VFL Grand Final: Sydney Swans Reserves v Ainslie Tricolours

[ugg]

NEAFL Grand Final
Sydney Swans Reserves v Ainslie Tricolours
Saturday 17rd September 2011 2.15pm
Manuka Oval

The big day is finally here and fittingly the two best teams of the year will square off for the right to be crowned the inaugural NEAFL Eastern Conference champions. While the Swans have beaten Ainslie in all 3 meetings this year, the Tricolours have challenged the Reserves in the last 2 games and this game will by no means be a cakewalk. The Tricolours are the premier Canberra-based team, only losing to non-Canberra teams and even claiming a Northern Conference scalp this year.

Ainslie had a nervous week with 4 players facing the MRP after their brutal preliminary final clash with Eastlake - including leading goalkicker Ben Hughes. All are free to play after not guilty verdicts and reprimands were handed out.

Final Eastern Conference Ladder
Past Meetings
2011
R9 Ainslie 11.8 (74) defeated by Reserves 18.16 (124) @ Newcastle Number 1 Sportsground
Trent Dennis-Lane kicked another bag of goals as the blonde trio of Heath, Bevan and Kruger starred.

Goals: Dennis-Lane 6, Bevan 3, Meredith 2, Norton 2, McNeil 2, Gordon 2, Brain
Best: Heath, Bevan, Kruger, Meredith, Sumner, Currie

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R22 Reserves 16.14 (110) defeated Ainslie 14.2 (86) @ Manuka Oval
A controlled display by the Reserves who led all day but were kept honest by Ainslie's accurate and efficient conversion (can we hire their kicking coach please?). Dennis-Lane led the goalkicking again for the Swans who have been superbly marshalled by nuggety half-forward Jarred Moore in the past 2 months. Marcus Crook was Ainslie's best with 5 goals.

Goals: Dennis-Lane 4, Moore 3, Pini 3, Bevan 2, Heath, Seaby, Pyke, Potter
Best: Moore, Kruger, Meredith, McNeil, Gordon, Murphy

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Semi Final 2 Reserves 21.7 (133) defeated Ainslie 9.17 (71) @ Manuka Oval
Ainslie finally found a way to contain goal machine Trent Dennis-Lane, keeping the spry forward goalless for the first time this season. However they had no answer to the Swans' mighty spread of goalkickers. Accurate conversion for goal gave the Swans a comfortable buffer at each break and although Ainslie fought back hard in the last and generated many oppor their inaccuracy cost them any chance of a miraculous comeback.

Goals: Gordon 5, Meredith 3, Lamb 2, Seaby 2, McNeil 2, May 2, Wales, Pyke, Crawford, Moore, Moody
Best: Moore, Guthrie, Heath, Gordon, Seaby, Potter

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2010
R3 Reserves 21.19 (145) defeated Ainslie 15.12 (102) @ Sydney Cricket Ground
Patty Veszpremi kicked 5 and Lewis Johnston and Trent Dennis-Lane 4 each as the Reserves overturned a 21 point half time deficit to win comfortably by 43 points. Dylan McNeil and Mike Pyke were the Swans' best players.

Goals: Veszpremi 5, Johnston 4, Dennis-Lane 4, Playfair 3, Rohan 2, Barlow 2, Currie
Best: McNeil, Pyke, Currie, Veszpremi, O'Dwyer, Johnston

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R7 Ainslie 6.14 (50) drew with Reserves 7.8 (50) @ Ainslie Oval
A low-scoring affair in tough conditions. A few in-game injuries allowed Ainslie to come back in the last quarter and take away 2 points. Brett Meredith kicked 3 in a best on ground performance, Daniel Currie was superb rucking the whole game and Ed Barlow provided drive from the half-back line

Goals: Meredith 3, Bird, Thornton, Johnston, McKaigue
Best: Meredith, Currie, Barlow, Thornton, Veszpremi, McKaigue

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R13 Ainslie 18.12 (120) defeated Reserves 7.11 (53) @ Ainslie Oval
Ainslie handed the Reserves their biggest loss of the year. The 12 listed players battled manfully in the first half to trail by 9 points. However they struggled in the second half allowing Ainslie to kick away with a 12 goals to 3 second half. Lewis Johnston was the only multiple goalkicker for the Swans with 2. The Swans only named 3 in the their best players - Sam Reid, Nathan Gordon and Dylan McNeil

Goals: Johnston 2, McNeil, May, Smith, Sumner, Campbell
Best: Reid, Gordon, McNeil

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R17 Reserves 9.7 (61) defeated by Ainslie 12.11 (83) @ Sydney Cricket Ground
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 adjudged to be the better Swans.

