Tweet
NEAFL Eastern Conference Grand Final
Sydney Swans Reserves v Queanbeyan Tigers
Sunday 16th September 2012 2.15pm
Manuka Oval
The big day is finally here with the 2 best sides in the Eastern Conference rightly earning the privilege of squaring off in the decider at Manuka Oval. The Swans will be aiming to claim their first title since the 2008 one point thriller against Belconnen which sealed their 4th consecutive title and bounce back from last year's disappointing thrashing at the hands of Ainslie while Tigers fans will be hoping to celebrate their first flag in 12 years. These 2 sides also clashed in the 2007 decider which the Swans won by 28 points.
Final Eastern Conference Ladder
Past Meetings
2012
R11 Queanbeyan 14.12 (96) defeated by Reserves 20.17 (137) @ Dairy Farmers Park
The Swans were fired up for the top-of-the-table clash and they stormed away to a 42 point half time lead. However the Tigers fought back to come within 2 goals during the 4th quarter before the Swans steadied to take home the points. Mark Seaby had yet another BOG performance while Mitch Morton kicked his 4th 6+ goal haul of the season.
Goals: Morton 8, White 2, Cunningham 2, Lycakis, McNeil, Wynn, Biggs, Jack, Cullen, Walsh, Potter
Best: Seaby, Cunningham, Moore, Morton, McNeil, Heath
Second Semi Queanbeyan 13.5 (78) defeated by Reserves 21.12 (138) @ Manuka Oval
The Tigers were the better for most of the first half with their maniacal tackling and chasing opening up plenty of scoring opportunities as the Swans struggled to counter their opponents' ferocity. However once they adjusted, a late flurry of goals in the time on period of the second quarter saw the Swans wrestle back the lead at half time, and despite Queanbeyan pulling back the margin to 20 points at the start of the last, the Reserves steadied through a captain's goal via Moore and pulled away for a comfortable victory, and direct passage in to the Grand Final.
Goals: Dennis-Lane 5, Morton 3, Lamb 2, Plug 2, Moore 2, McNeil 2, Cunningham, Sertbas, Gordon, McKinlay, Spangher
Best: Lamb, Gordon, White, McNeil, Moore, Cunningham
---------------------------------------------------
2011
R11 Reserves 15.12 (102) defeated Queanbeyan 7.11 (53) @ Lakeside Oval
Poor ball use by the Swans and good pressure from the Tigers ensured a close contest for the majority of the game. The Swans' superior fitness came to the fore in the last quarter as usual and they buried Queanbeyan with 4 goals to none. Jesse White kicked 6 goals with Paul Bevan excelling as a leading forward.
Goals: White 6, Moore 3, Heath 2, Bevan 2, Thompson, Gordon
Best: Bevan, McNeil, Currie, Heath, Murphy, Sumner
---------------------------------------------------
R13 Reserves 33.22 (220) defeated Queanbeyan 5.2 (32) @ Sydney Cricket Ground
A weakened Queanbeyan side, debuting a new coach and a few youngsters, were no match for a disciplined outfit. Trent Dennis-Lane ran riot in the first half with 8 goals, before ending with 9 while Nathan Gordon and Matthew Spangher also had days out with 7 and 6 goals respectively. Jarred Moore set the tone early with his forward half tackling and distribution while Luke Parker won plenty of ball in the midfield.
Goals: Dennis-Lane 9, Gordon 7, Spangher 6, Moore 3, E.Moody 2, Sumner 2, Parker, A.Moody, Currie, Pyke
Best: Gordon, Moore, Parker, Spangher, Currie, Sumner
---------------------------------------------------
R20 Queanbeyan 4.13 (37) defeated by Reserves 21.24 (150) @ Dairy Farmers Park
A side with little to play for had little resistance for the rampaging Reserves who were still in contention for the minor premiership. Nathan Gordon continued his hot form with 6 goals and an all round BOG performance. Dylan McNeil and Jarred Moore dominated the midfield.
Goals: Gordon 6, Dennis-Lane 5, Spangher 2, Lamb 2, Moore 2, McNeil, Lynch, Malceski, Robinson
Best: Gordon, McNeil, Moore, Rohan, Lamb, Malceski
Recent Form
Reserves
Queanbeyan
Last Round
Reserves last played Queanbeyan, see the report above for details.
