VFL Round 18: Belconnen Magpies v Sydney Swans Reserves

[Primmy]

Must not neglect the ressies, they are working hard, especially the toppies. Must give them credit as due.

[ugg]

Round 18: Belconnen Magpies v Sydney Swans Reserves

AFL Canberra Round 18
Belconnen Magpies v Sydney Swans Reserves
Saturday 28th August 2010 2.05pm
Manuka Oval

Defending premiers Belconnen find themselves in a tough spot, out of a finals spot and up against the top-ranked Swans. There are a couple of permutations that could result in the Magpies sneaking into the finals, but regardless of what happens in the other 2 games, a victory in this one is a pre-requisite. The Swans, meanwhile, have suffered heavily at the injury table in the past month and are struggling as a result. Ainslie could pip them to the minor premiership if the margin of a Swans loss to Belconnen and the margin of an Ainslie victory over Eastlake total around 160 points.

Ladder
Past Meetings
2010
R1 Reserves 20.8 (128) defeated Belconnen 9.12 (66) @ Sydney Cricket Ground

The Reserves were impressive in thrashing the defending premiers in Round 1. That victory halted a shocking record of 8 losses in 9 games against the Magpies. Sam Reid kicked 5, while Campbell Heath, Nick Smith and Matthew O'Dwyer were amongst the best Swans players that day.

R6 Belconnen 8.6 (54) defeated by Reserves 18.9 (117) @ Manuka Oval

The Reserves led from start to finish, and their performance was hailed by coach Frosty McPherson as their best performance in 2 years. Trent Dennis-Lane finished with 7 majors at the end of the game, while Sam Reid was named BOG after a impressive stint in defence. He was ably supported by Matthew O'Dwyer and Dylan McNeil.

R11 Belconnen 11.7 (73) defeated by Reserves 14.13 (97) @ Manuka Oval

The Reserves continued their much improved away form by easily accounting for the Magpies. They led by 44 points at the last change before a string of injuries allowed Belconnen to close the gap to a respectable 24 point margin. Gary Rohan bounced back from his dropping with 3 goals while Lewis Johnston, Ted Richards and Brett Meredith pushed their claims for senior selection with impressive games.

2009
R1 Belconnen 16.14 (110) defeated Reserves 10.5 (65) @ Ainslie Oval
R6 Belconnen 26.18 (174) defeated Reserves 12.12 (84) @ Manuka Oval
R11 Belconnen 24.13 (157) defeated Reserves 6.12 48 @ Manuka Oval
R16 Reserves 10.15 (75) defeated by Belconnen 12.19 (91) @ Sydney Cricket Ground

Recent Form
Belconnen - LWLLL
Reserves - LWLLL

Last Round
Reserves 9.7 (61) defeated by Ainslie 12.11 (83)

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 ajudged to be the better Swans.


Queanbeyan 22.20 (152) defeated Belconnen 13.10 (88)

Team List (number of 2010 AFL Canberra games in brackets)
Listed players

• 10. Daniel Currie [15]
• 19. Daniel Bradshaw [0]
• 22. Byron Sumner [12]
• 23. Lewis Johnston [16]
• 28. Dylan McNeil [16]
• 35. Campbell Heath [11]
• 36. Chris McKaigue [15]
• 43. Matthew O'Dwyer [11]
• 45. Nathan Gordon [17]
• 46. Taylor Gilchrist [15]

In: Bradshaw (injury), Heath (?)
Out: Sam Reid (Travelling senior emergency)

As all 3 senior emergencies haven't been named, one must assume that they have all flown to Brisbane as cover for the seniors game. Their absence will be keenly felt by this threadbare squad. Bradshaw will slot into Reid's key forward spot, although he is unlikely to roam as far and wide as Reid did last week. Heath returns to boost the undersized defence alongside McKaigue, O'Dwyer and Gilchrist.

Scholarship Players

• 47. Blake Guthrie [8]
• 50. Nathan Kenny [4]
• 52. Mitch May [9]

In: May
Out: Jackson Potter, Jack Lynch

Top ups

• 26. Cameron Squires (Eastlake)
• 44. Brady Scholes (Ainslie)
• 48. Lachlan Felsman (Tuggeranong)
• 49. Brent Ford (Ainslie)
• 51. Mitchell Gorman (Tuggeranong)
• 53. Daniel Dickerson [4] (Eastlake)
• 54. Jake King (Ainslie) no not that one. 189 cm utility, (ex?) West Coast scholarship player
• 55. Zachary Greig (Ainslie)
• 56. Jerome Farrell [1] (Balmain Dockers)
• 57. Rohan Bates (Balmain Dockers)

Reserves leading goalkickers

• Lewis Johnston 38 (16 games)
• Trent Dennis-Lane 37 (11 games)
• Pat Veszpremi 24 (15 games)

For full list: 2010 Goalkickers - RWOwiki

Reserves leading votegetters

• Sam Reid 39 (16 games)
• Daniel Currie 33 (15 games)
• Dylan McNeil 32 (16 games)

For full list: 2010 Best votes - RWOwiki

Belconnen
Key injuries have led to Belconnen's tumble down the ladder. Their 2009 AFL Canberra ruckman of the year Matt Porter has only played once this year, while their leading goalkicker Andrew Ainger hasn't pulled on the boots since early June. Talented midfielder Josh Jennings returns after missing last week against the Tigers.

