Written by David Redden
WOMEN'S UNDER 20:
In Women's Under 20s action, UTS defeated South West Sydney by 50 points at Rosedale Oval, UNSW-ES eked out a 14-point victory over Pennant Hills at Mike Kenny Oval, Sydney University (2) accounted for Parramatta by 50 points at Gipps Rod Oval, and Manly Warringah won a tough arm-wrestle with Sydney University (1) by 13 points in the late game at Weldon Oval. North Shore had the Bye.
WOMEN'S DIVISION ONE:
In Women's Division One action, Sydney University kept Southern Power goalless in their 23-point win at University No.1 Oval, East Coast defeated UTS by 34 points at Bruce Purser Oval, Randwick City accounted for Newtown Breakaways by 11 points at Pioneers Park, and Manly Warringah defeated North Shore by 15 points in the twilight local derby at Weldon Oval.
WOMEN'S PREMIER DIVISION:
UTS produced a professional 57-point victory over St George at Trumper Oval. Final scores were UTS 14.5.89 to Saint George 5.2.32.
UTS set up their impressive victory with a dominant first quarter, kicking five goals whilst keeping St George scoreless. The Dragons was solid after quarter time, kicking five goals whilst UTS piled on 9 more as the Bats got back into the winners’ circle after a tough loss last week.
Star forward Jess Quaid kicked 4 goals for UTS, whilst Ella Parker had an impressive day kicking 3 majors of her own for the victorious Bats. Jasmine Baily and Tess Kokles kicked 2 goals each for the Dragons.
UTS’ best players were Olivia Morris, Marnie Robinson, Elly Rudd, Gabriella Stanwix, Sam Wightwick, and Annie Lord. St George was best served by Kaitlyn Eisenhuth, Ruby O'Dwyer, Baily, Eloise Carey, Matilda Lupis, and Kokles.
UNSW-ES put on a clinic in belting Pennant Hills by 167 points at Mike Kenny Oval. Final scores on a tough day for the Demons were UNSW-ES 25.17.167 to Pennant Hills 0.0.0.
The Bulldogs had put on a century by half time and slightly eased off the throttle in the second half as they continued their outstanding start to the 2026 season.
Star forwards Emily Conlan and Rebecca Privitelli kicked seven goals each for the Bulldogs.
UNSW-ES’ best players were Hayley Stanford, Taylor Smith, Privitelli, Conlan, Zali Deep, and Bec Newman. Pennant Hills was best served by Ava Clegg, Maddison Kernaghan, Ashleigh Grubba, Laura O'Connell, Amelia Bennett, and Louise Fisher.
Sydney University produced a consistent 4-quarter effort in thrashing Parramatta by 84 points at Gipps Rd Oval. Final scores were Sydney University 13.12.90 to Parramatta 1.0.6.
Parramatta were competitive in the first quarter only trailing by 3 goals at the first break. However, Sydney University's renowned defence shut them down completely for the remaining 3 quarters, keeping the Goannas scoreless in an impressive display.
Voice captain Lucy Gilfedder kicked 3 goals for Sydney University. Macy Tanner-Black chipped in with 2 majors for the Students.
Sydney University’s best players were Saskia Johnson, Amanda Farrugia, Lucy Smith, Brianna Davies, Mimi Pullinger, and Arabella Hendriks. Parramatta was best served by Montana Doubell, Megan Mifsud, Tayliya Noack, Marley Rhodes, Megan Ashford, and Caitlin Connaughton.
Im a tough, attritional played in warm conditions at Weldon Oval, Manly Warringah’s back 5 were simply outstanding in the Wolves 22-point victory over fierce local rivals North Shore. Final scores were Manly Warringah 5.9.39 to North Shore 2.5.17.
After a low-scoring, intense and tough-tackling first half dominated by 50-gamer Lauren Bull (Wolves) and dynamic rover Lucy Yates (Bombers), Manly took a narrow 4-point lead into the main break. Manly gradually crept away over the course of the second half to record a crucial victory, especially considering the meteoric rise of UNSW-ES this season. Bull was unstoppable across half-back, and Yates was superb in racking up dozens of quality touches for her Bombers.
