Round 18, 2025 – Men’s & Women’s Premier Division Preview
Written by Michael Shillito
It’s the final countdown (roll the music). Just one more round to finish the regular season. We have new ladder leaders and the battle for finals positions comes down to this last day.
In Men’s Premier Division, Manly moved to the top last week. Unless the Wolves go down to the bottom-placed Magpies; they will take out the minor premiership and have the first week of the finals off. North Shore, after their loss to UNSW-ES last week, will have a re-match with the Bulldogs in the Qualifying Final.
In their second season in the top flight, South-West Sydney will be in the Elimination Final. Sydney Uni will join them there if they can beat the Blues in the final round. If they don’t, the Students could be passed by Pennant Hills. The Demons’ match won’t start till 7pm, so there’ll be some nervous Sydney Uni people waiting for that result if the Students haven’t already wrapped up their finals spot.
Manly have also made their way to the top in Women’s Premier Division. The Wolves have the bye in the last round, and they can’t be caught; they will go straight through to the second week. North Shore will be in the Qualifying Final against either Sydney Uni or East Coast; the percentage gap between those two teams is very tight.
Whichever of the Students or the Eagles doesn’t make the Qualifying Final will be in the sudden-death Elimination Final. Their opponent will be UNSW-ES, unless the Bulldogs lose to East Coast and UTS knock off North Shore; if those two results both happen, the Bats will replace the Bulldogs in the finals.
And for everyone else, the season comes to an end this week. A season where players have given their best efforts, and some have developed as players. But the team success has not been forthcoming; and planning will already be under way to move up the ladder in 2026.
MEN’S PREMIER DIVISION
Inner West Magpies v Manly-Warringah Wolves
Picken Oval, Saturday 12:00pm
Magpies – 10th. Played 17, Won 1, Lost 16, 49.05%. Streak – W1
Wolves – 1st. Played 17, Won 16, Lost 1, 204.24%. Streak – W3
They left it almost to the last moment, but Inner West Magpies don’t come away from this season empty-handed. Finally they had the breakthrough win last week. But it’s a monumental ask for them to repeat that result and end the season on a high. Manly are back on top, and just need a win against the bottom team to wrap up the minor premiership and go straight through to the second week of the finals.
Fears of a winless season for the Magpies were finally put to bed at Picken Oval last week when the Magpies achieved the breakthrough result with a five-point win over UTS. In a low-scoring game in tricky conditions, the Bats led by five points at the last change; but the Magpies would kick the only goal of the final quarter, and with the smell of victory in their nostrils at last, they weren’t letting go. Lucas Lam, Keegan Litchfield and Ben Klemke were influential in getting the Magpies over the line, leading to massive celebrations. At least they’ve salvaged something from this season. Bur, against the top side, it would take something remarkable to get a second win. It seems too big an ask.
Meanwhile at Weldon Oval, Manly’s finals preparations stepped up another notch with a clinical 78-point demolition of Sydney Uni. Zac Youlten led the way up forward with four goals; while Lachlan Behagg, Jesse Wadeisha and Travis Schiller were everywhere around the ground. The Wolves were impressive in what wasn’t the easiest conditions to play in; a result that has taken them to the top of the ladder. All they need is a win here to ensure the minor premiership, and if they play like they did against the Students, that shouldn’t be a problem.
When the final siren sounds, the Magpies’ season will come to an end. Not so for the Wolves. A win would wrap up top spot. If, by some unlikely calamity, the Wolves were to drop this game, they’d have to keep an eye on the Gore Hill game and hope the Bats can pull off the upset. But the Wolves have only dropped one game all year; and a victory here would leave them just one game away from the Grand Final, with next week off to rest and prepare for that game. That is the Wolves’ goal, and probable outcome, from this match.
South-West Sydney Blues v Sydney University Students
Rosedale Oval, Saturday 1:50pm
Blues – 4th. Played 17, Won 10, Lost 7, 111.15%. Streak – W1
Students – 5th. Played 16, Won 8, Lost 7, Drawn 1, 111.13%. Streak – L3
As if finals have come early, we have a crunch game between South-West Sydney and Sydney Uni. The Blues have already qualified for the Elimination Final, and this is the perfect hit-out for them to fine-tune their finals preparation. While the Students, after three losses on the trot, need to win this one to be assured of a finals berth.
