Round Eleven Women’s and Men’s Premier Division Match Previews
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Written by Michael Shillito
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We’re looking forward to another big weekend of footy. Another day of glorious sunshine is forecast and our grounds are in good shape. No excuses because of the conditions this week, it comes down to the players’ performances.
In both Premier Division competitions, we can be thankful there’s a final five rather than four. In the Mens in particular, but also in the Womens, a big gap has opened up between fourth and fifth; and had we a final four, the finals teams would be just about wrapped up. But there’s still a finals spot up for grabs for those who aren’t in the top four at the moment.
This week Sydney Uni in the Mens and Manly in the Womens have the bye. Both are well placed within the top four, and will be using the break to fine-tune their preparations for the run home to the finals; with both looking to get some momentum going after their break to get to the double-chance.
For the other teams, it’s full steam ahead. A big weekend with plenty to play for.
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MENS PREMIER DIVISION
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Inner West Magpies v Manly-Warringah Wolves
Picken Oval, Saturday 12:30pm
Time is running out for Inner West Magpies if they hope to be part of this year’s finals. Against the team currently occupying fifth place, the Magpies just have to make their home advantage count this week. But the Wolves’ hold on fifth place will be in doubt if they drop this game, and there’s no room for error. This is a game that must be won.
The Magpies have saluted just once this season, and last week at Mike Kenny Oval they were unable to last the distance against Pennant Hills. They competed well for a half, but dropped off in the third quarter and went down by 31 points. Blake Ciscato, Lachlan Tiziani and Kel Evans never gave up; but it was a frustrating afternoon for the Magpies as they again fell short; as has happened so often this season. But if they can get up here, all is not lost and they will only be one game behind the Wolves.
Manly have won just three from nine this year, but maintain their position in the top five. Last week a slow start cost them against defending premiers UNSW-ES, but the Wolves won the second half to cut the final margin to 24 points. Tom Sheldrick, Lachlan Behagg and Aiden Adams were in the thick of the action for the Wolves in what was a good fighting effort but not enough to knock off the Bulldogs. But they need more than an honourable loss this time; their finals hopes need them to win.
The two sides faced off at Weldon Oval in round two, and on that occasion Manly was 40 points too good for the Magpies. But this time the Magpies are at home, needing to turn on the Fibros v Silvertails fighting spirit and take it up to the Wolves. If they drop this one, the finals look out of reach. But the Wolves can’t afford a slip-up here. St George and UTS have their sights set on that last finals place; and the Wolves will need to get wins against the lower-ranked sides to keep themselves in position for the finals.
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North Shore Bombers v Pennant Hills Demons
Gore Hill Oval, Saturday 1:50pm
North Shore and Pennant Hills have had some memorable clashes over the years, and another one is in prospect on the synthetic at Gore Hill this week as these sides renew their rivalry in a game that promises plenty.
North Shore have raced to the top of the table, yet to taste defeat in 2023. Last week at Olds Park St George fought the Law and the Law won; as Jordan Law helped himself to eight goals in a best-on-ground performance. Ethan Grace and Tom Meacham were unstoppable around the ground as the Bombers raced to a 95-point win. The toughest challenges for North Shore are yet to come; but so far this year they have been the dominant force, and they will want to keep this momentum going as long as they can.
Pennant Hills have matched it with the university powerhouse clubs this year, sitting between them in third place on percentage with seven wins from their nine starts to date. Last week at Mike Kenny Oval they were pushed by Inner West Magpies in the first half, but got on top in the premiership quarter to record a 21-point win. Mitch Kunigiskis, Mitch Blow and Cameron Mitchell featured for the Demons in a game that never reached any great heights but which delivered four valuable competition points. Four wins plus plenty of percentage ahead of Manly, it would take a major calamity to miss the finals from here; but the Demons will want the double-chance when the playoffs come, and they need to keep winning to achieve that.
Amazingly, since we’re only just past half-way; if the Bombers get up, their participation in this year’s finals will be mathematically guaranteed. But no-one in invincible, and the Demons will be coming into this game looking for the upset result. They haven’t played the Bombers yet this year, but if they can put up a strong performance here they’ll prove themselves to be worthy of battling for the top three and will send a strong message that the Demons of 2023 are the real deal.
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East Coast Eagles v UNSW-ES Bulldogs
Kanebridge Oval, Saturday 2:30pm
East Coast host UNSW-ES at Kanebridge on Saturday afternoon. The bottom team against the defending champions. But the Eagles had some fight in them against a powerhouse team last week, and will need to build on that this time round.
