VFL Round 11: Sydney Swans Reserves v Queanbeyan Tigers

[ugg]

NEAFL Round 11
Sydney Swans Reserves v Queanbeyan Tigers
Sunday 12th June 2011 10.40am
Sydney Cricket Ground (hopefully!)

Hopefully the predicted bad weather over the weekend doesn't force another transfer of this match to Lakeside Oval, or God forbid, somewhere else! By a quirk of the NEAFL draw, this will be the first of 2 meetings in 3 weeks between these 2 teams. The Reserves are still sitting pretty on top of the NEAFL (Eastern Conference) ladder, although the Lions gave them a frightful scare towards the end of last week's game.

Eastern Conference Ladder

Past Meetings
2010
R2 Queanbeyan 16.9 (105) defeated by Reserves 19.14 (128) @ Dairy Farmers Park
A high-scoring shootout down in Canberra, 17 listed players fronted for the side and the goals were shared round with 5 players booting 2 goals each. Nick Smith, Mike Pyke and Daniel Currie were named as the Swans best on the day.

Goals: Smith, Rohan, Playfair, McNeil, Dennis-Lane 2, Bevan, Hirst, Miles, Gordon, Heath, Reid, Veszpremi, O'Dwyer, Johnston
Best: Smith, Pyke, Currie, Veszpremi, McNeil, Reid

R10 Reserves 30.14 (194) defeated Queanbeyan 8.14 (62) @ ANZ
In an impressive display harking back to the halcyon days of 05/06, the Reserves were too good for a disappointing Tigers outfit. Dennis-Lane collected his second 7-goal haul for the season, ably supported by Henry Playfair's 5 and top-up player Eugene Kruger's 4. Not surprisingly, Dennis-Lane was the Swans best player on the day, ahead of Pat Veszpremi and Brett Meredith.

Goals: Dennis-Lane 7, Playfair 5, Kruger 4, Gordon, Emery, Veszpremi, Moore 2, McNeil, Picken, McKaigue, Meredith, Lynch, Johnston
Best: Dennis-Lane, Veszpremi, Meredith, Thornton, Playfair, Kruger

R15 Reserves 14.7 (91) defeated by Queanbeyan 19.18 (132) @ Sydney Cricket Ground
A severely depleted Reserves outfit comprising of only 10 listed players put up a spirited fight for most of the match but in the end succumbed by 41 points. Gary Rohan and Patrick Veszpremi were the dynamic duo up front kicking 6 and 4 goals respectively. Chris McKaigue fought hard in defence.

Goals: Rohan 6, Veszpremi 4, McNeil, McKaigue, Pearson, Malcolm
Best: Rohan, Veszpremi, McKaigue, Reid, McNeil, Thompson

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

Queanbeyan
R1 BYE
R2 WIN Home Belconnen 169-46
R3 LOSS Home Mt. Gravatt 64-128
R4 BYE
R5 LOSS Away Ainslie 65-136
R6 WIN Home Belconnen 109-91
R7 BYE
R8 LOSS Away GWS 88-129
R9 WIN Away Tuggeranong 123-93
R10 LOSS Away Belconnen 73-87

Last Round
Brisbane Reserves 14.13 (97) defeated by Reserves 16.8 (104)
The Reserves were equally impressive and disappointing in this game. They shot to big leads in the 1st and the 3rd quarters, only to be reeled in by the Lions in the 2nd and 4th quarters. They just managed to hang on when Kane Murphy snapped the winning goal against the run of play. Byron Sumner did a great run-with job on ex-Swan Amon Buchanan while Daniel Currie was superb in a almost-lone hand in the ruck.

Goal Kickers: White 4, Murphy 2, Currie 2, Bevan 2, Moore, Johnston, Heath, Gordon, Sumner, Kruger
Best Players: Sumner, Currie, Bevan, McNeil, Parker, Brain

Belconnen 13.9 (87) defeated Queanbeyan 10.13 (73)
An upset that dents the Tigers' finals hopes. Queanbeyan were neck-and-neck with the winless Belconnen side, before the Magpies pulled away in the last quarter with 4 goals. It was a disappointing loss as the Tigers had already defeated the Magpies twice this season.

Goal Kickers: Kavanagh 2, Stevens 2, Overs, Kirkwood, Quade, Dickinson, Bull, Wescombe
Best Players: Quade, Hollis, Stevens, Dickinson, Griggs, Overs

Team List
Listed players
Changes
In: Everitt (Senior demotion), Spangher (Hamstring)
Out: None

The final makeup of the team is highly dependent on whether Kieren Jack pulls through his fitness test for the senior team. If Jack doesn't play, one of the emergencies will logically get a call-up, I'm guessing Moore based on the predicted rain. Everitt will make his Swans' ressies debut.

With Spangher back, that could result in both White and Johnston remaining forward for most of the game. Having said that, Spangher did play predominantly forward in his last comeback spell of 2 games. Everitt's inclusion also adds some flexibility to the squad, he could play back, forward or as I'm desperately hoping, gets a run on the wing.

