VFL Round 17: Sydney Swans Reserves v Belconnen Magpies

[ugg]

NEAFL Round 17
Sydney Swans Reserves v Belconnen Magpies
Sunday 22nd July 2012 9.30am
Sydney Cricket Ground

Coming off their 3rd and final bye of the year, the Reserves will face a Magpies side in a rebuilding phase. Belconnen, the powerhouse Canberra side for most of the 2000s fell away alarmingly last year to only finish with 2 wins and claimed the dreaded wooden spoon. They were looking in danger of repeating this feat in 2012 until their upset win over Ainslie last week. The valuable 4 points has afforded them a small buffer over the 2 bottom teams Sydney Uni and Tuggeranong.

New playing coach for 2012 and ex-Collingwood player Matthew Lokan has had the unenviable task of seeing through the new era at the club but with a couple of smart off-season recruits following him into the club, there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel.

Courtesy of the bye and their narrow loss in their last start against the Brisbane Reserves, the Swans have been knocked off top spot on the ladder by not one but two teams. A win in against the Magpies would snuff out the infinitesimally small chance of the Swans not qualifying for the NEAFL finals.

Eastern Conference Ladder
Past Meetings
2011
R3 Reserves 20.18 (138) defeated Belconnen 4.5 (29) @ Sydney Cricket Ground

Despite the wet conditions, the Reserves turned on a masterful display to rack up an impressive win. Having been notoriously slow starters in the previous games, the Reserves were switched on this time round, kicking 4 goals to none in the first quarter and then going on with it despite the atrocious weather. Mike Pyke booted 4 goals, with Luke Parker and Ben Haren ending on 3 each. Jarred Moore in his element in the wet and was ably supported by Nathan Gordon's hard running on the wing and Lewis Johnston's spoils down back.

Goals: Pyke 4, Haren 3, Parker 3, Meredith 2, Dennis-Lane 2, Murphy 2, Moore 2, Kennelly, Seaby
Best: Moore, Gordon, Johnston, Pyke, Lamb, Currie

R19 Belconnen 1.11 (17) defeated by Reserves 17.15 (117) @ Manuka Oval

The Reserves handled the wet much better than the Magpies who struggled to convert their few chances at goal. Captain Jarred Moore excelled in the wet yet again kicking 4 goals and winning BOG honours. Experienced duo Jesse White and Paul Bevan chimed in with 3 while big ruckman Mark Seaby dominated the clearances.

Goal Kickers: Moore 4, White 3, Bevan 3, Spangher 2, Potter, Meredith, Kruger, Lamb, Murphy
Best Players: Moore, Seaby, Bevan, Spangher, Meredith, White

Recent Form
Reserves
R1 UWS Away WIN 151-34
R2 BYE
R3 Gold Coast Home LOSS 55-91
R4 Ainslie Away LOSS 85-111
R5 Tuggeranong Home WIN 213-41
R6 NT Thunder Away LOSS 90-112
R7 Sydney Uni Away WIN 239-36
R8 Brisbane Away WIN 120-86
R9 Eastlake Home WIN 144-43
R10 Gold Coast Home WIN 109-56
R11 Queanbeyan Away WIN 137-96
R12 BYE
R13 Sydney Uni Home WIN 188-40
R14 UWS Giants Home WIN 129-42
R15 Brisbane Home LOSS 103-122
R16 BYE

Belconnen
R1 Ainslie Away LOSS 116-144
R2 Sydney Uni Away WIN 125-99
R3 Tuggeranong Away DRAW 95-95
R4 BYE
R5 Hills Eagles Away LOSS 102-136
R6 Ainslie Home LOSS 85-91
R7 Morningside Home LOSS 88-91
R8 Eastlake Away LOSS 51-131
R9 Queanbeyan Home LOSS 46-124
R10 Sydney Uni Home WIN 134-43
R11 Hills Eagles Away LOSS 93-139
R12 Redland Away LOSS 90-96
R13 BYE
R14 Queanbeyan Away LOSS 62-83
R15 Eastlake Away LOSS 83-92
R16 Ainslie Home WIN 108-61

Last Round
Reserves had the bye the last round, let's have a look at the week before that
Reserves 16.7 (103) defeated by Brisbane Reserves 17.20 (122) @ Sydney Cricket Ground

The Swans for a variety of reasons had plenty of regulars missing and a very strong Lions outfit took advantage of their absence to record a strong away win. Truth be told, if they had converted a higher number of their set shots, the game would have been over early in the 2nd half. Tommy Walsh stood up in the absence of his forward line teammates to take strong grabs, and finished with a deserved 3 goals. Brett Meredith provided plenty of run and dash from the half back line while Trent Dennis-Lane continued to impress onlookers in his new hybrid midfield-forward role.

Goals: Broome 3, Parker 3, Dennis-Lane 3, Walsh 3, Moore, Krochmal, Mitchell, Lamb
Best: Walsh, Meredith, Dennis-Lane, Heath, Plug, Parker

Belconnen 16.12 (108) defeated Ainslie 9.7 (61)
The Magpies scored a morale-boosting victory over the reigning premiers. Belconnen started the game well and continued to increase their lead at each of the breaks before cruising to a surprisingly easy 47 points victory over the Tricolours. Shane Harris was on fire kicking 5 goals.

