Written by David Redden
WOMEN'S UNDER 20S:
In Women's Under 20s action, Pennant Hills thumped UTS by 62 points at Waverley Oval, South West Sydney edged out North Shore by 5 points at Rosedale Oval, Sydney University (2) defeated Parramatta by 18 points at University No.1 Oval, and Sydney University (1) consolidated first place on the ladder with a tough 6-point win over Manly Warringah at Bat & Ball Oval. UNSW-ES had the bye.
WOMEN'S DIVISION ONE:
In Women's Division One action, North Shore thumped Southern Power by 88 points at Gore Hill Oval, Manly Warringah thrashed Sydney University by 66 points at Bat & Ball Oval, Newtown overwhelmed UTS by 66 points at Mahoney Park, and Randwick City ran riot at Pioneers Park, defeating East Coast Eagles by 108 points.
WOMEN'S PREMIER DIVISION:
UTS re-started their season with a comprehensive 107-point victory over Pennant Hills at Waverley Oval. Final scores were UTS 17.11.113 to Pennant Hills 1.0.6.
The Bats led by 28 points at the first change and were never threatened by the young and inexperience Demons outfit. UTS gained important percentage as they seem destined for a Sunday Elimination Final in late August.
Brianna-Lee Wade kicked 4 goals for UTS, with 4 players (Melanie Bertuna, Gemma Casiglia, Laura Donohoe, and Piper Khouri) all kicking 2 goals each for the Bats.
UTS’ best players were Wade, Olivia Morris, Bertuna, Elly Rudd, Khouri, and backline general Hannah Cerezo. Pennant Hills were best served by Amber Reveley, Louisa Carter, Remy Ally, Claudia D'Ambros, Ashleigh Grubba, and Christine Abrams.
Sydney University maintained their Top 3 spot with a solid 49-point victory over Parramatta at University No.1 Oval. Final scores were Sydney University 9.10.64 to Parramatta 2.3.15.
In a low-scoring first half, the Students (who welcomed back Mostyn Medallist Maryanne Harley) led the Goannas by 17 points at the main break. University then kicked 7 goals to 2 in the second half as they gradually wore a committed Parramatta down.
Vice-captain Lucy Gilfedder kicked 4 goals for Sydney Uni, with Emma Walsh and Molly Gibbs chiming in with 2 goals each for the Students.
Sydney University’s best players were Niamh McMahon, Ryleigh Delacour-Batch, Karina Bell, Gilfedder, Saskia Johnson, and Carlie Ikonomou. Parramatta’s best players were not listed at the time of writing.
North Shore and Manly Warringah played out a thrilling draw at a sun-drenched Gore Hill Oval, with both teams finishing on 4.6.30.
The Wolves were outstanding in the first half, with their intense tackling and dominant midfield shutting down the Bombers, as Manly led by 16 points at the main break.
The Bombers started to work harder in the midfield in the third quarter but could only manage 4 behinds at they trailed by 3 goals at the final change. North Shore then produced a stirring comeback, kicking 3.1 to 0.1 in the final term, with a late Adrienne Keeffe goal (with just 2:19 left on the clock) levelling the scores. Neither side went close to a score in the final 139 seconds as the two finals-bound sides produced yet another terrific game of football.
Keeffe kicked 2 goals for North Shore, both in the last quarter. Brooke Bailey kicked 2 goals for Manly Warringah, with both sides missing plenty of top-level talent due to a combination of higher level footy, injury and mid-season holidays.
North Shore’s best players were Isadora McLeay, Kara Selvarajah (both of whom were magnificent in defence), Heidi de Saxe, Ella Daniel, Zoe Hurrell, and Georgina Maher. Manly Warringah was best served by the outstanding Holly Wickham, Lauren Bull, dual Mostyn Medallist Hannah Woolf, Bella Clarke, Andrea Roditis, and Bailey.
UNSW-ES defeated St George by 41 points at Henson Park. Final scores were UNSW-ES 8.12.60 to St George 3.1.19.
The Bulldogs set the game up with a dominant first half, leading by 37 points at the main break as the kept the Dragons to a solitary behind across the first two quarters. The Dragons fought back well in the third quarter, trailing the Bulldogs by 27 points at three-quarter time. UNSW-ES then kicked 3 goals to 1 in the final term, with their inaccurate kicking (8 goals from 20 effective shots on goal) surely to be worked on before Round 13 on 18 July.
Senna Gulden and Taylor Smith kicked 2 goals each for the Bulldogs.
UNSW-ES’ best players were representative star Emily Conlan, Eliza McLeod, Rani Sossai, Gulden, Emily-Summer Hawes, and Matilda Seinor. St George’s best players were not listed at the time of writing.
MEN'S UNDER 19.5 DIVISION ONE:
In Men's Under 19.5s Division One action, Manly Warringah defeated North Shore by 23 points at Gore Hill Oval, South West Sydney accounted for East Coast Eagles by 49 points at Rosedale Oval, Pennant Hills defeated UTS by 61 points at Waverley Oval, UNSW-ES defeated St George by 48 points at Henson Park, and Sydney University thrashed Inner West Magpies by 141 points at University No.1 Oval.
MEN'S DIVISION ONE:
In Men's Division One action, Sydney University defeated Parramatta by 20 points at University No.1 Oval, St George accounted for UNSW-ES by 31 points at Henson Park, Camden defeated local rivals South West Sydney by 29 points at Rosedale Oval, and North Shore thumped Manly Warringah by 70 points at Gore Hill Oval. Pennant Hills had the bye.