Peggy Stanbury led all goalkickers with 3 majors for Manly on a tough day for forwards, despite excellent conditions at Curl Curl.
Manly Warringah’s best players were the outstanding Bull, the fleet-footed Andrea Roditis, Stanbury, Bella Clarke, Ava Barraclough and Brooke Bailey. North Shore was best served by the simply superb Yates, Heidi Charles, Isadora McLeay, Grace Hill, Kara Selvarajah and Emily Cleghorn.
MEN'S UNDER 19.5 DIVISION ONE:
In Mens Under 19.5 Division One action, East Coast Eagles defeated South West Sydney by 47 points at Bruce Purser Reserve, Manly Warringah edged out great rivals North Shore by 8 points in a terrific game of football at Weldon Oval, Pennant Hills produced a solid 17-point victory over UNSW-ES at Mike Kenny Oval, Sydney University thrashed Inner West Magpies by 147 points at Picken Oval, and St George’s better kicking at goal saw them sneak home by 6 points over UTS at Trumper Oval.
MEN'S DIVISION ONE:
In Mens Division One action, North Shore defeated Manly Warringah by 4 goals at Weldon Oval, Sydney University held on to defeat Parramatta by a mere 6 points at Gipps Road Oval, with this game a curtain-raiser for September Finals action. Camden defeated fierce local rivals South West Sydney by 23 points at Fairfax Reserve, and Pennant Hills thrashed UNSW-ES by 80 points at Mike Kenny Oval.
MEN'S PREMIER DIVISION:
In one of the best home-and-away clashes of the decade, Manly Warringah held off a fast-finishing North Shore by 2 points in a simply thrilling, fast-paced, breathtaking, and electric game of football at a rocking Weldon Oval. Final scores in a local derby to remember were Manly Warringah 16.7.101 to North Shore 15.11.101,
After a pulsating 11-goal first quarter that had the healthy crowd enthralled, the Wolves and Bombers were separated by a mere three points at half-time and at three-quarter time as the lead changed consistently on warm day and fast track at Curl Curl.
This magnificent game of football (club stalwarts and longtime AFL Sydney Commentator Jono Farr said afterwards that this was the best game of club football they had seen) was changed completely in the fourth quarter.
Manly kicked the first 4 goals of the final term, with a rare “double goal” from Irishman Barry O’Connor and then Kaden Harbour (who received a free-kick straight after O’Connor’s goal, before the ball had even been returned to the centre square) and, extraordinarily, two successive 6-6-6 transgressions from North Shore leading to 2 more goals, from Taj Livingston (a wonderful left-foot snap from the Lagoon Pocket) and O’Connor (again). North Shore settled and kicked the last 3 goals of the match to just fall short of what would have been an amazing comeback.
Quite simply, if you have 2 spare hours this week, head to the Streamer website (Streamer: Watch community sport live streams and replays) and watch this game. It was amazing to witness, an exhilarating battle from two powerhouses of AFL Sydney ripping in over 4 pulsating quarters.
O’Connor and Harbour kicked 3 goals each for the Wolves. Angus Loebel, in the best form of his career, kicked 4 goals and Matt Buskariol chipped in with 3 goals for the Bombers.
Manly Warringah’s best players were Byron Laws, Phelan Medallist Kale Gabila, Taine Wright, Kyle Martin, Harbour, and O’Connor. North Shore was best served by Loebel, Cooper Donald, James Tidemann, Buskariol, Thomas Hitchens, and Mitchell Rogers.
South West Sydney returned to the winners’ circle with a crushing 109-point victory over East Coast Eagles at Bruce Purser Reserve. Final scores were South West Sydney 19.10.124 to East Coast Eagles 1.9.15.
