TEAM TALK: NEAFL Round 14
Round 14 action in the NEAFL sees three massive games involving AFL NSW/ACT sides.
The first game sees the top of the table Sydney Swans head to Canberra to take on the Demons at UNSW Canberra Oval on Saturday afternoon.
The Sydney Swans have a number of big-name inclusions, with the likes of Aliir Aliir and Callum Sinclair making the trip to Canberra.
The biggest name, however, is Alex Johnson, who has been named to play his first AFL game in 1,736 days. In a remarkable test of his resilience, the Premiership winning defender has undergone five knee reconstructions and finally will pull on a Swans jersey once again.
Jordan Dawson (injury) and Jarrad McVeigh (AFL) are two of the five players who have dropped out of the side.
Canberra welcomes back Rhys Pollock in one of five changes to the side that lost to Gold Coast last weekend. Donald Roberts and Max Richardson also make a return. Tom Highmore is out after being called back into the Allies camp, while Josh Bennett, Reed Stevens, Tom Faul and Lucas Meline have all been ruled out through injury.
Sydney University host the Brisbane Lions at Henson Park on Saturday afternoon. The match has important consequences for the table as both sides sit locked on 36 points coming into the round.
The Students welcome back Zac O’Brien who returns to the side after some good early season form. He is joined by Jackson Potter and Mitch Thompson as one of four changes in the side. Tim Barrett has been sidelined through injury, while Nick Foster and Michael Manteit have both been omitted.
The final match up sees the GWS GIANTS host the NT Thunder in an AFL curtain-raiser at Spotless Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The GIANTS have again had to make a number of changes as injuries have depleted their stock throughout the season. Rory Lobb and Jeremy Finlayson have both been named in the AFL side and Tim Mohr has been ruled out through injury. Daniel Lloyd returns to the team, one of an expected eight changes for the game against the Thunder.
MATCH DAY INFORMATION
Canberra Demons (7th) vs. Sydney Swans (1st)
Date: Saturday, 1 July 2017
Time: 12pm
Venue: UNSW Canberra Oval
Entry: Free
Watch: Not Streaming Live
Live Stats: Champion Data stats available on the Official NEAFL App
SELECTED CANBERRA DEMONS SIDE
B: 23. Ben Fulford 29. Ben Halse 38. Riley Budd
HB: 21. Matt Vardanega 11. Jacob Turner 25. Sam Martyn
C: 5. Nick Collins 3. Andrew Swan 24. Alex Smout
HF: 27. Lachlan Maples 4. Aaron Bruce 16. Mitch Hardie
F: 40. Rhys Pollock 22. Billy Muir 8. Mitch Maguire
Foll: 42. Cameron Milne 17. Jordan Harper 9. Nick Pleming
Inter: 33. Lachlan Harper 19. Max Richardson 1. Isaac Taylor 14. Donald Roberts 45. Ben McGinness*
Emer: 12. Luke McKay 41. Daniel Cerni
In: 40. Rhys Pollock 14. Donald Roberts 19. Max Richardson 45. Ben McGinness 38. Riley Budd
Out: 35. Tom Highmore (Allies) 10. Reed Stevens (injured) 2. Josh Bennett (injured) 36. Lucas Meline (injured) 13. Tom Faul (injured)
SELECTED SYDNEY SWANS SIDE
B: 46. Sam Murray 21. Jack Maibaum 2. Alex Johnson
HB: 31. Harry Marsh 32. Michael Talia 38. Colin O’Riordan
C: 54. Bailey Stewart 50. Sam Wicks 55. Josh Stern
HF: 30. Tyrone 36. Aliir Aliir 45. Sam Fisher
F: 25. Ben Ronke 1. James Rose 33. Brandon Jack
Foll: 47. Toby Pink 42. Robbie Fox 19. Shaun Edwards
Inter: 6. Jordan Foote 18. Callum Sinclair 27. Daniel Robinson 11. Jeremy Laidler
Emer: 49. Will Gowers 53. Sam Barkley
In: 36. Aliir Aliir 45. Sam Fisher 2. Alex Johnson 18. Callum Sinclair 55. Josh Stern
Out: 34. Jordan Dawson (injured) 3. Jarrad McVeigh (AFL) 55. Mitch Rogers (omitted) 60. Liam Maze (omitted) 58. Hamish MacDonald (omitted)
Sydney University (3rd) vs. Brisbane Lions (2nd)
Date: Saturday, 1 July 2017
Time: 12pm
Venue: Henson Park
Entry: Free
Watch: Not Streaming Live
Live Stats: Champion Data stats available on the Official NEAFL App
SELECTED SYDNEY UNIVERSITY SIDE
B: 33. Nathan Cooper 38. Darcy Baron-Hay* 35. Ryan Hebron
HB: 24. Tim Barton 12. Aaron Day 26. Will Sierakowski
C: 3. Tom Ayton 4. Austin Lucy 1. Jack Hiscox
HF: 6. Matt Rawlinson 10. Mitch Thompson 42. James Brain
F: 9. Jacob Derickx 2. Xavier Richards 8. Damien Bonney
Foll: 22. Sam Tagliabue 21. Lewis Stevenson 15. Tom Young
Inter: 16. Alistair Gillespie 30. Callum McFadden 17. Jackson Potter 5. Zac O’Brien 18. Jack Dimery
Emer: 40. Matt Wilson 23. Kane Murphy 46. James Loneragan
In: 16. Alistair Gillespie 5. Zac O’Brien 17. Jackson Potter 10. Mitch Thompson
Out: 34. Ned Reinhard (unavailable) 7. Tim Barrett (injured) 11. Nick Foster (omitted) 28. Michael Manteit (omitted)
GWS GIANTS (10th) vs. NT Thunder (4th)
Date: Saturday, 1 July 2017
Time: 3.15pm
Venue: Spotless Stadium
Entry: With ticket to GWS GIANTS vs. Geelong Cats AFL game
Watch: Streamed live on ThunderTV
Live Stats: Champion Data stats available on the Official NEAFL App
SELECTED GWS GIANTS SIDE
B: 40. Jake Gaynor 36. Harry Perryman 33. Jeromy Lucas
HB: 46. Dylan Addison 42. Brendan Myers 44. Max Beaumont
C: 55. Kieren Briggs 28. Zach Sproule 45. Lachlan Tanner
HF: 51. Jack Buckley 30. Matt Flynn 48. Shaun Driscoll
F: 39. Alex Paech 54. Karl Merson 53. James Peatling
Foll: 26. Dawson Simpson 13. Isaac Cumming 25. Tendai Mzungu
Inter: 11. Will Setterfield 42. Jake Stein 38. Daniel Lloyd 31. Jeremy Finlayson
Emer: 49. Nathan Coxall
In: 38. Daniel Lloyd 42. Jake Stein 48. Shaun Driscoll 40. Jake Gaynor 39. Alex Paech 33. Jeromy Lucas 54. Karl Merson
Out: 48. David Wright (omitted) 37. Rory Lobb (AFL) 40. Tyh Evans (omitted) 47. Nathan Richards (omitted) 41. Jy Lane (omitted) 39. Tim Mohr (injured) 54. Daniel Cerni (omitted) 49. Nathan Coxall (omitted)
