SYDNEY AFL WET-WEATHER CATCH-UP ROUND 2015
Article by Michael Shillito

When the fixtures for this season were made, Saturday was set aside as a weekend to catch up on games lost when the inevitable rain and ground closures would occur during the season.
In Premier Division, there had been one game postponed; and so the two most recently admitted Premier Division clubs, Manly and UTS played off at Weldon Oval on Saturday afternoon. As expected, the Giants took the win, but not before the Bats gave them an almighty scare.

Saturday dawned bright and sunny, nothing like the conditions two weeks ago that had caused the game to be postponed. Weldon Oval was in good shape, but heavily used with four games played on the ground on the day.
It�s nothing unusual for Manly games to be low-scoring, high-pressure affairs where the tackling is hard and Manly�s opponents are forced into turnovers and struggle to get the ball into their forward 50. But this time, the Bats were taking the fight up to the Giants, giving them a taste of the same. Incursions into either team�s forward zone were rare during a tense opening term, but the Bats made better use of theirs, scoring two goals to one to take a surprising five point lead at quarter time.
The Giants took the lead in the second quarter, but this was not going to be an easy game for the defending champions. Although the Bats were unable to manage a goal in the second term, they kept the game tight and the Giants weren�t able to run away with the contest. But they did succeed in drawing twin flags from the goal umpires three times to lead by ten points at the long break.
Into the premiership quarter, and the Giants attempted to set up a match-winning lead. But their goalkicking radar wasn�t working as effectively as perhaps it should. Several kick-able shots sailed wide of the big sticks as the Giants kicked an inaccurate 2.7 for the quarter. At the other end, the Bats kept fighting and the Giants were never able to run away with the contest. With the Bats scoring two goals during the third quarter, the Giants� lead was held to 16 points at the last change.
With the Giants scoring two goals in the last quarter, they looked safe. But the Bats weren�t going to go down without a fight, and kept coming during the final term. Four times in the last quarter, UTS goaled; and with each goal the Bats� confidence grew that they could pull off what would be the boilover of the season. Into time-on, and the margin was back within a kick. Full of running, full of determination; but the Bats� run was left just too late. The siren sounded and Manly had hung on for a narrow five-point win.
Saved by the bell, Manly had the efforts all day of Jack Parker, James Brain and Max Carter to thank for setting up the win. It had been far from convincing; but the Giants had done just enough to take the points. Heartbreak for the Bats, who had come so close; and a win may have set them up for a late charge to the finals. But it wasn�t to be. But on a day when the Bats had put up a gallant fight, Kaizaad Mehta, Jason Fleming and Jordan Law were standout performers.

As we run home to the finals, with four rounds to go, East Coast have the minor premiership all but sewn up. Having not lost since the opening round, the Eagles are a game and a half clear of Pennant Hills. The Demons are half a game ahead of Manly, with the Demons and Giants set to clash in the Qualifying Final. There�s a three game break to St George in fourth, who are half a game ahead of Sydney Uni in fifth. With three and a half games separating Sydney Uni from UTS and North Shore, the final five is set unless either the Bats or Bombers win all their remaining games and either the Dragons or Students lose all of theirs. Wests and UNSW-ES are out of the running for the finals.

Four rounds remain in Division One. Balmain, two games clear on top, look set to be minor premiers. Pennant Hills and UTS sit second and third, separated by percentage, and sitting two games clear of their nearest challengers are likely to play off in the Qualifying Final. Sydney Uni are in fourth, a game clear of Macquarie Uni who edge St George out of the five by a very narrow percentage. Southern Power are a game out of the five but with a poor percentage, while East Coast and Holroyd-Parramatta are another game behind. UNSW-ES haven�t won a game this season and are already locked in to the wooden spoon, and are looking down the barrel of probable relegation.

Division Two has only eight teams, uniquely in Sydney footy having no university team, and with three rounds to go, it�s a tight battle for the final five. Camden are runaway leaders and already have the minor premiership locked in. Blacktown and Manly in second and third are safely in the finals. Moorebank in fourth are a game ahead of Penrith in fifth; with the Rams� percentage keeping them ahead of North Shore. Wests are a game behind and Randwick City two games behind, but even though the Saints are last they are not yet out of the running for the finals.

Ten teams are in Division Three, with a final five and three rounds to go. UTS sit on top, a game clear of Sydney Uni who in turn are a game clear of Penrith. Those three teams are assured of being in the finals. A two game break to fourth-placed Pennant Hills. A game behind the Demons are NorWest, who keep Wests out of the five with their better percentage. A game behind the Jets and Magpies is East Coast, with Balmain another game behind. Gosford and UNSW-ES are out of finals calculations.

