SYDNEY AFL ROUND 9 - East Coast Dominate in a Dog Day for UNSW-ES
Article and Photos by Michael Shillito
Round 9 marks the halfway point of the home & away season, and the first half of the regular season sees East Coast Eagles having established themselves as the competition front-runners. Undefeated, with a percentage well over 200, and with a string of imposing results behind them this season, the Eagles have so far comfortably seen off any opposition that dares cross their path.
On Saturday, it was UNSW-ES's turn to feel the Eagle heat. Taking them on at the Village Green, the Bulldogs were in need of a win to re-ignite their season. A solid opening to the season was threatening to unravel with the Bulldogs having tasted defeat in the previous 2 rounds before their clash with the Eagles.
But early on, the Bulldogs proved competitive. The Eagles took first blood with Mark Skuse running into an open goal, but Kieran Emery on the lead marked and goaled just a minute later to level the scores. And then a one-out mark to Leigh Lavery 30 metres out saw the Bulldogs hit the front. At that stage it was looking like the match would be a contest, and a period of pushing and shoving on the UNSW-ES half-forward line near their bench made it look like the Bulldogs had come to compete.
But as it turned out, the opening 10 minutes were the exception rather than the rule of what was to follow. The Eagles stepped up the intensity and the Bulldogs were unable to keep up. Four unanswered goals in the remainder of the quarter took the Eagles to a 19-point quarter time lead. Of those four goals, only one was contested; while the others saw Eagles unmarked within easy goal-scoring range, Ben Rogers twice running towards the goals to take the ball unopposed and score on the run.
That first quarter burst was just an entree. The second term was not just a quarter of football, it was an East Coast Eagles feast. 12 goals to 2 for the quarter turned the match into a complete blowout. The longer the quarter went, the more one-sided it became, with the Eagles scoring at will with ease. Marking contests were finding their way to Gus Seebeck at full forward, and Ben Rogers was there to take the crumbs of any marking contest Seebeck put down. Loose players were presenting themselves everywhere, their Bulldog opponents caught well away from the play. Late in the quarter the Bulldog frustration boiled over, with Ben Physick twice presented with goal-scoring opportunities from silly free kicks. And by the time Seebeck kicked his 3rd after the half-time siren, the Eagles were leading by a whopping 82 points.
The lead was already imposing at the long break, and it took less than 10 minutes for the margin to blow out further into triple figures. The Eagles were controlling everywhere on the ground, their midfield getting first use of the football, their forwards finding space everywhere. And on the rare occasions the Bulldogs did venture forward, there were East Coast defenders there to clear the ball away from the danger zone. The lead was 122 points by the last change, and with the game already comfortably won the Eagles put their cue back in the rack in the last quarter, UNSW-ES cutting the final margin back to an even 100 points. Seebeck, Rogers and Physick each kicked 4 goals for the Eagles, while Damien Bowles and Jon Vlatko were controlling play around the ground. On a dismal day for UNSW-ES, Troy Luff salvaged some small measure of pride with 4 second half goals, while Jason Coulloupas tried hard in the midfield all day.
Over the long weekend, North Shore took on Campbelltown in a fixture that had been postponed after a last-minute ground closure earlier in the season. With Gore Hill Oval again closed, the match was transferred to Monarch Oval, and Campbelltown enhanced their position in the top 5 with a hard-fought 16 point win. A 7 goals to 2 second quarter laid the foundations for the Blues' victory, taking them to a 29-point lead at half time; and although the Bombers won the third and final quarters, it was not by enough to threaten the Campbelltown lead. Owen Love kicked 6 for the Blues and Shanan Kershaw 5, while Andrew Marsh was a focal point for the Bombers with 4 goals.
Wests maintained their grip on second place with a hard-fought 11-point win over Pennant Hills at Ern Holmes Oval. After an even first half, the Demons gained the upper hand in the third quarter and took a 9 point lead into the last change. But there was to be another twist in the tale as the Magpies rallied in the last term, a 4 goals to 1 quarter enabling them to hit the front late in the game and take out the match. Ben Absolum kicked 5 goals for the Magpies, while Matt Withers and Andy Eurell were among their best. For Pennant Hills, Kieran Wright's 5 goals were important in keeping the Demons in the contest, while Mitch Aitken and Joshua Low were prominent for the Demons.
The opening round of the season saw St George upset Sydney Uni, but the Students were taking no chances in ensuring there would be no repeat this time. Jumping the Dragons from the start, the Students ran in 8.3 to 3.1 in the opening term; and increased their lead as the game went on to run away to a comfortable 61-point victory. Mark Egan and Leigh McWhirter kicked 5 goals each for the Students, while Tom Young and Ben Mankarious were again among their best. For the Dragons, suffering their 7th straight defeat, Chris Windle kicked 3 while Ben Maddern and Stephen Wilsen were among the best St George players on the park.