Last Saturday the Blues made history as they qualified for their first finals series. Taking on Pennant Hills at Rosedale, the first half was closely contested. But the floodgates opened after the long break, with the Blues kicking seven unanswered goals in the third term and going on to complete a 64-point win. Ryan Shipard, Liam Burns and Bailey-Dean Latanis were superb for the Blues; who showed once again they are a force to be reckoned with. Finals await, but now it’s time to prepare. Against a team that hasn’t yet qualified, but is still in the race; this will be a good hit-out for the Blues and a chance to build up to something special at the business end of the season.
The Students have struggled in recent weeks, and last week copped a 78-point loss against Manly at Weldon. Kobe Banks, Brodie Hendrie and Nathan Tang worked hard, but the Students were never in the contest. Weldon away is a tough road trip and the Students aren’t the only team to have come unstuck there. But after being one of the front-runners early, the Students have limped towards the finals, losing their last three; and the recent washout nullified the advantage they did have with a strong percentage. Now it comes down to this game; and if the Students can’t get the job done this time, their season could be over.
When these teams met in round 6, the Blues were 31 points too good. Now, in their second season at Premier Division level, they are a finals club. They’ll want to come into the finals in form, and continue their winning momentum; and this is their opportunity. But for Sydney Uni, the situation is much more urgent. Three losses on the trot, and they’re in trouble. If they drop this one, they’ll be up late, glued to the Streamer coverage and hoping for a Dragon upset. If the Students can get the job done, they can save themselves that angst; and their reward will be the Elimination Final and a re-match with the Blues.
UNSW-ES Bulldogs v East Coast Eagles
Blacktown International Sportspark, Saturday 2:10pm
Bulldogs – 3rd. Played 16, Won 12, Lost 4, 173.75%. Streak – W6
Eagles – 8th. Played 17, Won 4, Lost 13, 61.01%. Streak – W1
UNSW-ES have established themselves as the form team of the competition, winning the last six games straight and their effort against North Shore last week has in all probability determined the fate of the minor premiership. The Bulldogs will finish third and play the Qualifying Final, nothing that happens in this game can change that. But they’ll want to maintain their form and momentum with finals around the corner. No finals for the Eagles this year, but they’ll be keen to finish 2025 on a positive note.
Last week at Blacktown, the Bulldogs made a massive statement with their most important win since the 2023 Grand Final as they knocked North Shore off top spot with a 40-point win. Goal scorers were not available at the time of writing; but Jordan Endemann, Sam Thorne and Harrison Dyson were massive contributors as they pulled away from the Bombers and won every quarter. Six wins on the trot and the Bulldogs have winning momentum; and although this game can’t change their ladder position or finals opponent, they won’t want to take any risks with their form. It’s another peak performance for the Bulldogs.
East Coast won’t be playing finals this year, but they’re looking to finish 2025 on a high. Last week at Bruce Purser, they got off to a flying start which was enough to get them a 14-point win over St George. Marshall Poynter hit the spot with four goals; while Brody Kane and Cam Edwards were prominent performers for the Eagles. Four wins for the season is their best return in the 2020s, but they’re not quite finished yet. One more, and against a finals team, would be a great way to complete the season and give the squad re-assurance that they’re on the right track for the future.
Back in round 6 at Bruce Purser, it was one-way traffic as the Bulldogs completed a 123-point demolition over the Eagles. Now they are playing for finals momentum. Conditions will be heavy, scoring hard to come by. But the Bulldogs know they can’t take it easy this week. Form is fickle, and easing up for a week can have disastrous consequences. While for the Eagles, there’s no finals this year; but a chance to finish 2025 on a positive note. Plenty to play for here.
North Shore Bombers v UTS Bats
Gore Hill Oval, Saturday 4:40pm
Bombers – 2nd, Played 17, Won 15, Lost 2, 192.58%. Streak – L1
Bats – 7th. Played 17, Won 5, Lost 12, 74.75%. Streak – L3
A twilight encounter on the Gore Hill synthetic awaits. And as the sun sets on UTS’s season, leaving the Bats to contemplate what might have been; the Bombers have some work to do here. Last week’s result at Blacktown cost the Bombers top spot on the ladder, and they need to hit back here to restore some momentum ahead of the finals.
