The Long and Winding Road
NEAFL Round 17
Sydney Swans Reserves v UWS Giants
Sunday 14th July 2013 9.30am
Sydney Cricket Ground
Usually in a clash such as this I would highlight the return to form of the Reserves with their win against Eastlake in Newcastle last week and the challenging task they face against a confident Giants team who belted Tuggeranong to the tune of 186 points in their fixture, but in reality the result of this game pales into comparison with the big and wonderful news that long term injury victim Gary Rohan is set to play his first game of footy in almost 15 months. More on Gaz in the team list below.
The Swans have steadied the ship and remained atop of the Eastern Conference ladder but they know with tough games on the horizon against the Suns and Lions Reserves as well as another game against the Giants to finish off the year they can't afford to slip up today. Conversely, the Giants will want to take advantage of their relatively light injury list and hope to take away the precious 4 points to consolidate their position in the Top 5.
The Swans have beaten the Giants in both their meetings this year, continuing their great record against the fledgling club, having dropped only one of their eight matches against the Giants since the inauguration the NEAFL. They were somewhat lucky in Round 1 when a dominant but inaccurate Giants outfit couldn't capitalise on the scoreboard allowing the dead-eye dicks of the Ressies to hang on in a tight finish. The following clash in Round 8 was less of a contest with a depleted Giants side succumbing to the experience of the Swans.
Eastern Conference Ladder
Team Played Wins Losses Draws Byes For Against Percentage Points Sydney Swans Reserves 13 9 4 0 3 1499 967 155.02% 36 Belconnen 13 9 4 0 3 1554 1208 128.64% 36 Ainslie 14 8 6 0 2 1363 1296 105.17% 32 UWS Giants 13 7 6 0 3 1510 1186 127.32% 28 Eastlake 13 7 6 0 3 1050 1159 90.60% 28 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Queanbeyan 12 6 6 0 4 1088 1204 90.37% 24 Hills Eagles 13 5 8 0 3 1179 1371 86.00% 20 Sydney Uni 13 4 9 0 3 1151 1295 88.88% 16 Tuggeranong 13 2 11 0 3 674 1570 42.93% 8
Past Meetings
2013
R2 UWS Giants 14.18 (102) defeated by Reserves 17.5 (107) @ ANZ Stadium
Goals: Morton 3, Membrey 3, Everitt 3, Weir, Jack, Head, Lloyd, White, Cunningham, Brown, Lamb
Best: Everitt, Bird, White, Morton, Lloyd, Cunningham
R8 UWS Giants 11.12 (78) defeated by Reserves 19.13 (127) @ Blacktown International Sportspark
Goals: Membrey 5, Morton 3, Everitt 3, Walsh 2, Lloyd, Robinson, Mitchell, Wray, Kilpatrick, Brown
Best: Walsh, Everitt, Biggs, Membrey, Lloyd, Mitchell
2012
R1 UWS Giants 4.9 (33) defeated by Reserves 23.13 (151) @ ANZ Stadium
The Swans began their NEAFL season with a bang kicking 8 goals in the first quarter and keeping the hapless and undermanned Giants scoreless. The rout continued throughout the game, with Mark Seaby, Jarred Moore and Dylan McNeil dominating the clearances, and Trent Dennis-Lane and Jesse White finishing off their teammates' good work with 10 goals between them.
Goals: Dennis-Lane 6, White 4, Seaby 2, Lamb 2, Pyke 2, Moore 2, Cass 2, Biggs, McNeil, Morton
Best: Seaby, Dennis-Lane, Moore, White, Lynch, McNeil
R14 Reserves 18.21 (129) defeated UWS 6.6 (42) @ ANZ Stadium
Poor conversion in front of goal didn't cost the Reserves anything but a bigger victory as they were too strong for the youngsters from UWS. Nick Malceski was in fine form, rebounding from half back in a dynamic display with ex-West Coast rookie Lewis Broome setting the stadium alight with 5 well taken goals.
Goals: Broome 5, Dennis-Lane 4, Gordon 2, Biggs, Mitchell, Spangher, McNeil, Moody, Potter, Moore
Best: Malceski, McNeil, Meredith, Broome, Dennis-Lane, Potter
R19 UWS Giants 9.10 (64) defeated by Reserves 18.18 (126) @ Skoda Stadium
The Giants jumped the Swans early to kick the first 3 goals of the match before the Swans clawed their way back in the contest to trail by only a goal. The 2nd half was a completely different story as the Swans caused the Giants to continually turn the ball over and hurt them on the rebound through their hard running and classy forwards. Morton led the goalkicking again but it was the key defenders in Heath and Lynch who were the real heroes keeping the Giants to just 2 goals after half time.
