ROUND 1 MATCH REPORT – DIV 3 v WESTERN SUBURBS – DIV 5 v SYDNEY UNIVERSITY
The Nor-West Jets were up before the sun on Saturday as Round 1 of Sydney AFL began, with the Division 3 team heading to Croydon to face Sydney football foundation club, the Western Suburbs Magpies. The Magpies had an influx of new players into their higher grades, resulting in an experienced squad to face the Jets, who bowed out of Season 2013 with a heart breaking loss to Randwick City in the Preliminary Final. The Jets also fielded a new look side, with 8 new faces in the line up, including the returning Johnston brothers Ryan and Brent, after a stint with Balmain in the Premier Division, and Steve Quirk, a member of the 2004 Jets squad before a decade in the Queensland FL with Yeronga-South Brisbane.
With grounds across Sydney under threat of closure due to the recent deluge from the skies, Picken Oval was rated a Heavy 8 under foot but held firm as the Jets started strongly, with Peter Martinoli following the coaches instructions to the letter and presenting front and centre off the first contest to slot the first goal of the day. Wests replied with two of their own through some smart ball movement, but goals to Co-Coach Pete Kyle and a late snap shot to Mick Gray, saw the Jets take a 9 point lead at the first break.
As the early morning sun bore down on the players, it was the Jets who withstood the heat and applied the blow torch to Wests as they added a further 3 goals to nil, the defensive work of Matt Schwager, Brad Pond and David Clinch working together in conjunction with Captain Warwick Smith, who after a season away with work, picked up his 2012 form where he left it with a scintillating display across half back. Also returning to the field after a year absence was Josh Howe, who was unstoppable at half forward, taking countless marks and creating havoc for the Magpies back 6. In the centre, the Jets young guns of Sunday Achiek, Brent Johnston, Louie Butler and new recruit Rylan Delamare found the going tough against their more seasoned opponents, but still managed to send the ball forward with regularity, and if not for some rushed kicking at goals, the half time margin of 29 points may have been greater.
Wests pride themselves on standing up in a fight, and with a healthy crowd on hand, took the game up to the Jets, finding loose players across the park to bring themselves back into the game with three well earned goals, but the Jets countered with three of their own, including a long range effort to Troy Clent and a smart piece of play to Steve Quirk to keep the margin to 28 points with a quarter to play.
The last quarter saw both teams go goal for goal in an entertaining display of open football. Delamare was on the receiving end of a huge tackle but bounced back to maintain his work rate, and a late goal on the run to Butler sealed a 29 point win to the Jets, 13.10-88 to 9.5-59.
Nor-West Jets
Goal Kickers: J. Howe 4, P. Kyle 4, S. Quirk , P. Martinoli , T. Clent , M. Gray , L. Butler
Best Players: B. Johnston, D. Clinch, W. Smith, J. Howe, L. Butler, P. Kyle
Player Match Stats
In Division 5, the Jets welcomed back their Reserve Grade after a year in recess, with strong numbers over pre season giving new Coach Doug Linnett plenty to work with. Only 9 players from Season 2012 took to Henson Park against Sydney University, as new faces were the order of the day in both grades. 3 players made their first appearance in the 18 a side game, with Ash Light, Alex Lorenzelli and Owen Hickman all making their AFL debuts and producing strong performances. Veteran forward Scott Braid opened the scoring with a freakish snap from the pocket and immediately followed with a set shot. New recruit Zane Priest and local juniors Liam Veigel and Josh Edwards dominated through the centre, while Josh Patterson brought his own football as he gathered touches with ease, in a rare appearance in Reserves.
The Jets went into the first break leading by 16 points, and in the second term, Dylan Cruz turned the screws on his opponent as he teamed up with 17 year old Connor Moore across the forward 50 to score 3 and 2 goals respectively. Uni rallied late in the game but the Jets had all the answers, despite having only one player on the bench after half time, with injuries to the returning Daniel Langford and Cheyne Anderson. It mattered little, as Nor-West started their Division 5 campaign with a 29 point win, 10.14-74 to 7.3-45.
Nor-West Jets
Goal Kickers: D. Cruz 3, S. Braid 2, C. Moore 2, J. Patterson , O. Hickman , C. Anderson
Best Players: Z. Priest, J. Patterson, L. Veigel, A. Lorenzelli, D. Cruz, J. Edwards
Nor-West Jets
Goal Kickers: D. Cruz 3, S. Braid 2, C. Moore 2, J. Patterson , O. Hickman , C. Anderson
Best Players: Z. Priest, J. Patterson, L. Veigel, A. Lorenzelli, D. Cruz, J. Edwards
Player Match Stats
The Jets travel to Henson Park in Sydenham this Sunday to face Sydney University in Division 3, while Division 5 face a tough task against Camden at Harrington Park.
Last Modified on 31/03/2014 15:16
