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Thread: Sydney AFL Finals Week 2 2011

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    Sydney AFL Finals Week 2 2011

    SYDNEY AFL FINALS WEEK 2 2011
    Article and Photos by Michael Shillito

    From early on this season, it became apparent that there were three standout teams, three contenders for this year?s Premier Division title. Defending champions East Coast Eagles, runner up Sydney Uni and the star-studded Balmain.
    There was always the chance a bolter could come through the pack and come from nowhere to win the title; and Sydney footy in recent years has thrown up some examples of this. But not this year. That was ensured in the First Semi-Final on Sunday; when North Shore, the last surviving pretender, was efficiently and ruthlessly dispatched off by an imposing Sydney Uni display.

    Sunday afternoon at Blacktown Olympic Park saw the ground looking a treat, and bathed in spring sunshine; plenty of the supporters electing to take in the sun?s rays on the hill. And they witnessed a high-scoring shootout in the first term, with the Students taking little time in racing to a potentially match-winning lead.
    The first term was the Adam McConnochie show. Finding room to move with ease on the forward line, the number 2 was unstoppable on his way to four goals for the quarter. Twice playing on to snap goals in the opening five minutes of the game, his contributions ensured the Students would lead from the start. And already there were danger signs for the Bombers, with McConnochie twice intercepting kick-ins. And the final goal of the quarter saw Richie Lynch?s kick from the defensive goal-square smothered by Tim Barrett; with the crumbs spilling to Craig Moller. The tall Student with the Rastafarian dreadlocks made no mistake, giving the Students their seventh goal for the quarter.
    The Bombers had attempted to create opportunities, with Pat Brackin scoring twice and a running effort by Ben Attwood cutting the margin to six points at one stage in the quarter; but the Students had the answer to any challenge the Bombers could throw up.
    The second quarter began with the Bombers moving forward, and Brackin pulled off a nice slips-catch style mark in the pocket. But when the Bombers desperately needed a goal, Brackin hit the post. From the kick-in, Tim Barton went up for a speckie and pulled down the mark of the day. And it was Josh Cole who would open the goal-scoring in the second term, playing on after an unopposed mark within the 50m line.
    Two minutes later, Anton Turco was paid a free on centre wing, and his penetrating long kick found Adam Campbell at the edge of the square. His goal saw the Students 38 points clear, and confidence was growing within the Uni ranks.
    Frustration was setting in among the Bomber camp, with Dale Fitzgerald shown a yellow card on centre wing, and some silly free kicks given away. On 15 minutes, Lachlan Pryor stopped the rot with a mark and goal from the 50 metre line, but Barrett quickly got the goal back for the Students.
    The Students were moving the ball forward with ease, finding space and escaping the clutches of the Bomber defence with regularity. Sam Crichton showed dexterity in the centre square, dispossessing his opponent and with an outstretched arm regaining the ball for a strong mark. His kick forward wasn?t a good one, but Adam Campbell brought down Rory Pryor. Holding the ball was paid, but Campbell?s kick sailed wide for a point.

    Against the run of play, the Bombers scored on the stroke of half time, with Lachlan Clancy pulling down a mark on the 50 metre line and converting his goal after the siren, pulling the margin back to 33 points at the long break. And in the opening minute of the third term, Pat Brackin marked and goaled. Suddenly the margin was back to 27 points, the door just maybe being slightly opened for the Bombers.
    But hopes of a miracle comeback were quickly erased, the door being closed in the Bombers? faces. A grubber from Sam Crichton restored the half-time lead. Barrett, looking dangerous up forward, found himself left unattended to add another. The tall forward duo of Campbell and Crichton were unstoppable, as the Students ran through six goals in a row to put the game out of North Shore?s reach. Eventually Teddy Strudwick goaled after the three-quarter time siren; but with the Students 57 points clear at the last change, the game was effectively over.

    The last quarter was little more than a training drill, as the Bomber resistance crumbled completely and Sydney Uni assumed total control. The Students scored eight goals to three for the quarter, blowing the margin out to 91 points. The golden moment for the Students came with Tim Barratt receiving the ball from a centre bounce, running forward, twice giving the ball to team-mates and receiving it back before going long from outside the 50 for his fourth goal.