Queanbeyan 19.14 (128) defeated Eastlake 10.9 (69)
Goals: Atkinson 3, Kavanagh 2, Fruend, Kirkwood, Irwin, Griggs, Daniher, Daniel, Dickinson, Stevens, King
Best: Kirkwood, Dickinson, Overs, Atkinson, Heaslip
Team List
Listed players
Changes
In: Meredith (traveling emergency), Walsh (senior demotion), Armstrong (senior demotion), Kruger (rested)
Out: Mitch Morton (senior promotion), Andrejs Everitt (ineligible)
Everitt is ineligible because he has played too many senior games but not enough reserves games to meet the finals criteria set by the NEAFL. Longmire has also flagged that fringe senior players like Walsh, White, Armstrong and Spangher will have carefully managed game time in order to keep them fresh should they be required for the seniors' prelim final in 5 days time.
2 listed players will have to be omitted on the day to fit the criteria of 12 listed players in the match day squad. Kruger looks to be the most likely candidate having missed the 2 finals because of this exact same reason. The other player is harder to identify with possible candidates Meredith, Lamb, McNeil, Lynch, Cunningham and Gordon all having contributed in at least one of the finals so far. Lynch should survive due to his form and lack of other key defensive options while Lamb and McNeil have been excellent in their inside midfield roles, an area that the current squad is somewhat depleted in due to the injury to Tom Mitchell and Everitt's aforementioned ineligibility.
I don't expect coach Crouch to throw up many surprises in the lineup, as he has been a stickler for the players to stick to their structures and emulate the Seniors' style of play. White will contest the ruck with Moore, McNeil, Lamb, Cunningham and Gordon/Meredith at his feet. Heath and Lynch to hold up the key defensive slots assisted by Armstrong and Meredith/Gordon and a bunch of enthusiastic toppies. Walsh and Spangher will provide the tall targets up front and rely on TDL and a resting midfielder to crumb if they fail to mark it.
Academy Players/Topups
Changes
In: Guthrie, Hadden, Heeney, Kenny, Lycakis, Pryor, Weir
Out: Nathan Bosschieter, Daniel Cullen, James Dunn, Bradley Plug, Daniel Schacher, Thomas Thurgarland, Stephen Wray
Bosschieter, Dunn, Plug and Thurgarland have been amongst the best performed topups during the year and their absence will be felt. However, the Swans have chosen to go with experienced bodies in the likes of Guthrie and Kenny who may not have played much this year but were regulars in last year's team. Pryor and Weir add height to the side and at least one of them will be used in defence as a third tall to counter Queanbeyan's tall forward setup.
Sertbas has impressed with his defensive work at half-forward as well as his reading of the game and Lycakis has shown he is handy at kicking goals.
Reserves leading goalkickers
For full list: 2012 Goalkickers - RWOwiki
Reserves leading votegetters
For full list: 2012 Best Votes - RWOwiki
Queanbeyan
In: Liddle, Watts, Campbell
Kavanagh has had a quiet finals series thus far, following up his 1 goal effort in the semi with just 2 goals against Eastlake in the prelim, a significant fall given he was kicking bags of 5 or more goals regularly during the H&A rounds. Neil Kerlin played in the semi but was omitted for the prelim and his absence again means that Quade will spend some time in the ruck. Ben Klemke proved a tough matchup for the Swans last time, his height combined with his mobility meant an awkward matchup for the topup that was assigned the job. He might be more closely checked this time.
The Swans were very smart in limiting the influence of Kade Klemke in defence, with the topup he was playing on instructed to drag the Tigers captain-coach right back to the goalsquare to take him away from the play. It took a while for the Tigers to adjust by which time the Swans were holding a comfortable lead. Kirkwood's defensive clampdown on TDL was effective for 3 quarters whilst Jaques did a sound job at fullback on Spangher, keeping up with the Spang even as he led further and further away from the forward 50 arc in order to find the ball.
The midfield of Conroy, Griggs, Stevens, King and Daniher also presents a threat to the Swans with quick and precise ball movement to their tall forwards a hallmark of the Queanbeyan game plan.
The result of the game could be dependent on the amount of game time alloted to the Swans fringe players and also the number of injuries suffered during the game. The Swans were severely hampered in last year's Grand Final when Moore went off very early in the game and Heath followed him to the sidelines midway through the game.
