Phil Doyle
16th July 2002, 10:44
UNSW – Eastern Suburbs v Sydney Redbacks
Village Green, Friday July 19, 7pm
Friday night football sees the competition leaders take on the Redbacks.
Brett Allison, coach of the young developmental side, is under no illusion about what his young charges are in for:
“It’s going to be a very tough night. I think we’ll be up against it.”
The Bulldogs will be fresh after the break, something that Bulldogs’ coach Tim Jones admitted had been something the Bulldogs had been looking forward too.
UNSW – Eastern Suburbs have been the pacesetters for the competition up to this point, and a contest such as this appears a mere formality on paper, but the Redbacks were well in the hunt against the very physical Western Suburbs side last week.
Allison will be looking for the regular contributors, such as Bradfield and Brewster, to have a “red hot go”.
The Rams won in style last week so it is unlikely that the talented Luke Stanford and Chris Noordhof will be able to force their way into that squad, and may be strong performers for the Redbacks once again this week.
While the Redbacks have been playing some good footy in recent weeks, Allison doesn’t have too great expectations coming up against a big, mobile side like the Bulldogs.
Tim Jones has his side playing to their ability, and they are strong all over the park. While Jones describes his side as being “good without being spectacular”, the Bulldogs have emerged as the team to beat in 2002.
Nonetheless this game shows some promise of being an attractive affair, with both sides having strong skills.
Fresh from the bye and with a fit squad to choose from the Bulldogs should have the measure of the competitive Redbacks.
Prediction: UNSW – Eastern Suburbs by 42 points
Last time they met: UNSW – Eastern Suburbs 15.11 (101) d Sydney Redbacks 9.11 (65)
Balmain v North shore
Drummoyne Oval, Sunday July 21
This match of the round clash brings together two sides who are searching for more than just being the “best of the rest” for 2002.
Troy Luff was very disappointed with his side’s capitulation against St George last week, describing it as the Tigers worst performance for this season:
“We didn’t play as a team. Our decision making and skills were non-existent.”
The fact that Balmain remained in the game for as long as they did was solely due to St George’s inaccuracy in front of goal.
North Shore, in contrast, have put their indifferent form of the first half of the season well and truly behind them, recording a thumping win at Gore Hill Oval last week.
“It was a good win,” said North Shore coach Simon Wilson. “We played four persistent quarters of football.”
Once again Balmain find their season on the line and Luff is confident his side will respond.
“The guys have a lot of pride,” said the Tigers’ coach. “They are committed to turning it around.”
“We’re really looking for ward to the Balmain game,” said Simon Wilson. “We haven’t been under any real pressure yet, and we know we’ve got a big four weeks ahead of us. We’re just going to take it one step at a time.”
North Shore is really enjoying their football after their stop-start first half of the season. They have a heavy workload over the next few weeks and this will be a game they will want to win.
The Tigers have a few injury concerns, but they are getting players back every week. They have already knocked over the Bombers once this year, and Wilson admits that it will be an incentive for the Bombers to reverse the result this time around.
North Shore has the depth to be a real force in this competition – last week they fielded nine under-23’s – and Balmain have been beaten before at home.
Wilson puts North Shore’s current form down to the Bombers self belief:
“If we concentrate on our own game and play our best football we can beat any side in the competition.”
While the Tigers should improve from last week, the Bombers are playing very good football and will be hungry to avenge the result from Round 6.
Prediction: North Shore by 31 points
Last time they met: Balmain 11.18 (84) d North Shore 8.10 (58)
Pennant Hills v Campbelltown
Gore Hill Oval, Sunday July 21
Both of these sides have plenty to play for this week.
Pennant Hills’ horrendous injury toll is really starting to bite, with coach Danny Ryan describing last week as “the week that the year caught up with us”.
Despite coming up against a depleted Demons outfit Campbelltown coach Geoff Valentine is not expecting the Panthers to take the four points.
“It’s a little bit difficult to fancy ourselves, we’ve proved to be a very up and down side.”
The Panthers have suffered without an effective midfield, and the lack of support for Radlee Moller has cost the young side dearly.
With a mounting injury toll of their own Campbelltown’s Valentine pulled on the boots for the first time in a while himself last week.
Pennant Hills had opportunities in their last outing, but couldn’t capitalise. This week they will be hungry to avenge last weeks’ loss.
“This year has been a learning experience,” said Ryan, who believes that the Demons remain a week to week proposition and that they would have to examine what personnel were available.
“Our youth are as good as any in the competition. We just have to learn from out negatives and turn them into positives.”
