Round 4 Men’s and Women’s Premier Division Preview
Written by Michael Shillito
It’s an early start to this round of footy, with a Men’s Premier Division blockbuster at Picken Oval between Inner West Magpies and Pennant Hills on ANZAC Day. It’s one of the big days in the Sydney footy calendar. The Magpies always do a first-class ANZAC ceremony; paying tribute to those who fought for our country.
Lest we forget.
It promises to be a fascinating game of footy, one that will be a test of how the home side have really improved this season; putting their unbeaten record so far on the line against a team that are usually there at the business end of the season.
Then we move forward to Saturday, with four more Mens Premier Division matches as well as a full round of Womens Premier Division. Including a replay of last year’s Mens Premier Division Grand Final, with the Bombers looking for revenge against the Bulldogs.
In the Womens, UTS have the bye this week; an early-season rest after back to back wins to kick off their 2024 campaign. There’s some fascinating matches in prospect in the Womens this week, that will tell us a lot about how the ladder will take shape.
Enjoy the football. There’s plenty to look forward to this week.
MENS PREMIER DIVISION
Inner West Magpies v Pennant Hills Demons
Picken Oval, Thursday 1:10pm
ANZAC Day at Picken Oval is always a special occasion, as AFL Sydney pays respect to those who took up arms for our country. The Magpies run an excellent ceremony before the match; and if you’re going to Picken Oval, make sure you get there in plenty of time for the ANZAC commemorations.
And the match that follows is one that has plenty of potential. The Magpies go into this game undefeated, after opening the season with back to back wins. But this will be a tough test for them against a Pennant Hills side on a mission. There’s a lot of interest in this clash; and if you’re not able to get to Picken Oval, make sure you catch the action live on Streamer. [link – https://streamer.com.au/match/3066 ]
This will be the Magpies’ third straight home game to start the season. So far Picken Oval has been a happy hunting ground for them. Last week against East Coast, they blew the game out of the water in the first quarter to lead by 31 points at the first change; and would go on to complete a 35-point win. Jesse Manton, Jonathan Bowyer and Luke Jamieson were standout performers for the Magpies. So far the Magpies have achieved everything that could be asked of them; but this will be a test to see how far they have actually improved.
Pennant Hills go into this game with a 1-1 record. After going down in the first round, the Demons returned to Mike Kenny last weekend and hit back strongly to take an 86-point win over South-West Sydney. The Demons hit the ground running, slamming through six goals in the first quarter to lead by 41 points at the first change, and the Blues were never going to make that ground up. Mitch Blow slammed through four goals in a best-on-ground performance, while Stephen Wray and Josh Boag were also in the thick of the action for the Demons. It was a good way for the Demons to hit back, but there’s still plenty of work to be done this week and beyond.
Two from two for the Magpies to open the season is impressive enough; but the true test comes when they’re matched against the top sides in the competition. And Pennant Hills have shown themselves time and again to be a tough team to overcome. A credible performance by the Magpies will underline their status as a side to watch in 2024. But the Demons, after dropping the opening game, found some form last week. Both teams got off to a flying start in their matches last week, and the opening will again be important this time round. Neither team can afford to let the other gain an early advantage.
Sydney University v St George Dragons
Sydney Uni No 1 Oval, Saturday 1:00pm
Two teams that will be looking to fight back from disappointment last week will face off at Sydney Uni No 1 on Saturday as the Students play host to the Dragons in what is a must-win clash for both teams.
Last week for Sydney Uni against Manly was just one of those weeks when nothing was going right up forward and they struggled to find a way to goal. Held to just one major score in the first half, the Students found themselves 30 points down at the long break and they were unable to work their way back into the contest after that. Nick Lees, Tim Barton and Michael Thomas kept working hard all day; but it wasn’t the dominant Sydney Uni side that we’ve seen so often in recent years. They know it was an off day, and they’ll be keen to hit back in this encounter and re-discover their best form.
St George also need to lift this week after going down to North Shore by 80 points at Olds Park last Saturday. The Dragons also only managed a solitary goal in the first half; and were never in the contest. Callum Nash, Josh Nicholls and Finn Ritchie tried hard all day, but the Dragons didn’t have the firepower to match it with the Bombers. Two heavy losses to start the season, and the Dragons will be all too aware that they need to do more this time round; or they’ll be looking down the barrel of a long, hard season.
