AFL SYDNEY – ROUND 13 REVIEW (13 JULY 2024)
Written by David Redden
WOMEN’S PREMIER DIVISION:
UNSW-ES comfortably accounted for St George by seventy points in a fixture played at Gipps Rd after Olds Park in Penshurst was ruled unplayable. Final scores were UNSW-ES 12.6.78 to St George 1.2.8.
Key forward Emily Conlan kicked an impressive bag of five goals for the Bulldogs, with the experienced Gabrielle Wendelin chipping in with three majors.
UNSW-ES was best served by Georgia Voura, Hayley Stanford, Ahlani Eddy and Conlan. Best players for the Dragons were Isabella Katzakis, Jordan O’Neill, Caitlin Edmonds and Emerald Ritchie.
Parramatta defeated Pennant Hills by a sizable eighty-six-point margin at Mike Kenny Oval. Final scores were Parramatta 15.6.96 to Pennant Hills 1.4.10.
Pennant Hills had Jesse Smith tag Mostyn Medallist Amanda Farrugia all day, with Smith performing solidly against the gun midfielder. This freed up Caitlin Fletcher, and Fletchers power and strength in the midfielder proved too much for the gallant, young Demons outfit.
Lauren Easton and the lightning-fast Sophie Kavanagh both kicked four goals for the Goannas.
Parramatta was best served by Easton, Chloe Davis, Kavanagh and the immensely powerful Fletcher. Pennant Hills’ best players were Hayley Lowe, Kaitlin Quinlan, Kaitlin Noble and ruck/key back Mia Hartley.
North Shore quite simply produced the upset of the season with a wonderful six-point victory over ladder leaders East Coast Eagles at Gore Hill Oval. Despite being fourteen points down at halftime, the young Bombers outfit eventually ran out winners 6.5.41 to the Eagles’ 5.5.35, in a game that could yet have a significant impact on the Top Five at the end of the home and away season.
This fixture featured eleven individual goalkickers as both teams’ defenders kept the clamps on their opposition forward lines.
North Shore was best served by skipper Zoe Hurrell, Emily Bliss, in-form rover Lucy Yates and Olivia Edwards. East Coast Eagles’ best players were Caitlin Reid, Bryany Parker, Jess Whelan and Summer Hall.
In a fixture that took on extra importance given North Shore’s upset win over East Coast, UTS dug deep to produce a tough six-point win over an inaccurate Sydney University. Final scores were UTS 6.4.40 to Sydney University 4.10.34.
Jasmine Smith kicked three goals for Sydney University.
Sydney University was best served by Smith, Ashley Dribbus, Frances Walsh and Saskia Johnson. UTS’ goalkickers and best players were unavailable at the time of writing.
WOMEN’S DIVISION ONE:
In Womens Division One action, Manly Warringah kept South West Sydney Blues scoreless in winning by eleven goals at Rosedale Oval. The top of the table clash between the undefeated co-leaders Randwick City and UTS at Trumper Park resulted in a solid win for Randwick City, East Coast edged North Shore by five points in a thriller at Gore Hill, and Parramatta (on a day where their defensive prowess in the Womens competition shone brightly) produced a great three-point upset victory over Newtown Breakaways at Mahoney Park.
WOMEN’S UNDER 20’s:
In Womens Under 20’s action, the University derby between near-neighbours UTS and UNSW-ES produce a thrilling draw, thirty-three points apiece. North Shore defeated Sydney University by eighty points at St Pauls Oval, and Parramatta produced a superb defensive performance in defeating Manly Warringah by twelve points, with the Goannas backline keeping the Wolves to 2.5.17.
MENS PREMIER DIVISION:
Sydney University comfortably accounted for UTS by seventy-five points at Sydney University No.1 Oval. Final scores were Sydney University 17.13.115 to UTS 5.10.40.
Sydney Uni’s in-form forward trio of Harry Morrison, Nik Dale (four goals each) and William Gibbs (three goals) terrorized the Bats defenders all afternoon. Matthew Harms managed three majors for the Bats.
Manly Warringah produced a convincing four-quarter performance at Rosedale Oval to account for South West Sydney Blues by fifty-six points. Final scores were Manly Warringah 13.15.93 to South West Sydney 5.7.37.
Cameron Manuel starred for the Wolves with four goals. Matt Storey kicked two goals for the Blues.
Manly Warringah was best served was James Lugsdin, Ky McGrath, Manuel and the returning Cooper McClennan. SW Sydney’s best players were Kain Flynn-Duncombe, Will Edwards, Kohan Prenter and Bailey Stewart.
North Shore defeated East Coast Eagles by sixty-six points at Gore Hill Oval. The Bombers ran out victors 15.14.104 to East Coast’s 6.2.38.
Matt Buskariol and Angus Loebel kicked three goals each for the undefeated Bombers. Nick Emanouel kicked three goals for the Eagles.
North Shore was best served by Phelan Medallist Ned Campbell, Loebel, Ethan Grace and Buskariol. East Coast’s best players were Nathan Fox, Daniel Gauci, Harry Elbourne and Emanouel.
Pennant Hills defeated Inner West Magpies by thirty-eight points in front of the faithful at Mike Kenny Oval. Final scores were Pennant Hills 11.13.79 to Inner West Magpies 6.5.41.
Talented small forward Riley Hawes had a wonderful day for the Demons, kicking four goals in an impressive display. Hawes was well-supported by The Prince Theo Moraitis and Nick Hey, who both chipped in with two majors. Ben Zoppo kicked two goals for Inner West, with Demons key back Connor Matthews performing soundly all day on the
Pennant Hills was best served by Josh Boag, 100-gamer Mitchell Blow, Lachlan Willey and Thomas Edmonds. The Magpies’ best players were Michael Tuttle, Jesse Manton, Dan Hillam and player-coach Ben Klemke.
In the late game, transferred to Mike Kenny Oval from Olds Park, St George won a thriller over UNSW-ES by a mere two points. The Dragons slightly superior accuracy in front of goal enabled them to run out winners 8.7.55 to UNSW-ES 7.11.53.
A free kick late in the final quarter for a contentious deliberate rushed behind proved decisive, as the Dragons kicked the final goal of the match to secure a hard-fought win.
Small forward Luke Arendse was a match-winner for St George, kicking four goals from a forward pocket. Max Rider, swung forward in the second half, almost stole the game for the Bulldogs with three majors.
The Dragons were best served by Nathaniel McKenzie-Hicks, Lachlan Cabor, Jon Pearson and Colby Hill. UNSW-ES’ best players were Rider, ruckman Stephen Corbett, lion-hearted Sam Thorne and Patrick Horan
MEN’S DIVISION ONE:
In Men’s Division One action, Pennant Hills squeaked home by a mere eight points over a gallant Inner West Magpies at Mike Kenny Oval, St George comprehensively defeated UNSW-ES by fifty-one points at Olds Park 2, Sydney University accounted for Balmain by thirty-seven points at famous Birchgrove Oval and in a possible Grand Final rehearsal, Camden somehow hung on to defeat a fast-finishing North Shore by five points at Gore Hill, the Bombers’ five goals from seventeen shots on goal costing them dearly..
