AFL SYDNEY – ROUND 11 REVIEW (29 JUNE 2024)
Written by David Redden
WOMEN’S PREMIER DIVISION:
East Coast Eagles continued with their dominant form in accounting for 2023 Grand Finalists UTS by fifty points at Waverley Oval. Final scores were East Coast 11.9.75 to UTS 4.1.25 as the Eagles maintained their four-point lead in first place over the talented Manly Warringah outfit. Keep Saturday 27 July in your diary as that is the return fixture between East Coast and Manly Warringah at Kanebridge Oval, with the Wolves being the only team to defeat the Eagles in 2024.
East Coast had three players kick two goals each: Emily Hurley, Marley Kozak and key forward Caitlin Davidson.
East Coast was best served by Caitlin Reid, Chloe Arndt, Bryany Parker and Lucinda Watson. Best players for the Bats were Tilley Edwards Hill, Tahlia Fraser, Aleshea Houlahan and Catriona O’Brien.
Sydney University accounted for St George by fifty-two points at Olds Park in Penshurst. Final. Final scores were Sydney University 8.5.53 to St George 0.1.1.
Key forwards Lucy Gilfedder (three goals) and Sarah Tutt (two goals) were lively up forward for the Students.
Sydney University was best served by Kendra Blattman, the reliable Saskia Johnson, Amelia CausleyTodd and Tutt. St George’s best players were Hannah Phillips, Caitlin Edmonds, Maggie Ritchie and talented youngster Sophie Matheson.
North Shore produced a convincing second half in their thirty-five-point victory over hosts Pennant Hills at Mike Kenny Oval. After the Demons were ahead by a point at the main break, the Bombers were dominant in the second half as they re-entered the Top Five with a 7.11.53 to 3.0.18 victory.
Elle Carroll, playing as ruck-rover with Kara Selvarajah managing the backline, kicked two goals for the Bombers, as did Teigan Collister. Full-forward Rebecca Fagg managed two goals for the Demons.
Lucy Yates produced a best-on-ground performance for North Shore, aided and abetted by Collister and Sophie & Samantha de Montemas. Natalie Pajor was outstanding for Pennant Hills on the wing, with Pajor being well-supported by the consistent Elly Rudd, representative back Kaitlin Quinlan and the dependable Kaitlin Noble.
Manly Warringah maintained their second place on the ladder with aconvincing fifty-one-point victory over UNSW-ES at Henson Park. Final scores were Manly Warringah 10.9.69 to UNSW-ES 2.6.18.
Peggy Stanbury and Kate Salmon kicked three goals apiece for the high-flying Wolves, with Holly Wickham chipping in with two majors.
Manly Warringah was best served by skipper Ashleigh Carter, Hannah Woolf, gun midfielder Zara Hamilton and Olivia Cameron. UNSW-ES best players were Emma Haley. Chloe Anderson in the Ruck, Ahlanie Eddy and Senna Gulden.
WOMEN’S DIVISION ONE:
In Womens Division One action, Parramatta accounted for South West Sydney Blues by twenty-six points at Rosedale Oval, high-flying Randwick City thumped Manly Warringah by fifty-two points at Pioneers Park, Newtown continued their good form with a forty-six point victory over North Shore at Gore Hill and UTS maintained their unbeaten start to the season with a hard-fought eleven-point win over Sydney University at Sydney Uni No.1 Oval.
WOMEN’S UNDER 20’s:
In Women’s Under 20’s action, UNSW-ES kept Sydney University to just two behinds in defeating them by eighty points at David Phillips Oval, Manly Warringah thrashed UTS by sixty-two points at Bat & Ball Oval and Parramatta thumped North Shore by an even one hundred points at Gore Hill Oval.
MEN’S PREMIER DIVISION:
Inner West Magpies welcomed back the return of gun full-forward Ben Zoppo with an important fifty-nine-point victory over fierce rivals South West Sydney Blues. The Magpies, who won 17.15.117 to 8.10.58, rocketed into fourth place on percentage and may very well have finalised the make-up of the Top Five with seven rounds remaining.
Zoppo’s return from his overseas Magical Mystery Tour resulted in five goals for Inner West. He was well-supported by Jack Rule, Jesse Manton, Kyle Veerhuis and Zoppo’s aide de camp Bill Jones, who all chipped in with two majors each. Jordan Pidgeon kicked two goals for the Blues.
