AFL Sydney Grand Final wrap

UNSW/ES have defeated Balmain by 42 points to be crowned AFL Sydney Premier Division Premiers at Blacktown.

The game was a tight contest for the first three quarters but a commanding fourth quarter saw the Bulldogs run out 13.11 to 7.5 winners.

The first quarter was goal for goal affair with neither side unable to break away from the opposition. UNSW/ES took an eight point lead into the first break. The second quarter was like the first with both teams sharing the lead. Ben Taggart kicked two goals in as many minutes to try to lift his side only to be matched by a pair of UNSW/ES goals. The Bulldogs took a 3 point margin into the main break.

The game was going in a similar pattern with each team sharing goals unable to get scoreboard pressure applied. A four point margin in favour of the Bulldogs is all that separated the two sides at the final change. However, the fourth quarter was much different with UNSW/ES building scoreboard pressure through Leigh Lavery’s two goals in a minute and the Bulldogs never looked back with a seven goals to one final quarter handing them the premiership.

Adam Gulden provided run and carry for the winners all day and was awarded the Rod Podbury medal for best on ground. He was well served by Phelan Medalist Dane Rampe and Hayden Nichols. For Balmain, Kristian Pearson kept Lavery quiet for three quarters and Jerome Farrell was strong off the half back flank.

It is the Bulldogs first Premier Division premiership since 2003 and also results in 9 different clubs winning premierships.

Meanwhile, Manly Warringah have completed the perfect season by going through undefeated by defeating Southern Power by 25 points at Blacktown.

Manly Warringah led all day and eventually ran out 11.15 to 9.2 winners. The win gives the wolves back to back premierships.

Manly controlled play early winning most of the hard ball and getting uncontested possessions but poor kicking kept the Power in the game with the Wolves leading by 11 points at the first change. Early in the second it looked like Manly would control most of the game but once again poor kicking kept the Power in it. A spirited fight late in the 2nd quarter saw Manly’s lead cut to 3 points at half time.

Manly, kicking with a slight wind, took control of the contest once again kicking five goals to three to extend the lead to 20 points at the final change. In the last quarter Southern Power couldn’t bridge the gap with Manly ending up winners.

Connor Pettersson provided plenty of run for the Wolves being awarded the best on ground medal and was well supported by big man David Kovacevic and captain Tyrone Armitage. Jack Dickens and Cameron Roe tried hard all day for the Power.

Sydney Hills Eagles have claimed their first Under 18 premiership in 12 years by defeating Illawarra by 22 points in the Under 18 Div One grand final today at Blacktown.

After finishing runners up in three of the last four grand finals, the eagles broke the drought with a dominant third quarter to eventually run out 14.14 to 11.10 winners.

Illawarra started the game on fire captalising on the Eagles’ poor kicking to lead by five points at the first break. In the second quarter it was all Illawarra dominating the possession count and the scoreboard kicking 5 goals to 1 to extend their lead out to 27 points at the main break.

However, Sydney Hills come out more physical after half time to control the third quarter kicking 5 goals to 1 with a goal just before three quarter time giving the Eagles a one point advantage heading into the last quarter.

The last quarter was all the Eagles kicking six goals to be crowned Under 18 Div One premiers.

Yoshiro Harris was dominant across half back providing great drive from the back half and was awarded the best on ground medal and was well supported by midfielders Adam Fender and Nick Crowe. For Illawarra, midfielders Harrison Green and Harry Dobson tried hard to get their team over the line.

Earlier in the day, Southern Power claimed the Under 18 Div Two premiership with a comfortable 43 point win over Manly Warringah.

Southern Power led for most of the day and eventually ran out winners 9.11 to 3.4.
The game started slowly with neither side able to kick a goal but it was Manly who kicked the first two goals 8 minutes in into the 2nd quarter. Southern Power responded with 3 goals to lead at the main break by 12 points.

The third quarter was much like the first with neither side able to kick a goal and saw Southern power maintain a 13 point lead. The last quarter was all Southern Power kicking 6 goals to 1 to claim their first ever under 18 title.

