The Sydney Swans reserves have booked a place in next Saturday’s NEAFL Eastern Conference 2nd Semi Final against Queanbeyan after an impressive 79-point win over Ainslie in today’s Qualifying Final at a sun-drenched Blacktown International Sportspark.
After a close, see-sawing first quarter where the hosts didn’t fully capitalise their opportunities on to the scoreboard, the Swans got the game on their terms in the final three quarters and ran away with a convincing victory in the end, finishing 24.17 (161) to 13.4 (82).
With spearhead Trent Dennis-Lane leaving the game halfway through the first quarter with a leg injury, the scoring responsibility fell to others in the Swans forward line. Tommy Walsh and Lewis Broome stood up in Dennis-Lane’s absence, in the first half especially, with Walsh marking everything within his reach in the forward 50. Unfortunately the Irishman must have borrowed Trent Cotchin’s kicking boots from last night as he sprayed his chances, kicking one goal and four behinds for the half. Anything that Walsh didn’t mark, Swans top-up Broome was at his feet to cleverly snap home, kicking three first half goals and eventually finished with four majors for the game.
Andrejs Everitt finished alongside Broome as the Swans’ highest goalkicker with four in an eye-catching display of intensity and constant presenting across the ground. Similarly to the senior side of late, the Swans reserves shared the goals around, finishing with 11 individual goalkickers, including 10 goals from top-up players.
When the top-ups weren’t kicking goals, they were helping setting them up and stopping them, with two Erol Sertbas tackles in particular in the first half, leading to goals further up the ground. With Campbell Heath also leaving the ground in the second half with an injury, the Swans defence finished the game loaded with top-ups alongside Tony Armstrong and either Jarred Moore or Brett Meredith who rotated across the ground throughout the game. The defence did struggle to limit former Adelaide Crow Ken McGregor, however, who finished the game as the leading goalkicker on the ground with five goals.
As the Swans lone ruckman, Jesse White was superb, with his tap work leading to countless clearances - from the centre square, especially - and he was unlucky not to finish with at least one goal after spraying a few set-shots following strong marks inside the Swans’ attacking 50.
Jed Lamb again continued his late-season purple-patch of form racking up plenty of possessions in the middle of the ground, and along with Moore, Meredith and Dylan McNeil, was vital in continually driving the Swans forward in waves and overpowered the Ainslie midfield in the final three terms.
The Sydney Swans reserves will again be in action next weekend when they travel down to Canberra’s Manuka Oval to face minor premiers Queanbeyan with a place in the NEAFL Eastern Conference Grand Final - and a week off - at stake.
Sydney Swans reserves 4.4 10.9 17.12 24.17 (161)
Ainslie 5.1 7.2 8.2 13.4 (82)
Goals: Everitt 4, Broome 4, Meredith 2, Lamb 2, Walsh 2, Spangher 2, Moore 2, Dunn 2, Plug 2, Roebuck, Lycakis
Best Players: J. White, T. Walsh, A. Everitt, J. Moore, D. McNeil, J. Lamb
