AFL Sydney Under 22 – Summer Series Round Two Preview (AFL Sydney vs. GWS GIANTS Academy)

Written by Sam Zikman (AFL Sydney)

AFL Sydney Female Under 22’s vs. GWS GIANTS Academy Female Under 19’s

Venue: Alan Ray Oval, Ainsley (Canberra)

Entry: Free – come down and support our AFL Sydney teams!

Start time: 12:00pm

Format: 4 * 18-minute quarters (no time on)

Numbers: 18 players on the field, 5 players on the bench (23 players)

Live Stream: AFL Sydney Facebook Page (no commentary) from 11:55am

AFL Sydney Female Under 22’s Team:

FB: Jayme Saggers (Manly Warringah Wolves), Gabriella Stanwix (UTS Bats), Hannah Cerezo (UTS Bats) (VC)

HB: Zoe Bush (UTS Bats), Abbey Martin (East Coast Eagles), Beth Martini (UTS Bats)

C: Summer Hall (East Coast Eagles), Jess Whelan (East Coast Eagles), Ruby Reid (UTS Bats)

HF: Sophie Kavanagh (Parramatta Goannas), Sophia Gaukrodger (UTS Bats), Zara Hamilton (Manly Warringah Wolves)

FF: Aoife Berry (UTS Bats), Mikayla Jones (East Coast Eagles), Tilley Edwards Hill (UTS Bats)

FOL: Emelye Blades (UTS Bats), Teagan Germech (East Coast Eagles), Caitlin Fletcher (Parramatta Goannas) (C)

INT: Elly Rudd (Pennant Hills Demons), Saskia Johnson (Sydney University), Hannah Woolf (Manly Warringah Wolves), Amelia Bennett (Pennant Hills Demons), Olivia Cameron (Manly Warringah Wolves)

EMG: Poppy Adams (North Shore Bombers), Kate Salmon (Manly Warringah Wolves), Rachel Simpson (St. George Dragons), Sienna Merry (Manly Warringah Wolves)

Head Coach: Kellie Nolan (UTS Bats)

Assistant Coach: Eleanor Rugg (Pennant Hills Demons), Chloe Davis (Parramatta Goannas), Alannah McCaffery (Parramatta Goannas)

Match Preview:

Just try and stop the AFL Sydney Female Under 22’s team in this year’s summer series, despite a slow start last Saturday vs. a very talented Swans Academy team AFL Sydney ran over the top and claimed an impressive victory by 13 points in match day one of the summer series.

For AFL Sydney Summer Hall (East Coast Eagles) racked up plenty of footy, the ever-reliable Gabriella Stanwix (UTS Bats) was solid in defense along with Captain Caitlin Fletcher (Parramatta Goannas) who led from the front and was named in the best. Brooke Bailey (East Coast Eagles) kicked two, as did Teagan Germech (East Coast Eagles) who proved her versatility playing forward to support team structures.

Zara Hamilton (Manly Warringah Wolves) will be a key in for AFL Sydney in matchday two against the GIANTS who disposed of AFL Canberra with relatively ease last Saturday. Hamilton is fit, firing and will be out to send a clear message as she seeks to earn an AFLW list spot ahead of next season. Emelye Blades (UTS Bats) will also make her series debut against the GIANTS and will start in the middle to support winning first possession for AFL Sydney.

The GIANTS will have their hands full across the ground with Zoe Bush (UTS Bats) and Beth Martini (UTS Bats) collecting plenty of football down back last week, and leading AFL Sydney’s rebounding play from D50 last week. Through the midfield AFL Sydney look dangerous with Germech joining Fletcher and Jess Whelan (East Coast Eagles) to ensure the GIANTS won’t have anything easy come 12:00pm on Saturday.

Massive match for the context of the summer series, whoever wins this moving to 2-0 and will be one win away from a perfect series.

AFL Sydney Male Under 22’s vs. GWS GIANTS Academy Male Under 19’s

Venue: Alan Ray Oval, Ainsley (Canberra)

Entry: Free – come down and support our AFL Sydney teams!