Last week North Shore’s winning run came unstuck when they went down to UNSW-ES by 40 points. The Bombers were never in the contest, as the Bulldogs won every quarter and denied the Bomber any momentum to get back into the game. Best players for the Bombers were not available at the time of writing, but too many were short of their best. With finals just a week away, the Bombers need to lift this week and get back to their imposing form of recent weeks. They can’t risk another finals fadeout.
Meanwhile at Picken Oval last week, the Bats dropped their third game on the trot as they went down to Inner West Magpies by five points. The Bats led by five points at the last change of a low-scoring game, but when the game was there to be won the Bats were unable to get it done. Josh Lee, George Boyd and Tom Charles kept working hard; but it was another disappointing day in another disappointing season. No finals for the Bats, but with a tough away trip to end the season, they have nothing to lose and will go all out to spoil the Bombers in this contest.
By the time this match starts, the Bombers should know the result from Picken Oval. If the unlikely result happens and Manly get beaten, the hunt for the minor premiership is back on. Assuming it doesn’t, the Bombers will go into this game knowing they are bound for the Qualifying Final against the Bulldogs. But it’s no dead rubber. After stumbling last week, the Bombers can’t afford to fall over again. To even limp across the line with an ugly win here, as they did at Trumper Park in round 12, leaves the Bombers in poor form at the time of year when they most want to be at their best form. The Bombers will be looking for a big win to get the momentum and confidence flowing ahead of the business end of the season.
Pennant Hills Demons v St George Dragons
Mike Kenny Oval, Saturday 7:00pm
Demons – 6th. Played 17, Won 8, Lost 8, Drawn 1, 75.30%. Streak – L1
Dragons – 9th. Played 17, Won 4, Lost 13, 59.65%. Streak – L1
By the time Pennant Hills start their night match against St George at Mike Kenny, they will know if they are a finals chance. If Sydney Uni have won their game, this is a dead rubber and the Demons won’t be playing finals. But if the Students have lost, this last game of the regular season will decide the fate of the finals. A Demons win would get them in, while Sydney Uni would be sweating on this result and hoping the Dragons can do them a favour. And whether you’re a Demon, a Dragon or a nervous Student, don’t miss the action as it happens on Streamer. [link – https://streamer.com.au/match/5648 ]
The Demons could have got themselves to the point of not having to depend on other results; but that chance was lost last week when they were blown away by South-West Sydney in the third quarter, going down by 64 points. Lachlan Willey, Liam Everett and Jonathan Friend battled hard; but the Demons weren’t able to conjure up the performance they needed on the day. Now it comes to this final round, firstly to wait on the Sydney Uni result and then to get the job done against the Dragons.
When the final siren goes, St George’s season comes to an end. The Dragons dropped last week at Bruce Purser by 14 points; despite the determined efforts of Eddie Marning, Lachlan Querzoli and Alex Box. 2025 hasn’t lived up to the Dragons’ hopes, and they’ll be looking to improve significantly in 2026. But they’d love to finish on a high note, sing the sond one more time and whet the appetite for next year. No better way to do that than with a last-round win; and to get one against the odds would be a handy tonic indeed.
The Demons got the job done by 54 points when these teams met at Olds Park in round 8. But, if they’re still in the finals race, the pressure is on this time. On form and ladder position, the Demons should win. But pressure can do strange things; and the Dragons have nothing to lose, and can leave nothing in the tank and go all-out. Weather, injuries, team availability and form can all be variables on the day; but the bottom line remains the same. They need to win. Nothing else matters.
WOMEN’S PREMIER DIVISION
Sydney University Students v Parramatta Goannas
Fairfax Reserve, Saturday 11:30am
Students – 3rd. Played 14, Won 10, Lost 4, 267.56%. Streak – L2
Goannas – 8th, Played 15, Won 2, Lost 13, 11.34%. Streak – W1
Sydney Uni haven’t won in August yet, dropping last week to Manly. But they remain in third place by the tiniest percentage gap. This week they take on a Parramatta team that won just their second game of the season last week. The Students need not just a win but a big win if they are to maintain third spot and avoid sudden death in the first week of the finals.