Both of these are young, rebuilding sides who can use the extra space at Gore Hill to advantage.
Campbelltown play their second game in as many weeks at Gore Hill Oval so Valentine is aware his side “knows what to expect”:
“From our ground to Gore Hill is just two different games,” said Valentine.
Pennant Hills have the personnel and should be able to play better football than they displayed in their last outing.
Campbelltown have had a tough year and it is hard to see them turning it around this week.
Prediction: Pennant Hills by 12 points
Last time they met: Campbelltown 16.10 (106) d Pennant Hills 8.9 (57)
St George v East Coast Eagles
Olds Park, Sunday July 21
This is a danger game for the Crows, who have moved into contention for this year’s flag with strong performances in recent weeks.
The East Coast Eagles showed what they are capable of during last week’s clash with their old rivals from Pennant Hills.
Winning form is good form and Eagles’ coach Gus Seebeck knows his young side will have to bring that confidence into this week’s encounter.
“This puts a new perspective on next week,” said Seebeck after his side’s win over Pennant Hills. “We’ve got to go back to the footy we played against UNSW – Eastern Suburbs.”
That football saw them snatch an upset win over the competition powerhouse, but they come against the form side of the competition in the young Crows.
“The game is won and lost in the middle.” Says Seebeck, who will be looking for his side to contain the Crows potent midfield.
The Eagles have developed a very direct style of play, bring the ball into the corridor in an effort to gain an attacking ascendancy. The Crows in-and-under game at the contest sets this up as an interesting encounter, with the opportunity for attractive free flowing football from two speedy young sides a definite possibility.
“I’m very pleased with the way we’re going,” said St George coach Craig O’Brien, “but we’ve got to keep winning.”
O’Brien knows form can be a fickle thing and that his young side can be “good one week and ordinary the next”.
“We’ve got too much to play for,” says O’Brien, whose side shares second spot with a pack of teams.
East Coast Eagles have their own incentive, with the side desperate to avoid the wooden spoon.
While an upset is certainly not out of the question, the Crows look too strong across the park, with their explosive young midfield one of the most potent in Sydney football, they should prove too quick at Olds Park this Saturday.
Prediction: St George by 18 points
Last time they met: St George 14.20 (104) d East Coast Eagles 14.6 (90)
Phil Doyle
Village Green, Friday July 19, 7pm
Friday night football sees the competition leaders take on the Redbacks.
Brett Allison, coach of the young developmental side, is under no illusion about what his young charges are in for:
“It’s going to be a very tough night. I think we’ll be up against it.”
The Bulldogs will be fresh after the break, something that Bulldogs’ coach Tim Jones admitted had been something the Bulldogs had been looking forward too.
UNSW – Eastern Suburbs have been the pacesetters for the competition up to this point, and a contest such as this appears a mere formality on paper, but the Redbacks were well in the hunt against the very physical Western Suburbs side last week.
Allison will be looking for the regular contributors, such as Bradfield and Brewster, to have a “red hot go”.
The Rams won in style last week so it is unlikely that the talented Luke Stanford and Chris Noordhof will be able to force their way into that squad, and may be strong performers for the Redbacks once again this week.
While the Redbacks have been playing some good footy in recent weeks, Allison doesn’t have too great expectations coming up against a big, mobile side like the Bulldogs.
Tim Jones has his side playing to their ability, and they are strong all over the park. While Jones describes his side as being “good without being spectacular”, the Bulldogs have emerged as the team to beat in 2002.
Nonetheless this game shows some promise of being an attractive affair, with both sides having strong skills.
Fresh from the bye and with a fit squad to choose from the Bulldogs should have the measure of the competitive Redbacks.
Prediction: UNSW – Eastern Suburbs by 42 points
Last time they met: UNSW – Eastern Suburbs 15.11 (101) d Sydney Redbacks 9.11 (65)
Balmain v North shore
Drummoyne Oval, Sunday July 21
This match of the round clash brings together two sides who are searching for more than just being the “best of the rest” for 2002.
Troy Luff was very disappointed with his side’s capitulation against St George last week, describing it as the Tigers worst performance for this season:
“We didn’t play as a team. Our decision making and skills were non-existent.”
The fact that Balmain remained in the game for as long as they did was solely due to St George’s inaccuracy in front of goal.
North Shore, in contrast, have put their indifferent form of the first half of the season well and truly behind them, recording a thumping win at Gore Hill Oval last week.
“It was a good win,” said North Shore coach Simon Wilson. “We played four persistent quarters of football.”