The Students are 1-1, and although last week they were well short of their best, they’ll be looking to hit back hard this time round. And it’s time for the Dragons to lift their work-rate and hit their straps. Two heavy losses in the opening round put the Dragons in a tough spot; and they need to find something before the finals contenders move too far ahead. This won’t be an easy game for either team; but now is the time to knuckle down and get the hard work done.
South-West Sydney Blues v UTS Bats
Rosedale Oval, Saturday 2:00pm
After playing their first two games in Premier Division on the road, South-West Sydney finally get to play at the highest level in front of their home crowd on Saturday as they host UTS at Rosedale Oval. Both clubs have dropped their first two games, but someone will break through for their opening win this week.
A worrying trend in their first two games is that the Blues failed to trouble the scorers in the first quarter in either game. Last week against Pennant Hills they played better after quarter time, but trailing by 41 points at the first change was not something the Blues were ever going to bounce back from. Kerwin Stewart, Josh Duncan and Baily McParland kept putting in the effort; but the Blues didn’t have the firepower to match it with the Demons on the road. Now they’re back on their home deck, against another team looking for their first win of the season. With a hard week at training and self-belief on their home deck, the Blues must be looking at this game as being winnable.
UTS are also without a win after their first two matches. Last Saturday at Waverley they stayed with UNSW-ES for a half and led by three points at the long break; but a poor third quarter prevented the Bats from mounting a serious challenge to the reigning premiers. Ryley Walker, George Boyd and Josh Lee put in big efforts for the Bats; but it wasn’t enough to get the four points. Winless after two home games, the Bats hit the road this week and taking the points back home is absolutely crucial. They’ve had competitive periods in both games against the other Uni teams; but really need to last the full four quarters this time.
After back to back losses to start the season, both of these teams are at the crossroads. For the winner, there’s still a big chance to rise up the ladder and be contenders. But the loser risks falling a long way behind the pace. The Bats won’t want to let another season get away from them; and taking the points here is absolutely essential for them. But the Blues, inexperienced at this level but familiar with the surroundings at Rosedale, will sense an opportunity here. It’s desperation stakes time, and both sides will make each other scrap for the points here.
Manly-Warringah Wolves v East Coast Eagles
Weldon Oval, Saturday 2:30pm
Saturday afternoon at Weldon Oval sees the Wolves play host to the Eagles. The Wolves have hit the ground running in 2024 to be ladder leaders with an enormous percentage. While the Eagles, after an encouraging first game, will be looking to hit back this week in their quest to rise up the ladder in 2024.
It’s been a great start to the season for Manly, and last week at Sydney Uni No 1 the Wolves signalled their intention to be genuine challengers for 2024 when they shut the Students down and ground out a hard-fought 30-point win. The damage was done in the first half, when they held the Students to a single goal; showing that the Wolves have a solid defensive game this season. Cooper McClennan, Alex Jacobs and Tom McCaffrey were prominent contributors to the Manly cause. Two from two with a big percentage is a great start to the season; but the Wolves will be all too aware that there’s still plenty of work to be done.
The opening round washout hasn’t done the Eagles any favours with the draw, and this is their third game on the road without yet having played at Kanebridge. After the euphoria of knocking off the reigning champions in the opening round, the Eagles faced something of a reality check last week when they were jumped by the Magpies at Picken Oval and would go down by 35 points. Nick Johns, Baylee Jones and Harry Elbourne worked hard all day; but the Eagles weren’t able to overcome their slow start. This week, against a team with claims to be an early front-runner in the competition, the Eagles will need to stay with the Wolves early and keep them under pressure.
The Wolves are on a roll so far this season, with big wins over South-West Sydney and Sydney Uni. Now they find themselves up against a team with a major scalp already in 2024; who are desperate to claim another. The Wolves can’t afford to take the Eagles lightly in this encounter; and if they have an off day, the Eagles are ready to pounce. And it’s important for the Eagles that they put up a competitive performance here; showing the Sydney footy world that in 2024 they are easybeats no more.
