I Don't Want To Spoil The Party
NEAFL Grand Final
Brisbane Lions Reserves v Sydney Swans Reserves
Saturday 21st September 2013Aspley - Graham Road
Note: Match being streamed on neafl.com.au!
This will be the third and last NEAFL cross-conference grand final as the competition merges from 2 conferences into just 1 from 2014. The Lions are the defending champions after soundly beating last year's Eastern Conference premiers Queanbeyan at Manuka. In the 3 clashes between the 2 sides this year the Lions have been comfortable winners in all 3 matches, including the 2 games in Sydney. They are slightly weakened due to their senior team finishing up the season a few weeks ago, and in fact some of the players named for tomorrow's game have already been given their marching orders after being delisted. Hence these players in particular will be looking for one final victory to close out their Lions careers.
For the Swans, last week's championship winning side is signficantly weakened due to players flying over to Perth both as replacements for their fellow injured senior players as well as providing cover as emergency. However, there is still a signficant core left to this side and with the promising play of the topups/academy players all year, they are still in with a fighting chance of claiming this title.
Eastern Conference
Ladder
Team Played Wins Losses Draws Byes For Against Percentage Points Sydney Swans Reserves 18 12 6 0 4 1990 1393 142.86% 48 Belconnen 18 12 6 0 4 2133 1568 88.24% 24 Ainslie 18 11 7 0 4 1737 1573 110.43% 44 Eastlake 18 10 8 0 4 1441 1554 92.73% 40 UWS Giants 18 9 9 0 4 2107 1605 131.28% 36 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Queanbeyan 18 9 9 0 4 1616 1779 90.84% 36 Hills Eagles 18 7 11 0 4 1637 1847 88.63% 28 Sydney Uni 18 6 12 0 4 1587 1865 85.09% 24 Tuggeranong 18 2 16 0 4 936 2262 41.38% 8
Northern Conference Ladder
Team Played Wins Losses Draws Byes For Against Percentage Points Brisbane Lions Reserves 18 16 2 0 3 2165 1308 165.52% 64 Southport 18 14 4 0 3 1934 13662 142.00% 56 Aspley 18 12 5 1 3 1960 1467 133.61% 50 Morningside 18 11 7 0 3 1825 1508 121.02% 44 Redland 18 11 7 0 3 1862 1656 112.44% 44 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gold Coast Suns Reserves 18 10 7 1 3 1850 1658 111.58% 42 NT Thunder 18 9 9 0 3 2008 1809 111.00% 36 Broadbeach 18 7 11 0 3 1540 1776 86.71% 28 Mt Gravatt 18 1 17 0 3 1126 2259 49.85% 4 Labrador 18 1 17 0 3 1112 2316 48.01% 4
Past Meetings
2013
R7 Reserves 11.15 (81) defeated by Brisbane Reserves 15.14 (104) @ SCG
Goals: Morton 5, Towers 2, Perris, Everitt, Robinson, Jack
Best: Walsh, Morton, White, Mitchell, Everitt, Richards
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R15 Reserves 9.3 (57) defeated by Brisbane Reserves 19.11 (125) @ Blacktown International Sports Park
Goals: Towers 2, Cunningham 2, Membrey 2, Davis, Lycakis, Marsh
Best: Cunningham, Lloyd, Armstrong, Wray
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R20 Brisbane Reserves 17.17 (119) defeated Reserves 13.8 (86) @ Coorparoo - Giffin Park
Goals: Morton 6, Towers 3, Weir 2, Membrey, Dick
Best: Lloyd, Armstrong, Morton, Towers, Richards, Dawes
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2012
R8 Brisbane Reserves 11.20 (86) defeated by Reserves 18.12 (120) @Yeronga
The Reserves travelled to Brisbane to upset the Lions who aided the Swans by being incredibly wasteful in front of goal. The Swans stormed to a 6 goal lead at quarter time and maintained a 4 goal lead at the main break and despite a couple of Lions surges in the 2nd half, confidently withstood the fusillade of shots from Brisbane to win quite comfortably. Mitch Morton continued his goal glut by bagging 8 to complement his 10 the previous week. Captain Jarred Moore dominated the stoppages yet again aided by the taps of big Canuck Mike Pyke
Goals: Morton 8, Walsh 2, Davis, Thurgarland, Spangher, Cunningham, Moody, Bosschieter, Moore, Meredith
Best: Moore, Pyke, Walsh, Cunningham, Biggs, Heath
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R16 Reserves 16.7 (103) defeated by Brisbane Reserves 17.20 (122) @ Sydney Cricket Ground
The Swans for a variety of reasons had plenty of regulars missing and a very strong Lions outfit took advantage of their absence to record a strong away win. Truth be told, if they had converted a higher number of their set shots, the game would have been over early in the 2nd half. Tommy Walsh stood up in the absence of his forward line teammates to take strong grabs, and finished with a deserved 3 goals. Brett Meredith provided plenty of run and dash from the half back line while Trent Dennis-Lane continued to impress onlookers in his new hybrid midfield-forward role.
