Second Semi Final: Sydney Swans Reserves v Ainslie Tricolours

[ugg]

Thanks for the inside word grose. If Jetta is that lucky, it opens up a spot and probably means Dill gets a reprieve.

I have no idea to the Alice Springs question. A bit presumptuous to think the NT Thunder are going to win the Norther Conference, isn't it?

[grose40]

Wonderful taster for the weekend Uggster! Re: talking points - Jetta has been promoted to 1's off the emerg list for REIDY (don't know why). I am totally bemused by him being named emerg let alone the 1's promotion $#@*&! LRT: I suggest will go back to his old stomping ground and sure up the back line, and possibly rotate thru rucks if there is a disaster. Coaches: well who knows, the call might have to go out to emerg ass coach BIGGUS AL to step up to the plate (shorts n all) ?? Surely for a reasonably important match like this Crouchy needs some back-up ? The omissions - well I do feel for Dill, he has been the rock in the middle, hard trench like performances every week. Lets just hope the theory is a weeks rest for a niggle or knock and straight back in to finish off a very solid year. What worries me about dropping players that have become extremely regular is it can upset the routine. Lets hope this doesn't occur with the 4 unlucky players. Note: the difference between finals campaign this year as opposed to the last couple of years will be the added experience of the toppies/acad kids = just look at the amount of games they have racked up, BIG plus! UGG: true or false - East winner v North winner @ Alice Springs for Champion of champions ?????

[ugg]

NEAFL Second Semi Final
Sydney Swans Reserves v Ainslie Tricolours
Saturday 3rd September 2011 2.00pm
Manuka Oval

Finals time arrives one week earlier for the Reserves. The top two teams of the Eastern Conference clash off for the right to go straight into the grand final in a fortnight's time, the loser meeting the winner of the first semi final between GWS and Eastlake. The Reserves haven't won a Canberra final in 3 years, bowing out in straight sets last year and missing out on the Top 4 in 2009. The last victorious finals game was the dramatic grand final of 2008 when rookie Matt Beckmans kicked the winning behind after the siren.

Although last year's finals campaign was severely hampered by a big injury list, this year's is much smaller and the team has a formidable look about it. In fact, fit and available players look to have been omitted due to the restrictions in place for the finals.

Final Eastern Conference Ladder
Past Meetings
2011
R9 Ainslie 11.8 (74) defeated by Reserves 18.16 (124) @ Newcastle Number 1 Sportsground
Trent Dennis-Lane kicked another bag of goals as the blonde trio of Heath, Bevan and Kruger starred.

Goals: Dennis-Lane 6, Bevan 3, Meredith 2, Norton 2, McNeil 2, Gordon 2, Brain
Best: Heath, Bevan, Kruger, Meredith, Sumner, Currie

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R22 Reserves 16.14 (110) defeated Ainslie 14.2 (86) @ Manuka Oval
A controlled display by the Reserves who led all day but were kept honest by Ainslie's accurate and efficient conversion (can we hire their kicking coach please?). Dennis-Lane led the goalkicking again for the Swans who have been superbly marshalled by nuggety half-forward Jarred Moore in the past 2 months. Marcus Crook was Ainslie's best with 5 goals.

Goals: Dennis-Lane 4, Moore 3, Pini 3, Bevan 2, Heath, Seaby, Pyke, Potter
Best: Moore, Kruger, Meredith, McNeil, Gordon, Murphy

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2010
R3 Reserves 21.19 (145) defeated Ainslie 15.12 (102) @ Sydney Cricket Ground
Patty Veszpremi kicked 5 and Lewis Johnston and Trent Dennis-Lane 4 each as the Reserves overturned a 21 point half time deficit to win comfortably by 43 points. Dylan McNeil and Mike Pyke were the Swans' best players.

