AFL Sydney Round 14 Preview
We are well and truly in count down mode to finals as the AFL Sydney Premier Division enters the final five matches of the season. We have plenty of hot battles on the ladder ahead of us with double chances and finals places well and truly up for grabs.
UTS Bats and Pennant Hills Demons are set to do battle at Waverley Oval as the fourth and fifth placed teams fight out for a chance to make the top 3 double chance. This should be the match of the week as both teams are a definite chance of taking the win in this crucial clash. Last time the two teams met in Round 8 the Bats ran away with a surprisingly large 44 point victory but be sure that the Pennant Hills Demons are out to even the ledger. Pennant Hills currently sit one win behind UTS and if results go their way they could jump as high as third on the ladder. It defiantly won’t be easy for the Demons as some key Bats have been in sensational form the last month. Rising Star nominee and talented AFL Sydney youngster Jai Lyons has been ripping it up the past month and was again in the best for the Bats on the weekend. The speedy, exciting youngster also kicked one of the goals of the round at Olds Park on the weekend showing that UTS are a very dangerous side. Pennant Hills will be hoping that their settled line up can again preform in a big match. Daniel Witt will be out to shutdown Daniel Breese as Breese looks to add to his impressive goal record this year. This game could go either way, be prepared for a thriller. Prediction: UTS Bats by 5 points
The Western Suburbs Magpies and UNSW Eastern Suburbs sides will both be desperate to get back on the winners list as the bulldogs travel into the inner-west to take on the Magpies. Unfortunately for both these teams the dream of finals footy appears to have passed them by for 2016 but they both will be out to show that they can play great football. The key forwards for UNSW ES will be praying for dry weather after the mud bath they endured out at Kelso Oval on the weekend. The wet weather Kelso that we have come to love was a bit muddier than usual on the weekend as the ground played host to a true style of wet weather football. The Magpies enjoyed conditions a lot more favourable out at Blacktown ISP where the forwards were able to thrive with big man Cameron Gordon kicking a miracle goal off the ground in the pocket. While the Magpies ultimately suffered defeat, Cameron’s goal was almost certainly the highlight of the match. UNSW will be bolstered by the key returns off Round, Heath, Reinhard and Reinhard but they will defiantly miss Ben Davis as he gets a Sydney Swans NEAFL call-up. Prediction: UNSW/ES Bulldogs by 12
The Eagles remain top of the pile again as they again appear to be putting together an amazing season. Stunned by the loss in last year’s Grand Final, the Eagles have done nearly everything right so far this year. With that said anything is possible in football and the Eagles will be looking to stay well-grounded as they travel to Curl Curl to take on the Manly Warringah Giants. The Giants will be quietly confident they can push the Eagles as they make their late charge for the top five. A win this weekend may see the Giants sneak into fifth spot on the ladder. To make this happen they will need their key players like Behagg and Pola-Smith to fire. Manly will be wary of Stewart, Vlatko and Andrew Browning as they come back into the Eagles line up. Prediction: East Coast Eagles by 77
The Bombers will be hoping they can return from the bye with a bang and take equal second spot on the ladder with victory over the Sydney University Students as the two teams clash at Henson Park this Saturday afternoon. Sydney University will be hosting their Family Day on Saturday so be sure to bring the family along to the football for a great afternoon. The Bombers will be missing a number of talented youngsters as Matthew Wilson, Angus Baker, Jake Veale, Luke Robertson, Ryan Hebron, Harrison Carr and Darcy Baron-Hay all receive call-ups to the Sydney Swans NEAFL Squad. With this many talented youngsters missing North Shore will be looking for regular North Shore Prem’s players like Tebbutt and Daniel Roberts and to stand up and deliver for the Bombers. Sydney University will need to find goals this weekend and will be strongly hampered as the Students loose Matthew Vicic to a Sydney University NEAFL call up. Pete Casey will be the key man up forward as the students look to rotate Tom Elkington in and out of the ruck. Prediction: North Shore by 57 Points
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Last Modified on 15/07/2016 16:37