• 1. Matthew Campbell
• 2. Stephen Coate
• 8. Paul Raadts
• 10. Blake Talsma
• 11. Alexander Bennett
• 13. Joshua Jennings
• 14. Mal Douglas
• 22. Martin Rice
• 24. Rhys McAlister
• 26. Dom Bunyan
• 27. Griffin Underwood
• 28. Sam Rutland
• 29. Simon Curtis
• 32. Toby Lefort
• 33. Christopher York
• 37. John Love
• 38. Luke Donohoe
• 40. Daniel Posch
• 46. Ryan Turnbull
• 59. Stewart Boyd
• Daniel Jordan
• Stephen Mielke
• Nick Collins
• Zachary Sheather

Talking points

• All eyes will be on Bradshaw as he attempts to make a return to the senior side. A big question mark remains over his fitness as he hasn't played since AFL Round 9 and had an interrupted pre-season. Players returning after a long injury layoff are usually eased back with a pre-determined amount of game time, in order to minimise the chances of an injury recurrence. Given this will be Bradshaw's only reserves game, in all likelihood he will be pushed harder than usual.
• Given all the finals games will be played in Canberra, the reserves team should use this game as a dress-rehearsal for September. Facing a hungry opposition with a lot to play for, the intensity of this match should be as high as in a sudden-death game.
• Sumner - A disappointingly insipid display against Ainslie after a number of consecutive good games.
• Johnston - Bradshaw will play out of the goalsquare giving Johnston an opportunity to play further up the ground. Johnston is a clever player, and if on song, he could be he could end with up a few assists on the stats sheet.

Why the Swans can win

• Missing their key players, this Belconnen squad are not the same dominant force as last year's side.
• 3-0 against Belconnen this year.
• Braddy's guns.

Why Belconnen can win

• A 'MUST-WIN' game for their premiership defence.
• Home ground advantage.
• Swans lack of numbers.

[dimelb]

Thanks ugg. A puzzle about the emergencies. Has Roos got more tricks up his sleeve?
Looks like another hard afternoon's work for the 2s.

[ugg]

Roos has another swipe at some of our youngsters. I wonder who he's on about?

Numerous young players on AFL lists do not want to play football and have simply been swept up in the system, according to Swans coach Paul Roos. In his final season as senior coach of Sydney, Roos has occasionally offered veiled criticism of younger members of his squad for a lack of commitment.

AFL draftees have passion problem: Roos

[aardvark]

Roos has another swipe at some of our youngsters. I wonder who he's on about?

Sounds like we may be active in trade week again.....

[Bas]

Sounds like we may be active in trade week again.....

He might not be talking about anyone on our list. What would you get as trade if the player can't make the firsts on a regular basis.

I think we did our wheeling and dealing last year. Probably trade our first pick on a established player.

[UglyDuckling]

Roos has another swipe at some of our youngsters. I wonder who he's on about?


AFL draftees have passion problem: Roos

vezpremi and johnston are the obvious choices for me. High picks with heaps of talents who havnt been working hard enough

[Primmy]

Vez maybe, probably, but not LJ. He has had only one playing season and part of that was spent injured. I think he is ok....could be wrong though.

And thanks ugg.....gosh that is a depleted list. Wonder how the Tugger boys will go. Wonder what Braddy is going to do with his guns.....speculation is rife on this side of the computer.

[UglyDuckling]

Vez maybe, probably, but not LJ. He has had only one playing season and part of that was spent injured. I think he is ok....could be wrong though.

And thanks ugg.....gosh that is a depleted list. Wonder how the Tugger boys will go. Wonder what Braddy is going to do with his guns.....speculation is rife on this side of the computer.

the only reason i mention johnston is because roos mentioned during the year that he hasnt been training hard enough and considering our lack of height forward at times i would have thought that he would have made a debut. fingers crossed that i am completely way off the mark with this one

[royboy42]

Towards the end of the season the coaches put a LOT of time into Johnston at training.
I always felt he was regarded as a worthwhile investment from their point of view.
It would really surprise me if he was considered as superfluous to our needs next year.

[Melbourne_Blood]

Could be some Roos genius plot to fire up Vez in the off season ? I hope it works

[ugg]

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[ShockOfHair]

Reserves down 8.7 to 5.3 at half-time for those who can't be botheredi clicking onto Facebook.

Leigh Matthews made a similar point to Roosy a couple of years ago when he was still coachin, saying one of his biggest challenges was to get players to watch other games.

[Peace]

only care about bradshaw currently.... how'd he go??

[31 hard at it]

Dogzbody has reported on the Bradshaw thread that he sat on the bench for the second half with his knee on ice.
Looks like he has struggled to get it working.
Better to take the summer to rehab and try to get it right.