Another wet weekend across Sydney for Round 3 of the Sydney AFL competition, with the Nor-West Jets Division 5 side heading to Artarmon to take on North Shore on Saturday at Gore Hill Oval.
Nor-West fielded an experienced Reserve Grade squad, with regular Senior players Josh Patterson and Matt Schwager adding some strong depth across the park. The Jets started the game where they left it the week before against Camden, holding the Bombers to only 2 points while peppering the forward 50 with alarming regularity. Jye Brennan was turning it on across half forward as he showed his class, on his way to a personal best of 7 goals for the day. At the back, veterans Steve Chase & Matt Brophy denied the home side time and again in the wet conditions as the Jets took a 27 point lead to quarter time.
The Jets hit the after burners in the 2nd term and left their opponents helpless, a 7 goal quarter that could’ve been much worse if not for a return of 6 behinds to a single goal from North Shore. Patterson and Zane Priest were unstoppable in the middle, ably supported by young guns Liam Veigel and Josh Edwards, while man mountain Bennett Idstein stood tall and carried the ruck all day. 70 points was the half time margin, and the coaching panel pleaded with the squad for more accuracy in front of goal to increase the percentage of the ladder.
4 goals and 7 behinds was the return for the third as the Bombers flooded the Jets’ forward 50 and limited clean disposal, but the last quarter saw Nor-West step up a level and added 6 straight to run out 136 point victors and take top spot on the ladder, 21.21-147 to 1.5-11.
Goal Kickers: J. Charlton Brennan 7, C. Moore 2, D. Soderman 2, L. Sharpe 2, S. Braid 2, J. Patterson , J. Edwards , S. Goldrick , B. Heggie , B. Burn , Z. Priest
Best Players: B. Idstein, J. Charlton Brennan, Z. Priest, J. Patterson, J. Edwards, S. Chase
In Division 3 action, the Jets headed to Henson Park at Marrickville for the second week in a row to face the Balmain Tigers. Key inclusions to the squad of David Clinch, Josh Howe, Ryan Johnston and Brad Pond added plenty of steel to an already tough squad, and the Jets opened up in the first term with surprisingly fluid delivery to the forwards, with Howe in amongst the thick of it. The weather was doing its best to slow the play, but Nor-West’s midfield of the Johnston boys, Ethon Coombs and Kyle Clarke had other ideas and took a 20 minute lead to the first break.
Balmain turned physical in the second term with some rough tactics, and the Jets absorbed the pressure as they moved the ball into the wind as they liked, and extended their lead to 40 at half time. The smaller players of Steve Quirk, Owen Butcher and Mick Gray cleaned up across half forward, while Warwick Smith, Aaron Bayne and Daniel Guthridge held solid in defence and allowed Balmain only 7 points to the main break.
The third quarter saw the Jets inexplicably fall into an undisciplined style of football, as they were sucked into the Tigers’ trap and momentarily lost their way around the field. Adam Newton was one who stuck to the script, as he dominated in the rucks and played his best game to date in the blue and white. While the Jets added 4 goals in the second half, they allowed Balmain 3 of their own in a scrappy affair, but the points were secure and Nor-West finished 49 point victors, 11.11-77 to Balmain 4.4-28.
Goal Kickers: P. Kyle 3, J. Howe 3, O. Butcher , S. Quirk , A. Newton , J. Smith , M. Gray
Nor-West Jets
The Jets take a well earned break over Easter, with the Seniors holding 3rd spot on the Division 3 ladder, while the Reserves sit atop the tree in Division 5, but things get a lot harder after the break as they face the undefeated Randwick City in Division 3, while the Reserves play host to 3rd placed Penrith Rams on April 26 at Bensons Lane.
Last Modified on 14/04/2014 14:20