Academy Players/Topups
Changes
In: Guthrie, Kenny, Wray
Out: Andrew Moody, Brendan Norton, Tim Scoular, Ben Urwin

Jackson Potter, Jack Lynch and Eric Moody will still be on RAMS duty but Guthrie is available after being rotated out of that team. Wray has previously played one game as a top-up against the AIS Academy during last year's pre-season

Reserves leading goalkickers

• Trent Dennis-Lane 25
• Ben Haren, Kane Murphy 8
• Paul Bevan, Jesse White 7

For full list: 2011 Leading goalkickers - RWOwiki

Reserves leading votegetters

• Byron Sumner 18
• Lewis Johnston 15
• Nathan Gordon 14

For full list: 2011 Best votes - RWOwiki

Talking points

• Everitt - Is this just a rotation due to him getting very little game time in the past 2 weeks (one week travelling emergency, the next week subbed on) or is it a reflection of his form? Where will he play on Sunday, and will it be an indication of where the coaches see his immediate future in the seniors?
• White - Longmire said during the week that he hopes to settle Jesse as a permanent full forward, I hope that applies to the reserves as well.
• Sumner - Will he get another run-with role to further his football education, perhaps on two-time Mulrooney medallist Mitch Daniher?
• Parker - No particular reason, I'm just looking forward to seeing him play a full game. No emergency duties to rob us of his presence this week.

Queanbeyan squad

• 2. Ryan QUADE
• 3. Andrew SWAN
• 4. Toby CONROY
• 5. James KAVANAGH
• 6. Sam DANIEL
• 8. Neil IRWIN
• 9. Will GRIGGS
• 10. Kaine STEVENS
• 13. Roy JAQUES
• 14. Alex OVERS
• 15. Mitch DANIHER
• 17. Tim COOK
• 18. Jeremy KIRKWOOD
• 19. Steve JOLLIFFE
• 20. Sam JENSEN
• 22. Tom HOLLIS
• 24. Todd DICKINSON
• 25. Jared DANIEL
• 30. Brett FREUND
• 32. Ryan PRICE
• 33. Michael WESCOMBE
• 34. Casey WALSH
• 35. Paul SLATER
• 38. Mitch HEASLIP
• 45. Travis BULL
• 50. Liam Walker EASTICK

Players to look out for include:

• Tall forward Kavanagh who is their major source of goals.I wonder who will play on him? Heath? Johnston? Everitt?
• Tall forward and part time ruckman Ryan Quade
• The competition's premier midfielder in Mitch Daniher
• Young onballer Kaine Stevens who was on GWS's list last year

Summary
Queanbeyan have struggled all season in their away games, and the unexpected loss to Belconnen wouldn't have helped their confidence. The Swans are strengthened by two big bodies in Spangher and Everitt and are playing extremely disciplined football. It is hard to predict anything other than a Swans victory on Sunday.

[Untamed Snark]

I'm really looking forward to the game (both games) it feels like an age since we've played at home.
Thanks Ugg.

[dimelb]

Thanks ugg for your usual unrivalled introduction. I look forward to hearing more about this match.

[Scottee]

OK, now we have a genuine mystery, WTF is going on with Ben Haren?

[BSA5]

OK, now we have a genuine mystery, WTF is going on with Ben Haren?

Good question. Niggle? Sometimes it seems like they don't bother reporting minor-ish injuries about young players who aren't close to selection anyway. Sumner spent a large chunk of last year out with back soreness after a car accident IIRC, and there was nothing on the injury list.

That's my guess anyway. Minor niggle, he's not a big name and it's not a major injury so they're not bothering to report it.

[wolftone57]

Yes could someone fill me in on what is up with Harren as well. Love to see him playing

[ugg]

A car accident is a minor niggle?

Homesickness comes to mind

[BSA5]

A car accident is a minor niggle?

Homesickness comes to mind

The car accident itself isn't a niggle at all! It's a pretty significant and potentially traumatic event.

However, I'd imagine the resultant back pain would have classified as a minor but persistant niggle. The club didn't need to mention the incident, but they could have said "Back soreness - indefinite". It seems they just didn't think it was noteworthy enough, given Sumner was a somewhat anonymous late-ish pick who was too small to push for senior selection in the immediate future anyway.

Of course, homesickness is another possibility for Haren.

[Primmy]

Ben Haren is a skinny long bodied kid. I understand that he may be carrying something along the lines of a hip issue (could be wrong, but lets run with that, I am sure one of the other kids said something along those lines, but I am getting old and decrepit and my memory is fading......sob). He's the kid who the others were cheering on when they pack ran around the oval at training at the start of the year. He was right in it and they were cheering his determination.

He is a good ressie player. He will get better with time and muscle, not quite a 'man' build yet, not a Luke Parker for instance. Its all sinew and bone in pretty reasonable proportions, seasoned with determination. Also he is still a rookie. Doubt he would get much of a mention in the injury lists.

When you remember that Birdy kept getting stress fractures and he is a lot more solidly built than Harry is, you would think that they are going to make sure any niggle is properly managed. I like the look of him. Knows where to go.

PS: Bless you ugg.

[ShockOfHair]

Thanks Ugg. Another great job.

I'm sure you would've mentioned it, but just in case - is Ryan Quade any relation?

[Lucky Knickers]

So any news on whether Ressies game will be moved due to the rain?

[ugg]

Due to the rain I'm only going to provide limited Twitter updates today.

[unconfuseme]

Game on lakeside - bring a brollie!

[ugg]

Fudge.

[Big Al]

I'll never have a go at Melbourne weather again. It's cold and it's raining with the bus shelter at lakeside barely keeping both elements out.

Swans out on the ground "warming" up.