Written by David Redden
WOMEN'S UNDER 20S:
In Womens Under 20s action, UNSW-ES thumped Parramatta by 62 points at Gipps Rd, Manly Warringah defeated neighbours North Shore by 35 points at Weldon Oval, Pennant Hills thrashed South West Sydney by 111 points at Mike Kenny Oval, and UTS edged out Sydney University (1) by just one point at Mahoney Park. Sydney University (2) had the Bye.
WOMEN'S DIVISION ONE:
In Women's Division One action, Sydney University ground out a tight 7-point win over Newtown Breakaways at Mahoney Park, and North Shore defeated Randwick City Saints by 44 points in the twilight game at Gore Hill Oval. The UTS vs Manly Warringah and East Coast Eagles vs Southern Power games have been re-scheduled and will be played on Saturday 11 July after wet weather prevented play at Trumper Park and Bruce Purser Reserve.
WOMEN'S PREMIER DIVISION:
In an overwhelming performance that will have the rest of the competition taking notice, North Shore destroyed UTS by 98 points at Gore Hill Oval. Final scores were North Shore 14.14.98 to UTS 0.0.0, with the Bombers rocketing into fourth place, behind Sydney University by percentage only.
What was scary about this performance was the utter dominance from North Shore’s midfield and the fact that the Bombers delivery into their forward was only average, with UTS dropping extra players into the backline in an attempt to thwart the back and red tsunami that came their way on a warm day at Gore Hill.
Lily Sullivan kicked 3 goals for North Shore, with key forwards Adrienne Keeffe and Abbey Martin chiming in with 2 goals each.
UTS simply had no answer to the supremely athletic Sophie Kavanagh, who ran at will and was at times unstoppable. Grace Hill tagged Olivia Morris all day and nullified the talented Morris in an excellent performance. Other Bombers to shine were Zoe Hurrell, Liv O'Donnell, Sullivan, and Keeffe. UTS was best served by fullback Gabriella Stanwix, Hannah Cerezo, Georgina McDonnell, Zoe Bush, Brianna-Lee Wade, and Annie Lord.
Undefeated UNSW-ES extended their record to 7-0 with a comprehensive 68-point win over East Coast Eagles at BISP 1. Final scores were UNSW-ES 10.8.68 to East Coast Eagles 0.0.0.
The Bulldogs gained valuable experience playing at Blacktown, where they seem destined for at least 2 finals in September. UNSW-ES led by 33 points at half-time and continued with the job in the second half, all whilst keeping the Eagles scoreless.
Gun forward Rebecca Privitelli kicked 3 goals for the Bulldogs, whilst Taylor Smith chimed in with 2 majors.
UNSW-ES’ best players were Ella Willey, Imogen Baldassarre, Taylor Smith, Georgia Voura, Mostyn Medallist Sera Kaukiono, and Summah Joyce. East Coast Eagles were best served by Jess Whelan, Sarah Hicks, Kahli Gilchrist, Imogen Gray, Skye Southon, and Molly Martin.
Sydney University proved far too strong for St George at BISP 2, with the Students running out winners by 59 points. Final scores were Sydney University 10.9.69 to St George 1.4.10.
The Students led by 46 points at the main break and cruised to their fifth win of the season in the second half as St George at least put up a decent fight in the third and fourth quarters.
The superb Amanda Farrugia and Jessica-Lee Urquhart kicked 3 goals each for Uni, with Madison McCarthy chiming in with 2 majors.
Sydney University’s best players were the evergreen Farrugia (surely in line for another Top 3 finish in the Mostyn Medal), McCarthy, Ashley Dribbus, Maryanne Harley, Molly Cameron, and Claudia Gray.
Manly Warringah ran out comfortable 49-point winners over hosts Parramatta at Gipps Rd Oval. Final scores were Manly Warringah 8.7.55 to Parramatta 1.0.6.
Manly coach Phil Spratt will be pleased that his Wolves outfit kept Parramatta scoreless over the final three quarters as Manly’s much-vaunted Back 5 again dominated proceedings. The Wolves have stars on every line and an excellent midfield and will need all their best players to shine in the second half of the season as they strive for a Top 3 finish at the very least.
Manly’s next two fixtures are at home to UTS then a monster clash with undefeated UNSW-ES at Henson Park on 20 June.
Manly had 8 individual goal kickers.
The Wolves best players were AFL Sydney captain Roxi Beuzeville, Jayme Saggers, Stephanie Wilkins, Sunny Hedges, Ava Barraclough, and Bella Clarke. Parramatta was best served by Cindy Lam, Montana Doubell, AFL Sydney midfielder Megan Mifsud, Marley Rhodes, Sienna Stanford, and Brea Trevitt.
MEN'S UNDER 19.5 DIVISION ONE:
In Mens Under 19.5s Division One action, UNSW-ES defeated East Coast Eagles by 52 points at BISP 1, Pennant Hills accounted for South West Sydney by 52 points at Mike Kenny Oval, Sydney University defeated St George by 22 points at BISP 2, North Shore were too strong for UTS, winning by 39 points at Gore Hill Oval, and Manly Warringah thrashed Inner West Magpies by 88 points at Picken Oval.
MEN'S DIVISION ONE:
In an extraordinary sequence of events on Saturday, NONE of the Mens Division One side picked up four points. Pennant Hills and South West Sydney drew at Mike Kenny Oval, with final scores being Pennant Hills 6.5.41 to South West Sydney 5.11.41. Over at Gipps Rd, Parramatta and Manly Warringah could not be separated at the siren, with both teams finishing on 7.9.51, with the Wolves clawing their way back for a 9-point deficit at the three-quarter time. St George and Sydney University have a re-scheduled game on Thursday Night, 4 June, and Camden will play UNSW-ES on Saturday 11 July after wet weather prevented play at Olds Park and Fairfax Reserve, respectively.