Goals: Reid 3, Johnston 3, Emery, O'Dwyer, McNeil
Best: Reid, Gordon, O'Dwyer, McNeil, Linsen

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Semi Final 2 Ainslie 9.11 (65) defeated Reserves 3.7 (25) @ Manuka Oval
On a rain-soaked Manuka Oval, the return of classy players Patty Veszpremi and Kristin Thornton were not enough to propel the Reserves into the Grand Final. Daniel Bradshaw kicked 2 goals and Lewis Johnston 1 as Ainslie's forward line coped much better with the downpour. Thornton was the best Swan in his comeback from injury, getting good support from the hardworking Daniel Currie and Byron Sumner.

Goals: Bradshaw 2, Johnston
Best: Thornton, Currie, Sumner, Farrell, Gordon

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
R11 WIN Home Queanbeyan 102-53
R12 WIN Away GWS 115-29
R13 WIN Home Queanbeyan 220-32
R14 WIN Away Tuggeranong 212-57
R15 LOSS Away Gold Coast Reserves 62-141
R16 WIN Home Eastlake 101-81
R17 LOSS Home GWS Giants 57-121
R18 BYE
R19 WIN Away Belconnen 117-17
R20 WIN Away Queanbeyan 150-37
R21 WIN Home Brisbane Reserves 179-29
R22 WIN Away Ainslie 110-86
SF2 WIN Neutral Ainslie 133-71

Ainslie
R1 BYE
R2 LOSS Away GWS 68-109
R3 BYE
R4 BYE
R5 WIN Home Queanbeyan 136-65
R6 WIN Away Tuggeranong 103-86
R7 WIN Away Eastlake 94-57
R8 WIN Away Belconnen 78-52
R9 LOSS Home Sydney Reserves 74-124
R10 BYE
R11 WIN Home Tuggeranong 147-62
R12 WIN Home Belconnen 104-65
R13 LOSS Home Southport 67-131
R14 WIN Away Labrador 115-89
R15 WIN Home Tuggeranong 94-88
R16 WIN Away Queanbeyan 95-62
R17 WIN Away Eastlake 133-72
R18 WIN Away Belconnen 112-47
R19 BYE
R20 WIN Away Eastlake 125-72
R21 WIN Away Queanbeyan 109-84
R22 LOSS Home Sydney Reserves 86-110
SF2 LOSS Neutral Sydney Reserves 71-133
Prelim WIN Neutral Eastlake 146-56


Last Round
Swans - see Semi Final 2 result above

Ainslie 21.20 (146) defeated Eastlake 8.8 (56)
Ainslie stamped their class over an inferior Demons side. A 9 goal lead at half time was further extended to a 15 goal margin by the end of the match.

Goals: Paine 5, Crooke 4, Hughes 3, M.Lawless 3, Vandenberg 2, Stone, Shirley, C.Mathis, Love
Best: M.Lawless, Andrews, Hughes, Crook, Tow, Paine

Team List
Listed players
Changes
In: Bevan, Jetta, Malceski (all non-playing senior emergencies), Kruger, Otten (both rested?)
Out: Jed Lamb (?), Lewis Roberts-Thomson (senior promotion)

A net total of 3 inclusions will bolster the number of listed players to 14. However, as far as I'm aware, the restriction is 13 listed players so it looks like 1 (most likely Kruger or Otten) is on standby if one of the senior emergencies gets a call up for the Hawks final.

Lamb's absence will be noticeable as his form had been top-notch since his return from injury 6 weeks ago. His clearance work and goal kicking prowess playing in the midfield had added something extra to this already dominant side. With the surfeit of forward options (TDL, Moore, Gordon, Bevan, Seaby/Pyke) , Everitt might find himself on defensive duties.

Academy Players/Topups
Changes
In: Brain
Out:

Brain is a handy midfield player who has been impressive in a number of games this year. Kane Murphy became the first non-listed Swan to be named in the Team of the Year, earning the last spot on the interchange bench. Do not underestimate the influence the topups have had on the team's performance this year, and with such a strong lineup named here (only Mitch Thompson is missing of the 'regular' topups), they will have a say in the outcome.

