VFL Round 1: UWS Giants v Sydney Swans Reserves

[707]

To those that know such things, is there any likelyhood that the ressies game could be moved from being the curtain raiser.

I don't want to get to ANZ Stadium at 3.45pm on Saturday and find the ressies are playing elsewhere or playing Sunday.

[jono2707]

If the weather in Sydney stays fine tomorrow and Saturday it'll be on for sure.... It's a bit showery at the moment but that's expected to clear for tomorrow and Saturday so we'll be right.

[ugg]

What's the playing surface like, anyone watched any NRL games there? Usually there will be an article or two about the bad state of the playing surface but nothing so far.

[Primmy]

I cannot wait. I was Starved last season of my ressie fix, and I am so looking forward to being sated this season. Bring it on fellas. And for those who have been having a giggle, Brain is playing in SANFL.

[dimelb]

I cannot wait. I was Starved last season of my ressie fix, and I am so looking forward to being sated this season. Bring it on fellas. And for those who have been having a giggle, Brain is playing in SANFL.

So the NEAFL is a no-Brainer?

[Untamed Snark]

So the NEAFL is a no-Brainer?

Our Brain is in our southern region!

[Dosser]

Our Brainless ressies

[wolftone57]

Won't get to see much of the resies as I have to meet friends at their house . One of them doesn't finish teaching til 5.30pm so am meeting them at 6pm. Prob get to Homebush between 6.30 and 7pm.

[Primmy]

That's the spirit!

[wolftone57]

Can't wait til tomorrow all this off season is sending some of the RWO Crowd feral!!! You know who you are!!! Once we get into the season maybe they will stop frothing at the mouth and bagging other RWO members and have the decency to respect that others have opinions other than them.

[Big Al]

Our Brainless ressies

What would happen if the young Brain married Claudia Schiffer

Mrs Claudia Schiffer Brain.

[aardvark]

What would happen if the young Brain married Claudia Schiffer

Mrs Claudia Schiffer Brain.

Oh dear....and to think I welcomed you back

[ugg]

NEAFL Round 1
UWS Giants v Sydney Swans Reserves
Saturday 24th March 2011 3.50pm
ANZ Stadium

The Reserves kick off their 2nd season in the NEAFL under new coach Jared Crouch with an interesting clash against the Giants' reserves aka UWS Giants. While the seniors will be battling the Sheedy's kiddies later that night, our own reserves will be duelling it out with the Giants' other kiddies coached by Brett Hand. The AFL isn't the only competition this year to have Sydney-based teams being introduced, with the Sydney Hills Eagles (formerly East Coast) and Sydney Uni joining the Eastern Conference for 2012. The addition of 2 teams boosts the number of teams to 9 and sees the introduction of a Top 5 as opposed to a Top 4 finals series last year. There has been an influx of ex-AFL players into the competition this year, but we'll get to each of them when the Reserves meet their respective teams.

The Reserves might be slightly underdone after their practice match last week was cancelled meaning players like Brett Meredith, Trent Dennis-Lane and Jack Lynch haven't played in a proper match whlie Jarred Moore, Nathan Gordon and Shane Biggs have only done slightly better with a few minutes here and there during the NAB Cup. UWS played a practice match against an AFL Canberra U23 selection which they lost in a low scoring encounter.

Eastern Conference Ladder
Past Meetings
2011
Pre-Season Reserves 23.16 (154) defeated GWS 8.10 (58) @ ANZ Stadium

After a lethargic and mistake-riddled start, the Reserves began to use their bigger bodies and greater experience to beat the Giants into submission. Jed Lamb starred as a medium forward, displaying adroitness when the ball hit the ground as well as accurate finishing with his set shots. Mike Pyke impressed in the ruck and when he rested forward booted 3 goals from difficult angles.

Goals: Lamb 6, Pyke 3, Haren 3, Gordon 2, Currie 2, Murphy, Kruger, Seaby, Brain, Robinson, McKaigue, Sumner
Best: N/A

R6 GWS 3.9 (27) defeated by Reserves 12.15 (87) @ Manuka Oval

GWS were much improved from their previous showing against the Reserves, and managed to keep the contest low-scoring and tight right up till the end of the 3rd quarter. The Swans kicked away in the last quarter but onlookers left very impressed with the disciplined and well-drilled side that Sheedy and Choco have managed to build up. Luke Parker was immense in the midfield and up forward, earning a debut in the next week based on this performance. Lewis Johnston and Chris McKaigue were lauded for their defensive work, especially their spoiling down back.

Goals: White 3, Haren 2, E.Moody 2, Dennis-Lane 2, Parker, Bevan, McNeil
Best: Parker, Johnston, McKaigue, Thompson, Roberts-Thomson, McNeil

R12 GWS 3.11 (29) defeated by Reserves 17.13 (115) @ Blacktown Olympic Park

A tight and intriguing struggle developed during the early stages of the game where GWS's pressure and tackling strangled the Swans' movement of the ball. After an adjustment during the second quarter where the Sydney players started to kick longer and more direct, they managed to break the Giants' swarm and coast to a comfortable victory. Daniel Currie starred both in the ruck and at full forward finishing with 4 goals. Luke Parker was the pick of the dominant midfielders.

