VFL Round 2: UWS Giants v Sydney Swans Reserves

[ugg]

Back in the N.E.A.F.L.

NEAFL Round 2
UWS Giants v Sydney Swans Reserves
Saturday 29th March 2013 1.00pm
ANZ Stadium

There is much uncertainty for the Sydney Swans Reserves as they head into their 2013 NEAFL campaign. Key members of the team from past years in Jarred Moore, Trent Dennis-Lane, Campbell Heath, Brett Meredith, Nathan Gordon and Dylan McNeil have departed to various locations across Australia. Moore's loss will be the one most sorely felt, not only for his on-field exploits in winning 2 Mulrooney Medals, but also his leadership qualities given that he was regularly praised by the coaching staff for his guidance to the younger Swans in this team. The performances of the retained players in the likes of Jed Lamb, Jesse White, Tommy Walsh and Shane Biggs combined with the infusion of new talent such as Tim Membrey, Jake Lloyd and Harrison Marsh will determine whether the Swans can retain their outstanding record over the past 2 seasons.

The Giants on the other hand haven't lost too many of their top end talent, with their key losses being veterans Luke Power and James McDonald deciding to retire. This has allowed some of their understudies to graduate into the senior team and the Giants have drafted more top end talent courtesy of their 5 picks in the opening 14 slots of the last draft. Two of those kids in Aidan Corr and Kristian Jaksch will make their NEAFL debut.

Eastern Conference Ladder

Past Meetings
2012
R1 UWS Giants 4.9 (33) defeated by Reserves 23.13 (151) @ ANZ Stadium
The Swans began their NEAFL season with a bang kicking 8 goals in the first quarter and keeping the hapless and undermanned Giants scoreless. The rout continued throughout the game, with Mark Seaby, Jarred Moore and Dylan McNeil dominating the clearances, and Trent Dennis-Lane and Jesse White finishing off their teammates' good work with 10 goals between them.

Goals: Dennis-Lane 6, White 4, Seaby 2, Lamb 2, Pyke 2, Moore 2, Cass 2, Biggs, McNeil, Morton
Best: Seaby, Dennis-Lane, Moore, White, Lynch, McNeil

R14 Reserves 18.21 (129) defeated UWS 6.6 (42) @ ANZ Stadium
Poor conversion in front of goal didn't cost the Reserves anything but a bigger victory as they were too strong for the youngsters from UWS. Nick Malceski was in fine form, rebounding from half back in a dynamic display with ex-West Coast rookie Lewis Broome setting the stadium alight with 5 well taken goals.

Goals: Broome 5, Dennis-Lane 4, Gordon 2, Biggs, Mitchell, Spangher, McNeil, Moody, Potter, Moore
Best: Malceski, McNeil, Meredith, Broome, Dennis-Lane, Potter

R19 UWS Giants 9.10 (64) defeated by Reserves 18.18 (126) @ Skoda Stadium
The Giants jumped the Swans early to kick the first 3 goals of the match before the Swans clawed their way back in the contest to trail by only a goal. The 2nd half was a completely different story as the Swans caused the Giants to continually turn the ball over and hurt them on the rebound through their hard running and classy forwards. Morton led the goalkicking again but it was the key defenders in Heath and Lynch who were the real heroes keeping the Giants to just 2 goals after half time.

Goals: Morton 5, Lamb 4, Spangher 2, Crawford, Everitt, Heeney, Thurgarland, Roos, McNeil, Broome
Best: Heath, White, Lynch, Moore, Lamb, Thurgarland


Recent Form
Reserves
UWS Giants
Team List
Listed players
Changes (from the GF team last year)
In: Membrey, Morton, Everitt, Bird, Towers, Lockyer, Robinson, Dick, Marsh, Jack, Brown, Richards, Lloyd, Biggs
Out: Brett Meredith (VFL), Trent Dennis-Lane (St Kilda), Tony Armstrong (seniors), Matthew Spangher (Hawthorn), Dylan McNeil (SANFL), Jarred Moore (VFL), Campbell Heath (Port Adelaide), Nathan Gordon (SANFL)

No list restrictions (yay) as we are playing another AFL reserves team. The players missing from either seniors or reserves are Tom Mitchell, Kurt Tippett, Gary Rohan, Alex Johnson and Sam Naismith.

