NEAFL 2014 Round 10
Sydney Swans Reserves v NT Thunder
Saturday 30th May 2014 2:00pm
Drummoyne Oval
A couple of firsts in this game. The first time the Swans will host the Thunder and without any fact checking whatsoever, I assume it's the first time a Swans team will have played at the picturesque Drummoyne Oval. Besides those 2 landmark factors, there is plenty to get excited about for this game.
Firstly, the Thunder sit atop the NEAFL ladder with an impressive 7-1 record which have include victories over the other 3 AFL Reserves side in the NEAFL. They will be keen to add the Swans to the list to complete the set. Their only loss was a bizarre 125 point shellacking at the hands of mid-table side Aspley in Round 8.
Secondly, the Swans have failed to beat the Thunder in their only 2 meetings with the NT club since they were invited into the NEAFL for the 2012 season. We lost by 63 points in 2013 when a weakened team of only 11 listed players aided by some local topups battled gamely but were ultimately outclassed, while in the inaugural fixture in 2012, we suffered at 22 point loss after falling badly in the last quarter. Outscored 7 goals to 1 in the final quarter after leading by 17 points at the last change.
Lastly, with no listed player restrictions in place for a NT Thunder game and with a short injury list (only AJ, Pyke and Dick) this will be one of the strongest lineups the Swans Reserves will ever field.
NEAFL Ladder
Position Team Played Wins Losses Draws FF For Against Percentage Points 1 NT Thunder 8 7 1 0 0 810 609 133.00% 28 2 Sydney Swans 7 6 1 0 0 772 282 273.76% 24 3 UWS Giants 7 5 2 0 0 748 430 173.95% 20 4 Southport 7 5 2 0 0 637 405 157.28% 20 5 Redland 6 5 1 0 0 655 421 155.58% 20 6 Sydney University 7 5 2 0 0 626 517 121.08% 20 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 Aspley 7 4 3 0 0 747 436 171.33% 16 8 Ainslie 7 4 3 0 0 698 611 114.24% 16 9 Brisbane Lions 7 2 5 0 0 476 628 75.80% 8 10 Sydney Hills Eagles 8 2 6 0 0 600 811 73.98% 8 11 Queanbeyan 7 2 5 0 0 528 729 72.43% 8 12 Belconnen 6 1 5 0 0 330 698 47.28% 4 13 Eastlake 6 1 5 0 0 299 700 42.71% 4 14 Gold Coast Suns 8 0 8 0 0 394 1043 37.78% 0
Recent Form
Reserves
Round Team Venue Result F A R1 Brisbane Lions Away WIN 89 35 R2 UWS Giants Away LOSS 78 86 R3 Queanbeyan Home WIN 167 30 R4 Gold Coast Suns Home WIN 131 31 R5 Brisbane Lions Away WIN 51 50 R6 BYE R7 UWS Giants Home WIN 100 25 R8 Eastlake Away WIN 156 25 R9 BYE
NT Thunder
Round Team Venue Result F A R1 UWS Giants Home WIN 95 69 R2 Aspley Home WIN 114 94 R3 Gold Coast Away WIN 102 65 R4 Sydney Hills Eagles Home WIN 146 24 R5 Redland Home WIN 105 71 R6 Southport Home WIN 86 68 R7 Aspley Away LOSS 34 159 R8 Brisbane Lions Home WIN 128 59 R9 BYE
Past Meetings
2013
R14 NT Thunder 16.16 (112) defeated Reserves 9.5 (59) @ Traeger Park
Goals: Towers 3, Jack 2, Dick 2, Plug, Wheeler
Best: Lloyd, White, Biggs, Cunningham, Towers, Membrey
Last Round
Eastlake 3.7 (25) defeated by Reserves 23.18 (156) @ Startrack Oval
Goals: Membrey 4, T.Mitchell 4, Nankervis 3, Towers 3, Perris 2, Robinson, Dick, Naismith, Davis, Roberts-Thomson, Walsh, O'Keefe
Best: T.Mitchell, Perris, Membrey, Towers, Richards, Jones
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NT Thunder 19.14 (120) defeated Brisbane Lions 8.11 (59) @ TIO Stadium
Goals: Ewing 6, Dunne 5, S.Rioli 2, Patrick 2. W.Rioli, Djerrkura, Farrell, Musgrove
Best: Vassal, Dunne, Lockwood, Patrick, Liddle, Djerrkura
Team List
Listed players
Changes
# Name Games Goals Votes Notes 1 Tim MEMBREY 7 25 20 Leading goalkicker in each of the past 3 games, as well as getting plenty of votes. 5 Ryan O'KEEFE 3 1 0 Averaging 32 disposals and 10 tackles. 6 Tom MITCHELL 3 4 12 (senior emergency) Only one number needed here: 64 10 Zak JONES 6 0 7 Getting some recognition for his role off half back. 13 Toby NANKERVIS 6 10 12 Less rucking and more time forward due to Naismith's return, finished with 3 majors. 16 Gary ROHAN 4 0 0 The way forward is to go back for Gaz, has played all his reserves football this year in defence. 