Round Eighteen Men’s Premier Division Match Review, Sydney University v UNSW-ES Bulldogs
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Written by Lachlan Scott
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First Quarter
Welcome all to the final round of the season on a glorious Sydney afternoon with a dry ground and reasonably strong breeze. Sydney Uni must win today for the double chance, UNSW don’t need to after surging late in the season. It will depend however on the result of Manly & Pennant Hills. No Emery this week for Bulldogs which should shake up their forward line make up.
Rapid run early from the Bulldogs down back to blast down the ground at a clip. Sydney Uni defence is up to the task though, force it to the boundary and grind the offence to a stop through repeat stoppages. Barton and Krochmal outstanding in defence for the Students.
Characteristically high foot skills throughout play for the Students. Allows them to transition down the ground and maintain possession. Hiscox is causing headaches for the defence and earns a shepherding free kick at the top of the arc. Scans the forward line looking for options. Magnificent kick spears its way to Stephenson. He wastes no time, runs around the mark and bends it like Beckham to land the Students first of the day. Goal Syndey Uni.
In two kicks the Bulldogs transition down the field from a lighting quick kick out from defence. The Students defence is switched on though and shuts down the entry. UNSW-ES look to lock it in, but the next kick for goal is out on the full. Students kick it back in to play, but O’Callaghan reads the play and intercepts! Bulldogs in prime position now. Kozlik and Barton again release the pressure valve. They initiate the switch and blast their way down the wing. Lucy from the contest along the boundary line to Hughes, turns on the jets, takes a bounce and streams into the forward 50. Quick tap on to Stevenson as he sprints away from his opponent. Snap across the body. Goal Sydney University.
Bulldogs free kick from the centre bounce. The kick inside 50 is punched away to the boundary and they look to lock it in again. Gaden lurking across midfield to intercept. Wachman marks leading out from goal. Long run up, stutter step and drops short but marked by Foster right on the behind line. The kick bends too much and through for a minor. Kick out, intercept by Spencer, picks up off the deck and snaps across the body for another behind. Bulldogs looking very dangerous here in the first but unable to get it between the big sticks.
Students look to break out but again the intercept across the midfield. Bulldogs bang it long over the back to wrongfoot the defence. Massive mark by Mitchell falling over backwards through contact! Lines up 25m out in the pocket. Calm, collected, slots it straight over the goal umpire’s head. Goal UNSW-ES.
Students with the ascendancy early but UNSW-ES look ready to break out with many opportunities forward.
Quarter Time Sydney University 2.3.15 – UNSW-ES Bulldogs 1.2.8
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Second Quarter
Handball chain through the centre for Students and break forward first. Ball up directly in front of goal but Bulldogs blast it out to the wing. Peter bursts from the pack ball in hand and finds Foster streaming into space. Whistle blows but advantage is paid. He handballs over the top to Robin who strolls into goal to kick the first of the quarter in sizzling style. Goal UNSW-ES.
Block free kick Velthouse down back. Free again for holding, this time to Hawkins. Another free kick free! This time top of the arc. The Students have transitioned the entire length of the field using only free kicks. The kick comes down to the pack at the top of the goal square. Thumped down, but Gibbs crumbs! Kick across the body, scrubbing the footy right past the goal umpire. Goal Sydney Uni.
Pressure up forward for the Bulldogs has exploded this quarter. The Students try to clear the ball but a desperate smother attempt forces the kick out of bounds on the full. Kick in Spencer, through hands finds Jack who didn’t jump. Swings the leg and threads the Sherrin through defenders’ legs and scores! Goal UNSW-ES.
Students transition straight down the spine of the ground. Rapid fire handball chain wrongfoots the Bulldogs midfield and puts Hawkins in space. He aligns himself with the goals and hits Hughes lace out on the chest as he leads out from the goal square. Directly in front 35m out, he takes his time with the run up and makes it a certainty. Goal umpire doesn’t move an inch! Goal Sydney Uni.