Division Four, with twelve teams and a final five, is very tight with three rounds to go. No-one�s finals spot is mathematically guaranteed. Top sides Holroyd-Parramatta, Macquarie Uni and Camden all have ten wins and are separated by match ratio with some games unable to be caught up after being washed out. Wollondilly and Sydney Uni, a game behind, complete the current top five. Manly are a game behind in sixth spot and with a game less played will go ahead of the Knights or Students if they slip up. Campbelltown and North Shore were early front-runners but fell off the pace, but can still sneak in if they win their remaining games and other results go their way. Southern Power, Blacktown, Randwick City and Moorebank are not in finals contention.

There�s only two weeks to go in Division Five. Ten teams remain in the division, with a final five on offer. The top four are closely aligned in games won, but separated by match ratio due to several washed out games that can�t be caught up. UTS, Penrith, UNSW-ES and Holroyd-Parramatta are all safely assured of playing in the finals, but the order is still up for grabs. Pennant Hills are a couple of games behind in fifth, a game plus percentage ahead of Sydney Uni. The bottom four, NorWest, Camden, Randwick City and Balmain, are out of finals contention.

Four weeks remain in the Under 19s Division One competition, with eight teams fighting it out for four finals spots. Pennant Hills are undefeated and already guaranteed top spot. The other double-chance spot is up for grabs, with UNSW-ES half a game ahead of North Shore; with both the Bulldogs and Bombers assured of playing finals, but only one will get the double-chance. St George complete the top four, and with a three-game break from fifth are only one win away from guaranteeing a finals berth. Manly, Sydney Uni and South Coast are level on games, but one of them would need to win all their remaining games and St George lose all of theirs to be finals challengers, while East Coast Eagles are on the bottom of the ladder, without a win and looking down the barrel of relegation.

Under 19s Division Two has four weeks to go before the finals, seven remaining teams and a top four. Holroyd-Parramatta have been front-runners all season and are two games clear on top. Wests in second are a game clear of Penrith, fighting it out for the double-chance. Another three games come before fourth-placed Moorebank, who are in the four a game ahead of Pennant Hills. Southern Power are a further game behind, but still in the hunt for the finals; while Campbelltown are without a win and will not be a part of this year�s playoffs.

The Womens Division One comp, with three rounds to go, have the top four already determined; although the order is still up for grabs. Sydney Uni are on top, a game clear of Newtown and UNSW-ES who are split only by percentage. Western Wolves are a game behind in fourth. A four-game gap means the top four are all safe; with Macquarie Uni, Southern Power and Wollongong out of finals calculations.

Only two weeks of the Womens Division Two comp remain before the finals, with nine teams and a final five in operation. Auburn sit on top; a game clear of a tight battle for the double-chance, with UTS, Gosford and Blacktown separated only by percentage. Penrith, a game behind, complete the top five; but the Ramettes only have a game break ahead of Manly. A three-game break keeps the bottom three out of the running; with Newtown, Moorebank and UNSW-ES having just a fortnight to go before putting their guernseys into mothballs.


Manly-Warringah 1.3 4.3 6.10 8.12 (60)
University of Technology 2.2 2.5 4.6 8.7 (55)
Goals : Manly �
J Pola-Smith 2, D Dickerson, T McCaffrey, M Carter, H Washington, S Batten, D Bonney. UTS � D Breese 2, J Harvey 2, J Law, T Larby, S Tregoning.
Best : Manly � J Parker, J Brain, M Carter, R Wearne, G Benbow, L Brain. UTS � K Mehta, J Fleming, J Law, T Larby, D Breese, G Murray.
At Weldon Oval, Saturday 1st August 2015.

 Play
Won
Draw
Lost
For
Agnst
Pts
%age
Strk
East Coast
13
12
0
1
1,639
599
92.31
273.62
W12
Pennant Hills
13
10
1
2
920
751
80.77
122.50
W3
Manly
13
10
0
3
1,190
757
76.92
157.20
W2
St George
12
7
0
5
964
1,114
58.33
86.54
L1
Sydney Uni
12
6
1
5
934
867
54.17
107.73
L1
UTS
12
3
0
9
805
1,039
25
77.48
L3
North Shore
12
3
0
9
728
1,145
25
63.58
L4
Western Suburbs
13
3
0
10
781
1,181
23.08
66.13
W1
UNSW-ES
12
1
0
11
689
1,198
8.33
57.56
L10
Black - Confirmed finallists
Green - Currently in a finals position, but not yet guaranteed a place in the finals
Blue - Not currently in a finals position, but still a chance to qualify
Purple - Will not be competing in the finals
Red - Wooden spoon, probable relegation