    The final margin was 91 points. It was a disappointing end to the season for North Shore, but there was no disputing that the Students were far superior on the day and over the course of the season. The Students found multiple targets up forward; with Adam Campbell finishing with five goals, while Adam McConnochie, Tim Barrett and Sam Crichton all contributed four. Matthew Clarke, McConnochie and Crichton were among Sydney Uni?s best, but there were many strong contributors for the Students. For the Bombers, Pat Brackin, Josh Terrey and Ben Attwood were among their best.

    North Shore?s season is over, while Sydney Uni go through to the preliminary final. Their next opponents will be Balmain, after the Dockers went down to East Coast Eagles by 18 points in Saturday?s second semi final at North Dalton Oval.
    The Eagles had the advantage of the Wollongong breeze in the first term, and made the most of it to lead by 19 points at the first change. But the Dockers fought back strongly in the second quarter, with three unanswered goals. The Dockers should have made more of their period of dominance, and their inaccurate return of 3.12 for the quarter would give them a 9-point lead at the long break; but would come back to haunt them in the second half.
    The Dockers should have led by more than they did, and their inaccurate finishing would let them down. The Dockers could have built up a buffer to withstand the upcoming Eagle onslaught, and a bigger lead may have psychologically changed the outlook for the second half. But instead, the Eagles took just a few minutes to wipe out Balmain?s half-time lead, and with five unanswered goals for the quarter extended their lead to 25 points at the last change.
    The Dockers were coming home with the wind, but catch-up football is always fraught with risk; and so it would be in the final quarter. Although the Dockers won the quarter, they did concede two goals to the Eagles, which was enough to ensure the Eagles would always have the game under their control.
    Michael Johnston, Damien Charleston and Ryan Silvester were prominent ball-winners for the Eagles; while Ben Taggart, Josh Ryder and Travis Stevens worked hard all evening for the Dockers.


    And so East Coast are through to the grand final, while Balmain and Sydney Uni battle for the other berth in Sydney footy?s big day. The Dockers have beaten the Students three times this year, but recent history is on the Students? side. The last two seasons have seen the qualifying final result reversed in the preliminary final; and you have to go back to 2002 to find the last time the loser of the second semi final bounced back to win the preliminary final.


    Premier Division
    First Semi Final
    Sydney University 7.3 10.6 15.7 24.11 (155)
    North Shore 3.0 5.3 7.4 10.4 (64)
    Goals : Sydney Uni ?
    A Campbell 5, A McConnochie 4, T Barrett 4, S Crichton 4, J Cole 2, C Moller 2, A Turco, M Clarke, T Elkington. North Shore ? P Brackin 3, B Attwood 2, D Roberts, L Pryor, B Fitzgerald, T Strudwick, L Clancy.
    Best : Sydney Uni ? M Clarke, A McConnochie, S Crichton, A Campbell, T Elkington, N Lye. North Shore ? P Brackin, J Terrey, B Attwood, A Harry, S Paynter, B Fitzgerald.
    At Blacktown Olympic Park, Sunday 4th September 2011.

    Second Semi Final
    East Coast Eagles 4.2 4.4 9.11 11.12 (78)
    Balmain 1.1 4.13 4.16 7.18 (60)
    Goals : East Coast ?
    S Doyle 3, Jamie Vlatko 2, M Johnston 2, R Bilkey, D Spiteri, D Costello, J Dimery. Balmain ? J Saddington 2, B Taggart, R Bates, M Edwins, J Howard, D Naughton.
    Best : East Coast ? M Johnston, D Charleston, R Silvester, S O?Connor, B Bourke, J Dimery. Balmain ? B Taggart, J Ryder, T Stevens, R Bates, J Saddington, C Brown.
    At North Dalton Oval, Saturday 3rd September 2011.