When the Eagles trailed by 27 points at quarter time against Sydney Uni, nothing seemed unusual. But the Eagles lifted, and by the last change the margin was back to within a kick and the Eagles had hopes of pulling off the shock of the season. In the end it wasn’t to be, and the Students would win by 16 points. But the Eagles had competed, and given one of the top sides some anxious moments. The efforts of Nick Johns, Justin Harding and Angus Edwards were pivotal in getting the Eagles back into the contest; and showed that the Eagles can be competitive against the top teams.
Last week at Weldon Oval, a quick start was enough for the Bulldogs to build a match-winning lead against Manly. The game was won by half time, and the Bulldogs cruised home to win by 24 points. Jed Robin rocked in the forward line all day long to kick seven goals, while Will Foster and Noah Wood picked up plenty of the ball for the Bulldogs. Thanks to their impressive percentage the Bulldogs sit in second place, ahead of Pennant Hills and Sydney Uni. But with some tough games coming up, the Bulldogs will be wanting to further enhance their percentage this week and build a handy percentage buffer.
On paper it looks likely to be a one-sided contest. But footy games aren’t won on paper. The Bulldogs still have to turn up and get the job done. And the Eagles put up a credible performance against Sydney Uni last week. They now know they can take it up to the top sides. It’ll take another fighting effort, scrapping for every possession, and putting the Bulldogs off their game; but the Eagles will be desperate to pull off the boilover this week.
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St George Dragons v UTS Bats
Olds Park, Saturday 2:30pm
It hasn’t been a great season for either St George or UTS, but all is not lost. The battle for fifth place is still very much alive; and the winner of this match will be well placed to challenge Manly and sneak into the playoffs. It’s an opportunity for both clubs; and for those who can’t get to Olds Park to take in this action, you can catch it live on Kayo Sports and the AFL Sydney Facebook page.
St George’s struggles in 2023 were there for all to see last week when they were blown away by North Shore from the start, and they would go down by 95 points. Francis Crossle, Tim Coenen and Lachlan Cabor tried hard; but the Dragons were never in the contest. It was a hit to the percentage that the Dragons couldn’t really afford; but they remain in sixth place, level on games with Manly. If they win and the Wolves lose, they enter the top five.
The Bats haven’t played for a few weeks, with the bye coming after the long weekend. Their last start was a Friday night against UNSW-ES; and on that occasion the Bats were never in the hunt against their Eastern Suburbs rivals and went down by 73 points. Liam Gordon, Anthony Eussen and Nick Stanlan-Velt never gave up; but the Bats weren’t able to compete against the high-flying Bulldogs. This week it’s different. They’re refreshed and ready, and if they can get up in this one they are well and truly in the finals mix.
It’s the first meeting between the two sides in 2023, but a critically important one. Particularly for UTS; and if the Bats were to drop this one they would be two games plus percentage away from the finals, and would face an uphill struggle to get there. But if the Bats get up, they draw level on games with the Dragons, and possibly with Manly as well; and the race for that last finals spot would be thrown wide open. Both teams have had their struggles this season; but the winner still has plenty of cause for hope.
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WOMENS PREMIER DIVISION
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North Shore Bombers v Pennant Hills Demons
Gore Hill Oval, Saturday 11:50am
We’re starting just before mid-day at Gore Hill, where North Shore will be marking their Indigenous Round on Cammeraygal Country. And there’s a footy game here with plenty of importance in the context of the finals race.
Unfortunately for North Shore, their finals hopes took a battering at Waratah Oval last week when a serious injury caused their game against Southern Power to be called off. Four points and a percentage booster which they would have budgeted on were not to be; leaving the Bombers stranded in seventh place, a game and a half out of the five. They’ll need to find some winning scores if they are to bridge that gap; and time is running out. But if they can get the win here, they will only be half a game behind the Demons, and the finals will be back within reach.
The Demons return to the field after two weeks off, having had the bye after the long weekend. Their last start was back on the 3rd at Mike Kenny, when they started strongly against Manly but went down by 11 points. Rebecca Ives kicked four to be best-on-ground in a losing side, while Kaitlin Noble and Kaitlin Quinlan also featured prominently. The Demons have played a solid season to date, with a 4-4 record, sitting in fifth place and the spot in the finals is theirs for the taking.
After the opportunity at Waratah Oval was taken from them, the Bombers’ finals hopes hang by a thread, and effectively come down to this game to keep them in the hunt. If they win here, the Demons are only half a game away. But a Pennant Hills win will reduce North Shore’s finals hopes to the “still mathematically possible” position where their realistic hopes will be all but gone. While for Pennant Hills, a win will strengthen their finals hold and all but knock a key challenger out of contention. The fate of the finals is in the Demons’ hands.
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East Coast Eagles v UNSW-ES Bulldogs
Kanebridge Oval, Saturday 12:30pm
Footy challenges in Sydney don’t come tougher than playing East Coast at Kanebridge; and that’s the task that UNSW-ES have been set this week. The Eagles are back on the winning list, while the Bulldogs are desperate to break through for their first win since April.