Division One:
Holroyd-Parramatta 8.7 (55) d Macquarie Uni 6.11 (47)
UTS 11.6 (72) d Balmain 7.7 (49)
St George 8.17 (65) d UNSW-ES 7.4 (46)
Ladder (Match Ratio) � Balmain (85.71, 157.14%), Pennant Hills (71.43, 140.66%), UTS (71.43, 113.56%), Sydney Uni (57.14, 117.02%), Macquarie Uni (50, 107.11%), St George (50, 101.55%), Southern Power (42.86, 80.63%), East Coast (35.71, 93.32%), Holroyd-Parramatta (35.71, 87.16%), UNSW-ES (0, 49.73%).

Division Two:
Manly 11.12 (78) d Randwick City 6.7 (43)
Ladder (Match Ratio) � Camden (92.86, 175.95%), Blacktown (64.29, 129.13%), Manly (61.54, 109.53%), Moorebank (50, 103.23%), Penrith (38.46, 108.98%), North Shore (35.71, 75.93%), Wests (30.77, 68.36%), Randwick City (23.08, 68.55%).

Division Three:
Sydney Uni 14.5 (89) d UTS 10.11 (71)
Gosford 12.15 (87) d UNSW-ES 10.5 (65)
Western Suburbs 13.4 (82) d NorWest 5.8 (38)
Penrith 17.8 (110) d Balmain 4.3 (27)
Ladder (Match Ratio) � UTS (92.31, 179.75%), Sydney Uni (78.57, 185.21%), Penrith (71.43, 145.26%), Pennant Hills (53.33, 123.99%), NorWest (46.67, 104.19%), Wests (46.67, 74.16%), East Coast (40, 82.16%), Balmain (35.71, 65.56%), Gosford (23.08, 58.95%), UNSW-ES (14.29, 65.88%).

Division Four:
Sydney Uni 13.11 (89) d Moorebank 3.9 (27)
Macquarie Uni 7.14 (56) d Holroyd-Parramatta 7.11 (53)
North Shore 15.13 (103) d Manly 7.6 (48)
Ladder (Match Ratio) � Holroyd-Parramatta (76.92, 164.66%), Macquarie Uni (71.43, 202.44%), Camden (66.67, 130.31%), Wollondilly (64.29, 130.07%), Sydney Uni (64.29, 106.22%), Manly (61.54, 108.93%), Campbelltown (50, 115.54%), North Shore (42.86, 79.53%), Southern Power (40, 95.01%), Blacktown (30, 67.24%), Randwick City (17.86, 67.60%), Moorebank (15.28, 39.08%).

Division Five:
Randwick City 9.6 (60) d Sydney Uni 7.4 (46)
UTS 23.7 (145) d Balmain 4.8 (32)
Ladder (Match Ratio) � UTS (90.91, 397.06%), Penrith (83.33, 169.19%), UNSW-ES (75, 197.97%), Holroyd-Parramatta (71.43, 166.01%), Pennant Hills (53.85, 127.06%), Sydney Uni (46.15, 107.53%), NorWest (41.67, 93.61%), Camden (30.77, 57.34%), Randwick City (23.08, 49.71%), Balmain (7.69, 25.47%).

Under 19s One:
North Shore 14.7 (91) d UNSW-ES 6.9 (45)
St George 13.12 (90) d Manly 9.3 (57)
Ladder (Match Ratio) � Pennant Hills (100, 245.45%), UNSW-ES (67.86, 124.97%), North Shore (64.29, 141.06%), St George (57.14, 130.39%), Manly (35.71, 85.41%), Sydney Uni (35.71, 77.40%), South Coast (35.71, 77.19%), East Coast (3.57, 35.96%).

Under 19s Two:
Holroyd-Parramatta 10.10 (70) d Penrith 8.9 (57)
Moorebank 9.4 (58) d Pennant Hills 8.9 (57)
Ladder (Match Ratio) � Holroyd-Parramatta (92.31, 456.85%), Wests (76.92, 198.91%), Penrith (69.23, 209.45%), Moorebank (46.15, 65.32%), Pennant Hills (38.46, 63.56%), Southern Power (33.33, 61.26%), Campbelltown (0, 15.64%).