Sydney Swans Reserves v Queanbeyan Tigers
Sunday 16th September 2012 2.15pm
Manuka Oval
The big day is finally here with the 2 best sides in the Eastern Conference rightly earning the privilege of squaring off in the decider at Manuka Oval. The Swans will be aiming to claim their first title since the 2008 one point thriller against Belconnen which sealed their 4th consecutive title and bounce back from last year's disappointing thrashing at the hands of Ainslie while Tigers fans will be hoping to celebrate their first flag in 12 years. These 2 sides also clashed in the 2007 decider which the Swans won by 28 points.
Final Eastern Conference Ladder
Past Meetings
2012
R11 Queanbeyan 14.12 (96) defeated by Reserves 20.17 (137) @ Dairy Farmers Park
The Swans were fired up for the top-of-the-table clash and they stormed away to a 42 point half time lead. However the Tigers fought back to come within 2 goals during the 4th quarter before the Swans steadied to take home the points. Mark Seaby had yet another BOG performance while Mitch Morton kicked his 4th 6+ goal haul of the season.
Goals: Morton 8, White 2, Cunningham 2, Lycakis, McNeil, Wynn, Biggs, Jack, Cullen, Walsh, Potter
Best: Seaby, Cunningham, Moore, Morton, McNeil, Heath
Second Semi Queanbeyan 13.5 (78) defeated by Reserves 21.12 (138) @ Manuka Oval
The Tigers were the better for most of the first half with their maniacal tackling and chasing opening up plenty of scoring opportunities as the Swans struggled to counter their opponents' ferocity. However once they adjusted, a late flurry of goals in the time on period of the second quarter saw the Swans wrestle back the lead at half time, and despite Queanbeyan pulling back the margin to 20 points at the start of the last, the Reserves steadied through a captain's goal via Moore and pulled away for a comfortable victory, and direct passage in to the Grand Final.
Goals: Dennis-Lane 5, Morton 3, Lamb 2, Plug 2, Moore 2, McNeil 2, Cunningham, Sertbas, Gordon, McKinlay, Spangher
Best: Lamb, Gordon, White, McNeil, Moore, Cunningham
---------------------------------------------------
2011
R11 Reserves 15.12 (102) defeated Queanbeyan 7.11 (53) @ Lakeside Oval
Poor ball use by the Swans and good pressure from the Tigers ensured a close contest for the majority of the game. The Swans' superior fitness came to the fore in the last quarter as usual and they buried Queanbeyan with 4 goals to none. Jesse White kicked 6 goals with Paul Bevan excelling as a leading forward.
Goals: White 6, Moore 3, Heath 2, Bevan 2, Thompson, Gordon
Best: Bevan, McNeil, Currie, Heath, Murphy, Sumner
---------------------------------------------------
R13 Reserves 33.22 (220) defeated Queanbeyan 5.2 (32) @ Sydney Cricket Ground
A weakened Queanbeyan side, debuting a new coach and a few youngsters, were no match for a disciplined outfit. Trent Dennis-Lane ran riot in the first half with 8 goals, before ending with 9 while Nathan Gordon and Matthew Spangher also had days out with 7 and 6 goals respectively. Jarred Moore set the tone early with his forward half tackling and distribution while Luke Parker won plenty of ball in the midfield.
Goals: Dennis-Lane 9, Gordon 7, Spangher 6, Moore 3, E.Moody 2, Sumner 2, Parker, A.Moody, Currie, Pyke
Best: Gordon, Moore, Parker, Spangher, Currie, Sumner
---------------------------------------------------
R20 Queanbeyan 4.13 (37) defeated by Reserves 21.24 (150) @ Dairy Farmers Park
A side with little to play for had little resistance for the rampaging Reserves who were still in contention for the minor premiership. Nathan Gordon continued his hot form with 6 goals and an all round BOG performance. Dylan McNeil and Jarred Moore dominated the midfield.
Goals: Gordon 6, Dennis-Lane 5, Spangher 2, Lamb 2, Moore 2, McNeil, Lynch, Malceski, Robinson
Best: Gordon, McNeil, Moore, Rohan, Lamb, Malceski
Recent Form
Reserves
Queanbeyan
Last Round
Reserves last played Queanbeyan, see the report above for details.