Last week at Weldon, the Students fell short against top side Manly by 23 points. It wasn’t the easiest of conditions; but the Students stayed in contact with the Wolves in the first half. There was only seven points in it at the long break, but the Wolves stepped up the pressure after half time and the Students were unable to go with them and could only manage one scoring shot in the second half. Evie Bowie, Frances Walsh and Amanda Farrugia battled tirelessly, but it wasn’t enough to get the points. But their percentage remains just strong enough to edge out East Coast; not by much but enough to stay in third. To stay in the double-chance position, they need to win by more than East Coast wins their game, if the Eagles do win.
It’s been a difficult year for the Goannas, and they’ve been held scoreless eight times. But last Saturday they turned the tables with a clean sheet of their own as they recorded a 35-point win over Pennant Hills. Katherine Spender, Skyla Seal and Ava Saad were in fine form as the Goannas got the sniff of victory and weren’t letting go. It was just their second win of the season, but one they enjoyed. And having had the taste of a win, they’d love nothing more than to drink from the cup of victory one more time. A big ask, but they’ll need to compete and contest every possession here.
These teams met at Gipps Road in round 6, and on that occasion the Students held the Goannas scoreless to win by 117 points. To replicate that performance should be enough for the double-chance; but the heavy surface at the Fairfax will make scoring difficult. Every score matters for the Students, and even against a struggling opponent, it needs to be flat-out attack all day. While for the Goannas, the final siren will see this nightmare of a season finally come to an end. But with nothing more after this game, they can afford to leave nothing in the tank. A strong performance to finish will at least salvage something from this season and give something to celebrate at the season’s end.
UNSW-ES Bulldogs v East Coast Eagles
Blacktown International Sportspark, Saturday 12:30pm
Bulldogs – 5th. Played 14, Won 8, Lost 6, 225.41%. Streak – W4
Eagles – 4th. Played 14, Won 10, Lost 4, 261.28%. Streak – W4
The Bulldogs and Eagles meet at Blacktown in what could be a preview of the upcoming finals series. The Bulldogs sit in fifth; a win will get them into the finals, and even if they lose they will still make it if UTS lose at Gore Hill. While the Eagles sit in fourth, only a tiny percentage difference behind Sydney Uni. To make the double-chance, the Eagles need to beat the Bulldogs in this game by a bigger margin than Sydney Uni beat Parramatta. With the fate of the finals lineups hanging on this game, you won’t want to miss a moment of the action; and you don’t have. Tune your device into Streamer and you can see it all as it unfolds. [link – https://streamer.com.au/match/5647 ]
The Bulldogs are in pole position for that last finals spot. They got there last week when they ended North Shore’s winning streak with a 14-point win at Blacktown last week. The first half was evenly contested, with just three points separating the teams at half time; but the Bulldogs tightened the defensive screws after the long break and held the Bombers goal-less in the second half. Aimie Whelan, Amaia Wain and Ahlani Eddy were superb for the Bulldogs as they enhanced their finals hopes. It comes down to this game. If they win, they’re in.
East Coast are in fourth place, level on games and very close on percentage behind Sydney Uni. Last week they ground their way to a 30-point win over St George at Bruce Purser; with Bryany Parker, Renee Tomkins and Kaitlyn Noble featuring prominently. But, although they got the win, against a bottom three team it probably wasn’t enough. The Eagles needed to get ahead of the Students and build some form of buffer; given they are playing a finals contender while Sydney Uni are playing the Goannas. Not putting St George to the sword has likely cost the Eagles a shot at the double-chance. In their three premierships, the Eagles haven’t had to come through the Elimination Final. To make it four in a row will be tough from here,
These teams met at Bruce Purser in round 6, and on that occasion the Bulldogs were unable to score a goal as the Eagles took out a 42-point win. But with both teams in strong form, this one will probably be much closer. If the Eagles are to avoid sudden death, they need another big win; they need to win by more than Sydney Uni beat Parramatta. While if the Bulldogs go down, they’ll be nervously tracking the result from Gore Hill on PlayHQ and hoping the Bats go down. And if that happens, the Eagles and the Bulldogs will have a re-match in the first week of the finals.