Southern Power’s Tim Cashman was dominant up forward kicking 4 goals and claiming the best on ground medal and he was well supported by key backmen Liam Pollard and Matthew Walsh. For the Wolves, James Behagg tried hard all day with U18 Div Two leading goalkicker Matthew Bell kicking all of the Manly goals.

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PREMIER DIVISION – GRAND FINAL

UNSW/ES

BALMAIN

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 2.4,　 4.6,　 6.9,　 13.11　 (89)　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 1.2,　 4.3,　 6.5,　 　　7.5　 　　(47)

GOALS,

UNSW/ES : L. Lavery 5, T. Williamson 3, D. Rampe 1, S. Benjamin 1, J. Parmenter 1, A. Gulden 1, R. Troon 1

BALMAIN : A. Cottrell 3, B. Taggart 2, T. Mabon 1, B. Plug 1

BEST,

UNSW/ES : A. Gulden, D. Rampe, H. Nichols, R. McAlister, S. Tagliabue, T. Williamson

BALMAIN : K. Pearson, J. Farrell, S. Lee-Steere, C. White, K. Ericson, T. Luff

UMPIRES:

GROUND:

DIVISION ONE- GRAND FINAL

MANLY WARRINGAH

SOUTHERN POWER　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

GOALS,

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 2.5,　 3.10,　 8.15,　 11.15　 (81)1.0,　 4.1,　 　　7.2, 　　　　　9.2　 　　(56)

MANLY WARRINGAH : T. Armitage 3, D. Kovacevic 2, R. Hart 2, A. Robertson 1, L. Brain 1, D. Pearson 1, T. Thurgarland 1

SOUTHERN POWER : S. Demir 2, A. Craig 1, S. Davies 1, A. Fritsch 1, M. Graham 1, T. Smith 1, D. Turner 1, G. Enright 1

BEST,

MANLY WARRINGAH : C. Pettersson, D. Kovacevic, T. Armitage, A. Robertson, R. Hart, E. Burke

SOUTHERN POWER : J. Dickens, C. Roe, G. Enright, M. Graham, D. Turner, R. Emmerick

　

UNDER 18 DIVISION ONE – GRAND FINAL

SYDNEY HILLS EAGLES

ILLAWARRA　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 　　　　　　　

GOALS,

　　　　　　　　　　　　　 2.4,　 3.9,　 8.14,　 14.14　 (98)3.3,　 8.6,　 9.7, 　　　11.10　 (76)

SYDNEY HILLS EAGLES : A. Fender 2, M. Stevens 2, J. Famularo 2, N. Crowe 1, J. Rylance 1, H. Bond 1, Y. Harris 1, J. Regan 1, T. Graham 1, D. Wright 1, S. Neill 1

ILLAWARRA : J. Lavender 2, B. Yates 2, B. Forst 2, E. Roberts 2, J. Sutherland 1, J. Roebuck 1, T. Walsh 1

BEST,

SYDNEY HILLS EAGLES : Y. Harris, A. Fender, N. Crowe, T. Gavuri, C. Arndt, S. Neill

ILLAWARRA : H. Green, H. Dobson, K. Anu, S. Potter, C. Kolster, J. Sutherland

UNDER 18 DIVISION TWO – GRAND FINAL

SOUTHERN POWER

MANLY-WARRINGAH

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 0.5,　 3.7,　 3.9,　 9.11　 (65)　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 0.0,　 2.1,　 2.2,　 3.4　 　　(22)

GOALS,

SOUTHERN POWER : T. Cashman 4, T. Hooker 1, L. Hamling 1, P. Bird 1, H. McLean 1, M. Young 1

MANLY-WARRINGAH : M. Bell 3

BEST,

SOUTHERN POWER : T. Cashman, L. Pollard, M. Walsh, L. Hamling, N. Park, D. Walters

MANLY-WARRINGAH : J. Behagg, M. Bell, H. Tier, J. Parker, M.　 Allen, C. Johnston

Blacktown ISP Michael Peck, Paul Barron, Dean Garroway