Sydney AFL Finals Week 1 2009

***Norris Lurker*** · 30th August 2009, 11:43 PM

SYDNEY AFL FINALS WEEK 1 - Magpies and Demons Take the Spoils

Article and Photos by Michael Shillito

The business end of the season is upon us; and while minor premiers East Coast Eagles had a week off, the four remaining finals teams faced off. By the end of the weekend, one of them would be out of the race, while two others would find themselves in a position of having no more margin for error. Blacktown Olympic Park was looking a treat and the sun shone brightly for two days of football action.

Saturday's qualifying final between Wests and UNSW-ES would see the winner just one win away from a grand final berth, but the loser would be forced into sudden death. The two sides had split the points in their previous meetings this year. At Henson Park in May, Wests had the game won at quarter time and cruised to an 81-point win. But just three weeks ago the Bulldogs turned the tables with a 49-point victory at the Village Green.

It didn't take long for it to become apparent that this game would come closer to the events at Henson Park than the Village Green. An explosive opening saw the Magpies race eight goals through before the Bulldogs got on the board. David Clout got the first, taking advantage of a turnover from a kick-in. Matt Eurell's set shot from a slight angle was Wests' second. After a Bulldog behind, the Magpies ran the ball the length of the field for Matt Withers to score. A poor kick-in found Clout, whose mongrel punt boomeranged in for another goal. From the centre break, Eid Kassem found Eurell, a 50m penalty making the shot a certainty. Troy Cole bent his long-range shot nicely in the wind for another goal, and a strong mark to Matt Eurell resulted in another. And when Marcus Linsen went down in a collision but recovered to receive the ball in the square and score, the Magpies had recorded the half-century with the clock barely in time-on.

Stephen Pech finally got the Bulldogs on the board moments before the quarter-time siren, but the margin was 46 points at quarter time. A run of 5 goals to 2 in the second term blew the margin out to 67 points at the long break. It had been total dominance by the Magpies - every time the ball was in a contest, the Magpies would emerge with the ball. The forwards were constantly shaking off any attempts their opponents would have to stop them, while when the Bulldogs did get the ball forward the Magpie defence was conceding nothing.

By the last change the lead was out to 91 points and the main question was whether the Magpies would stretch the lead into 3 figures. And despite the Bulldogs scoring the first two goals of the last quarter, the Magpies would kick the last 6 goals to extend the final margin over the ton.

The final margin was 114 points, as comprehensive a win in finals as they come. Matt Eurell kicked 7 goals, Ben Absolum 4, and Matt Withers and Troy Cole 3 apiece. Eurell, Joel Minichiello and Chris Noordhof were named as Wests' best, but it was hard to find a member of the team who didn't make a solid contribution to the team cause. For the Bulldogs, in what had been a disappointing day, Troy Luff and Jon Bradfield were among their best. The result means that Wests will take on East Coast on Saturday for a spot in the Grand Final; while the Bulldogs are now into sudden death.

A challenging stat for the Bulldogs is that no team that has lost a final in Premier Division has bounced back to win the next week since they did it in 2002 - but when the Bulldogs did it in 2002, they would go on to win the premiership.

UNSW-ES's opponent next week will be Pennant Hills, after the Demons overcame Campbelltown by 44 points on Sunday. The Demons had defeated the Blues in both their previous meetings this season, and would do so again. Two critical passages of play, at the start and late in the second term, would determine this match.

As was the case in Saturday's game, a flying start would be all-important; and it was the Demons who got the break. After just 2 minutes, Luke Bilbe received a short chip-kick that had travelled barely 15 metres, although a downfield free kick may well have been paid anyway, and the Demons were on the board. Tom Angel found a leading Nick Campbell 20 metres out for another. When Ray Love, struggling to find an option, was called to play on from a kick-in and his kick was smothered, the resultant turnover set up Daniel De Looze. The Demons continued to pepper the goals, but could manage only behinds until Campbell forced a turnover and set up Ben Beaston 25 out directly in front. And when Jon Moraitis was positioned perfectly to receive a handball and run in to kick another, the Demons were leading by 35 points with the clock not yet in time-on and the game threatened to be as one-sided as Saturday's.

But the Blues weren't going to lie down, and worked their way back into the contest. A double by Radlee Moller stopped the rot, and Owen Love with a strong mark and goal with just a few seconds to go cut the margin to 17 points at the break.