Goals: Morton 5, Lamb 4, Spangher 2, Crawford, Everitt, Heeney, Thurgarland, Roos, McNeil, Broome
Best: Heath, White, Lynch, Moore, Lamb, Thurgarland
Recent Form
Reserves
Round Team Venue Result F A R1 BYE R2 UWS Away WIN 107 102 R3 Gold Coast Home WIN 110 65 R4 Tuggeranong Away WIN 237 40 R5 Hills Eagles Home WIN 148 86 R6 BYE R7 Brisbane Home LOSS 81 104 R8 UWS Away WIN 127 78 R9 Queanbeyan Home WIN 151 38 R10 Ainslie Away WIN 123 49 R11 Belconnen Home WIN 140 49 R12 Gold Coast Away LOSS 50 70 R13 BYE R14 NT Thunder Away LOSS 59 112 R15 Brisbane Home LOSS 57 125 R16 Eastlake Away WIN 109 49
UWS Giants
Round Team Venue Result F A R1 BYE R2 Sydney Swans Home LOSS 102 107 R3 Brisbane Away LOSS 62 101 R4 Ainslie Home WIN 141 64 R5 Belconnen Away WIN 137 127 R6 Eastlake Home WIN 158 67 R7 BYE R8 Sydney Home LOSS 78 127 R9 Brisbane Away LOSS 48 136 R10 Gold Coast Home LOSS 91 120 R11 Hills Eagles Away WIN 108 89 R12 NT Thunder Away WIN 120 74 R13 Gold Coast Home LOSS 88 109 R14 BYE R15 Queanbeyan Away WIN 187 61 R16 Tuggeranong Home WIN 190 4
Last Round
Eastlake 7.7 (49) defeated by Reserves 15.19 (109) @ Newcastle Sports Ground No 1
Goals: Membrey 5, Towers 3, Fleming, Mumford, Cunningham, Lloyd, Delahunty, White, Webster
Best: Lloyd, White, Biggs, Cunningham, Towers, Membrey
UWS 28.22 (190) defeated Tuggeranong 0.4 (4) @ Star Track Oval
Goals: Thornton 4, Redfern 3, Edwards 2, Ugle 2, Bugg 2, Wilson 2, Jaksch 2, Sumner 2, Whiley 2, Aylett, Growden, Golds, Tyson, Williams, Greene, Davis
Best: Downie, Edwards, Bugg, Tyson, Whiley, Greene
Team List
Listed players
Changes
# Name Games Goals Votes Notes 1 Tim MEMBREY 10 24 4 (seniors emergency) 7 Harry CUNNINGHAM 8 7 17 (seniors emergency) His great form in the midfield recognised with a emergency listing. 10 Mitch MORTON 5 26 13 Unlucky series of events where he pulled out during the warmup of the Carlton game and then was the traveling emergency last week meaning he needs game time this week. 16 Gary ROHAN 0 0 0 The Rooster is back! Will only play a portion of the game, most likely coming on in the 2nd half to replace one of the emergencies resting for the senior game. 19 Tony ARMSTRONG 7 0 6 Quietly slipped out of the emergencies list this week and will find it hard to get back once other senior player return from injury. 22 Dean TOWERS 12 15 2 Getting continuity playing as a key forward and looked lively in the highlights. 23 Jordan LOCKYER 13 1 3 After flirting with being a flanker, has knuckled down into a key defensive role. 27 Daniel ROBINSON 12 9 3 Form has slowed since a bright start to the year. 28 Matthew DICK 9 2 0 Has been playing in defence but with Richards back, Crouch has the option of switching him forward as he did so successfully against the Thunder a few weeks ago. 31 Harrison MARSH 12 6 0 More time in the midfield beckons due to lack of other options. 36 Alex BROWN 13 3 12 With topup Thomas Head back (see topups list below), should no longer be required as a backup ruckman. 42 Xavier RICHARDS 10 0 10 (seniors emergency) Quad injury prevented him contributing last week, but will have plenty of choices in the tall Giants forwards. (no pun intended) 44 Jake LLOYD 13 9 35 Has been polling well during the year and earnt his first BOG last week. 46 Shane BIGGS 13 1 19 A flurry of votes, polling in 4 of the last 5 games.