    First Division
    Second Semi Final
    Manly-Warringah 2.3 6.5 8.6 12.10 (82)
    Southern Power 1.3 2.3 6.4 6.5 (41)
    Goals : Manly-Warringah ?
    T Armitage 3, J Hall 2, J Gottschalk 2, R Hart, B Collins, L Brain, D Stroud, H Webb. Southern Power ? G Enright 2, R Davis, L Jansson, I Holder, M Young.
    Best : Manly-Warringah ? J Graham, C Pridgeon, E Burke, A Buncle, T Armitage, W Brassil. Southern Power ? A Cook, B Johnson, S Brierty, I Holder, G Enright, L Jansson.
    At North Dalton Oval, Saturday 3rd September 2011.

    First Semi Final
    Macquarie University 3.5 4.9 9.13 10.14 (74)
    Sydney University 2.3 5.5 7.9 9.9 (63)
    Goals : Macquarie Uni ?
    S Brooks 3, C Harland 2, C Ludowyke, E Moody, A Sliwka, S Simpson, J Coburn. Sydney Uni ? R MacPherson 3, T Aitken, L McWhirter, C Walsh, P Coghlan, S Orton, A Everett.
    Best : Macquarie Uni ? J Brackin, S Simpson, B Harland, A Polkinghorne, E Moody, S Brooks. Sydney Uni ? M Figg, M Carey, P Coghlan, S Costello, T Aitken, C McCauley.
    At Blacktown Olympic Park, Sunday 4th September 2011.

    Second Division:
    Preliminary Final
    Balmain 1.2 3.4 7.4 11.9 (75)
    Holroyd-Parramatta 2.2 6.4 8.8 10.9 (69)
    Goals : Balmain ?
    A Kyprianou 5, B Plug 2, M Carey, A Cottrell, A Azhar, A Cooper. Holroyd-Parramatta ? L Mansbridge 3, G Adams 3, C Geddes, S Costello, M Stacey, M Hill.
    Best : Balmain ? K Underwood, A Cottrell, C Reichman, N Halliday, M Carey, E Bennell. Holroyd-Parramatta ? A Byrne, L Walsh, S Maguire, M Stacey, C Geddes, L Cocks.
    At Henson Park Saturday 3rd September 2011.

    Third Division:
    Second Semi Final
    Uni NSW-Eastern Suburbs 2.7 6.9 8.11 14.14 (98)
    University of Technology 1.1 2.2 3.3 7.5 (47)
    Goals : UNSW-ES ?
    S Powell 4, S Tagliabue 4, W Swanson 2, C Stephens, R Stevens, M Dixon, T Falvey. UTS ? A Sibbick, A Cohen, M Ciavarella, D Flanagan, C Doherty, D Lazaus, P Browne.
    Best : UNSW-ES ? M Dixon, C Stephens, D Roth, T Falvey, R Pike, A Boehm. UTS ? B Lyle, C Doherty, P Browne, R O?Grady, B Browne, A Cohen.
    At North Dalton Oval, Saturday 3rd September 2011.


    First Semi Final
    Sydney University 2.4 7.6 9.8 11.17 (83)
    Southern Power 2.1 3.3 4.9 6.11 (47)
    Goals : Sydney Uni ?
    J Walker 2, S Lloyd 2, A Herring 2, P Ioakim, H Rowe, A Saunders, C Allworth, M Horsley. Southern Power ? M Hall 4, B Jansson 2.
    Best : Sydney Uni ? M Turner, J Crowley, J Huxtable, S Lloyd, M Whitaker, R Barnes. Southern Power ? S Davies, A Cluff, A Wardrop, M Allouche, C Byrom, T Alexander.
    At Blacktown Olympic Park, Sunday 4th September 2011.

    Fourth Division:
    Preliminary Final
    Moorebank 3.0 5.5 9.8 10.10 (70)
    Macquarie University 2.3 3.6 3.10 6.12 (48)
    Best : Moorebank ?
    D Weightman 3, R Forrester 2, Weston 2, D Wilson, W Hanley. Macquarie Uni ? S Mann4, R Pryor 2.
    Best: Moorebank ? A Simpson, A Mahoney, R Forrester, D Van der Wouw, B Ming, V Pham. Macquarie Uni ? P Hyndman, C O?Neill, M McMahon, T Marsden, A Cochrane, S Mann.
    At Henson Park, Saturday 3rd September 2011.

