Round 8: Brisbane Lions Reserves v Sydney Swans Reserves

**ugg** · 11th May 2012, 02:55 PM

NEAFL Round 8
Brisbane Lions Reserves v Sydney Swans Reserves
Saturday 12th May 2012 1.30 pm
Yeronga

After what can be best described as a 'training run' against Sydney Uni, the Reserves will need to shrug off any complacency when they travel north to face the might of the table topping Lions Reserves. Blessed with the ability to call on most of their squad in their 6 matches, the strong Lions team have already notched up 2 impressive away wins over the NT Thunder and the UWS Giants.

The corresponding match last year was an exciting affair with the Reserves were comfortably holding a 7 goal lead at 3 quarter time but a last quarter surge by the Lions pegged the margin back to within a goal before the Swans hung on to win by 7 points.

Eastern Conference Ladder

Team	Played	Wins	Losses	Draws	For	Against	Percentage	Points
Queanbeyan	5	4	1	0	691	408	169.36%	16
Eastlake	6	4	2	0	628	530	118.49%	16
Hills Eagles	6	4	2	0	706	664	106.33%	16
Reserves	6	3	3	0	839	425	197.41%	12
Ainslie	6	3	3	0	574	655	87.63%	12
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UWS	5	2	3	0	428	551	77.68%	8
Belconnen	6	1	4	1	611	656	93.14%	6
Sydney Uni	6	1	5	1	459	808	56.81%	4
Tuggeranong	7	0	6	1	547	993	55.09%	2

Northern Conference Ladder

Team	Played	Wins	Losses	Draws	For	Against	Percentage	Points
Lions Reserves	6	5	1	0	650	454	143.17%	20
Southport	6	5	1	0	641	448	143.08%	20
Labrador	6	5	1	0	658	461	142.73%	20
NT Thunder	7	5	2	0	760	625	121.60%	20
Suns Reserves	6	4	2	0	557	419	132.94%	16
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Redland	6	3	2	1	719	683	105.27%	14
Broadbeach	6	2	3	1	605	630	96.03%	10
Aspley	6	2	4	0	575	677	84.93%	8
Mt Gravatt	6	1	5	0	492	742	66.31%	4
Morningside	6	1	5	0	435	746	58.31%	4

Past Meetings
2011
R10 Brisbane Reserves 14.13 (97) defeated by Reserves 16.8 (104)
The Reserves were equally impressive and disappointing in this game. They shot to big leads in the 1st and the 3rd quarters, only to be reeled in by the Lions in the 2nd and 4th quarters. They just managed to hang on when Kane Murphy snapped the winning goal against the run of play. Byron Sumner did a great run-with job on ex-Swan Amon Buchanan while Daniel Currie was superb in a almost-lone hand in the ruck.

Goal Kickers: White 4, Murphy 2, Currie 2, Bevan 2, Moore, Johnston, Heath, Gordon, Sumner, Kruger
Best Players: Sumner, Currie, Bevan, McNeil, Parker, Brain

R21 Reserves 26.23 (179) defeated Brisbane Reserves 4.5 (29)
A four quarter performance resulted in a demolishing of the depleted Lions Reserves. The Swans kicked the first 11 goals of the game before registered their first major and were never troubled. Trent Dennis-Lane continued his impressive form with another 6 goals while midfielders Brett Meredith (5) and Nathan Gordon & Kane Murphy (4) also notched multiple goals

Goal Kickers: Dennis-Lane 6, Meredith 5, Gordon 4, Murphy 4, Seaby 2, Bevan, Moore, Heath, Pyke
Best Players: Moore, Kruger, Meredith, McNeil, Gordon, Murphy

Recent Form
Reserves
R1 UWS Away WIN 151-34
R2 BYE
R3 Gold Coast Home LOSS 55-91
R4 Ainslie Away LOSS 85-111
R5 Tuggeranong Home WIN 213-41
R6 NT Thunder Away LOSS 90-112
R7 Sydney Uni Away WIN 239-36

Brisbane Reserves
R1 BYE
R2 Broadbeach Away WIN 124-61
R3 UWS Away WIN 109-81
R4 NT Thunder Away WIN 84-76
R5 Gold Coast Reserves Home LOSS 77-93
R6 Morningside Away WIN 118-37

Last Round
Reserves 38.11 (239) defeated Sydney Uni 5.6 (36)
The Reserves were too powerful for the NEAFL new boys, crushing Uni by a mammoth 203 points. Forwards Nathan Gordon and Mitch Morton both kicked 10 goals straight and were ably supplied by midfielder Jarred Moore and half-back flanker Tony Armstrong.

