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The Swans had to fight hard all day against a competitive Belconnen team before finally coming home with a 5 goal win.
Pictures by Des Lee
Towards the end of each season the task confronting our reserve graders gets tougher. Injuries start to bite, some depth is gone and the cream (or is that the cheese) has been skimmed off the top through promotion. Opposition Canberra teams are finally running in to some semblance of fitness. Second placed Belconnen presented a real challenge. Seventeen regulars and five top-ups lined up, but as per usual towards the end of the season, the top up kids were the best available under 18?s.
Early on it appeared that it would be business as usual: with Schmidt, Brabazon and Moore dominating the Swans skipped away with the first few goals. But for the next three quarters the game went goal for goal; Belconnen actually drew ahead far a brief period.
Winning a fair share of possession out of the middle and backing this up with decent delivery to their forwards the Belconnen boys really made the Swans backmen earn their crusts for a change. At various stages White, Vogels and Jack were all beaten by their opponents on the lead. At other times our midfielders were asked questions re their ability to win the hard ball cleanly and dispose of it intelligently.
It was not until the last quarter that the Swans got to a lead that looked comfortable, and the main midfielder responsible was Bulldog Moore. What stood out to me was not that he got more of the ball than others, it was his ability to do the right things under pressure, to relaease team mates into the clear or find space for himself. Brabazon got as much of the pill, but as we have seen in the past, when put under pressure he is liable to turn it over or try and do too much. Jack was serviceable as the small back/midfielder, excelled as usual at the hard ball, but his disposal uncharacteristically let him down on a several occasions. Ditto for his forward/midfielder mate Auskick. Four goals three testement to his ball winning skills but not his disposal accuracy. These faults aside, the above four were the pick of the midfielders.
Best big guy was the bloke we all want to succeed ? Mocca White. He played back, forward, rucked, ran tirelessly and was rewarded with a couple of snags. What surprises me is that for a bloke his size he is fast and joins in with the rushes out of defence with relish. Shaw was hopeless, and Sam Rowe hardly sighted after ? time ? did he go off hurt? Vogels and Grundy were just OK..
Timmy Schmidt started well then was hardly sighted in the second half. (Unless I confused Braba for him, they are difficult to pick apart at times). Simpkin and Thornton were serviceable but not brilliant. Laidlaw looked a bit tentative and his kicking was awful. O?Dwyer seems to be gaining in confidence, and is very fast when in the clear.
As long as the senior team stays alive, this team will face bigger challenges in the next couple of weeks. With the seniors playing all finals away, numbers will be further depleted by the necessity of taking travelling emergencies interstate with them. For those in the Canberra vicinity, the finals will be certainly worth a look see as the borderline players continue their battle for retention.
Sydney Swans 4-5, 9-8, 13-8, 18-12-120
Belconnen 3-1, 7-3, 11-3, 14-6-90
SYDNEY SWANS
Goal Kickers: S. PHILLIPS 4, J. MOORE 3, MONK 3, J. WHITE 2, M. DAVIS, M. LAIDLAW, T. SCHMIDT, C. BIRD, K. THORNTON, BRASINGTON
Best Players: MOORE, JACK, BRABAZON, PHILLIPS, WHITE.
BELCONNEN MAGPIES
Goal Kickers: L. JEFFREY 4, A. AINGER 3, P. RAADTS, J. JENNINGS, B. WESTON, B. KNOWLES, S. MAHAR, C. ILETT, C. YORK
Best Players: S. CURTIS, M. CAMPBELL, L. JEFFREY, A. AINGER, P. RAADTS, B. WESTON
Game Notes:
Grundy, on to Simpkin, he interchanges handballs woth Brabazon, eventually they free up Nick Smith who runs in for a goal. Moore passes to Laidlaw, but he only managed a point. But Belconnen fluffed the kick in, gifting Thornton with a mark and goal. Soon after Schmidt snaps a long goal. From the next centre bounce, Schmidt,and Moore put Simpkin in the clear, he finds Laidlaw with a lovely kick, But the result was another point. Keen turns the ball over, end result a Belconnen goal. Vogels takes a good contested mark, runs on for the open goal but misses. Moore showed better judgement and takes a good contested mark, his pass finds Thornton who hits the post, Well done Reg, good pressure causes his opponent to kick OOBOTF. Belconnen now starting to win more ball, Mocca White beaten on the lead, but only a point results. Nexr Belconnen forward thrust broken up by a good spoil by Bird. Belconnen eventually rewarded by the whistle and pull back a goal, Soon after Belconnen #15 gets another goal from a mark on the lead, Mocca White too slow! Another goal
Quarter Time Sydney 4-5-29, Belconnen 3-1-19
Belconnen wins centre clearance, then Swans backman caught with the ball, Belconnen pull another one back. Belconnen win the next centre clearance, noticeable that both times Shaw has won the tap but directed it to the opposiation. Playthe fluctuated up and down, eventually Belconnen win the hard ball, then earn another free, but waste the chance with a point. Brabazon gets the ball in the backline, promising, breaks the lines. Laidlaw wind the forward contest, on to Phillips but he spraysthe kick. Swans very wasteful. Belconnen then take full toll by scoring a goal from a throw in clearance. Brabazon tries to take them on again, too smart by half, another turnover and Belconnen goal result. Swans are behind ? what is going on!! Sanity restored with a good pass from Schmidt finding Davis on the flank. He centres to Moore for a mark and goal. Smokey then took another mark, but converted himself from a sharp angle. Next Belconnen forward thrust thwarted by a good HBG by Bird, his intelligent pass to O?Dwyer has the Swans streaming downfield. Soon after Mocca White marks on the goal line and converts with a cleverly executed banana. The Swans back in control now, Laidlaw wind the ground ball, handballs to Phillips, no mistake this time. But Beconnen win the ground ball next time they go forward and snap a reply. But Moore finishes off the quarter with a goal, fed after Brabazon got the throw in clearance.