In: Morton (traveling emergency), Rohan (injury), Richards (injury)
Out: Jesse WHITE (seniors)
Morton will replace Membrey as the main goal threat while White has shown the capability of sneaking forward and kicking goals despite spending most of his time in the ruck. Towers has shown promising signs in the forward line and I hope he remains there in order to boost his confidence as well as give our side some potency.
Richards will rejoin the defensive group and along with Lockyer, Brown, Dick, Armstrong and Biggs will have their hands full against a very tall looking UWS team.
Cunningham, Lloyd, Robinson and Marsh will lead the midfield as they have done since the promotions of Tom Mitchell and Jed Lamb.
It will be interesting to see where Rohan plays, he of course was playing as a forward when he was hurt against North Melbourne last year. He may well initially resume as a deep lying forward to minimise the amount of running required but once he is up and going I wouldn't be surprised to see him coming off a wing or half back flank.
Academy Players/Topups
# Name Games Goals Votes Notes 47 Lloyd PERRIS 2 1 0 50 Stephen WRAY 9 2 1 51 James DUNN 4 2 0 52 Thomas GREEN 1 0 0 53 Jack HISCOX 0 0 0 Swans Academy and Rams U18 squad member 54 Dylan ROOS 0 0 0 58 Thomas HEAD 4 5 0 59 Jeremy KIEL 1 0 0 60 Jordan WEIR 11 5 1
In: Dunn, Green, Head, Hiscox, Kiel, Perris, Roos, Weir, Wray
Out: Josh AVIS, Ryan COUGHLAN, Jacob DAWES, Will DELAHUNTY, Jeremy EDDY, Blake ERICKSON, Kurt FLEMING, Jay LEWIS, Daniel LLOYD, Max MUMFORD, Josh POLGLASE, Matt SPINKS, James WEBSTER
1 to be omitted.
Head returns after an injury and RAMS duty, he was quite impressive as a tall forward/relief ruck. He will offer much needed height in the forward line. Weir had been filling in as a tall forward in Head's absence but may return to his more natural defensive post. Perris also returns after a great U18 carnival winning the NSW-ACT MVP award and All-Australian selection on the interchange. Hadden has played well both as a small forward and on the wing, Dunn also across half-forward this year as well as last year while Wray, the most experienced of the topups can slot in the midfield or one of the flanks.
Reserves leading goalkickers
- Mitch Morton 26 (5)
- Tim Membrey 24 (10)
- Jesse White 23 (9)
For full list: 2013 Goalkickers - RWOwiki
Reserves leading votegetters
- Jake Lloyd 35 (13)
- Jed Lamb 24 (7)
- Jesse White 24 (9)
For full list: 2013 Best Votes - RWOwiki
UWS Giants Squad
B: 40. Adam KENNEDY 36. James STEWART 21. Matt BUNTINE HB: 47. Josh BRUCE 46. Bret THORNTON 20. Adam TOMLINSON C: 15. Tim GOLDS 42. Mark WHILEY 43. Kurt AYLETT HF: 34. Kristian JAKSCH 51. Zac WILLIAMS 45. Sam SCHULZ F: 16.Nathan WILSON 44. Tom DOWNIE 48. Sam FROST Foll: 50. Dean BROGAN 28. Liam SUMNER 31. Jacob TOWNSEND Int: 41. Josh GROWDEN 49. Joe REDFERN 32. Gerald UGLE 30. Lachlan PLOWMAN
In: Brogan, Kennedy, Plowman, Schulz, Tomlinson, Townsend
Out: Tomas BUGG, Sam DARLEY, Phil DAVIS, Shaun EDWARDS, Toby GREENE, Jonathan O'ROURKE, Dom TYSON
All 23 players are listed and as they showed against Tuggeranong last week form a mighty fine side. They have two genuine ruckmen in Brogan and Downie and also a part-timer in Tomlinson who was their 2nd ruck in the seniors against the Bulldogs in Canberra. Dyson the number 3 pick from 2 drafts ago hasn't played a senior game in 2013 thus far, and this will be his 7th match in a row for their reserves. Jaksch caused our defenders trouble in Round 1 kicking 4 goals and has 20 for the season from 8 matches.
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