Queanbeyan 19.14 (128) defeated Eastlake 10.9 (69)
Goals: Atkinson 3, Kavanagh 2, Fruend, Kirkwood, Irwin, Griggs, Daniher, Daniel, Dickinson, Stevens, King
Best: Kirkwood, Dickinson, Overs, Atkinson, Heaslip
Team List
Listed players
Changes
In: Meredith (traveling emergency), Walsh (senior demotion), Armstrong (senior demotion), Kruger (rested)
Out: Mitch Morton (senior promotion), Andrejs Everitt (ineligible)
Everitt is ineligible because he has played too many senior games but not enough reserves games to meet the finals criteria set by the NEAFL. Longmire has also flagged that fringe senior players like Walsh, White, Armstrong and Spangher will have carefully managed game time in order to keep them fresh should they be required for the seniors' prelim final in 5 days time.
2 listed players will have to be omitted on the day to fit the criteria of 12 listed players in the match day squad. Kruger looks to be the most likely candidate having missed the 2 finals because of this exact same reason. The other player is harder to identify with possible candidates Meredith, Lamb, McNeil, Lynch, Cunningham and Gordon all having contributed in at least one of the finals so far. Lynch should survive due to his form and lack of other key defensive options while Lamb and McNeil have been excellent in their inside midfield roles, an area that the current squad is somewhat depleted in due to the injury to Tom Mitchell and Everitt's aforementioned ineligibility.
I don't expect coach Crouch to throw up many surprises in the lineup, as he has been a stickler for the players to stick to their structures and emulate the Seniors' style of play. White will contest the ruck with Moore, McNeil, Lamb, Cunningham and Gordon/Meredith at his feet. Heath and Lynch to hold up the key defensive slots assisted by Armstrong and Meredith/Gordon and a bunch of enthusiastic toppies. Walsh and Spangher will provide the tall targets up front and rely on TDL and a resting midfielder to crumb if they fail to mark it.
Academy Players/Topups
Changes
In: Guthrie, Hadden, Heeney, Kenny, Lycakis, Pryor, Weir
Out: Nathan Bosschieter, Daniel Cullen, James Dunn, Bradley Plug, Daniel Schacher, Thomas Thurgarland, Stephen Wray
Bosschieter, Dunn, Plug and Thurgarland have been amongst the best performed topups during the year and their absence will be felt. However, the Swans have chosen to go with experienced bodies in the likes of Guthrie and Kenny who may not have played much this year but were regulars in last year's team. Pryor and Weir add height to the side and at least one of them will be used in defence as a third tall to counter Queanbeyan's tall forward setup.
Sertbas has impressed with his defensive work at half-forward as well as his reading of the game and Lycakis has shown he is handy at kicking goals.
Reserves leading goalkickers
- Mitch Morton 75
- Trent Dennis-Lane 40
- Matt Spangher 32
For full list: 2012 Goalkickers - RWOwiki
Reserves leading votegetters
- Jarred Moore 49
- Tommy Walsh 31
- Jesse White 29
For full list: 2012 Best Votes - RWOwiki
Queanbeyan
In: Liddle, Watts, Campbell
Kavanagh has had a quiet finals series thus far, following up his 1 goal effort in the semi with just 2 goals against Eastlake in the prelim, a significant fall given he was kicking bags of 5 or more goals regularly during the H&A rounds. Neil Kerlin played in the semi but was omitted for the prelim and his absence again means that Quade will spend some time in the ruck. Ben Klemke proved a tough matchup for the Swans last time, his height combined with his mobility meant an awkward matchup for the topup that was assigned the job. He might be more closely checked this time.
The Swans were very smart in limiting the influence of Kade Klemke in defence, with the topup he was playing on instructed to drag the Tigers captain-coach right back to the goalsquare to take him away from the play. It took a while for the Tigers to adjust by which time the Swans were holding a comfortable lead. Kirkwood's defensive clampdown on TDL was effective for 3 quarters whilst Jaques did a sound job at fullback on Spangher, keeping up with the Spang even as he led further and further away from the forward 50 arc in order to find the ball.
The midfield of Conroy, Griggs, Stevens, King and Daniher also presents a threat to the Swans with quick and precise ball movement to their tall forwards a hallmark of the Queanbeyan game plan.
The result of the game could be dependent on the amount of game time alloted to the Swans fringe players and also the number of injuries suffered during the game. The Swans were severely hampered in last year's Grand Final when Moore went off very early in the game and Heath followed him to the sidelines midway through the game.
Comment