Goals: Gordon 10, Morton 10, Walsh 4, White 3, Pyke 3, Lamb 2, Meredith 2, Biggs, Moore, Cunningham, Armstrong
Best: Moore, Armstrong, Morton, Gordon, Walsh, Wynn

Morningside 5.7 (37) defeated by Brisbane Reserves 16.22 (118)
An inaccurate first half which saw the Lions kick a woeful 3.15 was corrected with a much improved second half when they kicked 13.7 to run out comfortable 81 winners. Young midfielders Josh Dyson and Josh Green were the Lions best whilst ex-Hawk Jordan Lisle and captain Bryce Retzlaff finished with 3 goals apiece.

Goals: Lisle 3, Kitching 3, Retzlaff 3, Zorko 2, Bewick 2, Dyson, Harwood, Hawksley
Best: Dyson, Green, Kitching, Lisle, Stiller, Wrigley

Team List
Listed players

#	Name	Games	Goals	Votes	Notes
6	Tom MITCHELL	1	0	0	One half last week, expect game time to be bumped up another quarter
7	Brett MEREDITH	5	4	3	Starting to string a few games together
10	Mitch MORTON	6	22	5	21 goals in the last 3 games, after just 1 in the first 3
11	Jed LAMB	6	8	0	Yet to make a real impact this year.
17	Tommy WALSH	6	12	12	Seniors emergency. If not in Melbourne, likely to be 2nd ruck
19	Tony ARMSTRONG	4	1	6	Seniors emergency. Loves getting up the ground but may have a more defensive mindset for this match.
23	Jordan LOCKYER	2	0	0	Has seen action at both ends of the ground. Back from a hammy injury.
27	Matthew SPANGHER	0	0	0	The Spang is back! Limited game time expected after a serious hammy injury
28	Dylan McNEIL	6	2	1	Should see more game time this week
33	Jarred MOORE	6	7	20	Dominating the competition as expected
35	Campbell HEATH	6	0	11	Marshalls the defensive unit superbly, will have tough task against Retzlaff/Cornelius/Lisle this week
38	Mike PYKE	6	8	7	Played more as a forward last week but with White out will resume primary ruck duties
42	Jack LYNCH	6	5	8	Can be used at either end of the ground. Impressive start to the year.
43	Eugene KRUGER	4	1	0	Still adjusting to playing as a tight marking small defender
44	Harry CUNNINGHAM	5	2	2	Has been used in the guts where he hasn't had much chance to show us his speed
45	Nathan GORDON	5	15	3	Seniors emergency. Looks more comfortable playing as a forward than as a midfielder
46	Shane BIGGS	4	3	0	Providing good run and carry off the half-back flank/wing

Changes
In: Lockyer, Spangher
Out: Jesse White (seniors promotion)

Brisbane have plenty of big, tall options in Retzlaff, Lisle and Cornelius which presents a defensive conundrum for Crouch to solve. Walsh was switched to defence when the Ressies came up against Ainslie's strong forward line a couple of weeks ago and Tommy acquitted himself well against Kenny McGregor. Or he can back Jack Lynch who while giving away a few centimetres has shown great nous and positioning playing as a key back. Other options include the returning duo of Spangher and Lockyer. Expect Kruger and Armstrong to be in defence on the smaller Lion forwards with the rest of the defence filled out by toppies.

Tom Mitchell was immediately thrown into the fray at the first centre bounce last week. Along with fellow inside midfielders Jarred Moore and Dylan McNeil, they should attend most of the centre bounces with stints for players such as Brett Meredith, Harry Cunningham, Jed Lamb and at times Mitch Morton. Pyke will come up against a non-recognised ruckman in Jordan Lisle.

The Reserves lose a little firepower with the promotion of Jesse White to the seniors as well as the absence of Trent Dennis-Lane, also promoted to the seniors after being a non-playing emeregency last week. Walsh/Pyke are expected to be the main tall target when not rucking, with the potency of Morton, Gordon and Lamb crumbing at their feet.

At least of one of the emergencies in Gordon, Armstrong and Walsh will be in Melbourne and hence won't take part in this game and possibly two if Longmire decides to cover all bases with the expected wet weather down south.

