NEAFL Round 4
Ainslie Tricolours v Sydney Swans Reserves
Saturday 14th April 2012 11.45 am
Ainslie Oval
NOTE This game will be streamed live on North East Australian Football League: Home Check that site for more details!
The fortnightly road trips to Canberra are all but a distant memory for the Reserves. The introduction of the cross-over games last year and the addition of the Hills Eagles and Sydney Uni to the Eastern Conference this year means that the team will only play in Canberra twice in 2012 (not including finals). The first of these will occur on Saturday when the Swans travel to face reigning premier Ainslie in a replay of the Eastern Conference Grand Final. Ainslie have had a slow start to the season and are currently sitting outside the Top 5 and will be looking to bounce back after its upset loss last week to the Eagles.
It's always an awkward task for the Reserves when they play on the same day as the seniors and they will lose a few players who will travel to Adelaide as emergencies for the senior side. The team had a much better record on the road last year than in previous seasons and will be keen to create some distance between themselves and Ainslie, as can be seen in the table below.
Eastern Conference Ladder
Team Played Wins Losses Draws For Against Percentage Points Queanbeyan 2 2 0 0 341 170 200.50% 8 Eastlake 2 2 0 0 244 157 155.41% 8 Hills Eagles 3 2 1 0 340 336 101.19% 8 Belconnen 3 1 1 1 336 338 99.41% 6 Reserves 2 1 1 0 206 125 164.80% 4 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ainslie 3 1 2 0 307 376 81.65% 4 Tuggeranong 3 0 2 1 222 430 51.63% 2 Sydney Uni 3 0 3 0 262 330 79.39% 0 UWS 2 0 2 0 115 260 44.23% 0
Past Meetings
2011
R9 Ainslie 11.8 (74) defeated by Reserves 18.16 (124) @ Newcastle Number 1 Sportsground
Trent Dennis-Lane kicked another bag of goals as the blonde trio of Heath, Bevan and Kruger starred.
Goals: Dennis-Lane 6, Bevan 3, Meredith 2, Norton 2, McNeil 2, Gordon 2, Brain
Best: Heath, Bevan, Kruger, Meredith, Sumner, Currie
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R22 Reserves 16.14 (110) defeated Ainslie 14.2 (86) @ Manuka Oval
A controlled display by the Reserves who led all day but were kept honest by Ainslie's accurate and efficient conversion (can we hire their kicking coach please?). Dennis-Lane led the goalkicking again for the Swans who have been superbly marshalled by nuggety half-forward Jarred Moore in the past 2 months. Marcus Crook was Ainslie's best with 5 goals.
Goals: Dennis-Lane 4, Moore 3, Pini 3, Bevan 2, Heath, Seaby, Pyke, Potter
Best: Moore, Kruger, Meredith, McNeil, Gordon, Murphy
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Semi Final 2 Reserves 21.7 (133) defeated Ainslie 9.17 (71) @ Manuka Oval
Ainslie finally found a way to contain goal machine Trent Dennis-Lane, keeping the spry forward goalless for the first time this season. However they had no answer to the Swans' mighty spread of goalkickers. Accurate conversion for goal gave the Swans a comfortable buffer at each break and although Ainslie fought back hard in the last and generated many oppor their inaccuracy cost them any chance of a miraculous comeback.
Goals: Gordon 5, Meredith 3, Lamb 2, Seaby 2, McNeil 2, May 2, Wales, Pyke, Crawford, Moore, Moody
Best: Moore, Guthrie, Heath, Gordon, Seaby, Potter
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Grand Final Reserves 10.13 (73) defeated by Ainslie 19.11 (125) @ Manuka Oval
It was a case of 4th time lucky for the Tricolours as they claimed the Eastern Conference title with a commanding victory. Ainslie led at all the breaks while the Swans were disjointed and disoriented after losing captain and Mulrooney Medallist Jarred Moore early on.
Goals: Dennis-Lane 2, Gordon 2, Seaby 2, Murphy, Jetta, Pyke, Everitt
Best: Potter, Murphy, Seaby, McNeil, Brain, Gordon
Recent Form
Reserves
R1 UWS Away WIN 151-34
R2 BYE
R3 Gold Coast Home LOSS 55-91
Ainslie
R1 Belconnen Home WIN 144-116
R2 Labrador Home LOSS 49-134
R3 Hills Eagles Home LOSS 114-126
Last Round
Reserves 7.13 (55) defeated by Gold Coast 13.13 (91)
The Reserves were hampered by the late withdrawals of Mark Seaby and Jesse White whilst their opponents the Suns had the ability to call on the full complement of 5 on their bench. The Reserves struggled to break down a resolute Suns defensive unit and lost it in the last quarter when Josh Fraser booted 4 of his 5 goals.
Goals: Walsh 2, Potter, McNeil, Lycakis, Jack, Gordon
Best: Heath, Walsh, Lycakis, Moore, Jack
Ainslie 17.12 (114) defeated by Hills Eagles 19.12 (126)
A stunning upset by the new boys who matched the premiers goal for goal all day and kicked clear in the last with a 6 goals to 3 final quarter.
