Bomber Spirit
14 Sep 2003, 21:54
In the Sydney AFL preliminary final at Monarch Oval, reigning premiers UNSW-East Sydney have earned themselves a second straight grand final, where they will for the second season in a row take on North Shore.
St George, after their heavy loss to North Shore in the major semi last week, needed to get off to a good start, and when Peter Dugmore set up Ryan Underwood after 2 minutes it looked like the start the Crows were looking for. Constantino replied quickly for the Bulldogs, but an undisciplined 50m penalty given away by Flinn put Aaron Langsworth to point-blank range to restore the Crows lead. Richmond added another, and Featherstone crumbed the pack brilliantly to put the Crows well in command. But before quarter time, Templeton twice marked and goaled to reduce the deficit to just 9 points at the first change.
Early in the second quarter, UNSW-ES captain Jason McPherson was concussed after a heavy collision. Amazingly he returned to the field for the second half, something which looked highly dangerous for him to attempt. A delay took place while McPherson was helped from the field, and it wasn't till the 14 minute mark for the first score of the term; a goal from Parmenter to reduce the margin to just 3 points. No more goals came till just moments before the long break, when Langsworth kicked his second from a tight angle to put the Crows 10 points to the good at half time.
A flukey swirley cross-breeze was making conditions difficult, and by the second half it had become virtually unplayable. Players from both sides were constantly misjudging their positions for marking contests. The exception came around half way through the quarter, when tall Bulldogs forward Cameron Templeton stood his ground perfectly and added what was to be the only goal of the quarter. At that point the Bulldogs were 4 points down, but incredibly hit the front just before the last change after a flurry of long bombs failed to make the distance or changed direction in the wind to register a minor score.
The Bulldogs led by a point at three-quarter time, and it was a thriller. Both coaches asked their players to put in like they never had before to eke out a win in the windy conditions. St George tried hard, but they had nothing left in the tank. Cambourne snapped on the run, and when McGeorge lobbed a 50m torp through the big sticks the game was over.
St George would be bitterly disappointed with failing to score a goal in the second half. Their 4th finals appearance in a row, including 3 preliminary finals, but without a grand final appearance to show for it - and the hurt will be felt at Olds Park again over the off-season. But for UNSW-ES, their winning streak is now up to 7 games, and are just one game away from bringing up back-to-back flags - but they know that minor premiers North Shore will be hard to beat.
I had my camera at the game, and the pics are now up at http://www.geocities.com/norris_lurker/saflprel.htm
Final scores:
Seniors - UNSW-ES 7.8 (50) d St George 5.6 (36). UNSW-ES play North Shore in grand final.
Reserves - Pennant Hills 6.12 (47) d East Coast Eagles 7.5 (47). Pennant Hills play North Shore in grand final.
U18s - North Shore 6.8 (44) d East Coast Eagles 3.5 (23). North Shore play Pennant Hills in grand final.
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St George, after their heavy loss to North Shore in the major semi last week, needed to get off to a good start, and when Peter Dugmore set up Ryan Underwood after 2 minutes it looked like the start the Crows were looking for. Constantino replied quickly for the Bulldogs, but an undisciplined 50m penalty given away by Flinn put Aaron Langsworth to point-blank range to restore the Crows lead. Richmond added another, and Featherstone crumbed the pack brilliantly to put the Crows well in command. But before quarter time, Templeton twice marked and goaled to reduce the deficit to just 9 points at the first change.
Early in the second quarter, UNSW-ES captain Jason McPherson was concussed after a heavy collision. Amazingly he returned to the field for the second half, something which looked highly dangerous for him to attempt. A delay took place while McPherson was helped from the field, and it wasn't till the 14 minute mark for the first score of the term; a goal from Parmenter to reduce the margin to just 3 points. No more goals came till just moments before the long break, when Langsworth kicked his second from a tight angle to put the Crows 10 points to the good at half time.
A flukey swirley cross-breeze was making conditions difficult, and by the second half it had become virtually unplayable. Players from both sides were constantly misjudging their positions for marking contests. The exception came around half way through the quarter, when tall Bulldogs forward Cameron Templeton stood his ground perfectly and added what was to be the only goal of the quarter. At that point the Bulldogs were 4 points down, but incredibly hit the front just before the last change after a flurry of long bombs failed to make the distance or changed direction in the wind to register a minor score.
The Bulldogs led by a point at three-quarter time, and it was a thriller. Both coaches asked their players to put in like they never had before to eke out a win in the windy conditions. St George tried hard, but they had nothing left in the tank. Cambourne snapped on the run, and when McGeorge lobbed a 50m torp through the big sticks the game was over.
St George would be bitterly disappointed with failing to score a goal in the second half. Their 4th finals appearance in a row, including 3 preliminary finals, but without a grand final appearance to show for it - and the hurt will be felt at Olds Park again over the off-season. But for UNSW-ES, their winning streak is now up to 7 games, and are just one game away from bringing up back-to-back flags - but they know that minor premiers North Shore will be hard to beat.
I had my camera at the game, and the pics are now up at http://www.geocities.com/norris_lurker/saflprel.htm
Final scores:
Seniors - UNSW-ES 7.8 (50) d St George 5.6 (36). UNSW-ES play North Shore in grand final.
Reserves - Pennant Hills 6.12 (47) d East Coast Eagles 7.5 (47). Pennant Hills play North Shore in grand final.
U18s - North Shore 6.8 (44) d East Coast Eagles 3.5 (23). North Shore play Pennant Hills in grand final.
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