The Eagles haven’t lost this season, although they have been held to a draw in one game. But last Saturday against Sydney Uni they did it in style, holding the Students to a single goal as they cruised to a 35-point win. Annaleise Barton, Jess Whelan and Amelie Prosser-Shaw featured prominently for the Eagles as they went through their paces for another comfortable victory. They’ve raised the bar this season, and they’re hard to beat, especially on their home turf. It’s a formidable challenge.
The Bulldogs have had plenty of challenges to face this year. They won their opening game this season, but haven’t won since. Last week at Weldon Oval they were unable to score in the first half as they went down to Manly by 61 points. Chloe Anderson, Maddy Kohlrusch and Hayley Stanford tried hard; but the Bulldogs weren’t able to find the person-power to compete with one of the competition’s heavyweights. Now they face another imposing challenge, and they’ll need to find more than they were able to last week if they are to put up a competitive performance.
It’s the first meeting between these clubs in 2023, and a game in which the Eagles will be the hottest of favourites. They’re in form, and have played some impressive football; while the Bulldogs are yet to hit the form they’ve been looking for. But if the Bulldogs are going to challenge for the finals, they need to claim a big scalp and start to string some wins together. The fightback must start here.
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Southern Power v UTS Bats
Waratah Oval, Saturday 2:10pm
It’s been a tricky season for Southern Power; and it doesn’t get any easier this week as they play host to second-placed UTS at Waratah Oval on Saturday. The Bats have their eye on the double-chance in the finals, and this is a game they need to win.
Last week the Power hosted North Shore at Waratah Oval, but the game was destined not to be. A serious injury early required an ambulance call; and when the ambulance took some time to arrive, the game was called off. It’s two points for the Power, their first competition points for the year; although they still have a lowly percentage. There’s still plenty of work to be done to get off the bottom.
In contrast, the Bats have had a season to remember. They’ve only dropped one game, and are sitting pretty in second spot. Last week they maintained their strong ladder position when they held out Macquarie Uni for an eight-point win at Trumper Park. April Devine, Hannah Cezero and Danika Spamer were in the thick of the action for the Bats as they defended resolutely against the Goannas and kicked the only two goals of the second half to seal the win. They had to dig deep, but the Bats found a way to get the job done when the game was there to be won.
It’s been quite a season for the Bats. They’ve only dropped one game, are only half a game from top spot, and a game clear of third-placed Manly. With the Wolves having the bye this week, this is the Bats’ opportunity for a percentage-boosting win and establish a handy break in second spot, an advantage that will make them hard to catch for the finals double-chance. But the Power will be keen to fly the flag this week. With the bye, the long weekend and the early abandonment, the Power have only played a few minutes of footy in June. They’re fresh and have been waiting a long time for a full game; and in front of their home crowd they’ll be ready to compete.
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Sydney University v Macquarie Uni Goannas
Sydney Uni No 1 Oval, Saturday 4:40pm
A twilight encounter at Sydney Uni No 1 matches Sydney Uni up against Macquarie Uni Goannas. The Students will be looking for a win to boost their finals prospects, while the Goannas will be looking for a win to challenge their way into the double-chance finals positions. It’s a crunch game, and if you’re not able to get to the Camperdown Campus, you can still catch all the action as it happens by tuning in to Kayo Sports or the AFL Sydney Facebook page.
Last week Sydney Uni missed out on an opportunity to draw level with Pennant Hills in fifth place when they were held to a single goal by East Coast at Kanebridge, going down by 35 points. The Students were well served by Jasmine Smith, Mia Conners and Amelia Causley-Todd; but it wasn’t enough to pull off the upset result against the competition leader. A game outside the five with a poor percentage, the Students need this win to keep themselves in the finals race. But if they can get up here, they’re still well and truly in contention.
Meanwhile Macquarie Uni went down in a close one to UTS at Trumper Park last week. Only eight points separated the two sides, but it was a result that leaves the Goannas a win and a half behind third place, and with a gap to bridge if they are to avoid sudden death in the finals. The Goannas were well served by Abbie Lewis, Kiera Yerbury and Caitlin Fletcher; but they would have been disappointed at that loss after leading for much of the afternoon. But they will be keen to hit back hard this time, with another tough contest in store.
The two sides faced off at Gipps Road in the opening round this season, with the Goannas getting up in a close contest by eight points. It was the start of an impressive season by the Goannas, in the first year of their joint venture in Premier Division, that sees them in fourth place and looking good to return to finals action. But in this contest the Students will be desperate, looking for the win that will boost their hopes. Expect another close match this time round.
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