North Shore Bombers v UNSW-ES Bulldogs
Gore Hill Oval, Saturday 3:20pm
It’s a big Grand Final replay at Gore Hill on Saturday. After the Bulldogs overcame the Bombers in last year’s decider, the second time in succession; the Bombers will be primed and ready for this encounter, looking to make a statement early in the new season. This game has the makings of an epic; and if you can’t get up to Gore Hill for this one, don’t miss the action live on Streamer. [link – https://streamer.com.au/match/3069 ]
And the Bombers go in to this game with winning form on the board, after big wins in their first two matches in 2024. Last week they travelled to Olds Park and dominated the Dragons from the start, holding the Dragons to a solitary goal in the first half as they raced to an 80-point win. Matt Buskariol spearheaded the Bomber charge with four goals in a best-on-ground performance; while Christian Loone and Sam Barkley were also in the thick of the action around the ground. So far so good for the Bombers this season; but this is a game that the Bombers will really want to lift for.
UNSW-ES haven’t really hit their best premiership form yet this season, but they did enough to get their first win last week. They trailed UTS by three points at half time, but four unanswered goals in the third term was enough to set up a match-winning break. Liam Ross, Luke Parmenter and Sam Gaden put in some good passages of play to get the Bulldogs over the line. But they’ll need to find another gear to match it with the top sides; and this is a game that will test them.
These two sides have played some epic battles in recent seasons, and this is a game not to be missed. The Bombers defeated the Bulldogs twice in the regular season last year and again in the Semi Finals; but the Bulldogs turned the tables in the game that matters most. When these teams play each other, both sides lift and this new chapter in the rivalry is one that neither side can afford to drop. You won’t want to miss a minute of the action here.
WOMENS PREMIER DIVISION
Parramatta Goannas v Pennant Hills Demons
Gipps Road Oval, Saturday 11:10am
It’s a morning start to the Womens Premier Division round on Saturday, with Parramatta hosting Pennant Hills at Gipps Road in a match that’s sure to attract plenty of interest. If you can’t get down the M4 to this clash, the next best thing is to catch the action live on Streamer. [link – https://streamer.com.au/match/3067 ]
The Goannas have started the season well, and last week took the fight up to defending premiers East Coast. In a nail-biting finish, the Goannas fell an agonising five points short of pulling off the upset; with Stacey Phillips, Amanda Farrugia and Emma Richards making important contributions for the Goannas. It wasn’t enough to get the points, but it was a strong fighting effort by the Goannas, who showed they can match it with one of the competition heavyweights.
Pennant Hills had the bye last week. Their only game to date was a 23-point loss to Gore Hill in the opening day of the season; when they led at half time but were unable to score a goal in the second half. Eliza Harvey, Kaitlin Noble and Alex Williams worked hard for the Demons, but it wasn’t enough to get them over the line. They’ve had two weeks to reflect, work on new game plans, and move forward. And here’s where the work they’ve done must come to fruition, in a crunch game against what looks to be a very strong opposition.
It’s the Goannas’ third game, and they’ve all been at home. They dropped last week, but this time they have to make the home advantage count before they start their away game travel. While the Demons have a game in hand after last week’s bye; but they’d love nothing better than to get the points on the road to kick-start their 2024 campaign. This is a game that will tell us plenty about where these two teams are at this season.
Manly-Warringah v East Coast Eagles
Weldon Oval, Saturday 12:30pm
Both these clubs have a relatively short history in Premier Division, with the Wolves entering in 2020 and the Eagles the year before. But both wasted no time in establishing themselves as Womens footy powerhouse clubs; and in doing so have built up a strong rivalry. A rivalry that will again be tested as they face off at Weldon Oval on Saturday.
After a bye in the opening round, Manly travelled to Sydney Uni No 1 last week. It was a low-scoring scrap, just one goal apiece; but the Wolves fell three points short. Ash Carter, Hannah Woolf and Olivia Cameron battled tirelessly all day; but the Wolves weren’t able to come up with the winner despite creating chances. It was a disappointing loss for the Wolves, but there’s still a lot of footy to be played; and now is the time to hit their straps and begin to accumulate those wins.