Sunday was overcast and wet at times during the day; and both Sunday matches would go down to the wire. At North Dalton Oval, Wollongong recorded their second win of the season when the Lions defeated Campbelltown by 5 points. The Blues led by 7 points at the long break, but the Lions fought back with a 5 goals to 3 third term to hit the lead. Despite an inaccurate final term, when they were unable to put Campbelltown away, the Lions hung on desperately in the final moments to complete the victory; their second in a row against the Blues. Graeme Batty kicked 4 for Wollongong, while Michael Toussis and Clint Wells played solid games for the Lions. For Campbelltown, Fraser Brown and Chris Lees were among their best.
At Drummoyne Oval, despite there being no wind to speak of, the opening half favoured goals being kicked to the southern end. The Dockers led by 6 points at half time and by 5 points at the last change; and when they kicked the opening two goals of the last quarter looked poised to record a victory. But North Shore had other ideas, kicking the final three goals of the match; the winning goal scored by Ben Attwood with less than a minute left on the clock. James Brain and Brendan Fitzgerald were solid contributors for North Shore, while Ryan Officer kicked 4 for Balmain in a best-on-ground performance.
Campbelltown 4.1 11.4 14.9 16.13 (109)
North Shore 4.3 6.5 10.8 14.9 (93)
Goals : Campbelltown - O Love 6, S Kershaw 5, B Yakimov 2, L Coughlan, M Edwins, D Chivas. North Shore - A Marsh 4, B Attwood 3, J Webster 2, D Kulk, A Lowes, C Murphy, A Naylor, J Brain.
Best : Campbelltown - B McAllister, O Love, I Sumner, J Brazill, R Lothian, S Kershaw. North Shore - J Webster, D Allen, A Marsh, B Attwood, A Naylor, D Dickerson.
At Monarch Oval, Saturday 6th June 2009.
East Coast Eagles 5.3 17.8 25.14 27.17 (179)
Uni NSW-Eastern Suburbs 2.2 4.5 6.6 12.7 (79)
Goals : East Coast - G Seebeck 4, B Physick 4, B Rogers 4, M Skuse 2, J Vlatko 2, R Smyth 2, D Spiteri 2, S Ryan 2, A Lovett, T Baker, L Stanford, M Johnston, M Sankey. UNSW-ES - T Luff 4, E Shaw 2, R Pert, J Coulloupas, L Lavery, K Emery, M O'Regan, B Woods.
Best : East Coast - D Bowles, B Physick, J Vlatko, B Rogers, M Skuse, R Bilkey. UNSW-ES - J Coulloupas, E Shaw, J Bradfield, J Robbie, R Jones, K Emery.
At Village Green, Saturday 13th June 2009.
Western Suburbs 2.3 6.6 9.9 13.14 (92)
Pennant Hills 3.2 6.2 11.6 12.9 (81)
Goals : Wests - B Absolum 5, M Withers 2, A Fiddler, B Bedwell, C McGuirk, D Linsen, S Blizzard, D Watkins. Pennant Hills - K Wright 5, J Gaggin 3, A Richardson, M Carey, L Bilbe, A Fraunfelter.
Best : Wests - M Withers, A Eurell, M Kassem, C Noordhof, B Mumme, E Kassem. Pennant Hills - M Aitken, J Low, M McCamey, L Shepherd, B Beaston, K Wright.
At Ern Holmes Oval, Saturday 13th June 2009.
Sydney University 8.3 12.7 16.13 20.19 (139)
St George 3.1 7.6 9.7 10.8 (68)
Goals : Sydney Uni - M Egan 5, L McWhirter 5, B Mankarious 3, N Hayward 2, A Kraefft 2, J McGuirk, A Lee, B Coles. St George - C Windle 3, D Taylor, T Dickson, N Smith, S Wilsen, B Maddern, A Cuthbert.
Best : Sydney Uni - T Young, B Mankarious, L McWhirter, M Egan, J Champion de Crespign, C Clarebrough. St George - B Maddern, S Wilsen, M Holmes, D Carey, D Taylor, T Addison.
At Sydney Uni No 1 Oval, Saturday 13th June 2009.
Wollongong 1.4 5.6 10.9 12.15 (87)
Campbelltown 2.3 6.7 9.10 12.10 (82)
Goals : Wollongong - G Batty 4, M Toussis 2, T Heath 2, K Ewen-Chappel 2, D Jefferis, M Thomson. Campbelltown - C Lees 3, O Love 3, B Reid, S Kershaw, M Edwins, I Sumner, M Moore, K Cochrane.
Best : Wollongong - M Toussis, C Wells, A McConnochie, G Batty, J Weavers, T Heath. Campbelltown - F Brown, C Lees, M Edwins, O Love, I Sumner, C Fretwell.