Goals: Harris 5, Curtis 2, Harper 2, B.Dess, McDonald, A.Dess, Viney, Bunyan, Campbell, Coate
Best: Harper, Harris, B.Dess, Campbell, Turnbull, Dess

Team List
Listed players
Changes
In: Morton (quad), Armstrong (senior demotion), Spangher (hamstring), Gordon (suspended)
Out: Seaby (calf)

Four of those tagged with (senior ext. bench) will drop out of the side to take their place in the seniors. If LRT is declared fit you would expect those 4 to be Pyke, LRT, Everitt and Malceski leaving Armstrong, Walsh and Dennis-Lane to line up for the Reserves. This gives the team the full complement of 18 listed players if all named here take to the field.

The team has in recent times held back one listed player until halftime when one of the senior emergencies is taken off as a precaution for the main game. Mitchell has been used numerous times in this role before Lamb returned from his long layoff in this manner last week. Lamb might reprise this unofficial 'sub' role or perhaps one of the returning Morton or Spangher might be used instead.

Academy Players/Topups
Changes
In: Jack, Lycakis, McKinlay, Naismith, Roos, Weir
Out: Mitch CRAWFORD, Beau HEENEY, Lachlan KILPATRICK, Monty KROCHMAL, Bradley PLUG

With the U18 Championships completed the Swans regain the services of RAMS players Weir and Jack as well as the debut of their teammate Roos. If 18 listed players line up as explained above, at least 2 of these topups wlil have drop out.

Reserves leading goalkickers

• Mitch Morton 53
• Trent Dennis-Lane 23
• Nathan Gordon 22

For full list: 2012 Goalkickers - RWOwiki

Reserves leading votegetters

• Jarred Moore 35
• Mark Seaby 24
• Trent Dennis-Lane, Tommy Walsh 22

For full list: 2012 Best Votes - RWOwiki

Belconnen Magpies Squad

• 2. Stephen COATE
• 4. Jedd CLOTHIER
• 5. Lachlan HARPER
• 7. Jordan HARPER
• 8. Paul RAADTS
• 9. Matthew HAMMOND
• 12. Cameron CAMPBELL
• 14. Malcolm DOUGLAS
• 15. Andrew DESS
• 16. Scott HENNING
• 17. Matthew LOKAN
• 18. Shane HARRIS
• 19. Matthew PORTER
• 23. Joshua HEGARTY
• 24. Nick COLLINS
• 26. Dominic BUNYAN
• 27. Matthew SHARP
• 29. Simon CURTIS
• 30. Matthew VINEY
• 37. John LOVE
• 39. Brendan DESS
• 44. Patrick DELANEY
• 45. Ben McDONALD
• 46. Ryan TURNBULL
• 50. Adan McDONALD
• 52. Sam JESSUP
• ?. Chris JANSEN

In: Harper, Douglas, Clothier
Out: Christopher CALVERT, Jye BOHM

Belconnen also get some players back from Rams duties, Clothier and Harper were amongst NSW/ACT's best players in the carnival

[BSA5]

I may actually make it to this game! I've had rather horrible luck with being in the right part of the world for both senior and ressies games this year.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

If the firsts are at 1, why are the 2's starting at 9.30?

[undy]

Thanks Ugg.
I was in soggy England last week and while skipping puddles in a small town one day I came up behind a family decked out in Hawks gear. Tuggeranong Hawks gear.

I opened up with a "How did you go last weekend with Akka playing ?" and then had a pretty interesting chat about the NEAFL, with them talking with the in-depth knowledge of decades of fanatical Tuggers following and me channelling Ugg's reportage. Took our minds off the fact that we were wasting our respective holidays scuttling from shower to storm.

[DamY]

There's a legends game in between reserves and seniors

[Ruck'n'Roll]

There's a legends game in between reserves and seniors

What sort of Legends? Former players or "Celebrities"

[ugg]

If the firsts are at 1, why are the 2's starting at 9.30?

They've slowly pushed the starting time of the Ressies over the past couple of years. Some reserves games used to be cut short (I even remember one game finishing at the 19 min mark of the last quarter) so that the seniors could have their alloted warm up time. Now we don't run into that problem but we have a mini-lull between the end of the twos and start of the ones.

[ScottH]

Amazing we have such a huge %, but are still in 3rd place.

[ugg]

Kruger and Jack omitted from the final team.

[BSA5]

Kruger and Jack omitted from the final team.

Damn! I really wanted to see how both of those guys were going.

[firsty]

Anyone know what number Dylan Roos is wearing ?
@ the game now 1/2 time
Reserves 13 4 82 belconnen 6 3 39

[ugg]

51 playing forward. Looks like he borrowed dad's old thigh pads too

[ScottH]

From FB

dyaln roos goals for thw swana future father son pick swans fans 17.4.106 Swans 6.3.39 Belco

[aardvark]

Is dad there in the crowd?

[satchmopugdog]

Is dad there in the crowd?

I betcha Mum is!!!!!!! Women's round