The Eagles have won both their matches so far this season, but were made to work for it last week when they took on the Goannas at Gipps Road last week. In the end, some heroics from Renee Tomkins, Tamaryn McGregor and Caitlin Rogers got the Eagles over the line. But, as they’ve so often done, they found a way to win the close contests; and in the battle for finals positions, that’s an important ability to have.
The Wolves have a game in hand, but last week was a shock loss for them; and they’ll be desperate to bounce back this time. They’ll be at home, something the Eagles have yet to enjoy in 2024, and need to make it count. The Eagles know how to win, and the Wolves can’t afford to drop another game and still be winless as April comes to an end. The Wolves will have to scrap and make the Eagles fight for every possession if they are to deliver the kick-start that they need to their 2024 campaign.
North Shore Bombers v UNSW-ES Bulldogs
Gore Hill Oval, Saturday 1:40pm
The Bombers are undefeated, while the Bulldogs are looking for their first win of the new season. But the pressure will be on both teams to get the job done when they meet on the Gore Hill synthetic on Saturday. It’s a game that will generate plenty of interest; and if you can’t get to Gore Hill, you can still catch the action live on Streamer. [link https://streamer.com.au/match/3068 ]
North Shore won their second game on the trot last week when they travelled to Olds Park and put in a dominant performance to complete a 46-point win over St George. Emily Cleghorn, Laura Watkins and Emilie Krimmer were the standouts; but it was a strong team effort by the Bombers as they asserted themselves and got on top around the ground. They’ll be looking to replicate that performance this time round and maintain their unbeaten run; although there are tougher tests to come.
The Bulldogs are yet to record their first win this season. Last week against UTS at Waverley they got close, going down by seven points in a low-scoring encounter. Chloe Anderson, Georgia Voura and Emily Conlan played solid games for the Bulldogs, as they created chances to steal the game but were unable to find the goals that mattered. But although they were unable to find the win, they must be encouraged that they pushed one of the stronger teams in the competition and made them defend resolutely. But this will be a tough test for them.
It’s been a great start to the season for the Bombers, but there’s plenty more work to be done to establish themselves as genuine contenders. There are hard games coming up; but for the moment, they have to overcome any opposition that comes before them. This time it’s the Bulldogs, who haven’t had a great start to the season; but who know they’ll need to lift and find more in their game this time round. Expect the Bulldogs to scrap and fight, and the Bombers can’t expect to have everything on their own terms in this game.
Sydney University v St George Dragons
Sydney Uni No 1 Oval, Saturday 3:25pm
Two teams with differing fortunes will meet in an evening encounter at Sydney Uni No1, with the Students looking to turn last week’s win into a winning streak; while St George will need to find a spark to get themselves going after two disappointing results to start their Premier Division existence.
Last week at the same venue, the Students hosted Manly and it was a scrap. A low-scoring arm-wrestle in which each team was only able to score a single goal. But in the end the Students were able to eke out a couple more behinds to get the win. Mikaela Mahoney, Emma Walsh and Saskia Johnson were in the thick of the action for the Students. It wasn’t pretty, but part of being a successful team is knowing how to grind out the wins when the going gets tough; and the Students executed that brilliantly last week and can do so again this time if it comes to that.
It was a tough home game at Olds Park for the Dragons last week, when they were held to a single goal by North Shore and went down by 46 points. Caydelan Mitchell-Bruce, Paige Bauer and Caitlin Edmonds kept working hard; but the Dragons struggled to find their rhythm and were never in the contest. It’s been a difficult start to their Premier Division existence with two heavy defeats; and the Dragons will need to find something more this week if they are going to find a winning score against a very strong Sydney Uni defence.
On the back of a hard-fought win, Sydney Uni go into this clash knowing they can find a way to get the job done when it’s difficult. They’re up against a St George side that hasn’t found anywhere near the form they showed in Division One last year; a team that needs to lift their effort to reach their full potential. The Students have shown they can scrap, while the Dragons will have to in order to prevent their opposition from getting easy possessions. The Dragons can’t afford another hefty loss here, and a competitive performance will give them hope that it’s not too late to turn their fortunes around.