At North Dalton Oval, Sunday 14th June 2009.
North Shore 4.3 4.6 6.9 9.14 (68)
Balmain Dockers 0.5 5.6 7.8 9.10 (64)
Goals : North Shore - B Attwood 3, M Voyage 2, J Watters, T Strudwick, J Brain, J Webster. Balmain - R Officer 4, D Ryan, J Miller, B Clarke, J Clarke, J Mobbs.
Best : North Shore - J Brain, B Fitzgerald, T Elkington, J Webster, B Attwood, D Allen. Balmain - R Officer, J Mobbs, D Ryan, J Miller, J Blums, B Jones.
At Drummoyne Oval, Sunday 14th June 2009.
Played Won Drawn Lost For Against Pts %age Streak East Coast Eagles 9 9 0 0 1,179 483 36 244.10 W9 Western Suburbs 9 8 0 1 1,046 545 32 199.24 W4 Pennant Hills 9 5 0 4 850 641 20 132.61 L1 Uni NSW-Eastern Suburbs 9 5 0 4 896 903 20 99.22 L3 Campbelltown 9 5 0 4 671 804 20 83.46 L1 North Shore 9 4 0 5 753 878 16 85.76 W1 Sydney University 9 3 0 6 759 818 12 92.79 W2 Balmain 9 2 0 7 577 897 8 64.33 L2 St George 9 2 0 7 682 1,062 8 64.22 L7 Wollongong 9 2 0 7 541 943 8 57.37 W1
First Division:
Manly-Warringah 14.12 (96) d North Shore 3.7 (25)
Sydney University 12.20 (92) d St George 6.4 (40)
East Coast Eagles 12.8 (80) d UNSW-ES 8.6 (54)
Pennant Hills 15.5 (95) d Western Suburbs 10.6 (66)
Uni Technology, Sydney 20.12 (132) d North Shore 5.3 (33)
Manly-Warringah 14.11 (95) d Wollongong 6.3 (39)
Ladder - UTS (36, 230.47%), Manly-Warringah (28, 178.02%), East Coast (24, 169.66%), Sydney Uni (24, 165.62%), UNSW-ES (24, 121.10%), Pennant Hills (16, 108.81%), North Shore (12, 78.09%), Wollongong (8, 49.45%), Wests (8, 45.36%), St George (0, 37.95%).
Second Division:
Sydney Uni 11.22 (88) d Camden 5.5 (35)
UTS 28.32 (200) d Campbelltown 1.2 (8)
Southern Power 21.11 (137) d Sydney Uni 7.6 (48)
Camden 11.12 (78) d East Coast Eagles 11.2 (68)
Macquarie Uni 12.20 (92) d Holroyd-Parramatta 9.4 (58)
Balmain 15.12 (102) d Manly-Warringah 12.9 (81)
Ladder - Southern Power (36, 339.66%), Macquarie Uni (32, 280.29%), UTS (28, 250.59%), Sydney Uni (20, 124.31%), Holroyd-Parramatta (20, 104.55%), Balmain (16, 106.29%), Manly-Warringah (8, 68.52%), East Coast (8, 45.97%), Camden (8, 45.00%), Campbelltown (4, 23.19%).
Third Division:
Moorebank Sports 14.6 (90) d Penrith 8.9 (57)
UTS 15.12 (102) d Penrith 9.6 (60)
UNSW-ES 17.9 (111) d Southern Power 5.9 (39)
Macquarie Uni 20.18 (138) d Holroyd-Parramatta 3.6 (24)
Moorebank Sports 11.14 (80) d Pennant Hills 7.9 (51)
Ladder (Match Ratio) - UNSW-ES (100, 354.98%), UTS (87.5, 239.56%), NorWest Jets (85.71, 201.72%), Macquarie Uni (62.5, 141.33%), Moorebank Sports (55.56, 106.42%), Pennant Hills (33.33, 82.53%), Penrith (25, 64.81%), Southern Power (12.5, 51.04%), Holroyd-Parramatta (0, 20.93%).
Fourth Division:
Moorebank Sports 20.4 (124) d Penrith 6.3 (39)
Sydney Uni 33.12 (210) d Camden 1.0 (6)
UTS d Penrith - forfeit
UNSW-ES 17.18 (120) d Sydney Uni 11.10 (76)
Macquarie Uni 20.11 (131) d Holroyd-Parramatta 9.8 (62)
NorWest Jets 30.25 (205) d Camden 2.1 (13)
Moorebank Sports 15.11 (101) d Manly-Warringah 6.9 (45)
Ladder - Sydney Uni (32, 362.13%), UTS (28, 215.57%), UNSW-ES (24, 150.79%), Manly-Warringah (24, 124.39%), NorWest Jets (22, 235.97%), Macquarie Uni (22, 133.94%), Moorebank Sports (16, 81.46%), Holroyd-Parramatta (8, 44.96%), Penrith (4, 42.04%), Camden (0, 13.12%).