Rapid fire handball chain down the spine by UNSW-ES. Spencer, O’Callaghan, Thorne, Mitchell all play their part. Final kick to the pack deep in the pocket, punched down and ball up. Tikkeros streaming through the ball up, collects the tap down. Kicks across his body just before he hits the boundary. And he’s hit it to perfection! In an Eddie Betts-esque display Tikkeros continues the shoot out and puts the Bulldogs back within 1.
Centre square infraction. Foster takes his chance for route 1 football, kicks straight down the spine to Robin charging out of the goal square. Robin doesn’t look the gift horse in the mouth, makes sure of the kick and puts the Bulldogs in front. An uncharacteristic mix up from the Students and UNSW is in front.
Students with a chance now. Handball in the contest from the ground, over the shoulder to Lucy. His long kick bobbles and the Bulldogs defence can’t contain it. Hawkins looping handball over the top to Hughes as he streams past the behind post. Slams it on the boot across his body and skies it but squeezes through the impossible angle. Sydney Uni take back the lead!
Students from down back initiate with Stevenson, Barton screaming past him, receives the handball, sprints through the centre square, takes a bounce and hits Gibbs who marks in a paddock of space. Chip kick from directly in front, no worries for such a dangerous forward. Blindingly fast transitions on both sides of the ball here. Goal Sydney Uni.
Students clearing from down back to the centre, turn over knocked down to Tricks. From the chaos to Mitchell deep in the pocket. Doesn’t go for goal but kicks across the goals to Robin who’s dropped off his man on the far side. Marks just past the behind post right on the boundary. Runs around the man on the mark and curls through another for the Bulldogs. Goal UNSW-ES.
Seconds ticking downs and tensions boil over, players rumbling tumbling stumbling across the boundary line in a tangle. Play continues without them and Romensky takes a shot on goal but can’t convert this one. Short kick out and Thorne sprints across the arc to cut it off, leaping in front of the opposition at the last moment to snag a shot on goal. 35m out nearly directly in front of goal, the Students have given up a couple of easy goals this quarter in a very un-Student like manner. Kick starts right and works out, Goal!
Bulldogs by 1 as the siren sounds in a sizzling shoot-out of a quarter.
Half Time Sydney University 6.4.40 – UNSW-ES Bulldogs 7.5.47
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Third Quarter
Students with another rapid transition from Stevenson. Barton and Mcnamara have been powerhouses in the last line of defence for Students. They can’t stop Thorne kicking around the corner from the contest, but it hits the post. Unger and Thorne drift back to roam down back for UNSW-ES intercepting and driving out. Tikkeros long from the contest at the top of the arc but the kick floats in the breeze, right for a minor. Defences have come out changed after half time and scoring has dried up. Everyone’s taken their kicking boots off with behind after behind.
Tikkeros marks on the wing as the Bulldogs midfield floods forward to overwhelm the defence. With the number of turnovers this quarter the gut running from both sides is impressive. Jack locked in a struggle with his opponent right on the boundary line, knocked down from behind and receives the free kick. From 40m out, he starts his run up right on the fence posts, right foot kick very difficult from this angle. No problem for Jack! He launches the Sherrin well above the posts, cruising it through for the first goal of the quarter after an endless stream of behinds. UNSW-ES starting to break away.
Centre bounce, tap down, collect off the deck and rapid fire drop punt straight to Jack flying out of the goal square. Incredible work from the UNSW-ES midfield. This kick is from directly in front 30m out and after the last one it poses him absolutely no problems. Slots it through directly above the goal umpire. Bulldogs with 2 in 2 minutes!
Students lock it forward and hold it in with repeat contests but gift the Bulldogs a way out through a high free kick. Turnover! Hughs on the wing, long bomb to Lucy over the back of the pack. Marks at the arc and finds Crockwell directly in front 40m out. His kick has the distance but floats right and stays right. Sydney Uni is taking plenty of shots but can’t convert this quarter.