MEN'S PREMIER DIVISION:
North Shore were too strong for UTS at Gore Hill Oval, comfortably winning by 59 points. Final scores were North Shore 16.12.108 to UTS 7.7.49.
Make no mistake, this was a menacing performance from North Shore, and the Bombers will have noted that they relaxed slightly in the last quarter, something they will not do as they head into September. The Bombers midfield was superb, consistently given first use of the ball from giant ruckman Frane Babic.
The game was basically over at half-time, as North Shore led by 44 points at the main break. Their superb organisation across half back and the midfield were simply too much for UTS, with the Bombers footspeed a real highlight in a clinical display from the two-time reigning premiers.
Small forward Patrick Bolger had a field day, kicking 5 goals. Matt Buskariol, Nick Pavlou, and Max Thomas all chimed in with 2 majors apiece. Thomas Charles kicked 2 goals for the Bats.
North Shore’s best players were Pavlou, AFL Sydney midfielder Cooper Donald, Bolger, Sean Netting, Matthew Sidhu, and Buskariol. UTS was best served by Henry Gosse, Ash Backlund, AFL Sydney fullback Lewis McCormack, James Warton, Nick McGill, and Justin Ryan.
After an extraordinary 20-goal second quarter, Manly Warringah (who kicked 13 of the 20 goals in a highlight-reel second stanza) ran away to a crushing 74-point victory over Inner West Magpies at Picken Oval. Final scores were Manly Warringah 23.10.148 to Inner West Magpies 12.2.74, on a day where magnificent goal kicking (the two teams kicked 35 goals from 47 attempts) was a feature.
After a second quarter that sent the statisticians racing for their record books, Manly led by 53 points at the main break. The Wolves then kicked 6 goals to 3 in the second half as they closed the gap on fifth-placed UTS ahead of their crucial clash at Weldon Oval on 13 June.
Phelan Medallist Kale Gabila kicked 6 goals for the Wolves in a superb display. Oliver Griffiths and representative forward Zac Youlten kicked 3 goals each for Manly. Lachlan Tiziani shone for Inner West in kicking 4 goals, with Ryder Eberhard, skipper Cal McEvoy-Gray and stalwart Ben Zoppo chiming in with 2 majors each for the Magpies.
Manly Warringah’s best players were Lachlan Kilpatrick, Lachlan Behagg, Willem Smit, Gabila, Aiden Adams, and Youlten. Inner West was best served by Tiziani, Daniel O’Connell, Max Fasolo, McEvoy-Gray, Zoppo, and Connor Anagnostopoulos.
In a thrilling game of football at BISP 1, East Coast Eagles came from 11 points down at three-quarter time to register their first victory of season 2026, edging out UNSW-ES by a mere 3 points. Final scores were East Coast Eagles 13.11.89 to UNSW-ES 12.14.86, with the Eagles superior shooting proving pivotal in an absolute nail-biter at Rooty Hill.
The Bulldogs led by 6 points at half-time but, crucially, kicked only 5 goals from 15 effective shots on goal. In a topsy-turvy final quarter, key Eagles forward Marshall Poynter kicked 3.2 on his own, including the match-winner in the 25th minute of an amazing final term.
Poynter kicked 6 goals in a brilliant, best-on-ground display for East Coast. League representative Jacquin Mifsud kicked 5 goals for the Bulldogs, with Luke Swan chiming in with 3 goals.
East Coast Eagles were best served by Poynter, Mr Reliable Jacob Jones, Brody Kane, Brady Mackay, Lyndon Hupfeld, and Nick Johns. The Bulldogs’ best players were Mifsud, Swan, Giovanni Douziech, Conor Haswell, Marcus Lippett, and Clancy Walsh.
Sydney University simply annihilated St George at BISP 2, running out 129-point winners in a dominant display. Final scores were Sydney University 22.21.154 to St George 3.8.24, as Uni picked up crucial percentage in the tight battle for the Top 3.
The Students kicked 13 goals to none in a ruthless second half, as they re-grouped after an unusually mediocre performance last week at home to Pennant Hills.
Alex Witherden kicked 3 goals for Uni, and Hunter Pickett kicked 2 goals for St George. Goal kicking and best players info was incomplete at the time of writing.
Competition frontrunners South West Sydney produced an astonishing performance at Mike Kenny Oval, thrashing the in-form Pennant Hills Demons by 65 points. Final scores were South West Sydney 17.13.115 to Pennant Hills 8.2.50.
The Blues kicked 13 goals to 5 after quarter-time, as they disposed of the talented Demons for the second time this season. The Blues sit at 7-1 and look ahead to a monster home clash on 13 June at Rosedale Oval, hosting premiers North Shore in a simply enormous Round 9 fixture.
This was a huge statement game for the Blues, with the Demons coming off a demolition of Sydney Uni 7 days earlier. South West Sydney head into a week off chock full of confidence and relishing the opportunity of having a real crack at the Bombers.
Jerome Lawrence kicked 4 goals for the Blues, with Sullivan O’Dwyer kicking 3 majors and Matt Belbasis and Ed Cole chiming in 2 goals apiece. Cooper Lee kicked 2 goals on a disappointing day for the Demons.
South West Sydney’s best players were Belbasis, Cole, Lawrence, Liam Burns, O'Dwyer, and Thye Hamilton. Pennant Hills was best served by Cameron Mitchell, Phelan Medallist Stephen Wray, Lee, Henry Williams, Thomas Edmonds, and Xavier Russell.