North Shore Bombers v UTS Bats
Gore Hill Oval, Saturday 3:00pm
Bombers – 2nd. Played 15, Won 12, Lost 3, 443.71%. Streak – L1
Bats – 6th. Played 15, Won 8, Lost 7, 188.97%. Streak – W2
While other games this weekend will be played on muddy tracks that will make ball-handling difficult and running near impossible; the Bombers and the Bats will relish the Gore Hill synthetic for this clash. The Bombers looking to hit back after their loss last week cost them the minor premiership; while the Bats, if UNSW-ES lose to the Eagles earlier in the afternoon, will be playing off for a spot in the finals.
North Shore’s winning streak came to an end at Blacktown last week when they went down to UNSW-ES by 14 points. Kiera Yerbury, Charli Tidemann and Emily Bliss worked hard; but it wasn’t North Shore’s day and they were unable to match it with the Bulldogs when the game was in the balance and there to be won. The result saw North Shore fall off the ladder leadership; and with the ladder determined on match ratio and the Wolves having the bye in the last round, there’s no way back to the top for the Bombers. Whatever happens here, they’;; be playing the Qualifying Final. But they’ll be looking for a win here to restore their momentum and have some good form behind them as they go into the finals.
It’s been a long wait for the Bats to play this game after last week’s bye; but they’ll have fresh legs and be ready to throw everything into this challenge. In their last start, back in round 16, they kept themselves in the hunt with a 97-point win over St George at Fairfax Reserve. Ella Parker and Brianna-Lee Wade each landed five goals while Aiofe Berry was everywhere around the ground. They have a tough assignment this week, and making finals won’t be easy. But to be with the best teams in the competition at the business end of the season, to knock off the second-placed team would prove them worthy of being there.
By the time this game starts, the game at Blacktown will be all over and the Bats will know if they are still in the finals race. If the Bulldogs have won in Blacktown, this is a dead rubber for the Bats and they’ll be playing to end the season on a high. If the Bulldogs have lost, the Bats are in the race; but even if they’re still a chance, this won’t be easy. The Bombers, even though this game won’t affect their finals prospects, will be looking to get their form and momentum back on track. It was a close encounter when these teams met at Trumper Park in round 12, and there probably won’t be much in it this time.
Pennant Hills Demons v St George Dragons
Mike Kenny Oval, Saturday 5:20pm
Demons – 9th. Played 15, Won 0, Lost 15, 1.54%. Streak – L15
Dragons – 7th. Played 15, Won 3, Lost 12, 18.41%. Streak – L3
The last Women’s Premier Division game of the regular season puts together two clubs who have had their share of trials and tribulations this year. The Demons haven’t won a game all year, have only scored three goals and have a percentage of 1.54. By any measure, it’s been a shocker of a season. The Dragons haven’t been much better, but have won three games and are going for number four. The gap between the top six and the bottom three in the Women’s Premier Division competition has not been satisfactory; but with two of the bottom three teams playing each other, this should at least be a competitive contest.
The Demons’ season took another disappointing turn when they were unable to score against a Goannas side that was only recording their second win of the year. Scarlett Sheridan, Sophie Pendlebury and Amelia Bennett tried hard; but it was another day of disappointment for the Demons. This week is their last chance to shine, the last opportunity to be competitive. To leave the best till last and get something worthwhile done.
St George have had their struggles this year, but last week at Bruce Purser was one of their better performances. Although they went down to East Coast by 30 points, they showed plenty of fight; the only time this year that a bottom three team has kicked three goals against a top six team. Kaitlyn Eisenhuth, Delaney Gwynn and Caydelan Mitchell-Bruce showed plenty of pluck and determination as the Dragons caused the Eagles plenty of frustration. It’s taken nearly a full season, but finally the Dragons look to be getting somewhere. They’d love to follow that up with a final round win.
If the Dragons get up here, it will be four wins for the season; and they’ll at least have something to show for their efforts. But the Demons, winless with a very poor percentage, will be desperate to sing the song just once. For both clubs, the final siren will be a relief. A year of disappointment and heavy defeat after heavy defeat will at last be over. But one of these teams can at least end on a positive note. To finally have something to enjoy as they cross the finish line. Once one of these teams has a sniff of victory, they won’t be letting go.