Chaos ball in the centre breaks to the open. The kick inside targets Jack as he’s on fire with the only goals this quarter. Defenders swarm as he collects off the deck. Ducks one! Ducks two! Steadying step, right foot kick, Goal! Jack with all the goals this quarter as UNSW-ES are putting this game to bed if Sydney Uni can’t change something late.
Dimery kick out from defence combines perfectly with Goddard to break the Bulldogs defensive screen. Long kick to the contest, smashed out by Hardy, tumbles along the ground to the forward 50 arc. Free kick to Gibbs, floats it across the forward line to Hiscox. He spots Hughs sneaking past behind the marking contest and taps it through to him. Hughes in space, across his body in a long arcing kick. Bending, Bending, Bending, Goal! Sydney Uni with their only goal of the quarter, much needed to keep in touch.
Dominating quarter by UNSW-ES, Sydney Uni with plenty of opportunities but unable to capitalise in the face of overwhelming pressure. Margin is only 20 points so not impossible, but they’ll need to put their kicking boots on if they want to win in an upset here.
Three Quarter Time Sydney University 7.7.49 – UNSW-ES Bulldogs 10.9.69
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Fourth Quarter
Hughes from the wing long to Dimery with a magnificent kick as he streams towards goal. Dimery can’t mark but takes heavy contact on the way down and earns the free kick directly in front almost at the top of the goal square. He knows the importance of kicking this goal in setting the tone early, takes his full allotment of time, and slots it home with ease. First goal Sydney Uni.
Spencer Krochmal lurking across the midfield to intercept and rebound back into the forward 50 for the Students. Takes a grab over the pack and fires inboard, Hiscox marks and launches a long bomb goalwards without hesitation. Gibbs! Miracle mark on the goal line right in front of the behind post. He curls it like Stevie J to put the Students back within 8. Sydney Uni isn’t don’t yet folks.
Bulldogs pull the switch across the backline but it backfires! Hughes from nowhere, screaming across the forward line to leap and intercept mark. It’s a long kick just inside the arc at a tough angle. The distance doesn’t bother him as he launches a mammoth bomb, now it’s just a question of accuracy. And it’s there! 1 point the difference! Goal Sydney Uni.
Dyster attempts to mark over the pack, tap to Peters. He kicks laterally across the forward line and finds Tikkeros. Pauses a moment, then handball to Morrison in space as he charges goalward. Dribbling kick along the ground skids through and the pressure is back on the students. Goal UNSW-ES.
Romensky with a goal saving mark! He kicks long to Robin in space. Wheels and goes to Foster. Sydney Uni defence scrambling desperately to shut down leads. Geddes punches it down, collects and finds Peter with the kick. Peter with the shot on goal from 50m out. He loads up and lets rip, Sherrin never deviating from its path. And that’s all she wrote folks. UNSW-ES go Bang! Bang! To snuff out the Students come back.
Siren sounds and Sydney Uni finish 4th on the ladder, unable to hurdle Pennant Hills. They miss out on the double chance and look to take on Manly in the first week of finals. It’s do or die now for the Students with every game an elimination match. UNSW-ES Lock up 2nd place, earning the double chance in a hard-fought struggle and staying a game clear of Pennant Hills.
Full Time Sydney University 10.8.68 – UNSW-ES Bulldogs 12.9.81
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Final Scores:
Team Name: Sydney University 10.8.68
Goal Kickers: I. Hughes 4, W. Gibbs 3, L. Stevenson 2, J. Dimery.
Best: Montague Velthuis, Nick Lees, Spencer Krochmal, Jack Hiscox, Jack Dimery, Izaac Hughes
Team Name: UNSW-ES Bulldogs 12.9.81
Goal Kickers: B. Jack 4, J. Robin 3, H. Mitchell, H. Morrison, O.Peter, S. Thorne, J. Tikkeros.
Best: Jasper Hardy, Brandon Jack, Oscar Peter, Brodie Romensky, William Spencer, Sam Thorne
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