Start time: 2:00pm

Format: 4 * 20-minute quarters (no time on)

Numbers: 18 players on the field, 5 players on the bench (23 players)

Live Stream: AFL Sydney Facebook Page (no commentary) from 1:55pm

AFL Sydney Male Under 22’s Team:

FB: Sean Netting (North Shore Bombers), Max Toohey (North Shore Bombers), Jye Doyle (Inner West Magpies)

HB: Joshua Lee (UTS Bats) (VC), Billy Foster (UNSW-ES Bulldogs), Bililign Robertson (UTS Bats)

C: Koby Grass (UTS Bats), James Tidemann (North Shore Bombers), Hamish Morrison (UNSW-ES Bulldogs)

HF: Ethan Grace (North Shore Bombers) (C), Jayden Gilheaney (Camden Cats), Kale Gabila (Manly Warringah Wolves) (C)

FF: William Gibbs (Sydney University) (VC), Hugo Birks (UTS Bats), Harrison Pitt (Pennant Hills Demons)

FO: Jasper Crouch (Manly Warringah Wolves), Aiden Adams (Manly Warringah Wolves), Taine Wright (Manly Warringah Wolves)

INT: Jackson Tikkeros (UNSW-ES Bulldogs), Angus Edwards (East Coast Eagles), Blake Ciscato (Inner West Magpies), Zachariah Tabia (Camden Cats), Leroy Veerhuis (Inner West Magpies)

EMG: Cameron Mitchell (Pennant Hills Demons), Dylan Bonham (Pennant Hills Demons), Louis Pribula (UTS Bats)

Head Coach: Ben Roberts (Pennant Hills Demons)

Assistant Coach: Kevin Dyson (UTS Bats)

Match Preview:

After a tough defeat in which they dominated time in possession, inside 50’s and most of the second half AFL Sydney will be primed to perform against the GWS GIANTS Academy who also tasted defeat at the hands of AFL Canberra last Saturday in matchday one of the AFL NSW/ACT Summer Series.

AFL Sydney will be bolstered by some massive ins with the Swans VFL not requiring the services of several AFL Sydney Under 22’s players for their trial match against Southport including Hamish Morrison (UNSW-ES Bulldogs), Koby Grass (UTS Bats), Bililign Robertson (UTS Bats), James Tidemann (North Shore Bombers) and Hugo Birks (UTS Bats). In addition, AFL Sydney welcome in Jasper Crouch (Manly Warringah) for his first match of the series along with Zachariah Tabia (Camden Cats) and Jye Doyle (Inner West Magpies) who served as emergencies in match day one.

In all there are eight (8) changes from the team that played the Swans Academy last Saturday, which will see a very formidable and close to full strength AFL Sydney Under 22’s team line up at Alan Ray Oval in Ainsley for this key summer series match.

For AFL Sydney it was great to see Kale Gabila (Manly Warringah Wolves) and Taine Wright (Manly Warringah Wolves) star last week, with Gaila leading from the front (being named co-captain along with Ethan Grace from North Shore Bombers). For AFL Sydney it was great to see Kale Gabila (Manly Warringah Wolves) and Taine Wright (Manly Warringah Wolves) star last week, with Gaila leading from the front (being named co-captain along with Ethan Grace from North Shore Bombers). Harrison Pitt (Pennant Hills Demons) was crucial for AFL Sydney, he shook off an early miss to kick three second half goals and lead the resurgence for AFL Sydney. Down back it was William Foster (UNSW-ES Bulldogs) who held down the backline for AFL Sydney while also chopping out in the ruck for Leeroy Veerhuis (Inner West Magpies). Veerhuis will be grateful for the addition of Crouch who will assume the lead ruck role, along with a midfield of his Manly Wolves buddies.

The key to success this week for AFL Sydney will be effective useage into the forward 50, and with Birks, Gilheany (Camden) and Pitts all in the forward half look out for a high scoring offence from AFL Sydney. A few players to watch this week will be Zach Taiba who gets his chance this week after dominating the Platinum competition in 2023. It is fantastic to see both Taiba and Jayden Gilheany in the best Under 22’s team in AFL Sydney, showing the future is certainly bright at the Cats. Hamish Morrison is all class and will be out to make sure this match doesn’t slip away from AFL Sydney, and the league banks away a much-needed win in matchday two of the AFL NSW/ACT Summer Series.

Bring on this Saturday, and another chance to cheer on our teams in the summer series either in person at Alan Ray Oval in Ainsley or via watching the live stream on the AFL Sydney Facebook Page.

Go AFL Sydney!!