Goals: Horner 4, Crook 3, Paine 3, McGregor 2, Hearn, Gourlay, Carter, Harris, Lawless
Best: Horner, Paine, Lawless, Tuohey, Hearn, Crook
Team List
Listed players
Changes
# Name Games Goals Votes Notes 1 Mark SEABY 2 2 6 Senior emergency 7 Brett MEREDITH 1 0 0 8 Trent DENNIS-LANE 2 6 5 10 Mitch MORTON 2 1 0 11 Jed LAMB 2 2 0 17 Tommy WALSH 2 2 3 19 Tony ARMSTRONG 1 0 0 23 Jordan LOCKYER 1 0 0 28 Dylan McNEIL 2 2 1 33 Jarred MOORE 2 2 5 35 Campbell HEATH 2 0 4 38 Mike PYKE 2 2 0 42 Jack LYNCH 2 0 2 43 Eugene KRUGER 0 0 0 44 Harry CUNNINGHAM 1 0 0 Senior emergency 45 Nathan GORDON 2 1 0 Senior emergency
In: Meredith (injury), Kruger (injury)
Out: Andrejs Everitt (senior promotion)
Everitt is promoted to the seniors to cover for the sick Nick Smith. Also expect Seaby and one of Cunningham or Gordon to be travelling to Adelaide as emergencies leaving 12 listed players for this game. Meredith and Biggs will be missing again, the former with a knee complaint and the latter unknown.
Walsh played a little in the ruck towards the end of last week's game and he'll have to back up Pyke if Seaby misses as expected. Dennis-Lane played more as a midfielder last week but with a forward return looms with the departure of Everitt and White. McNeil, Moore and Lamb should form the core of the midfield brigade for this match.
Heath and Lynch have played well as undersized key defenders and will have another tough ask when one of them will pick up ex-Crow Ken McGregor who has newly joined Ainslie this year. They should be well supported by Armstrong and Lockyer who the Swans will be looking to to provide run and carry from defence.
Academy Players/Topups
Changes
# Name Games Goals Votes Notes 47 Jackson POTTER 2 0 0 48 Blake GUTHRIE 0 0 0 ? Mitch CRAWFORD 0 0 0 ? Jack DAVIS 0 0 0 ? Douglas HADDEN 0 0 0 ? Brandon JACK 1 1 1 ? Andrew MOODY 0 0 0 ? Rory PRYOR 0 0 0 ? Jordan WEIR 0 0 0 ? Stephen WRAY 1 0 0
In: Crawford, Davis, Guthrie, Hadden, Moody, Pryor, Weir
Out: Lachlan Kilpatrick, David Lycakis, Daniel Robinson
Debuts for Davis, Hadden, Plug and Weir. Plug and Weir were named as standout performers in the Swans Academy's draw with the GWS Academy game a fortnight ago.
Reserves leading goalkickers
- Trent Dennis-Lane 6
- Jesse White 4
- Josh Cass, Jed Lamb, Jarred Moore, Dylan McNeil, Mike Pyke, Mark Seaby, Tommy Walsh 2
For full list: 2012 Goalkickers - RWOwiki
Reserves leading votegetters
- Jarred Moore, Mark Seaby 6
- Trent Dennis-Lane, Campbell Heath 5
- Tommy Walsh 4
For full list: 2012 Best Votes - RWOwiki
Talking points
- Both Pyke and Walsh will be hoping for good games in order to put pressure on White for that forward/second ruckman spot.
- Dennis-Lane had a quietish game last week and will be hoping to return to the goalkickers' list this week.
- Armstrong looked rusty in his Swans debut last week and will need a stronger showing to be considered for senior selection.
- He's been tried back, he's been thrown forward but is still yet to make a significant contribution. Will a run on-ball be the solution for Mitchy Morton's woes?
Ainslie Squad
- 2. Ken McGREGOR
- 3. Nick PAINE
- 4. Marcus CROOK
- 5. Simon HORNER
- 6. Jason FLEMING
- 7. Michael LAWLESS
- 8. Ian LAWLESS
- 9. Ash HARRIS
- 11. Dale WALKER
- 13. Jed COSTIGAN
- 14. Michael GHOBRIAL
- 15. Rob TUOHEY
- 16. Jack MAHONY
- 18. Tim DAVISON
- 19. Beau BLACK
- 21. Jon GOURLAY
- 22. Josh BENNETT
- 26. Eric STONE
- 28, Damien BOWLES
- 34. Kane MORRIS
- 35. Lachie CROOK
- 36. Matt HEARN
- 39. Corey BAXTER
- 42. Troy PRICE
- 44. Aaron VANDENBERG
- 49. Lachie CARTER
- 53. Jake WHATMAN
In: Black, Davison, Mahony
Out: Dale ARGALL, Nathan ROBERTSON
Summary
The Swans will be relying on the core of their senior players in Moore, Dennis-Lane, Morton, Heath and Armstrong to lead their way as well as relying on significant outputs from the topups.
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