    Fifth Division:
    Preliminary Final
    Manly-Warringah 8.3 12.5 18.6 23.11 (149)
    Moorebank 1.0 2.2 3.7 3.9 (27)
    Goals : Manly-Warringah ?
    M Rawle 6, R Slobin 5, R Hearn 3, M Forde 3, N Johnston 2, J Dadul 2, A Hammond, C Levy. Moorebank ? M Foster, S Fuller, S Duggan.
    Best: Manly-Warringah ? R Slobin, C Layton, M Forde, B Meredith, S Graham, J Dadul. Moorebank ? P Hooper, N Goode, C Rainbow, M Fitzpatrick, S Duggan, R Awad.
    At Henson Park, Saturday 3rd Sepember 2011.

    Under 18s Premier:
    Second Semi Final
    East Coast Eagles 5.6 7.7 10.11 13.12 (90)
    Pennant Hills 1.0 3.2 3.3 7.5 (47)
    Goals : East Coast ?
    D Killworth 3, J Dwyer 2, C Polkinghorne, J Pacqueux, M Watson, M Nance, E Barclay, J Spencer, J Battistella, D Wright. Pennant Hills ? C McKay 2, T Rivers 2, T Edmonds, T Abbott, A Mercieca.
    Best : East Coast ? C Polkinghorne, D Killworth, M Nance, J Cutting, J Dwyer, J Rylance. Pennant Hills ? H Angel, T Edmonds, C McKay, T Rivers, A Nixon, N Baglin.
    At North Dalton Oval, Saturday 3rd September 2011.


    First Semi Final
    St Ignatius Riverview 4.1 6.3 12.6 16.8 (104)
    North Shore 2.2 3.10 5.10 5.12 (42)
    Goals : Riverview ?
    M Woods 6, O Gohl 3, N Cooper 3, J Davis 2, Z Salter 2. North Shore ? L Harris, D Schacher, A Ladamatos, E Sertbas, J Weir.
    Best : Riverview ? J Somes, T Merideth, W Hunter, P Diggins, M Coffey, H Back. North Shore ? A Hurst, A Buis, A Morris, Z Bray, C D?Souza.
    At Blacktown Olympic Park, Sunday 4th September 2011.

    Under 18s Challenge:
    Preliminary Final
    Manly-Warringah 3.1 6.5 10.5 13.10 (88)
    Mac Uni Warriors 4.2 6.2 9.3 10.7 (67)
    Goals : Manly-Warringah ?
    Mitchell Bell 5, N Bosschieter 3, Matthew Bell 2, W Koch, M Varjavandi, L Hearn. Mac Uni ? B Codling 3, W Cobcraft-Wells 2, J Carrington 2, M De Vries, F Skulley, R Joannides.
    Best : Manly-Warringah ? J Behagg, P Fabbro, C Johnston, W Koch, J Tahtali, M Varjavandi. Mac Uni ? R Jiannides, K Eynaud, L Wordsworth, B Codling, H Jarman, E Stillman.
    At Henson Park, Saturday 3rd September 2100.


    NEXT WEEK?S FIXTURES:

    Saturday 10th September
    Grand Finals ? Blacktown Olympic Park
    8:45am ? Fifth Division ? Southern Power v Manly-Warringah
    11:00am ? Under 18s Challenge ? Campbelltown v Manly-Warringah
    1:10pm ? Fourth Division ? Penrith v Moorebank
    3:30pm ? Second Division ? Penrith v Balmain


    Sunday 11th September
    Preliminary Finals ? Blacktown Olympic Park
    9:00am ? Third Division ? UTS v Sydney Uni
    11:00am ? Under 18s Premier ? Pennant Hills v St Ignatius Riverview
    1:00pm ? First Division ? Southern Power v Macquarie Uni
    3:10pm ? Premier Division ? Balmain v Sydney Uni
    Last edited by Norris Lurker; 5th September 2011 at 10:09 PM. Reason: add image hotlinks

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