AFL SYDNEY – ROUND 16 REVIEW (10 August 2024)
Written by David Redden
WOMEN’S PREMIER DIVISION:
In what has become a tightly contested Women’s Premier Division Top Five, UTS gained more vital percentage with a ninety-four-point victory over St George on Ladies Day at historic Trumper Park in Paddington. Final scores were UTS 14.12.96 to St George 0.2.2.
UTS now has a huge game, at Waverley Oval this Saturday, against a confident North Shore Bombers in a game that could decide which one of these two teams gets the crucial double chance.
Jess Quade continued her consistent year in front of goals with three majors for the Bats. Quade was well supported by Sophia Gaukrodger, Kaitlin McCaffery and Alyssa Wedd, all of whom chipped in two goals for the fourth-placed UTS.
UTS was best served by Hannah Cerezo, Charlotte Owen, Gaukrodger and inspirational skipper McCaffery. Best players for the Dragons were skipper Rhiannon Burns, Caydelan Mitchell-Bruce, Kaitlyn Eisenhuth and Jorji Simpson.
Sydney University returned to the winners’ list with a methodical fifty-three-point victory over Pennant Hills at Uni No.1 Oval. Final scores were Sydney Uni 10.8.68 to Pennant Hills 2.3.15.
Kendra Blattman, pushed forward, and Jasmine managed two goals each for the Students.
Sydney Uni has the toughest run home of all the Top Six, playing Parramatta and East Coast to finish their Home and Away season, with both games being played away from home.
Sydney Uni was best served by Blattman, Daisy George, Jasmine Smith and Sarah Tutt. Pennant Hills’ best players were Addison Hickey, Kaitlyn Noble, Kaitlin Quinlan and Tara Coopman.
North Shore was given an enormous scare by a determined UNSW-ES before eking out a vital eleven-point victory at Henson Park. Final scores were North Shore 5.2.32 to UNSW-ES 3.3.21. Both teams lost a player each to ankle injuries early on, with Emily Conlan and Olivia Edwards being helped off the ground by trainers and taking no further part in the game.
Inspired by a superb, best-on-ground performance from midfielder Hayley Stanford, the Bulldogs took the lead in a topsy-turvy third quarter. Stanford, one of a series of players that tagged gun North Shore rover Lucy Yates, collected at least thirty-five possessions and a dozen effective tackles as the Bulldogs were only five points down at the final break.
North Shore’s defence, missing Zoe Hurrell, steadied in the fourth quarter and quelled Emily-Summer Hawes and Gabby Wendelin, who were dangerous all day up forward for UNSW-ES.
Elle Carroll was the only multiple goalkicker in the game, kicking two goals for the Bombers, who now sit in the top three ahead of their final Home & Away fixture against UTS this coming Saturday.
North Shore was best served by the Carroll, Claire Wilson, Zoe Milligan and Emily Cleghorn. UNSW-ES’ best players were Stanford, Amelia Martin, Ellie Veerhuis and Anna Pellen.
Parramatta produced their best performance of the season, defeating Manly Warringah by fourteen points at Weldon Oval. Final scores were Parramatta 6.2.38 to Manly Warringah 2.12.24, as Parramatta’s sharp shooting proved pivotal as they consolidated second place ahead of a tough run home, in which they face Sydney Uni (at Gipps Rd) then UTS (at Waverley) ahead of the finals.
Lauren O’Sullivan was the only multiple goalkicker in this fixture, kicking two goals on a day where six-pointers were hard to come by.
Parramatta’s stars turned up when needed the most. The Goannas were best served by Caitlin Fletcher, Amanda Farrugia, Zoe Clubb and Megan Mifsud. Manly Warringah’s best players were Hannah Woolf, Zara Hamilton, Ava Barraclough and Lauren Bull. Great to see Lauren Bourgeois, returning from an ACL injury, named amongst the Wolves’ best six players.
WOMEN’S DIVISION ONE:
In Womens Division One action, Randwick City thrashed North Shore by seventy-eight points at Pioneers Park, East Coast Eagles managed a two-goal win over South West Sydney at Monarch Oval, Manly Warringah cruised to an eighty-five-point win over Parramatta at Weldon Oval, and in the night game at Uni.1 Oval, Newtown Breakaways ground out an eighteen-point victory over hosts Sydney Uni.
WOMEN’S UNDER 20’s:
In Womens Under 20’s action, Sydney University produced a huge upset in defeating Manly Warringah by five points at Mike Pawley Oval, Parramatta has one hand on the minor premiership after a forty-five-point drubbing of UTS at Bat & Ball Oval, and North Shore demolished UNSW-ES by seventy-six points at Gore Hill Oval.
MENS PREMIER DIVISION:
Manly Warringah continued their excellent season with a solid thirty-four-point victory over Inner West Magpies in front of the faithful at Weldon Oval. Final scores were Manly Warringah 11.12.78 to Inner West 6.8.44.