There are some big shoes to fill in this reserves team. Jarred Moore, a two time AFL Canberra/NEAFL B&F winner, was the heart and soul of the midfield; his grunt work in the guts were crucial to the Swans dominating the middle of the ground. Campbell Heath did an amazing job, not only playing as an undersized key backman throughout the whole year, but also for his organisational skills in marshalling the numerous topups that were usually stationed in defensive posts. Both players will be sorely missed.

Academy Players/Topups
The only new face is 195cm key position player Thomas Head, an ex Fremantle NSW scholarship holder.

Reserves leading goalkickers

• N/A

For full list: 2012 Goalkickers - RWOwiki

Reserves leading votegetters

• N/A

For full list: 2012 Best Votes - RWOwiki

UWS Giants
21 listed players (versus our 18). Thornton, Palmer, Reid and O'hAilpin have extensive AFL experience. There is a significant height advantage for the Giants with the likes of Bruce, Frost, Thornton, O'hAilpin, Tomlinson, Downie and Corr all standing over 190cm.

[stellation]

Fantastic write up, thank you for doing these ugg.

[Triple B]

Nice one ugg.

This looks like it will be a ripper. The Giants have a VERY strong team on paper with a lot of senior experience. We are lucky with the draw, playing the Suns next week (I guess we do?) again allows us to play as many listed players as we want.

I note Tuggeranong beat Eastlakes last night by 33 points, so it may be a good comp this year.

[ugg]

I saw that result too, that was very unexpected. They lost their best player to Queanbeyan and only installed a new coach not that long ago.

Eastlake have 3 ex-Swans this year: Bruce, MOD and Braba.

[Ludwig]

It's good to see that with the exception of Mitchell and Naismith we've got all our draftees from the past couple of years playing this weekend. Hope to see improvement from Lockyer, who has seemed a bit flat so far this year, after being talked up a lot in last year's pre-season before he was injured.

[ShockOfHair]

Great work Ugg. Should be an interesting contest.

[Primmy]

Knew you would come up trumps ugg.


Question; who is going to be captain of the ressies. Can someone report if you get to the game at coin toss? I don't trust we will be there at sparrows as usual.

This is going to be interesting. So used to seeing Bulldog organising the troops, Rather thought Rampe may have the job as he is very vocal (and accurate), sooo..... thoughts?

[ugg]

Sensational weather this morning. Just found out that the Special Event buses to Olympic Park are running for the Easter Show so those early birds like myself can jump on one. Usually they don't start early enough to get there in time for the reserves game.

Live updates on twitter for those who can't be there Swans Reserves (swansreserves) on Twitter

[liz]

Thanks for the preview Ugg. Certainly shapes as an interesting game, and one that the Giants probably should win, "on paper" at least. It will give Crouch a chance to see how good his team is at defending and really having to compete for the ball.

[707]

A very strong UWS team, they do have an extra 7 listed players on their expanded senior list compared to us so that gives them quite an edge. A lot of high draft choices in their team as well.

This should be a high standard game, a quality hit out for those pressing for a game in the seniors.

Any reports during the game and a full after game report much appreciated. As I've said before, I take more notice of the game reports on RWO than the one on the Swans website which always seems to highlight certain players, like a tyre pumping exercise :-)

[royboy42]

Can I ask what UWS Giants stands for? My understanding is they are GWS Giants. Mixing up with uni of western syd maybe?

[liz]

Everitt took a screamer close on quarter time break AND converted the shot from a reasonably tight angle. Swans up by a goal at first change.

[erica]

Can I ask what UWS Giants stands for? My understanding is they are GWS Giants. Mixing up with uni of western syd maybe?

UWS is the University of Western Sydney. It's a partnership with GWS - see UWS GIANTS set to kick a goal for Greater Western Sydney | University of Western Sydney (UWS)

[liz]

8.3.51 to 4.9.33 at half time. Everitt, lloyd, Cunningham kicked goals that quarter. Didnt catch the other one.

[royboy42]

UWS is the University of Western Sydney. It's a partnership with GWS - see UWS GIANTS set to kick a goal for Greater Western Sydney | University of Western Sydney (UWS)

Thanks Erica