by Jonty The Jet
Photos by Des Lee
THE Nor-West Jets broke back into the AFL Sydney Division Two top five and gained a modicum of revenge for a disappointing performance earlier in the season when they eased past St George by 66 points in their round 11 clash at Bensons Lane on Saturday.
The Jets put the contest to bed early with a blistering first quarter that yielded eight goals to one and set up a 41-point lead at the first break, with Brendan Cameron proving unstoppable in the middle and Josh Howe, Chris Kyle and Aaron Lawes dominating up forward.
The stern message from coach Garry Bull at quarter time was to remember round five, when the Jets threw away a 30-point lead in the second quarter to lose to the Dragons by 24, and the home team ensured that wouldn’t happen by adding another three goals to one in the second to go into the main break with a commanding 55-point buffer.
Gerard Smits wound back the clock in his best performance of the season, while Jebal Williams, new father Owen Butcher and Stuart Tibben also created plenty of opportunities, and Tom Roberts and the returning Sam Makins, Matthew Lloyd and Warwick Smith repelled the Dragons whenever they went forward.
The workrate dropped off a bit in the second half with the match won, as St George fought the contest out to the end, with Nor-West only able to 5.6 to 4.1 in the second half to run out winners 16.10 106 to 6.4 40, missing the opportunity to build its percentage closer to those of the top four teams.
It was a point not lost on Bull, who made it clear the Jets need to finish teams off, as the top teams would take advantage of a similar lapse.
Chris Kyle and Howe finished with four goals each and Paul Webster three, while Marty Ingham looked like he’d never been away in his first match of the season and Nick Edwards, 15, turned in an impressive effort on debut to show he is a player to watch for the future.
NOR-WEST 8.1 11.4 14.7 16.10 106
ST GEORGE 1.2 2.3 5.3 6.4 40
NWJ Goals: C Kyle, J Howe 4, P Webster 3, A Lawes 2, G Smits, A Fox, M Ingham.
NWJ Best: B Cameron, G Smits, A Lawes, J Howe, J Williams, O Butcher, S Tibben, T Roberts.
THE Nor-West reserves turned in their best effort in some time to move clear of the relegation zone with a pulsating 29-point upset victory over the high-flying UTS.
With the Bats sitting third, the Jets’ eighth, and the home team missing several first choice players, it was meant to be an easy trip to the foot of the hills for the Bats.
But someone forgot to give the script to the Jets, who were manically obsessive with their tackling, pressure and attack on the ball to run out 13.4 82 to 8.5 53 winners.
Nor-West got the jump with an outstanding second term that yielded five goals to two for a 16-point lead at the main break, and after UTS fought back to within four points midway through the third quarter, the home team found another level and kicked the next five goals to put the result beyond doubt.
Stewart Potts gave a strong target up forward with three goals, while Seb Goldrick, Jesse Bray, Aaron Skinner, Luke Bell, Brett Carroll and Luke Allan created a wall across the middle of the ground that couldn’t be penetrated.
Peter Richardson was outstanding on his wing, continuing a consistent season by continually driving the ball forward, but it was the performance of another 15-year-old, Jesse Cass, who dominated in his first reserves match after making his senior debut earlier in the season, that proved a real catalyst for the victory.
NOR-WEST 2.1 7.2 11.3 13.4 82
UTS BATS 2.4 4.4 7.4 8.5 53
NWJ Goals: S Potts 3, M Davidson, S Braid, D Graham 2, M Laurence, N Hanley, J Bray, G Bull.
NWJ Best: S Goldrick, J Cass, A Skinner, J Bray, L Bell, P Richardson.
The seniors face a danger match this Saturday as they take on Camden for the second time in four matches at Harrington Park, while the reserves will attempt to resurrect their finals’ hopes against fourth-placed UNSWES at Village Green.
Last Modified on 28/06/2011 21:04