The Wolves led at every change, leading by forty-five at the final break before taking the foot off the pedal in the fourth quarter, with the Magpies kicking the only two goals in a quiet final term.
Small forwards Kale Gabila and Zac Youlten kicked two goals each for the Wolves. Star full-forward Ben Zoppo kicked three goals for the Magpies, who badly missed the inside grunt of player-coach Ben Klemke
Manly Warringah was best served was Byron Laws, Louis Clifton, Taine Wright and Willem Smit. Inner West’s best players were William Deller, Kyle Veerhuis, Callum McEvoy-Gray and Leroy Veerhuis.
A five-goal performance from representative ruckman Finbar Delbridge inspired South West Sydney Blues to an important twenty-one point victory over East Coast Eagles at Monarch Oval in Ingleburn. Final scores were South West Sydney 14.8.92 to a gallant East Coast 11.5.71.
South West Sydney moved to twenty-eight points on the ladder, a game and seventeen percent behind fifth-placed Inner West Mapgies.
In a pivotal Round 17 this coming Saturday, Inner West host Sydney University at Picken Oval and South West Sydney have another must-win game, away to UNSW-ES at Henson Park.
The Blues had the game relatively secure at three-quarter time, leading by six goals. Despite a five-goal last quarter from the Eagles, the Blues held firm as they continue their late charge towards a possible sneaky entry into the Top Five.
Delbridge was the star for the Blues, his five goals a match-defining performance. Lyndon Hupfield chipped in with three goals for South West Sydney. Nathan Fox managed three goals for the Eagles, who again showed they will not go down without a fight.
South West Sydney was best served by James Kennedy, Delbridge, Bailey Stewart and Khy Gibbs. The Eagles’ best players were Cam Edwards, Brendan Coxall, Harry Elbourne and Corey Dowle.
In a high-scoring, entertaining fixture at Trumper Park, UTS returned to the winners’ circle with a forty-one-point victory over St George. Final scores were UTS 21.10.136 to St George 14.11.95.
UTS kicked an extraordinary 14.3 in the first half as the Dragons had no answer to Hugo Birks, Ash Backlund and Josh Ralph. The Dragons kicked nine goals to seven in the second half, but the damage was done, and Kevin Dyson’s young charges enjoyed a solid win on Ladies Day at Trumper Park.
Birks kicked seven goals for the Bats in a dominant display. Backlund and Ralph chipped in with three goals each. Four Dragons players kicked two goals each: Kirian Ayres, Lachlan Cabor, Tye Gander and Finn Ritchie.
UTS was best served was Lewis McCormack, Hamish Latchford, Nathan Spry and Joshua Lee. St George’s best players were Cabor, Thomas Ingram, Ritchie and Lachlan Leitch.
Pennant Hills had to produce a stirring second half comeback to defeat Sydney University and secure a crucial double chance in the finals. The Demons ran out victors 10.12.72 to Sydney Uni 8.7.55 at Uni No.1 Oval.
Sydney Uni flew out of the blocks, leading 4.4.28 to 0.2.2 at the first break. The Students still led by twenty points at the main break, but Pennant Hills, no doubt after some calm advice from coach Ben Roberts in the sheds, kicked seven goals to two in the second half as their defensive unit shut the Students down.
Pennant Hills now eagerly look forward to their home fixture against Manly Warringah this Saturday, a probable dress rehearsal for the Qualifying Final at Blacktown International Sportspark on Saturday 31 August.
Goalkickers and best players were not available at the time of writing.
North Shore produced a dominant first half in their 2023 Grand Final Replay with UNSW-ES at Henson Park before running out comfortable sixty-five-point winners over a determined but depleted UNSW-ES outfit. Final scores were North Shore 13.11.89 top UNSW-ES 3.6.24.
North Shore put this fixture away with an eleven to two goal first half. The Bombers midfielders, feasting on quality ball from ruckmen Fraser Thurlow and Angus Loebel, ran amok on a superb surface at Henson Park. UNSW-ES somewhat stemmed the flow in the second half, but the Bombers machine returned to their best after a huge scare courtesy of Sydney University last week.
Wayd Blackburne kicked three goals for the Bombers. Max Rider kicked all the Bulldogs’ three goals.
The Bombers were best served by Ned Campbell, Fraser Thurlow, Declan Fitzgerald and Max Toohey. UNSW-ES’ best players were Thomas Longmire, Will Foster, Jasper hardy and Patrick Horan.
MEN’S DIVISION ONE:
In Men’s Division One action, North Shore comfortably accounted for UNSW-ES at Henson Park, Sydney University secured a double chance in the finals with a composed twenty-six-point win over Pennant Hills at Uni No.1 Oval, St George edged out Balmain by a solitary point at Mahoney Park (despite the Dragons kicking 6.18) and Parramatta thumped Inner West Magpies by an even one hundred points at Gipps Rd.