Half time Sydney 9-8-62, Belconnen 7-3-45
Belconnen won?t go away, they win the centre clearance, then Keen beaten by his opponent and a goal results. More like it, Swans win the hard ball ? Jack passes to Phillips for a long set shot goal. But the impressive Belconnen #15 beats Vogels on the lead, fortunately he misses. Best Swans play of the day, started by a desparate Cracker Jack 1%er deep in the backline, eventually Simpkin running free up the guts passed to top up Monk for a mark and goal. Soon after Vogels again under pressure in the backline, gave away two successive frees. After the 2nd the Swans wanted to argue the point but were heavily penalised by Belconnen taking the advantage play and goaling. They then backed up with another goal from a mark on the lead. Soon after Brabazon turns the ball over in a dangerous position, fortunately he was saved by Haines; but the wasteful Phillips only managed a point from the resulting raid. Swans puinished when Belconnen goal from a pack spill. Swans won the centre clearance, Moore?s kick marked by White for a reply. Phillips and Bird then set up Shaw, his woeful kick falls short. Finally top up Brasington marks and converts. Still tight.
? Time Sydney 13-8-86, Belconnen 11-3-69
Bad start, Laidlaw shanks his set shot OOBOTF. Then Cracker sets up Phillips but he misses another easy shot. White and Bird then combine to give Auskick another go, this time the kick is even worse, but it falls to top up Monk who shows how its done by converting his sharply angled shot. He then backed up with another easy mark and goal, courtesy of good running interchanges between Phillips, White and Moore. Shackles broken? No! Mocca falls over at a boundary throw in, the resultant uncontested tap leads to a Belconnen breakout only spoiled by a poor shot on goal. On the return O?Dwyer set up Keen, but he also misses. Next Belconnen do get after a goal from a Swans midfield stuff up (missed the culprits) Immediate reply O?Dwyer, good get and good kick to Phillips; he finally rediscovers his kicking boot. Game finally out of doubt when Grundy and Schmidt set up Moore for another goal. The game finished with a long goal on the run by Belconnen, then Monk passing to Phillips for the final score.
Final: Sydney 18-12-120, Belconnen 14-6-90
Pictures by Des Lee
Towards the end of each season the task confronting our reserve graders gets tougher. Injuries start to bite, some depth is gone and the cream (or is that the cheese) has been skimmed off the top through promotion. Opposition Canberra teams are finally running in to some semblance of fitness. Second placed Belconnen presented a real challenge. Seventeen regulars and five top-ups lined up, but as per usual towards the end of the season, the top up kids were the best available under 18?s.  |
Winning a fair share of possession out of the middle and backing this up with decent delivery to their forwards the Belconnen boys really made the Swans backmen earn their crusts for a change. At various stages White, Vogels and Jack were all beaten by their opponents on the lead. At other times our midfielders were asked questions re their ability to win the hard ball cleanly and dispose of it intelligently.
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As long as the senior team stays alive, this team will face bigger challenges in the next couple of weeks. With the seniors playing all finals away, numbers will be further depleted by the necessity of taking travelling emergencies interstate with them. For those in the Canberra vicinity, the finals will be certainly worth a look see as the borderline players continue their battle for retention.
Sydney Swans 4-5, 9-8, 13-8, 18-12-120
Belconnen 3-1, 7-3, 11-3, 14-6-90
SYDNEY SWANS
Goal Kickers: S. PHILLIPS 4, J. MOORE 3, MONK 3, J. WHITE 2, M. DAVIS, M. LAIDLAW, T. SCHMIDT, C. BIRD, K. THORNTON, BRASINGTON
Best Players: MOORE, JACK, BRABAZON, PHILLIPS, WHITE.