Reserves leading goalkickers

• Trent Dennis-Lane 65
• Nathan Gordon 39
• Jarred Moore 23

For full list: 2011 Leading goalkickers - RWOwiki

Reserves leading votegetters

• Jarred Moore 57
• Nathan Gordon 44
• Dylan McNeil 29

For full list: 2011 Best votes - RWOwiki

Talking points

• TDL was blanketed 2 weeks ago - surely Ainslie couldn't repeat the feat for the 2nd game running? In any case, the Ainslie defensive coaches might feel like they're playing a game of Whack-a-Mole. Stop TDL and Nipper Gordon will pop up with a bag of 5. Stop him and the Swans ruckmen may pluck a grab or two in the goalsquare
• Who will play on Ainslie's dangerous forwards? Chris McKaigue and Lewis Johnston have been the defensive spine of this team for the majority of the year but both will be absent on Saturday. Backup options include Heath, Everitt, Otten and Malceski.
• Moore's joint win (with Daniel Currie) of the Mulrooney Medal midweek was a just reward for a fantastic 3 months of football. Coaches and teammates alike have complimented him on his professionalism and work rate over this period and he'll be keen to lead from the front again.

Ainslie squad (1 to be omitted)

• 1. Daniel McFARLANE
• 2. John HOLMES
• 3. Nicholas PAINE
• 4. Marcus CROOK
• 5. Ben HUGHES
• 6. Jason FLEMING
• 7. Michael LAWLESS
• 8. Ian LAWLESS
• 9. Ash HARRIS
• 10. Jesse GRIFFIN
• 11. Dale WALKER
• 12. Rob SHIRLEY
• 14. Michael GHOBRIAL
• 15. Robert TUOHEY
• 17. Dale ARGALL
• 20. Ryan TUTT
• 23. David LOVE
• 24. Rowan ANDREWS
• 26. Eric STONE
• 28. Damien BOWLES
• 38. Mitch MULRONEY
• 41. Lachlan HIGHFIELD
• 44. Aaron VANDENBERG
• 48. David TOW
• 53. Clint MATHIS

In: Highfield, McFarlane, Mulroney

The big change from the Semi Final is the return of ruckman Rowan Andrews who should provide a good contest against the Seaby/Pyke Swan combo. The dangermen remain the same - noted goalkicker Ben Hughes who finished 3rd in the Mulrooney count, runners M.Crook, Shirley, backmen Tuohey, Love and Walker and goalkicking forwards Stone and Paine

Summary
Ainslie have improved with each hitout against the Swans and will be buoyed by their crushing victory in the preliminary final. A proud club with the extra incentive of defending their premiership from last year, they will go into the game with a fiery attitude and the early physical clashes will be telling. However, with the number of experienced players lining up for the red and whites and with their ability to maintain solid form despite changing personnel week in, week out - the Swans should claim the title and move on to next week's Conference Grand Final against the Northern Conference champions which will be either the NT Thunder or Morningside.

[Big Al]

You heading down Ugg??

[ugg]

Nope I have a wedding to attend. Arghhhhhh!

I'll be tuned in to this thread though

[Big Al]

Okay, no worries. I'll post my usual gibberish from the ground then.

Do we have a team list yet??

[ugg]

Yep look above Your favourite Lamb is out

[ShockOfHair]

Any mail on Lamb's exclusion?

[stellation]

Did Al finally get to sit on Jed's lap?

[Big Al]

Yep look above Your favourite Lamb is out

Sorry mate, Tapatalk gets as far as the ladder and that's it... I should have known that wouldn't be it... doh!!

Not happy Jan... I had a I heart Lamb T-Shirt all done for the occassion.

We still should have enough fire power to get over Ainslie but that's a big out. Will be won, like most big games, in the midfield. What I saw of Ainslie is if they get enough ball they're capable of kicking a score. This could be a cracking contest. Swans by 16

[Primmy]

Thanks ugg. Wedding????
B.A. Shall be tapping into your taps with interest. Keep an eye on the project player will you?

[dimelb]

Thanks for your usual meticulous roundup ugg; shame you can't be there.
Glad you will be on deck Al. Us Mexicans will be tuned in.

[ugg]

Nice preview from neafl.com.au here - North East Australian Football League: NEAFL Eastern Conference Grand Final Preview

[Big Al]

Did Al finally get to sit on Jed's lap?

I was told I can't do that to players anymore.

[Untamed Snark]

I was told I can't do that to players anymore.

Does that apply to the poweraid girl too?

[aardvark]

Well the sun's come up and today is the first day in our push for the 2012 flag. Good luck Ressies, give us a reason to Cheer Cheer.

Big Al are you up and about after yesterdays disappointments? Give em a cheer for all us southerners will you?

[liz]

It is a gorgeous day here in Manuka, with more than a touch of spring in the air. There is a bit of a swirling breeze, but nothing that should affect the play too much.