Goals: Broome 3, Parker 3, Dennis-Lane 3, Walsh 3, Moore, Krochmal, Mitchell, Lamb
Best: Walsh, Meredith, Dennis-Lane, Heath, Plug, Parker
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R21 Brisbane Reserves 13.8 (86) defeated by Reserves 17.15 (117) @ Yeronga
The Reserves coped well without leading goalkicker Mitch Morton with his replacement Trent Dennis-Lane kicking 5 goals and the two talls Matt Spangher and Tommy Walsh 3 each. It was the impressive use of the ball by Andrejs Everitt that saw him named best on ground alongside midfield general Jarred Moore. Campbell Heath yet again led the defence superbly, blanketing the Lions tall forwards.
Goals: Dennis-Lane 5, Spangher 3, Walsh 3, McNeil 2, Everitt 2, Cunningham Gordon
Best: Everitt, Moore, Heath, McNeil, White
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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 R17 UWS Home LOSS 79 142 R18 Gold Coast Away WIN 85 64 R19 BYE R20 Brisbane Away LOSS 86 119 R21 UWS Home WIN 110 45 R22 Sydney Uni Away WIN 131 56 SF2 Belconnen Home WIN 150 69 GF Belconnen Neutral WIN 101 49
Lions Reserves
Round Team Venue Result F A R1 BYE R2 Morningside Away WIN 144 57 R3 UWS Home WIN 101 62 R4 Gold Coast Away WIN 180 70 R5 Broadbeach Home WIN 136 56 R6 Gold Coast Away WIN 111 79 R7 Swans Reserves Away WIN 104 81 R8 BYE R9 UWS Away WIN 48 136 R10 Southport Away WIN 88 76 R11 Gold Coast Home LOSS 70 117 R12 BYE R13 Labrador Away WIN 134 35 R14 Aspley Home WIN 134 86 R15 Swans Reserves Away WIN 125 57 R16 Gold Coast Home WIN 107 85 R17 Redland Home WIN 133 55 R18 NT Thunder Home LOSS 83 90 R19 BYE R20 Swans Reserves Home WIN 119 86 R21 Mt Gravatt Away WIN 155 74 R22 Gold Coast Home WIN 105 94 SF2 Aspley Home WIN 106 104 GF Aspley Home WIN 125 79
Last Round
Swans Reserves 15.11 (101) defeated Belconnen 6.13 (49) @ Kippax Oval
Goals: Membrey 3, Roberts-Thomson 2, Towers, Rohan, Head, Hiscox, Lloyd, Jack, Vicic, Armstrong, Robinson, Naismith
Best: Armstrong, Lamb, Lockyer, Lloyd, Towers, Wray
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Lions Reserves 19.11 (125) defeated Aspley 11.13 (79) @ Yeronga - Leyshon Park
Goals: Cornelius 6, Bartlett 3, Crisp 2, Lisle 2, Paparone 2, Close 2, Cameron-Reeves, Longer
Best:Crisp, Paparone, Cornelius, Wearden, Newell, Michael
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Team List
Listed players
# Name Games Goals Votes Notes 1 Tim MEMBREY 16 41 7 Wasteful with a return of 3 goals 5 behinds last week. 19 Tony ARMSTRONG 14 4 28 A grand final is not a bad time to come up with your first BOG of the year. 22 Dean TOWERS 18 30 7 Despite rumours that he was about to debut in a prelim, will be lining up in Brissie instead. 23 Jordan LOCKYER 20 1 17 His form in the final third of the season has been immense and will need to be at the top of his game to battle Cornelius or Lisle. 27 Daniel ROBINSON 19 10 17 Solid game last week but will have to step it up with Lamb out of the side. 28 Matthew DICK 16 4 0 Encouraging role in a solid defensive unit. 35 Sam NAISMITH 3 3 0 Encounters his biggest test of his fledgling career coming up against Longer and Michael. 36 Alex BROWN 20 3 20 Has settled into a defensive role as the third tall. 42 Xavier RICHARDS 17 0 13 Played on a shorter opponent last week but will have hands full against an in-form Cornelius. 44 Jake LLOYD 19 16 57 Regains the leadership of the midfield and the team will be highly dependent on him.
