Men’s Premier Division Match of the Round Review – Pennant Hills Demons v Sydney University
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Written by Lachlan Scott
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First Quarter
Play launched at breakneck speed with a rollicking kick off the ground into the forward line, snapped up off the deck by Harry Maguire for the Demons first. Down the other end a dribbler from traffic up front dodged all defenders and allowed Hiscox and the Students to open their account. Quick transition and quick scoring set the tone early for the day.
A free kick to Hawkins in the centre square was passed to Browne 30m out with laser guided precision. He couldn’t convert that time, but the Demons looked to lock it in their forward half.
Sydney Uni broke out but were stopped by some terrific intercept marking down back by the Dee’s defence. Capitalising off this, Pennant Hills enacted a textbook switch and drive a series of kicks down the wing resulting in an easy chest mark to Maguire who stepped back calm as you like and slotted it for his second.
In response, Sydney Uni’s defensive pressure stepped up, with lightning quick tackling and desperate smothers at every contest. They drove out of their defensive 50 with a quick handball chain but it all falls apart as their kick into the corridor is picked off by Blow and driven forward in a precise kick to Moraitis. Moraitis slots the Demons third with a meticulous drop punt from an extreme angle in the pocket.
Pennant Hill’s long kicks into the 50 continued to be rewarded, again Moraitis cashed in showing off his kicking action for his second goal. But his purple patch wasn’t over, as the midfield continues to showcase Pennant Hill’s field kicking skills. Moraitis goes back-to-back for 3 goals in the first quarter, taking a clean chest mark leading out from the goal square and delivering.
After a tidal wave of Demons dominance, Izaac Hughes gives everyone something to cheer about with a monumental fly over the pack with a mark of the year contender down the other end. Sydney Uni stayed in the contest with Hiscox breaking off his man into space, marking and charging into the 50 bagging his first.
In a high octane first quarter, the key between both sides lay in their defensive styles. Pennant hills breaking off for intercept marks, Sydney Uni opting for high pressure on the ball and staying close to their man. It hadn’t paid off for them yet, but the tables were about to turn in the Student’s favour.
Quarter Time Pennant Hills Demons 5.1.31 – Sydney University 2.2.14
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Second Quarter
Sydney Uni turned the Demons kick mark tactics against them in the second to slice and dice up the ground and find targets at will inside 50. Morrison looks to be the focal point of this change up, using superb bodywork to break off his man and mark on the lead. Playing on around the man on the mark and he thumped it through the big sticks to get the Students started in the second.
Not long after Stevenson streamed forward unguarded on the fat side of the play, took possession, took a bounce, and lobbed a mammoth handball over 2 defenders to find Jones in the goal square who easily converted with a dribbler. The Demons defenders were under siege and the cracks were starting to show. Sydney Uni trapped the ball forward with repeat stoppages and withering pressure. A lightning quick snap from the contest nabbed Davis his first of the day and put the Students in front.
Moraitis kept the Demons in it with a beautiful pack mark and set shot from 40m out. Ignoring that speedbump, the Student’s midfield immediately drove down the other end of the ground after the bounce and Hawkins struck back for Sydney Uni to keep the goals flowing. Hawkins continued to show his nous as a defensive forward, with amazing speed for such a tall player, chasing down defenders and intercept marking to hold the ball forward for Sydney Uni.
A once in a season 100m penalty gifts captain Spencer Krochmal a goal as Demons frustration in the face of Sydney Uni dominance spills over into poor discipline. Another 50m penalty sends the Students into attack where they lock it down, Jones kicks a low driving ball to wrap up the half and put the cherry on top of a dominant quarter.
Half Time Pennant Hills Demons 6.1.37 – Sydney University 8.8.56
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Third Quarter
The shootout continued unabated in the third. Sydney Uni struck first to continue their scoreboard dominance with a bullet from Jones opening the second half.
Moraitis kept the demons in it however, with his sublime kicking motion allowing him to goal from anywhere in the 50, this time in the left forward pocket for his 5th. The Demons continued to utilise their two tall forwards to split defenders. Macguire showcases this with a bullocking pack mark to continue Pennant Hill’s comeback and put them back within 12. The goals just kept coming for Moraitis as he chased the Sherrin along the ground, holding off his opponent along the way and managing a cheeky toe punt to dribble it through for his 6th and last of the day.
Not to be outdone, Isaac Hughes turns up the wow factor with a cinematic sliding mark from on the 50 arc which leads to a major for Morrison from so deep in the pocket he could pull up a picnic blanket and join the fans.
Pennant Hills sent it forward again out of the ruck, battling through hefty defensive pressure to create a contest. Maguire grabbed the ball off the deck and snapped around the body off a step showing great poise for a tall forward. At this point Pennant Hills have 10 goals and only 2 goalkickers as Sydney Uni have no answer to the tall timber yet.
In response, Stevenson takes a nonchalant one-handed grab, wheels and puts it on the chest of Jones who goals against the flow of play for Sydney Uni to close out the third.
A torrent of goals and unnerving accuracy kept Pennant Hills in the contest, but Sydney Uni continued to hit the scoreboard against the flow of play, showing discipline and adherence to their structure.
Three Quarter Time Pennant Hills Demons 10.1.61 – Sydney University 11.9.75
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Fourth Quarter
Browne continued the Demon’s accurate shooting with a goal resulting from a dubious holding the ball free kick at the top of the goal square, Sydney Uni fans crying out in frustration as their lead continues to shrink.
Stevenson used brute force to win a holding the ball call on the Student’s 50, missing to the right but giving the midfield time to press up and lock the ball in. The pressure pays off as Mozlik earns another holding the ball, lines up and goals.
A massive head knock for Dom Goddard into a friendly shin held up play on the near side before he started a kick mark chain deep into the forward line. Jones took the final kick, landing his 5th and pushing out Sydney Uni’s lead.
The midfield arm-wrestle stepped up a notch in the last 10 minutes as both sides tried to leverage their physicality to seal the match. Pennant Hills struggle going forward with two posters whilst the Students found a gap in the armour and transitioned swiftly to get the ball into the hands of Morrison out the back who strolled into goal, in effect sealing the match.
Browne takes a massive coat hanger to the face, shrugging it off, steps back and scores his third minor in as many minutes for the Demons. Certainly excusable after five knuckles to the noggin.
Sydney Uni kept their foot down however and again transitioned swiftly all the way down the field to Morrison who slices a silky check-side through to blow the lead out to 30.
In a last hurrah for the Dees, Carey snags a mark straight out of the hands of his opponent at the 50m arc, wheels around and boots his first. He immediately gets it back from the centre bounce to kick the last goal of the match. Whilst it’s not enough to get the Demons over the line it keeps the scoreline very respectable.
Sydney Uni will be happy to see their high-pressure game style succeed against a genuine competitor whilst Pennant Hills should be proud of their tall forwards but will need to diversify their forward targets to avoid becoming stale and being countered as happened at stages throughout.
Full Time Pennant Hills Demons 13.4.82 – Sydney University 15.10.100
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Final Scores:
Pennant Hills Demons 13.4.82
Goal Kickers: T. Moraitis 6, H. Maguire 4, M. Carey 2, O. Browne
Best: Michael Carroll, Joshua Boag, Theo Moraitis, Harry Maguire, Oliver Browne, Brayden Hawkins
Sydney University 15.10.100
Goal Kickers: A. Jones 5, H. Morrison 4, J. Hiscox 2, O. Davis, L. Hawkins, M. Mozlik, S. Krochmal
Best: Harry Whitaker, Dom Goddard, Max Kozlik, Jack Dimery, Jack Hiscox, Nick Lees
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