Academy Players/Topups

#	Name	Games	Goals	Notes
47	Jackson POTTER	6	2
?	Nathan BOSSCHIETER	0	0	Manly-Warringah
?	Jack DAVIS	3	0
?	Nathan KENNY	1	0
?	Andrew MOODY	3	1
?	Paul SAIN	0	0	St. George
?	Thomas THURGARLAND	1	0

Changes
In: Bosschieter, Kenny, Moody, Sain
Out: Mitch Crawford, Joshua Roebuck, Jordan Weir, Alexander Wynn, Stephen Wray

Reserves leading goalkickers

Mitch Morton 22
Trent Dennis-Lane, Nathan Gordon 15
Tommy Walsh 12

For full list: 2012 Goalkickers - RWOwiki

Reserves leading votegetters

Jarred Moore 20
Tommy Walsh 12
Trent Dennis-Lane, Campbell Heath 11

For full list: 2012 Best Votes - RWOwiki

Talking points

Brisbane Lions Squad

1. Sam DOCHERTY
3. Sam SHELDON
6. Josh GREEN
8. Bryce RETZLAFF
13. Callum BARTLETT
17. Claye BEAMS
19. Jordan LISLE
25. Richard NEWELL
26. Elliot YEO
27. Josh DYSON
32. Cheynee STILLER
33. Amon BUCHANAN
34. Jesse O'BRIEN
37. Patrick WEARDEN
42. Justin CLARKE
43. Rohan BEWICK
44. Aaron CORNELIUS
45. Brad HARVEY
46. Sam MICHAEL
47. Jack CRISP
48. Stephen WRIGLEY
52. Scott CLARKE
50. Alex KITCHING
51. Jackson STARCEVICH
58. Dave CUMMINS
68. Billy MOORHEAD

In: Beams, J.Clarke, Cornelius, Crisp, Green, Starcevich, Wearden
Out: Isaac CONWAY, James HAWKSLEY, Niall McKEEVER, Dayne ZORKO

The Lions were forced to leave out 2 listed players last week due to listed players restrictions but with no such barriers in place for this match, will field a strong side consisting of 21 listed players. As this match is being played a few hours before their seniors take the field at the Gabba, there is a strong chance that all 3 emergencies (Retzlaff, Green, Crisp) will be taking part in this game.

The familiar name to Swans fans is of course 2005 premiership hero Amon Buchanan who is in just his 2nd week in a comeback from injury. Retzlaff is their main focal point in attack having booted 21 goals to sit equal 3rd on the Northern Conference goalkicking table. He will be well complemented by other tall options in Aaron Cornelius and Jordan Lisle. Cheynee Stiller who is capable both in the midfield and off the half back flank is one of the more experienced names in this side and the Queensland rookie pair of Sam Michael and Stephen Wrigley who were both this week selected in the Queensland rep team to face NSW/ACT in a few weeks time.

Other players to have seen senior action for the Lions include Sheldon, Beams, O'Brien, Bewick and most recently Crisp

Summary
The Swans Reserves may have defeated the Lions Reserves in both their meetings last year, but they will find the going much tougher this year as the Lions are in good form and good health. As in most games, the deciding factor will be due to who wins the midfield battle as both sides are going in with dangerous looking forward lines who are both capable of kicking a winning score.l

**undy** · 11th May 2012, 04:25 PM

Thanks Ugg, I thought Buchanan had been delisted. He seems to be having a fair number of injuries since moving north.

**wolftone57** · 12th May 2012, 11:02 AM

Thanks Ugg a really good preview of the match once again. Nice to see Spang and Lockyer back. Maybe Lambchop will have a blinder today, one could only hope! His rhythm seems to be out.

**wolftone57** · 12th May 2012, 12:38 PM

does anyone know if the resies is on a stream today?

**aardvark** · 12th May 2012, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by wolftone57

does anyone know if the resies is on a stream today?

Had a look but couldn't find one. Sorry Wolfie I would have enjoyed a look too.

**wolftone57** · 12th May 2012, 12:50 PM

Thanks Aardvark I went to that stream site that does the resies but I couldn't make out what they were streaming today. It was all gobbly gook to me. I hope something comes up soon as the match starts in under 2 hours. Where was that radio stream coming from that we got one of the games on?