TEAM TALK: NEAFL R19 – Demons and GIANTS battle
As the race to the finals heats up, three games involving NSW/ACT sides headline the action in Round 19 of the NEAFL.
The round kicks off in Wagga Wagga when the Canberra Demons take their game against the GWS GIANTS on the road.
The Demons are coming off a big loss to the Brisbane Lions, but sit only one win outside the top six.
They welcome back Reed Stevens for this important match. The 18-year-old has had an impressive season so far, and has continued his good form after winning the Demon’s Rising Star Award last year. Cameron Milne and Jack Powell also come into the side in three changes.
Billy Muir is one of three omissions, the ruckman has played 11 matches so far in his debut NEAFL season.
The GIANTS continue to tick all the right boxes but again failed to get a result last week against the Gold Coast Suns. Their task this week has been made harder by losing Jacob Hopper and Brett Deledio to the AFL this weekend.
They do welcome back some experience, as Tendai Mzungu, Dawson Simpson and Jeremy Finlayson all come back into the side. Finlayson made his AFL debut against Geelong a month ago, but the match was cruelly cut short by injury. He returns to the NEAFL with a point to prove to win back his position in the GIANTS’ AFL side.
The blockbuster game of the weekend takes place at the Gabba where the first-placed Sydney Swans take on the second-placed Brisbane Lions.
Thirty-nine AFL-listed players have been named to take part in the match, a sign that both teams are desperate to win this match-up.
The Swans welcome back captain, Brandon Jack for the match, as well as Shaun Edwards and Daniel Robinson who have both had strong seasons so far in the NEAFL. Also coming into the side is Harry Cunningham, who returns from a foot injury he sustained against St. Kilda in Round 9.
Will Hayward and Kurt Tippett come out of the side that beat the NT Thunder two weeks ago, having both been recalled to the Swans AFL side.
A Swans win would almost secure top spot with two rounds to go.
The final game for the round sees Sydney University host the NT Thunder in another crucial encounter. The Students sit in third position, and a win over the Thunder would wrap up a top three finish.
Forward Jacob Derickx returns to the side after a brief injury lay-off. Derickx has kicked 24 goals so far this season, and will need a few more to help the Students over the line against the Thunder. Jonathan Williams also returns to the side.
Going the other way, Callum McFadden is out through injury while Nathan Cooper has been rested.
MATCH DAY INFORMATION
CANBERRA DEMONS (7th) vs. GWS GIANTS (10th)
Date: Saturday, 5 August 2017
Time: 12pm
Venue: Robertson Oval, Wagga Wagga
Entry: Free
Watch: Not streaming live
SELECTED CANBERRA DEMONS SIDE
B: 19. Max Richardson 29. Ben Halse 21. Matt Vardanega
HB: 36. Lucas Meline 13. Tom Faul 6. Kade Klemke
C: 5. Nick Collins 17. Jordan Harper 24. Alex Smout
HF: 12. Luke McKay 3. Andrew Swan 16. Mitch Hardie
F: 4. Aaron Bruce 11. Jacob Turner 1. Isaac Taylor
Foll: 42. Cameron Milne 8. Mitch Maguire 25. Sam Martyn
Inter: 33. Lachlan Harper 23. Ben Fulford 9. Nick Pleming 46. Jack Powell* 10. Reed Stevens
Emer: 37. Maxwell Beaumont 22. Billy Muir 27. Lachlan Maples
In: 42. Cameron Milne 46. Jack Powell 10. Reed Stevens
Out: 22. Billy Muir 27. Lachlan Maples 37. Maxwell Beaumont (all omitted)
SELECTED GWS GIANTS SIDE
B: 45. Shaun Driscoll 39. Tim Mohr 47. Jacob Conlan
HB: 31. Jeremy Finlayson 42. Jake Stein 51. Nick Shipley
C: 13. Isaac Cumming 38. Daniel Lloyd 50. Jake Gaynor
HF: 40. Ty Evans 53. Lachlan Tanner 33. Lachlan Tiziani
F: 46. Ben McGinness 52. Matthew Walker 54. Riley Corbett
Foll: 30. Matt Flynn 28. Zach Sproule 25. Tendai Mzungu
Inter: 27. Harry Himmelberg 26. Dawson Simpson 49. Rhys Pollock 55. Kieren Briggs
Emer: 44. Daniel Cerni
In: 25. Tendai Mzungu 26. Dawson Simpson 31. Jeremy Finlayson 45. Shaun Driscoll 47. Jacob Conlan 50. Jake Gaynor 54. Riley Corbett 55. Kieren Briggs
Out 2. Jacob Hopper (AFL) 7. Brett Deledio (AFL) 47. Nathan Richards 45. Nathan Coxall 48. Reed Stevens 44. Will Taylor 50. Jack Powell 21. James Peatling (all omitted)
BRISBANE LIONS (2nd) vs. SYDNEY SWANS (1st)
Date: Saturday, 5 August 2017
Time: 12.45pm
Venue: The Gabba
Entry: With ticket to Brisbane Lions AFL Match
Watch: Streaming live on NEAFL TV
Live Stats: Champion Data stats available on the Official NEAFL App
SELECTED SYDNEY SWANS SIDE
B: 46. Sam Murray 21. Jack Maibaum 2. Alex Johnson
HB: 47. Toby Pink 32. Michael Talia 13. Oliver Florent
C: 50. Jake Brown 7. Harry Cunningham 33. Brandon Jack
HF: 30. Tyrone Leonardis 19. Shaun Edwards 45. Sam Fisher
F: 1. James Rose 56. Jack Buckley 53. Sam Barkley
Foll: 60. Liam Maze 25. Ben Ronke 34. Jordan Dawson
Inter: 6. Jordan Foote 11. Jeremy Laidler 27. Daniel Robinson 31. Harrison Marsh 26. Aliir Aliir
Emer: 54. Jared Deep 59. Jared Osborne 52. Harrison Carr
In: 7. Harry Cunningham 19. Shaun Edwards 33. Brandon Jack 27. Daniel Robinson 56. Jack Buckley 60. Liam Maze
Out: 9. Will Hayward (AFL) 8. Kurt Tippett (AFL) 51. James Bell 55. Michael Carroll 48. Josh Stern (all omitted)
SYDNEY UNIVERSITY (3rd) vs. NT THUNDER (4th)
Date: Saturday, 5 August 2017
Time: 2pm
Venue: Henson Park
Entry: Free
Watch: Streaming live on ThunderVision
Live Stats: Champion Data stats available on the Official NEAFL App
SELECTED SYDNEY UNIVERSITY SIDE
B: 2. Xavier Richards 38. Darcy Baron-Hay* 35. Ryan Hebron
HB: 18. Jack Dimery 24. Tim Barton 26. Will Sierakowski
C: 3. Tom Ayton 4. Austin Lucy 1. Jack Hiscox
HF: 23. Kane Murphy 12. Aaron Day 40. Matt Wilson
F: 16. Alistair Gillespie 9. Jacob Derickx 8. Damien Bonney
Foll: 22. Sam Tagliabue 5. Zac O’Brien 15. Tom Young
Inter: 42. James Brain 10. Mitch Thompson 28. Michael Manteit 46. James Loneragan 43. Jonathan Williams
Emer: 33. Nathan Cooper
In: 9. Jacob Derickx 43. Jonathan Williams
Out: 30. Callum McFadden (injured) 33. Nathan Cooper (managed)
