By Jonty the Jet
Photos: John Tibben
THE Nor-West Jets recorded their seventh victory of the season and set up a virtual elimination final against Auburn this Saturday with a solid if unconvincing 45-point win over Camden at Harrington Park’s Fairfax Reserve in their AFL Sydney Division Two match on Saturday.
The Jets were missing more than half a team due to unavailabilities across both grades, and while never really being in danger of losing, were never able to quite shake off the determined Cats in a 13.10 88 to 6.7 43 victory.
Camden put in a solid start as the Jets appeared to once again let complacency creep into their game, and the home team found itself just a goal behind at quarter time as the contest looked set to mirror the previous clash between these teams just four weeks ago.
And like four weeks ago, Nor-West edged clear in the second quarter, kicking three goals to one to stretch its lead to 19 points as Stuart Tibben dominated the midfield and Tom Roberts produced another sterling performance across half back.
Tibben and Roberts have been in excellent form, with the latter proving an impressive performer in all his outings since returning from East Coast early in the season.
The Cats lifted their workrate again in the third term as the Jets seemed unable to quite break out of cruise control, but the visitors managed to win the quarter again to go into the last break with a 24-point gap – one that kept Camden in with a sniff.
In fact, if it wasn’t for the strong efforts of midfielders Josh Cass, who enjoyed a welcome return to form after a couple of quiet weeks, and Jebal Williams, who has also bounced back to good form, the home team would have been right in the game.
Key defender Warwick Smith was another to show his quality, repelling countless Cat attacks to keep his team in the box seat all day.
However, coach Garry Bull asked his team for one big effort in the final term, and they found enough in reserve to edge away in the home straight with 4.4 to 1.1, with the final marging being the biggest of the match.
Paul Webster has been reinvented as a key forward, and he took several marks and kicked well to finish with four goals, while Chris Kyle added two, but it was the fact Nor-West was able to find nine goalkickers – including co-coach Don Ollington’s rare sausage roll – that was the most pleasing aspect of the attack.
The win takes the Jets to a 7-5 record for the season and they hold fifth spot on the ladder by percentage from this week’s opponent Auburn, and the boys in blue and white will need to find another gear to maintain their spot in the top half of the ladder in the Mona Park showdown.
NOR-WEST 3.1 6.4 9.6 13.10 88
CAMDEN 2.1 3.3 5.6 6.7 43
NWJ Goals: P Webster 4, C Kyle 2, D Ollington, J Cass, G Hoffman, M Gray, A Fox, A Lawes, J Thomson.
NWJ Best: S Tibben, T Roberts, J Cass, P Webster, J Williams, W Smith.
IF PLAYER absences caused difficulties with the senior line-up, it created complete havoc with the reserves, with a handful of players called in for their first or second appearances for the season as they attempted to resurrect their finals hopes.
And after an extremely brave performance that saw the Jets lead at every change, the lack of fitness finally told in the final term as UNSW-Eastern Suburbs escaped with a 17-point win at the Village Green.
Nor-West ran onto the field with its back against the wall against an in-form top five team, but knew it had to win to move within striking distance of the finals after a stirring win over UTS the week before.
The Jets responded with another massive effort, showcasing the determination and hardness the club is usually known for, kicking four goals to one to break to an 18-point lead at quarter time.
Peter Richardson put in a superhuman effort just a day after completing a near marathon 38km run through the streets of South-West Sydney for the Bandaged Bear Appeal on Friday morning and then being rattled by a head clash in the first term.
He earned best on ground honours and dragged his team’s morale and effort up time and again – and his mates followed him manfully, with Aaron Skinner starring in the middle and Luke Bell dominating the ruck.
The Bulldogs worked their way back into the contest with four goals to two in the second term, cutting the margin to nine points at half time, but the experience and class of Stephen Chase in defence ensured the Jets would stay in front.
Nor-West extended the margin again to 13 at the final break, with Stewart Potts providing a strong target up forward with two goals, Scott Longman making a welcome return to footy and small forwards Scott Braid (four goals) and Matt Laurence (three) outstanding at the fall of the ball.
But the signs were there that the extra manpower the Bulldogs had at their disposal was going to prove telling, and the floodgates opened with the gutsy Jets out on their feet – the home team kicking six goals to one to pinch a 13.10 88 to 10.11 71 result that left the visitors to rue what might have been.
Nor-West will need to bring its A-game to the table for the toughest task in the Division Four competition against undefeated ladder leader Macquarie University at Uni Oval on Saturday.
NOR-WEST 4.1 6.6 9.8 10.11 71
UNSWES 1.1 5.3 7.7 13.10 88
NWJ Goals: S Braid 4, M Laurence 3, S Potts 2, D Braid.
NWJ Best: P Richardson, A Skinner, L Bell, S Potts, S Longman, S Chase.
Last Modified on 10/07/2011 18:42