Inner West was best served by skipper Callum McEvoy-Gray, Rule, the consistent William Deller and ruckman Luke Jamieson. SW Sydney’s best players were Khy Gibbs, representative Finbar Delbridge, Bailey Stewart and William Lockett.
Hugo Birks’ nine goals was the catalyst for UTS to thump East Coast Eagles by sixty-four points at Waverley Oval. Birks shot to the top of the League goalkicking list as the Bats ran out 19.18.132 to 10.8.68 victors.
Birks was unstoppable up forward for UTS, with vice-captain Ash Backlund also kicking four majors for the Bats in their dominant performance. Marshall Poynter kicked four goals in a lone highlight for the Eagles.
UTS was best served by Hamish Latchford, Birks, Koby Grass and Backlund. East Coast’s best players were stalwart Jacob Jones, Angus Edwards, Baylee Jones and Corey Dowle.
A dominant second quarter from Sydney University was the catalyst for their crucial nineteen-point victory over the St George Dragons at Olds Park in Penshurst. Final scores were Sydney University 12.13.85 to St George 9.12.66.
The Students kicked five goals to none in the second stanza, and whilst St George fought hard in the second half, the Students dug deep and made life exceedingly difficult for the chasing pack outside the Top Five, all of whom are at least three wins and percentage behind both the Student and Inner West.
Harry Morrison’s four goals were priceless for Sydney Uni, with key forward Nik Dale chipping in with three majors. Tye Gander continued his excellent form with four goals, with club stalwart Matt Saunders chipping in with two majors.
Sydney University was best served by Morrison, Vincent O’Brien, Felix Rugge-Price, Declan Fitzpatrick. St George’s best players were Jordan Taylor, Jeromos Mills-Vasas, Lachlan Querzoli and Lachlan Cabor.
In the AFL Sydney broadcast fixture at Mike Kenny Oval, North Shore continued their undefeated season with a professional twenty-two-point victory over hosts Pennant Hills. North Shore’s four goals to zero third quarter was pivotal in their 8.12.60 to 5.8.38 victory.
Fraser Thurlow kicked four goals, including three in the first quarter, as he caused early headaches for Mikey Carroll’s backline. Simon Homsany produced a goal of the year contender as he continued his recent excellent form. Rising Star Riley Hawes kicked two goals for Pennant Hills, with “The Prince” Theo Moraitis also making a claim for goal of the season in the last quarter.
North Shore was best served by a dominant, unstoppable Christian Loone, Fraser Thurlow, William Giacometti and ruckman Frane Babic. Pennant Hills’ best players were Connor Matthews, Nicholas Eynaud, Lachlan Willey and Wilson Mudge, whose defensive efforts on the wing were a highlight on the day for Ben Roberts’ men.
Manly Warringah defeated a gallant UNSW-ES by thirty points at Henson Park. In a game of two distinct halves, seventeen of the game’s twenty-two goals were kicked in the first half, with the Wolves running out victors 13.13.91 to the Bulldogs 9.7.61.
Jasper Crouch kicked three goals for the Wolves, with 2023 Phelan Medallist Kale Gabila, Zach Youlten and ruck/forward Antony Forato all chipping in with two majors. UNSW-ES, who cleverly went with a small forward line in the absence of key forward Jed Robin, had Sam Thorne, Jordan Endemann, Hamish Morrison and Billy Longmire all manage two goals apiece.
Manly Warringah were best served by former Eastern Football League Best & Fairest Medal winner Cameron Manuel, Crouch, Ky McGrath and Kyle Martin. The Bulldogs’ best players were the hugely talented Endemann, Morrison, Thorne and Anthony Halikas.
MEN’S DIVISION ONE:
In Men’s Division One action, Parramatta cruised to a fifty-nine-point victory over UNSW-ES at Henson Park, Sydney University defeated St George by twelve goals at Olds Park, North Shore produced a huge last quarter to overrun Pennant Hills by thirteen points in an terrific game at Mike Kenny Oval and Camden were ruthless & clinical in disposing of Balmain by twenty-one goals at Mahoney Park.