BELCONNEN MAGPIES
Goal Kickers: L. JEFFREY 4, A. AINGER 3, P. RAADTS, J. JENNINGS, B. WESTON, B. KNOWLES, S. MAHAR, C. ILETT, C. YORK
Best Players: S. CURTIS, M. CAMPBELL, L. JEFFREY, A. AINGER, P. RAADTS, B. WESTON
Game Notes:
Grundy, on to Simpkin, he interchanges handballs woth Brabazon, eventually they free up Nick Smith who runs in for a goal. Moore passes to Laidlaw, but he only managed a point. But Belconnen fluffed the kick in, gifting Thornton with a mark and goal. Soon after Schmidt snaps a long goal. From the next centre bounce, Schmidt,and Moore put Simpkin in the clear, he finds Laidlaw with a lovely kick, But the result was another point. Keen turns the ball over, end result a Belconnen goal. Vogels takes a good contested mark, runs on for the open goal but misses. Moore showed better judgement and takes a good contested mark, his pass finds Thornton who hits the post, Well done Reg, good pressure causes his opponent to kick OOBOTF. Belconnen now starting to win more ball, Mocca White beaten on the lead, but only a point results. Nexr Belconnen forward thrust broken up by a good spoil by Bird. Belconnen eventually rewarded by the whistle and pull back a goal, Soon after Belconnen #15 gets another goal from a mark on the lead, Mocca White too slow! Another goal
Quarter Time Sydney 4-5-29, Belconnen 3-1-19
Belconnen wins centre clearance, then Swans backman caught with the ball, Belconnen pull another one back. Belconnen win the next centre clearance, noticeable that both times Shaw has won the tap but directed it to the opposiation. Playthe fluctuated up and down, eventually Belconnen win the hard ball, then earn another free, but waste the chance with a point. Brabazon gets the ball in the backline, promising, breaks the lines. Laidlaw wind the forward contest, on to Phillips but he spraysthe kick. Swans very wasteful. Belconnen then take full toll by scoring a goal from a throw in clearance. Brabazon tries to take them on again, too smart by half, another turnover and Belconnen goal result. Swans are behind ? what is going on!! Sanity restored with a good pass from Schmidt finding Davis on the flank. He centres to Moore for a mark and goal. Smokey then took another mark, but converted himself from a sharp angle. Next Belconnen forward thrust thwarted by a good HBG by Bird, his intelligent pass to O?Dwyer has the Swans streaming downfield. Soon after Mocca White marks on the goal line and converts with a cleverly executed banana. The Swans back in control now, Laidlaw wind the ground ball, handballs to Phillips, no mistake this time. But Beconnen win the ground ball next time they go forward and snap a reply. But Moore finishes off the quarter with a goal, fed after Brabazon got the throw in clearance.
Half time Sydney 9-8-62, Belconnen 7-3-45
Belconnen won?t go away, they win the centre clearance, then Keen beaten by his opponent and a goal results. More like it, Swans win the hard ball ? Jack passes to Phillips for a long set shot goal. But the impressive Belconnen #15 beats Vogels on the lead, fortunately he misses. Best Swans play of the day, started by a desparate Cracker Jack 1%er deep in the backline, eventually Simpkin running free up the guts passed to top up Monk for a mark and goal. Soon after Vogels again under pressure in the backline, gave away two successive frees. After the 2nd the Swans wanted to argue the point but were heavily penalised by Belconnen taking the advantage play and goaling. They then backed up with another goal from a mark on the lead. Soon after Brabazon turns the ball over in a dangerous position, fortunately he was saved by Haines; but the wasteful Phillips only managed a point from the resulting raid. Swans puinished when Belconnen goal from a pack spill. Swans won the centre clearance, Moore?s kick marked by White for a reply. Phillips and Bird then set up Shaw, his woeful kick falls short. Finally top up Brasington marks and converts. Still tight.
? Time Sydney 13-8-86, Belconnen 11-3-69
Bad start, Laidlaw shanks his set shot OOBOTF. Then Cracker sets up Phillips but he misses another easy shot. White and Bird then combine to give Auskick another go, this time the kick is even worse, but it falls to top up Monk who shows how its done by converting his sharply angled shot. He then backed up with another easy mark and goal, courtesy of good running interchanges between Phillips, White and Moore. Shackles broken? No! Mocca falls over at a boundary throw in, the resultant uncontested tap leads to a Belconnen breakout only spoiled by a poor shot on goal. On the return O?Dwyer set up Keen, but he also misses. Next Belconnen do get after a goal from a Swans midfield stuff up (missed the culprits) Immediate reply O?Dwyer, good get and good kick to Phillips; he finally rediscovers his kicking boot. Game finally out of doubt when Grundy and Schmidt set up Moore for another goal. The game finished with a long goal on the run by Belconnen, then Monk passing to Phillips for the final score.
Final: Sydney 18-12-120, Belconnen 14-6-90