Goals: Veszpremi 5, Johnston 4, Dennis-Lane 4, Playfair 3, Rohan 2, Barlow 2, Currie
Best: McNeil, Pyke, Currie, Veszpremi, O'Dwyer, Johnston

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R7 Ainslie 6.14 (50) drew with Reserves 7.8 (50) @ Ainslie Oval
A low-scoring affair in tough conditions. A few in-game injuries allowed Ainslie to come back in the last quarter and take away 2 points. Brett Meredith kicked 3 in a best on ground performance, Daniel Currie was superb rucking the whole game and Ed Barlow provided drive from the half-back line

Goals: Meredith 3, Bird, Thornton, Johnston, McKaigue
Best: Meredith, Currie, Barlow, Thornton, Veszpremi, McKaigue

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R13 Ainslie 18.12 (120) defeated Reserves 7.11 (53) @ Ainslie Oval
Ainslie handed the Reserves their biggest loss of the year. The 12 listed players battled manfully in the first half to trail by 9 points. However they struggled in the second half allowing Ainslie to kick away with a 12 goals to 3 second half. Lewis Johnston was the only multiple goalkicker for the Swans with 2. The Swans only named 3 in the their best players - Sam Reid, Nathan Gordon and Dylan McNeil

Goals: Johnston 2, McNeil, May, Smith, Sumner, Campbell
Best: Reid, Gordon, McNeil

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R17 Reserves 9.7 (61) defeated by Ainslie 12.11 (83) @ Sydney Cricket Ground
Just 9 listed players participated and they put on a strong defensive showing, restricting Ainslie to only 6 goals at three quarter time. However, Ainslie kicked another 6 in the last quarter to pull away quite comfortably. Tall forwards Sam Reid and Lewis Johnston kicked 3 each. Reid, Nathan Gordon and Dylan McNeil were adjudged to be the better Swans.

Goals: Reid 3, Johnston 3, Emery, O'Dwyer, McNeil
Best: Reid, Gordon, O'Dwyer, McNeil, Linsen

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Semi Final 2 Ainslie 9.11 (65) defeated Reserves 3.7 (25) @ Manuka Oval
On a rain-soaked Manuka Oval, the return of classy players Patty Veszpremi and Kristin Thornton were not enough to propel the Reserves into the Grand Final. Daniel Bradshaw kicked 2 goals and Lewis Johnston 1 as Ainslie's forward line coped much better with the downpour. Thornton was the best Swan in his comeback from injury, getting good support from the hardworking Daniel Currie and Byron Sumner.

Goals: Bradshaw 2, Johnston
Best: Thornton, Currie, Sumner, Farrell, Gordon

Recent Form
Reserves
R1 BYE
R2 WIN Away Eastlake 83-33
R3 WIN Home Belconnen 138-29
R4 BYE
R5 WIN Home Tuggeranong 123-12
R6 WIN Away GWS 87-27
R7 WIN Home Gold Coast Reserves 120-28
R8 BYE
R9 WIN Away Ainslie 124-74
R10 WIN Away Brisbane Reserves 104-97
R11 WIN Home Queanbeyan 102-53
R12 WIN Away GWS 115-29
R13 WIN Home Queanbeyan 220-32
R14 WIN Away Tuggeranong 212-57
R15 LOSS Away Gold Coast Reserves 62-141
R16 WIN Home Eastlake 101-81
R17 LOSS Home GWS Giants 57-121
R18 BYE
R19 WIN Away Belconnen 117-17
R20 WIN Away Queanbeyan 150-37
R21 WIN Home Brisbane Reserves 179-29
R22 WIN Away Ainslie 110-86

Ainslie
R1 BYE
R2 LOSS Away GWS 68-109
R3 BYE
R4 BYE
R5 WIN Home Queanbeyan 136-65
R6 WIN Away Tuggeranong 103-86
R7 WIN Away Eastlake 94-57
R8 WIN Away Belconnen 78-52
R9 LOSS Home Sydney Reserves 74-124
R10 BYE
R11 WIN Home Tuggeranong 147-62
R12 WIN Home Belconnen 104-65
R13 LOSS Home Southport 67-131
R14 WIN Away Labrador 115-89
R15 WIN Home Tuggeranong 94-88
R16 WIN Away Queanbeyan 95-62
R17 WIN Away Eastlake 133-72
R18 WIN Away Belconnen 112-47
R19 BYE
R20 WIN Away Eastlake 125-72
R21 WIN Away Queanbeyan 109-84
R22 LOSS Home Sydney Reserves 86-110


Last Round
See R22 matchup above

Team List
Listed players
Changes
In: Meredith (senior demotion), Malceski (injury), Everitt (injury), Roberts-Thomson (injury), Gordon (non playing senior emergency)
Out: Dylan McNeil (?), Chris McKaigue (?), Eugene Kruger (?), Max Otten (?)