Changes
In:
Out: Brandon JACK, Jed LAMB, Lewis ROBERTS-THOMSON, Gary ROHAN (all seniors)
Only 10 listed players will stretch the side. 3 of the 4 omissions played in the forward line last week, and most of the replacements will come from the topups. However expect Towers to return to the key forward marking role and Naismith to spend a little more time forward as the Swans have drafted in another ruckman to counter the Lions' height.
Academy Players/Topups
# Name Games Goals Votes Notes 47 Lloyd PERRIS 9 3 5 2nd highest possession winner last week with 30, looking forward to how he goes against an AFL standard midfield. 48 Yarran JAFFER-WILLIAMS 8 4 1 49 Jack HISCOX 2 1 0 50 Stephen WRAY 16 3 2 Banfield looms as a likely opponent. 51 Matt VICIC 2 1 0 52 Doug HADDEN 10 2 5 Gets a go this week after missing out last week. 53 Brad PLUG 5 4 0 54 Mitch CRAWFORD 7 0 0 56 Blake GUTHRIE 1 0 0 58 Jacob DAWES 4 0 1 Ruckman who earnt votes the last time he played against Brisbane. 59 Thomas HEAD 11 12 1 60 Jordan WEIR 18 7 1
In: Crawford, Dawes, Guthrie, Hadden, Plug
Out: Matthew SPINKS
Added height in Dawes and experience in the other 4 who have played multiple games as a topup either this year or in past years
Reserves leading goalkickers
- Tim Membrey 41 (16)
- Mitch Morton 33 (8)
- Dean Towers 30 (18)
For full list: 2013 Goalkickers - RWOwiki
Reserves leading votegetters
- Jake Lloyd 57 (19)
- Jed Lamb 35 (9)
- Shane Biggs 33 (17)
For full list: 2013 Best Votes - RWOwiki
Brisbane Lions Squad
B: 37. Patrick WEARDEN 45. Jordon BOURKE 52. Cam TICKNER HB: 33. Michael CLOSE 40. Niall McKEEVER 56. Lewis RADFORD C: 25 Richard NEWELL 34. Jesse O'BRIEN 59. Hayden BERTOLI-SIMMONDS HF: 53. Bill PENDLEBURY 19. Jordan LISLE 54. Darcy CAMERON-REEVES F: 18. Todd BANFIELD 44. Aaron CORNELIUS 46. Sam MICHAEL Foll: 5. Billy LONGER 47. Jack CRISP 43. Nick HAYES Int: 60. Sam GRIBBLE 50. Luke ROGERSON 58. Archie SMITH 55. Cam STEVENSON
In: Gribble, Rogerson, Tickner
Out: Callum BARTLETT, Riley BLUNDELL, Daniel HENDERSON Marco PAPARONE
13 listed players gives them a slight advantage. It will be the swansongs for Newell and McKeever who were delisted on Monday, McKeever actually putting off surgery just so he could play in this game. Like us, their topups are highly regarded players from their academy. As in the past games, the Lions have a genuine height advantage in the rucks and forwards which will present a challenge for the our undersized defenders. Besides the two tall forwards in Cornelius in Lisle, the Lions also boast 2 genuine ruckmen in the want-away Longer and Michael. Close is an utility who can also find his way forward.
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