Once again Balmain find their season on the line and Luff is confident his side will respond.
“The guys have a lot of pride,” said the Tigers’ coach. “They are committed to turning it around.”
“We’re really looking for ward to the Balmain game,” said Simon Wilson. “We haven’t been under any real pressure yet, and we know we’ve got a big four weeks ahead of us. We’re just going to take it one step at a time.”
North Shore is really enjoying their football after their stop-start first half of the season. They have a heavy workload over the next few weeks and this will be a game they will want to win.
The Tigers have a few injury concerns, but they are getting players back every week. They have already knocked over the Bombers once this year, and Wilson admits that it will be an incentive for the Bombers to reverse the result this time around.
North Shore has the depth to be a real force in this competition – last week they fielded nine under-23’s – and Balmain have been beaten before at home.
Wilson puts North Shore’s current form down to the Bombers self belief:
“If we concentrate on our own game and play our best football we can beat any side in the competition.”
While the Tigers should improve from last week, the Bombers are playing very good football and will be hungry to avenge the result from Round 6.
Prediction: North Shore by 31 points
Last time they met: Balmain 11.18 (84) d North Shore 8.10 (58)
Pennant Hills v Campbelltown
Gore Hill Oval, Sunday July 21
Both of these sides have plenty to play for this week.
Pennant Hills’ horrendous injury toll is really starting to bite, with coach Danny Ryan describing last week as “the week that the year caught up with us”.
Despite coming up against a depleted Demons outfit Campbelltown coach Geoff Valentine is not expecting the Panthers to take the four points.
“It’s a little bit difficult to fancy ourselves, we’ve proved to be a very up and down side.”
The Panthers have suffered without an effective midfield, and the lack of support for Radlee Moller has cost the young side dearly.
With a mounting injury toll of their own Campbelltown’s Valentine pulled on the boots for the first time in a while himself last week.
Pennant Hills had opportunities in their last outing, but couldn’t capitalise. This week they will be hungry to avenge last weeks’ loss.
“This year has been a learning experience,” said Ryan, who believes that the Demons remain a week to week proposition and that they would have to examine what personnel were available.
“Our youth are as good as any in the competition. We just have to learn from out negatives and turn them into positives.”
Both of these are young, rebuilding sides who can use the extra space at Gore Hill to advantage.
Campbelltown play their second game in as many weeks at Gore Hill Oval so Valentine is aware his side “knows what to expect”:
“From our ground to Gore Hill is just two different games,” said Valentine.
Pennant Hills have the personnel and should be able to play better football than they displayed in their last outing.
Campbelltown have had a tough year and it is hard to see them turning it around this week.
Prediction: Pennant Hills by 12 points
Last time they met: Campbelltown 16.10 (106) d Pennant Hills 8.9 (57)
St George v East Coast Eagles
Olds Park, Sunday July 21
This is a danger game for the Crows, who have moved into contention for this year’s flag with strong performances in recent weeks.
The East Coast Eagles showed what they are capable of during last week’s clash with their old rivals from Pennant Hills.
Winning form is good form and Eagles’ coach Gus Seebeck knows his young side will have to bring that confidence into this week’s encounter.
“This puts a new perspective on next week,” said Seebeck after his side’s win over Pennant Hills. “We’ve got to go back to the footy we played against UNSW – Eastern Suburbs.”
That football saw them snatch an upset win over the competition powerhouse, but they come against the form side of the competition in the young Crows.
“The game is won and lost in the middle.” Says Seebeck, who will be looking for his side to contain the Crows potent midfield.
The Eagles have developed a very direct style of play, bring the ball into the corridor in an effort to gain an attacking ascendancy. The Crows in-and-under game at the contest sets this up as an interesting encounter, with the opportunity for attractive free flowing football from two speedy young sides a definite possibility.
“I’m very pleased with the way we’re going,” said St George coach Craig O’Brien, “but we’ve got to keep winning.”
O’Brien knows form can be a fickle thing and that his young side can be “good one week and ordinary the next”.
“We’ve got too much to play for,” says O’Brien, whose side shares second spot with a pack of teams.
East Coast Eagles have their own incentive, with the side desperate to avoid the wooden spoon.
While an upset is certainly not out of the question, the Crows look too strong across the park, with their explosive young midfield one of the most potent in Sydney football, they should prove too quick at Olds Park this Saturday.
Prediction: St George by 18 points
Last time they met: St George 14.20 (104) d East Coast Eagles 14.6 (90)
Phil Doyle