Under 18s Premier:
Wollongong 7.14 (56) d St Ignatius Riverview 3.3 (21)
East Coast Eagles 14.13 (97) d UNSW-ES 10.3 (63)
St George 10.15 (75) d St Ignatius Riverview 7.6 (48)
Pennant Hills 22.10 (142) d Western Suburbs 3.5 (23)
North Shore 23.10 (148) d Balmain 2.5 (17)
Wollongong 18.19 (127) d Campbelltown 3.2 (20)
Ladder (Match Ratio) - North Shore (100, 309.77%), East Coast (88.89, 228.82%), Pennant Hills (66.67, 199.75%), St George (66.67, 171.95%), Wollongong (66.67, 129.89%), UNSW-ES (33.33, 77.59%), Campbelltown (25, 55.81%), St Ignatius Riverview (22.22, 57.55%), Balmain (22.22, 47.78%), Wests (11.11, 31.33%).
Under 18s Challenge:
Penrith 15.19 (109) d Moorebank Sports 2.0 (12)
Macquarie Uni 10.10 (70) d Holroyd-Parramatta 9.8 (62)
Penrith 16.9 (105) d Pennant Hills 5.3 (33)
Sydney Uni 14.7 (91) d Southern Power 8.3 (51)
Moorebank Sports 16.14 (110) d Manly-Warringah 7.4 (46)
Ladder (Match Ratio) - Penrith (87.5, 223.47%), Southern Power (87.5, 190.21%), Sydney Uni (85.71, 264.29%), Pennant Hills (62.5, 111.53%), Moorebank Sports (55.56, 114.78%), Macquarie Uni (25, 46.48%), Manly-Warringah (22.22, 54.62%), East Coast Eagles (14.29, 99.72%), Holroyd-Parramatta (12.5, 32.10%).
NEXT WEEK'S FIXTURES (Lurker's Kiss of Death in bold):
Saturday 20th June
North Dalton Oval - Wollongong v UNSW-ES (2:10pm)
Picken Oval - Western Suburbs v Campbelltown (2:10pm)
Sunday 21st June
Sydney Uni No 1 - Sydney University v Balmain (2:10pm)
Olds Park - St George v North Shore (2:10pm)
Bruce Purser Oval - East Coast Eagles v Pennant Hills (5:10pm)
First Division:
Saturday 20th June
North Dalton Oval - Wollongong v UNSW-ES (12pm)
Picken Oval - Western Suburbs v Manly-Warringah (12pm)
St Pauls Oval - Sydney University v UTS (2:10pm)
Sunday 21st June
Olds Park - St George v North Shore (1:45pm)
Bruce Purser Oval - East Coast Eagles v Pennant Hills (3pm)
Second Division:
Saturday 20th June
St Pauls Oval - Sydney University v Manly-Warringah (12pm)
Harrington Oval - Camden v Balmain (2:10pm)
Charles McLaughlin Reserve - Holroyd-Parramatta v UTS (2:30pm)
University Oval - Macquarie Uni v Campbelltown (2:30pm)
Sunday 21st June
Bruce Purser Oval - East Coast Eagles v Southern Power (11am)
Third Division:
Saturday 20th June
Village Green - UNSW-ES v Pennant Hills (12pm)
Charles McLaughlin Reserve - Holroyd-Parramatta v UTS (12:30pm)
University Oval - Macquarie Uni v Penrith (12:30pm)
Bensons Lane - NorWest Jets v Southern Power (2:10pm)
Moorebank Sports has the bye.
Fourth Division:
Saturday 20th June
St Pauls Oval - Sydney University v Manly-Warringah (10am)
Charles McLaughlin Oval - Holroyd-Parramatta v UTS (10:30am)
University Oval - Macquarie Uni v Penrith (10:30am)
Bensons Lane - NorWest Jets v UNSW-ES (12pm)
Harrington Oval -Camden v Moorebank Sports (12pm)
Under 18s Premier:
Saturday 20th June
North Dalton Oval - Wollongong v UNSW-ES (10am)
Picken Oval - Western Suburbs v Campbelltown (10am)
Riverview First Field - St Ignatius Riverview v Balmain (10am)
Sunday 21st June
Olds Park - St George v North Shore (9:45am)
Bruce Purser Oval - East Coast Eagles v Pennant Hills (1pm)
Under 18s Challenge:
Saturday 20th June
Charles McLaughlin Oval - Holroyd-Parramatta v Pennant Hills (8:30am)
University Oval - Macquarie University v Penrith (8:30am)
Sunday 21st June
Bruce Purser Oval - East Coast Eagles v Southern Power (9am)
Sydney Uni No 1 Oval - Sydney University v Manly-Warringah (12pm)
Moorebank Sports has the bye.
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