MEN'S PREMIER DIVISION:
UNSW-ES thumped St George by 66 points at Henson Park. Final scores were UNSW-ES 17.12.114 to St George 6.12.48.
The Bulldogs went crazy in the first quarter, kicking 8.2 as they raced to 35-point quarter-time lead. UNSW-ES kicked 3 goals in each of the final 3 quarters as a dogged St George battled to keep the margin somewhat respectable.
Noah Harper had a day out for the Bulldogs, kicking 5 goals. Cooper Flint added 4 majors, Ben Scala 3 and Jackson Tikkeros 2 as the goals were shared around. Kirian Ayres and Hunter Pickett kicked 2 goals each for the Dragons.
UNSW-ES’ best players were Harper, Flint, Scala, Ben Pignatelli, Billy Foster, and Byron Middleton. St George was best served by Dominic Soffe, Joshua Nicholls, Luke Arendse, Jack Logan, Mac Winchester, and Roman Pickett.
Pennant Hills worked hard to defeat UTS by 33 points at Waverley Oval. Final scores were Pennant Hills 13.16.94 to UTS 9.7.61.
The Demons set up their victory with a dominant second term, as they kicked 6.4 to 2.2 to set up a 41-point lead at the main break. UTS kicked 6 goals to 4 in the second half as they dug deep in front of the Waverley Oval on a glorious winter afternoon in the Eastern Suburbs.
The Bats sit just outside the Top 5 but have a very tough draw after Rep Round, with Sydney Uni, Manly Warringah, North Shore and finally South West Sydney amongst their final 6 games.
Josh Stern continued his excellent season for the Demons, kicking 4 goals. Skipper Mitchell Blow and Nick Key kicked 2 goals each for Pennant Hills. Thomas Charles (3) and Ash Backlund (2) were once again UTS’ best options up forward.
Pennant Hills’ best players were Cooper Lee, Cameron Mitchell, Jonathan Friend, Blow, Xavier Russell, and Charles Allison. UTS was best served by James Warton, Justin Ryan, Lachlan McNamara, James Higgins, Charles, and Lewis McCormack.
South West Sydney thumped East Coast Eagles by 65 points at Rosedale Oval. Final scores were South West Sydney 18.12.120 to East Coast Eagles 8.7.55.
The Blues rocketed out of the change rooms in the first quarter, kicking 9.2 in a wonderful display, as they led by 47 points at the first change. Despite East Coast once again showing their fitness and resolve in the second half, the Blues were never seriously threatened in yet another convincing display. With percentage likely to be crucial at season’s end, the Blues edged their percentage up to 216.82, only 5 percentage points behind first-placed North Shore.
Jerome Lawrence kicked 4 goals for South West Sydney, with Phelan Medal hopeful Luke Parkinson chipping in with 3 majors for the Blues. Thye Hamilton, Kohan Prenter and Jack Rule added 2 goals each for South West Sydney. Noah Golds kicked 3 goals for the Eagles, with Connor Ballingall and Blake Rundell chipping in with 2 majors each.
South West Sydney’s best players were Prenter, Matthew Storey, Edward Cole, Lawrence, Rule, and Hamilton. East Coast’s were best served by Golds, Angus Edwards, Toby Hunt, Reeve Simmons, Jesse Eldred, and Jacob Jones.
North Shore maintained first place on a crowded leaderboard with a professional 38-point win over local rivals Manly Warringah at Gore Hill Oval. Final scores were North Shore 13.8.86 to Manly Warringah 6.12.48.
With both sides missing several players each, the Bombers flew out of blocks, setting their victory up with a dominant 5.4 to 0.2 first quarter. Manly Warringah at least kept pace with the two-time reigning premiers across the final three quarters, as their backline and midfield stood up after a dismal first quarter.
North Shore had Matthew Sidhu tag Kale Gabila, a masterstroke as Sidhu kept the explosive Gabila relatively quiet. Manly’s inaccurate kicking particularly in the third quarter, cost them as North Shore produced yet another defensive masterclass, on the back of a superb performance from centre-half back Mitchell Rogers.
Angus Loebel kicked 5 goals for the Bombers. Nick Robinson chimed in with 3 majors and Cooper Donald 2 for North Shore. Manly’s 6 goals were kicked by 6 individual goalkickers.
North Shore’s best players were best on ground Rogers, Donald, Loebel, Harry Edwards, Nick Robinson, and Harry Walker. Manly Warringah was best served by Oliver Rojo, Lachlan Kilpatrick, Aiden Adams, Whiley Toll, Jasper Crouch, and Tyler Sheehan.
Sydney University ran riot against Inner West Magpies at University No.1 Oval, pummelling the Magpies by 118 points. Final scores were Sydney University 23.17.155 to Inner West Magpies 6.1.37. The Students increased their percentage to 183.66% as they sit 4 points and just less than 17 percent above fourth-placed Pennant Hills in the compelling race to the Top 3.
University led by 3 goals at quarter-time then kicked 19 goals to 4 in the final three quarters as they punished ninth-placed Inner West Magpies on a warm July afternoon at No.1 Oval.
Lachlan Keeffe kicked 5 goals for Sydney University, with Rory Barkley and Hugo Blacker both adding 4 majors for the Students. Ben Brooks and Thomas Coughlin kicked 2 goals each for the Magpies.
Sydney University’s best players were Connor Kent, Noah Connick, Sebastian Mok, Jack Lewsey, Nathan Tang, and Rory Barkley. Inner West Magpies were best served by the consistent Will Deller, Jonty Inglis, Daniel McMahon, Kevin Clark, Coughlin, and Brooks.