17 Tommy WALSH 2 1 0 Slow but steady progress in his comeback from long term injury 18 Jordan LOCKYER 7 1 0 Has played quite a bit off a wing but might move back with Dick's absence 22 Dean TOWERS 6 7 8 (senior emergency) Traveling emergency last week and did well despite flying to Canberra on the day of the game. 27 Daniel ROBINSON 7 7 10 Coaches have been experimenting with him as a half-forward to work on his spread and outside game. 29 George HEWETT 6 3 0 Rested last round due to listed players restriction 30 Lewis ROBERTS-THOMSON 2 3 0 (senior emergency) Playing forward 31 Harrison MARSH 7 7 6 Only 20 touches against Eastlake but an impressive 8 clearances, 2nd only to Mitchell's 12 33 Brandon JACK 4 1 0 In and out of the seniors (with plenty of vests) not helping his consistency, but truth be told his reserves performance this year haven't been great 35 Sam NAISMITH 4 2 3 Solid comeback game with 24 hitouts and a goal 36 Aliir ALIIR 6 1 1 Rested last round due to listed players restriction 41 Lloyd PERRIS 7 7 5 Performance against Eastlake, like the rest of the team, overshadowed by Mitchell but voted the Swans' 2nd best 42 Xavier RICHARDS 7 0 2 Earnt special mention in the NEAFL Wrap for some his defensive work against the Demons 45 Patrick MITCHELL 7 2 0 As expected, raw stats aren't great but his development can't be measured by those numbers alone. 46 Shane BIGGS 7 0 7 Season high 42 touches from half back last week.
In: Aliir, Hewett, Jack
Out: Matthew DICK (hamstring)
As mentioned in the intro, a very strong lineup with great players in good form all over the ground, with many keen to push their chances for senior selection.
In the midfield, we have the grunt and inside toughness of O'Keefe and T.Mitchell complemented by the outside run of Perris and Robinson. Naismith and Nankervis have provided great service with their tapwork all season. Up forward, the tall timber of Roberts-Thomson, Walsh and P.Mitchell will be supported by the mobility and running power of Towers, Membrey and BJ. In defence, the core group of Richards, Aliir, Biggs and Jones have kept our opponents to an average of just a smidge over 40 points a game.
Academy Players/Topups
# Name Games Goals Votes Notes 34 Isaac HEENEY 1 2 0 38 Abe DAVIS 2 2 0
In: Heeney
Out: Jordan FOOTE, Nick FOSTER, Vahid ROSER
An unexpected but pleasant surprise to see Heeney and Davis playing in this game as their NSW/ACT Rams teammates will be playing in the TAC Cup. I'm not sure who made the decision (Swans or AFL NSW/ACT) but I will be very interested to witness their games as they have both been touted as possible Swans draftees next year. Why are they wearing AJ's and Pyke's numbers? I can only hazard a guess that the jumpers for the game will indeed be the indigenous round jumpers and they didn't want to manufacture extra ones.
Reserves leading goalkickers
- Tim Membrey 25 (7)
- Toby Nankervis 10 (6)
- Jack Hiscox 8 (5)
For full list: 2014 Goalkickers - RWOwiki
Reserves leading votegetters
- Tim Membrey 20 (7)
- Matthew Dick 14 (7)
- Tom Miychell 12 (3)
For full list: 2014 Best Votes - RWOwiki
Reserves leading disposals (avg) min 3 games
- Tom Mitchell 40.0
- Ryan O'Keefe 35.0
- Daniel Robinson 33.3
For full list: 2014 Reserves Stats
NT Thunder
B: 26. Jake ROE-DUGGAN 29. Justin BEUGELAAR 25. Pierce LIDDLE HB: 9. Jack LONG 18. Mitchell TAYLOR 23. Errin WASLEY-BLACK C: 5. Shaquille McKENZIE 16. Cameron ILETT 4. Aaron MOTLOP HF: 17. Shannon RIOLI 24. Chris DUNNE 38. Abe ANKERS F: 37. Liam PATRICK 2. Darren EWING 15. Matthew ROSIER Foll: 6. Julian LOCKWOOD 14. Brad VASSAL 3. Alwyn DAVEY Int: 45. Neil VEA VEA 22. Jack MUSGROVE 13. Lachie ARGUS 49. Sam GODDEN 36. Steven MILES 32. Dylan GORDON
In: Davey, Long, Miles, Gordon
Out: Nathan DJERRKURA, Jake FARRELL, Patrick HEENAN, Ben RIOLI, William RIOLI
Ewing and Dunne are the Thunder's version of Tippett and Franklin with both of them in the Top 4 of the NEAFL goalkicking charts with 25 and 23 respectively. Richards has played on Ewing before (and was beaten) and either Aliir or Lockyer will be our other key defender to take on Dunne. Davey returns to the Thunder lineup; the former Bomber has been their leading possession winner averaging 21.7 disposals and along with Cam Ilett and Abe Ankers are the dominant on-ballers of this side.
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