Women Division One:
Western Wolves d Wollongong � forfeit
UNSW-ES 9.13 (67) d Macquarie Uni 2.1(13)
Ladder (Match Ratio) � Sydney Uni (90, 344.57%), Newtown (72.73, 269.31%), UNSW-ES (72.73, 161.68%), Western Wolves (63.64, 157.61%), Macquarie Uni (27.27, 56.83%), Southern Power (18.18, 28.29%), Wollongong (9.09, 20.50%).

Women Division Two:
UTS 16.15 (111) d Newtown 0.1 (1)
Manly d Moorebank � forfeit
Gosford 14.12 (96) d UNSW-ES 0.0 (0)
Penrith 7.5 (47) d Auburn 5.10 (40)
Ladder (Match Ratio) � Auburn (75, 211.64%), UTS (72.73, 327.69%), Gosford (72.73, 299.05%), Blacktown (72.73, 196.46%), Penrith (63.64, 174.31%), Manly (54.55, 135.58%), Newtown (27.27, 38.82%), Moorebank (18.18, 27.72%), UNSW-ES (0, 15.10%).


NEXT WEEK�S FIXTURES (Lurker�s Kiss of Death in bold)

Premier Division:

Saturday 8th August
Sydney Uni No 1 Oval � Sydney Uni v Manly (2:10pm)
Olds Park � St George v Pennant Hills (2:10pm)
Gore Hill Oval � North Shore v UTS (2:30pm)
Village Green � UNSW-ES v East Coast (2:30pm)
BYE � Western Suburbs.

Division One:
Saturday 8th August
Sydney Uni No 1 Oval � Sydney Uni v Southern Power (9am)
Olds Park � St George v Pennant Hills (12pm)
Village Green � UNSW-ES v East Coast (12:30pm)
University Oval � Macquarie Uni v Holroyd-Parramatta (5:10pm)
Sunday 9th August
Henson Park � Balmain v UTS (2:30pm)

Division Two:
Saturday 8th August
Gore Hill Oval � North Shore v Camden (12:30pm)
Picken Oval � Western Suburbs v Moorebank (12:30pm)
Greygums Oval � Penrith v Manly (2:10pm)
Pioneers Park � Randwick City v Blacktown (2:10pm)

Division Three:
Saturday 8th August
Picken Oval � Western Suburbs v Gosford (10:30am)
Village Green � UNSW-ES v East Coast (10:30am)
Bensons Lane � NorWest v Pennant Hills (2:10pm)
Sunday 9th August
Greygums Oval � Penrith v Sydney Uni (12pm)
Henson Park � Balmain v UTS (12:30pm)

Division Four:
Saturday 8th August
Gore Hill Oval � North Shore v Camden (10:30am)
Sydney Uni No 1 Oval � Sydney Uni v Manly (12pm)
Pioneers Park � Randwick City v Blacktown (12pm)
Bargo Sportsground � Wollondilly v Southern Power (2pm)
University Oval � Macquarie Uni v Holroyd-Parramatta (3pm)
Rosedale Oval � Moorebank v Campbelltown (3:10pm)

Division Five:
Saturday 8th August
Village Green � UNSW-ES v Randwick City (8:30am)
Bensons Lane � NorWest v Pennant Hills (12pm)
Harrington Park � Camden v Holroyd-Parramatta (12pm)
Sunday 9th August
Greygums Oval � Penrith v Sydney Uni (10am)
Henson Park � Balmain v UTS (10:30am)

Under 19s One:
Saturday 8th August
Olds Park � St George v Pennant Hills (10am)
Sydney Uni No 1 Oval � Sydney Uni v Manly (4:30pm)
Gore Hill Oval � North Shore v East Coast (5:10pm)
Sunday 9th August
Village Green � UNSW-ES v South Coast (2pm)

Under 19s Two:
Friday 7th August
Rosedale Oval � Moorebank v Campbelltown (7:30pm)
Saturday 8th August
Greygums Oval � Penrith v Southern Power (10am)
Mike Kenny Oval � Pennant Hills v Holroyd-Parramatta (10am)
BYE - Western Suburbs.

Women Division One:
Saturday 8th August
Mahoney Park � Newtown v Southern Power (1pm)
University Oval � Macquarie Uni v Wollongong (1pm)
Sunday 9th August
Village Green � UNSW-ES v Sydney Uni (12pm)
BYE � Western Wolves.

Women Division Two:
Saturday 8th August
Mahoney Park � Newtown v Blacktown (11am)
Greygums Oval � Penrith v Manly (12pm)
Rosedale Oval � Moorebank v Gosford (1pm)
Sunday 9th August
Spotless Stadium � Auburn v UTS (9am)
BYE � UNSW-ES.