credible performance against the ladder leaders; but the loss saw them fall out of the top five. They’ll be looking for a big win here to set up a final round showdown for the finals; and if they can win by enough to bridge the percentage gap between themselves and the Magpies, it will enhance their finals prospects.
Southern Power have had a challenging season, and are yet to sing the song in 2022. They’ve had a busy week, but weren’t able to get the breakthrough win. Last Saturday they went down to Inner West by 18 points, with Emily Rohr and Jemima Wrigley working hard all day. Then on Tuesday night in a catch-up game against UTS they went down by 15 points, despite determined efforts from Emily Eaves and Jessica Whelan. Twice they came close, as they have several times this year. But they’re getting closer to that breakthrough win, and this game would be the boilover they’d love to pull off.
The Bombers held the Power scoreless when the two sides last met in round nine to win by 101 points. With their finals hopes depending on a win here, the Bombers will go in as favourites. A win here for the Bombers would likely set up a effective playoff for the finals when they face UTS in the last round. But the Power have had two relatively close games this week and will be hunting for that drought-breaking result. The Bombers can’t afford to take them lightly.
Manly-Warringah Wolves v East Coast Eagles
Weldon Oval, Saturday 4:30pm
A twilight fixture at Kanebridge gives us a preview of the finals to come; when first plays second in a match that will tell us plenty about the upcoming playoffs. It’s a live stream blockbuster, and you can catch all the action live on Kayo Sports and the AFL Sydney Facebook page.
East Coast have already wrapped up the minor premiership. And their relentless drive forward continued last Saturday when they faced a challenge from North Shore but were able to put on the key plays when it mattered to complete a 17-point win. Renee Tomkins and Jade Swabey were prominent for the Eagles and played important roles in keeping the winning momentum going. They’ve only dropped one game this season, and they can strike a key blow against a finals rival if they can maintain that record this week.
Manly also go into this game high on confidence, and with some impressive form on the board following a convincing 94-point win over Macquarie Uni at Weldon last week. Isabella Rudolph came bearing gifts, booting an impressive bag of nine goals in a best-on-ground performance; while Brooke Roditis was picking up myriad possessions around the ground. The Wolves when in form are an impressive team, and this will be a test to see how well they can match it with the ladder-leading Eagles; and a chance to work on anything that needs to be fine-tuned before the finals.
These two teams played in the season opener at Gore Hill, which saw the Eagles get up by 30 points. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then; but it’s taken these two sides to the top. Both will have a high-pressure clash in the last round, with the Eagles to play Sydney Uni while the Wolves will take on the Magpies. But for this game, it will be a test to see how well the Wolves can challenge the Eagles when the business end of the season comes upon us.