The second term started with high passion; when Pennant Hills got the centre break and moved the ball inside 50 where Matt Carey received a heavy bump. A free kick was awarded, and players from both sides ran in to remonstrate; but when the fuss had died down, Carey stepped back and kicked the goal. But within 20 seconds of the centre bounce, a running Owen Love had made a quick reply; and a free in the pocket to Moller saw the margin reduced to just 10 points. Hopes were high for the Blues at that stage, but the next 15 minutes would effectively end their 2009 campaign. At 11 minutes, Bilbe took advantage of some loose checking to mark and kick his second.

The Demons rode their luck nicely when Carey shook off some pressure from Matt Edwins, his shot landing just centimetres from the base of the goalpost before a freak bounce saw it sit up for Campbell run in for the easiest of goals. And the Blues would have felt that the forces of nature were conspiring against them when a shot from Moraitis into an empty goalsquare cleared the goal-line by the smallest of margins. But there was nothing lucky about the Demons' next goal, a superb cross from Kieran Wright to Matt Carey. And when Carey and Myers both marked and goaled, the lead was out to 46 poiints.

Campbelltown's hopes were effectively over, and this was the end of the road for them. The Blues fought gallantly to the end, refusing to let the margin blow out. In a high-scoring game, occasionally they would create a run of goals to reduce the margin; but the deficit was too great to overcome and the Demons were able to find steadying goals. The final margin was 44 points, enough to get the Demons through to the next week of finals and keep their hopes of defending the title alive. Matt Carey kicked 7 goals for the Demons and Nick Campbell 4, while Kieran Wright, Matt Carey and Charlie Richardson were among their best. But the Demons will be sweating on news of Carey's fitness after injury forced him from the field during the last quarter. For the Blues, Owen Love was magnificent with 7 goals, while Radlee Moller kicked 4 and Brenton McAllister and Shanan Kershaw were prominent around the ground.

The Blues bow out in the first week of the finals, but to make the finals was a great achievement for the Blues. After missing out on playoff action in 2008, few people outside Monarch rated their chances of returning to finals action this year. The Blues often struggled for depth, with their reserves struggling in Second Division; but to assemble a finals team from limited playing stocks was a remarkable feat. The rise of the young guns was recognised with Fraser Brown and Ben Yakimov receiving Rising Star nominations; while Chris Lees and Dale Chivas were valuable members of the Sydney AFL rep squad.

At times the Blues received heavy defeats, but would bounce back with wins against strong opposition. The Blues were the first team to defeat East Coast at Bruce Purser, and also twice defeated UNSW-ES. Wins over North Shore twice and by a point against Sydney Uni was enough for the Blues to finish ahead of the Students and Bombers and qualify for the finals. But most of all, the Blues gained respect - in a season were few observers gave them a chance, and when the obstacles against them seemed too great, they found a spirit from within that saw them overcome the odds and take part in the finals. The future at Campbelltown looks the brightest it's looked for years.

Premier Division - Qualifying Final

Western Suburbs 8.6 13.9 18.16 23.22 (160)

Uni NSW-Eastern Suburbs 1.2 3.2 4.3 6.10 (64)

Goals : Wests - M Eurell 7, B Absolum 4, M Withers 3, T Cole 3, D Clout 2, J Lear, A Eurell, L Roehrig, M Linsen. UNSW-ES - S Pech 2, M O'Regan 2, B Abbott, K Emery.

Best : Wests - M Eurell, J Minichiello, C Noordhof, B Bedwell, S Hudson, L Roehrig. UNSW-ES - T Luff, J Bradfield, A Heffernan, D Ward, S Pech, M O'Regan.

Umpires - M Gestier, F Kalayzich, A Rutherford.

At Blacktown Olympic Park, Saturday 29th August.

Premier Division - Elimination Final

Pennant Hills 5.6 14.7 20.10 22.12 (144)

Campbelltown 3.1 7.5 12.7 15.10 (100)

Goals : Pennant Hills - M Carey 7, N Campbell 4, D De Looze 2, J Moraitis 2, L Bilbe 2, K Wright 2, S Myers, C Richardson, B Beaston. Campbelltown - O Love 7, R Moller 4, C Lees, T Wright, S Kershaw, B Yakimov.

Best : Pennant Hills - K Wright, M Carey, C Richardson, D Dell'Aquila, D De Looze, B Jack. Campbelltown - O Love, B McAllister, S Kershaw, J Brazill, D Chivas, K Cochrane.

Umpires - D Anderson, D Deigan, S Richardson.

At Blacktown Olympic Park, Sunday 30th August.

First Division

Qualifying Final - East Coast Eagles 10.12 (72) d Manly-Warringah 10.9 (69)

Elimination Final - Sydney University 9.10 (64) d UNSW-ES 7.5 (47)