In a low scoring first quarter marred by East Coast Eagles’ inaccurate shooting, the Blues lead by two points of the first break. The Blues then kicked away to lead by 28 points at the main break. South West Sydney did their damage in the third quarter, producing a 9-goal blitz as they simply ran amok. They finished off the job in the final quarter, keeping East Coast scoreless in an impressive display.
Jerome Lawrence, released from backline duties, kick 7 goals for the Blues in a superb performance. Josh Croft chipped in with 4 majors as the Blues continued their impressive start to the season.
South West Sydney’s best players were Jack Rule, Xavier Torre, Croft, Max Lower, Lawrence, and Luke Parkinson. East Coast Eagles were best served by their most consistent player Jacob Jones, Lyndon Hupfeld, Nathan Penna, Angus Edwards, Mitchell Bradley, and Baylee Jones.
Sydney University were ruthless in annihilating Inner West Magpies by 166 points at Picken Oval. Final scores were Sydney University 30.18.198 to Inner West Magpies 5.2.32.
After an entertaining 10-goal first quarter, the Students led by 30 points at the first break. From then on, it was one-way traffic as Sydney University piled on 23 goals to 2 in a dominant and percentage-boosting performance.
Lachlan Keeffe kicked 6 goals and Brayden Pilot kicked 5 as Uni’s forwards ran riot. Inner West had 5 players kick 1 goal each.
Sydney University’s best players were Pilot, Mamadou Faye, Declan Fitzpatrick, Wilson Baade, Noah Connick, and Connor Kent. Inne West Magpies were best served by Callum McEvoy-Gray, Ryder Eberhard, Max Fasolo, Jonty Inglis, Ben Zoppo, and Matt Petherick.
UTS continued their unbeaten start to the season with a 79-point demolition of St George in an entertaining, high-scoring fixture at Trumper Oval. Final scores were UTS 21.15.141 to St George 9.8.62.
After a tight first quarter in which both sides kicked 3 goals, UTS went crazy in the second quarter, raining down 9 goals to 1 to effectively have the game won at half-time. The Bats went on with the job in the second half, and they now sit alone on top of the Premier Division ladder ahead of a blockbuster clash away to Pennant Hills this Saturday.
Key forward Ash Backlund kicked 5 goals for UTS, with lively half-forward Blake Tabe chipping in with 3 majors of his own. Hunter Pickett kicked 3 goals for the Dragons, with Jack Druery and stalwart Patrick Tegg adding 2 majors each.
UTS’ best players were James Warton, Nick McGill, John Boylan, the talismanic Backlund, Sam Buckham, and Tabe. St George was best served by Druery, Liam Taylor, Nelson Carey, Eddie Marning, Dominic Soffe, and Mac Winchester.
In the second thriller of Round 5, Pennant Hills came from 17 points down at three-quarter time to defeat UNSW-ES by 2 points in an extraordinary game of football at Mike Kenny Oval. Final scores were Pennant Hills 13.9.97 to UNSW-ES 12.13.85.
After a close first half, the Bulldogs led by 5 points at the main break. UNSW-ES then piled on 5 goals to 3 in an entertaining third quarter to have themselves well on track for an upset victory over their hosts. The Demons kicked 4 of the final goals of the match, with the sealer coming from key forward Nick Hey in the 24th minute, in front of the faithful at Cherrybrook.
This victory proved that the Demons have clearly learnt from a tough 2025 season, where they fell away at the end of the season. Pennant Hills have their sights firmly set on September action this season, and this performance creates a real gap between themselves and fellow finals aspirants UNSW-ES.
Oscar Irwin and Josh Stern kicked 3 goals each for Pennant Hills. Liam Everett and Hey added 2 goals each as the Demons shared the goals around. Jacquin Mifsud led all goalkickers with 5 goals, aided and abetted by Jake Sutton, who chipped in with 2 majors.
Pennant Hills’ best players were Mitchell Blow, Stern, Oliver Williams, Jonathan Friend, Ben Lamb, and Everett. UNSW-ES were best served by William Foster, Oscar Peter, Mifsud, Jackson Tikkeros, Noah Harper, and Toby Renshaw.