It looks like the 4 omissions have been left out due to the list restrictions in place (13 listed players in total). If so I feel very sorry for them as they've played the majority of the games this year and deserve to play in the finals. In particular, the two Maccas, McNeil and McKaigue have been key members of this side and it is a little weird to see them not in the side. However, I cannot disagree with any of the 13 selections made and hopefully there is some rotation system in place so that they do get to play in the next final.

The first thing to note is the height of the side. LRT and Everitt bring more attacking options to an already potent forward line that contains TDL, Moore, Gordon and the resting ruckman in Pyke/Seaby. However, with the exclusions of McKaigue and Otten, it is likely one or more of those talls will have to play in defence to assist Heath and Malceski.

In the midfield, McNeil's exclusion will be significant but hopefully will be offset by the return of Brett Meredith. Along with Jed Lamb who has been impressive in an on-ball role, the midfield might see a rotation through the likes of Jetta, Gordon, Bevan, Malceski, Moore, topups Murphy and Potter and maybe even TDL.

Academy Players/Topups
Changes
In: Lynch, Murphy, Wales, Wray
Out: Tom Green, Aidan Pini, Bryce McEvoy

Murphy is a big in for us, he can play both forward and midfield and is a noted goalkicker. Wales and Lynch will probably line up in defence.

Reserves leading goalkickers

• Trent Dennis-Lane 65
• Nathan Gordon 34
• Jarred Moore 22

For full list: 2011 Leading goalkickers - RWOwiki

Reserves leading votegetters

• Jarred Moore 51
• Nathan Gordon 41
• Dylan McNeil 29

For full list: 2011 Best votes - RWOwiki

Talking points

• Close eyes will be kept on the likes of injury returnees Malceski, Everitt and LRT as well as the form of fringe players Seaby, Meredith, TDL, Jetta and Gordon should any injuries occur in the seniors. (touch wood).
• Where will LRT play given there are other 2 genuine ruckmen in this team?
• Can Jetta do enough to reclaim his spot in the side for the finals?
• Will Playfair be coaching at this game, or will he be relaying instructions from the sideline at the SCG? Ditto Maxfield and his running. If so, who will be coaching in his stead?

Ainslie squad (3 to be omitted)

• 2. John HOLMES
• 3. Nicholas PAINE
• 4. Marcus CROOK
• 5. Ben HUGHES
• 6. Jason FLEMING
• 7. Michael LAWLESS
• 8. Ian LAWLESS
• 9. Ash HARRIS
• 10. Jesse GRIFFIN
• 11. Dale WALKER
• 12. Rob SHIRLEY
• 14. Michael GHOBRIAL
• 15. Robert TUOHEY
• 17. Dale ARGALL
• 20. Ryan TUTT
• 22. Ben PERRY
• 23. David LOVE
• 26. Eric STONE
• 28. Damien BOWLES
• 32. Lachlan CARTER
• 35. Lachlan CROOK
• 38. Mitch MULRONEY
• 41. Lachlan HIGHFIELD
• 44. Aaron VANDENBERG
• 48. David TOW
• 49. Kane MORRIS
• 53. Clint MATHIS

In: Fleming, Morris, Paine, Tuohey, Vandenberg
Out: Rowan Andrews, Jackson Kew, Daniel McFarlane, Andrew Mathis

Forward Nick Paine's return is offset by the loss of giant ruckman Rowan Andrews. Marcus Crook kicked 5 last week and Ben Hughes is the other danger forward to cover.

Summary
This should be a great hitout if last week's corresponding is an accurate guide. The Swans have brought in a lot more AFL experience for this week's game but possibly at the expense of team cohesion. The Swans should win given this edge, but given that the loser has to play the following week, I suspect the coaches wouldn't be too unhappy if the Swans did manage to lose this one.