Goal Kickers: Currie 4, Gordon 3, White 2, Dennis-Lane 2, Otten 2, Everitt 2 McNeil, Meredith
Best Players: Parker, Heath, Meredith, White, Gordon, Currie

R17 Reserves 9.3 (57) defeated by GWS 18.13 (121) @ Blacktown Olympic Park

Bad weather saw resulted in this SCG-scheduled match being relocated to the Giants' training ground. With only 9 listed players on the ground and 13 topups lining up, the team started well and were still in the game at half time but fell away in the 2nd half.

Goal Kickers: Dennis-Lane 2, Moore, Gordon, Murphy, White, Potter, McNeil
Best Players: Potter, Gordon, Moore, White, McNeil, Murphy

Recent Form
Reserves

UWS

Last Round
First game of the year!

Team List
Listed players
Changes
In: None
Out: None

An experienced side with 9 players having played at least 1 AFL game.

Academy Players/Topups
Changes
In: None
Out: None

Some familiar faces in Potter, Kenny and Wales. Not sure if they're keeping the same numbers from last year hence the question marks. Also not sure whether the other 4 are part of the Swans Academy. Part of the reason for the team's success last year was the strength of the topups and their competitiveness especially when the number of listed players decreased. How this year's batch perform will be crucial to the team's chances of finals.

Reserves leading goalkickers

• -
• -
• -

For full list: 2012 Goalkickers - RWOwiki

Reserves leading votegetters

• -
• -
• -

For full list: 2012 Best Votes - RWOwiki

Talking points

• Will Tommy Walsh play in defence or attack? Ditto Jesse White or perhaps they'll swap at some stage during the game?
• How will Crouch divide up the time in the ruck? Will he mimic the setup of the seniors or have an equitable 50/50 split between Seaby and Pyke?
• What will Nathan Gordon's role in this side? He moved into attack in the 2nd half of 2011 with success booting 35 goals in his last 10 games but he's equally adept on a wing, in the middle or even off halfback.

UWS Squad

• 13. Sam DARLEY
• 15. Tim GOLDS
• 19. Nick HAYNES
• 22. Shaun EDWARDS
• 23. Sam J. REID
• 24. Stephen CLIFTON
• 25. Anthony MILES
• 28. Liam SUMNER
• 32. Gerald UGLE
• 42. Mark WHILEY
• 45. Sam SCHULZ
• 44. Tom DOWNIE
• 46. Tim SEGRAVE
• 47. Joshua BRUCE
• 48. Sam FROST
• ?. Timothy GARLICK
• ?. Lachlan HARPER
• ?. Dhruv KAUSHIK
• ?. Peni MAHINI
• ?. Karl MERSON
• ?. Craig MOLLER
• ?. Stuart TURNER

Players to look out for include VFL B&F Winner Steve Clifton, ex-Bulldogs Sam "the other one" Reid, high draft picks Nick Haynes (#7), Liam Sumner (#10) and Freo scholarship holder, ruckman Craig Moller (202cm) who has received special permission to train and play with the Giants this year.

Named Teams
UWS
B: Mark Whiley, Sam Frost, Shaun Edwards
HB: Sam Darley, Joshua Bruce, Sam J. Reid
C: Tim Golds, Stephen Clifton, Lachlan Harper
HF: Stuart Turner, Tim Segrave, Nick Haynes
F: Peni Mahini, Craig Moller, Gerald Ugle
Foll: Tom Downie, Anthony Miles, Liam Sumner
Inter. (from) Sam Schulz, Timothy Garlick, Karl Merson, Dhruv Kaushik

Swans Reserves
B: Tim Wales, Jack Lynch, Nathan Kenny
HB: Campbell Heath, Tommy Walsh, Mitch Morton
C: Beau Heeney, Mark Seaby, Brett Meredith
HF: Dylan McNeil, Jed Lamb, Shane Biggs
F: Trent Dennis-Lane, Jesse White, Nathan Gordon
Foll: Jackson Potter, Mike Pyke, Jarred Moore
Int (from): Bryce Addison, Monty Krochmal, Josh Cass, Andrew Gulden

Summary
The Reserves will have the edge over UWS in terms of experience and body size, but with most players having not had a proper game during the preseason, the relative fitness of the Giants may be telling in the final quarter.

[unconfuseme]

The first of the u/18 Swans V GWS Academy games is on 11am Sunday morning at Blacktown - these games are essentially RAMS selection trials for the upcoming u/18 Nationals - it appears that those players who are likely to form the squad of toppies for Ressies this season are unavailable this week. Other games are scheduled 20th April & 13th May (per Swans website - Academy Program).

[liz]

That explains the absence of names like Robinson, Jack, Pryor and Wray from the reserves team this week.