by Murray Silby
An eight-goal third quarter blitz in NEAFL’s Round 8 has blown NT Thunder’s hopes of being the first side to defeat Sydney University this season, losing by 58 points, 9.7 (61) to 18.11 (119).
The “premiership quarter” proved to be a knock-out punch for Thunder, which had made the long trek to the Blacktown International Sportspark in Sydney’s west with a degree of optimism after losing to the ladder leaders by just 15 points in Round 3 and recording a 37-point win over Gold Coast last round.
Thunder lost that third quarter by 42 points, only managing the single goal, but in a positive for the visitors, the difference wasn’t nearly so great for the other three terms.
The game didn’t start so well for Thunder, with it failing to score a major in the opening quarter as the Students kicked three and went to the quarter time break with a 19-point lead.
Thunder started to rumble in the second quarter though, kicking four unanswered goals to turn that 19-point deficit into a six-point lead after eight minutes.
Full-forward Darren Ewing led the way with two goals from set shots, on-baller Abraham Ankers snapped truly and centre-half forward Hugo Drogemuller kicked the fourth on the run.
The visitors were winning clearances out of the centre and quick, clean delivery into the forward line was leaving their hosts trailing in defence.
The problem was, all the noise seemed to wake up the Students, who promptly kicked the next four majors before Chris Williams added a late one for Thunder.
It meant, after the early flurry, Thunder was still in deficit at half-time to the tune of 13 points.
The signs were there though, that with quick clearances and clean delivery into the forward half Thunder could match Sydney University.
There were plenty of both in the third term, but it was mostly to the benefit of the Students.
It started in the first minute with Ned Reinhard marking and kicking truly and only ended after Adam Gulden did the same in the 31st minute.
Patrick Heenan was the only Thunder player to interrupt the Student’s stream of scoring.
Emphasizing Sydney University’s dominance for the term was the fact that five of their eight goals were scored after players marked on a lead and goaled from the resulting set shot.
By three-quarter-time the margin had blown out to 55 points and Thunder was facing a doomsday scenario, but three goals apiece in the final quarter meant Thunder again essentially matched its tormentor.
Captain Shannon Rioli raised the slightest of glimmers of hope with a goal in the opening minute and Ewing and Sam Talbot also slotted goals, but Jake Derickx’s fifth, along with Tristan Davies’ third and Gulden’s second ensured the home side’s unbeaten record wouldn’t be threatened.
Thunder coach Andrew Hodges was left ruing the third quarter blow out and what might have been if his charges could have countered that run.
“We showed if we play our best footy we can compete with the top sides,” he said. “We just can’t allow those quarters where the opposition score at will and move the ball how they want, so that was disappointing.
“We’ll make sure we have a good review this week and fix that up so it doesn’t happen again next week.”
Hodges said such lapses are fatal against a side as good as Sydney University.
“They’re a good side,” he said. “They play well as a team. They move the ball pretty cleanly. We allowed them to dictate terms and we’ve got to be better at shutting that down when that happens.”
Thunder fielded two debutants in the side, on-ballers Patrick Boles (15 disposals) and Tylah Saunders (9), with the performances of both suggesting they’ll be useful additions to the squad as the season progresses.
Playing his 100th game for Thunder, Ben Rioli worked hard in defence, often against the odds, especially when the Students were in full flight.
“I spose it got a bit difficult in that third term when the ball was coming in uncontested for our defenders, but I thought Benny, especially early on, looked dangerous and played his heart out for the day,” Hodges said.
Ankers was another of Thunder’s best, continuing his career-best early season form.
“He had 10 or 12 clearances or something along those lines,” Hodges said. “I thought he was again really good and his expolosiveness away from the stoppage was really good.”
In defence Sam Smith, Kaine Riley and Cameron Ilett did their best to plug holes, while Joe Anderson was tireless in his attempts to shift momentum in Thunder’s favour while moving between defence and on ball.
For Sydney University, apart from being dangerous on the scoreboard, Gulden also recorded a game-high 32 disposals, including 19 kicks and 13 handballs while Tom Young showed why he’s one of the NEAFL’s best on-ballers with two goals and 25 disposals.
SCORES
SYDNEY UNIVERSITY: 3.2, 7.4, 15.6, 18.11 (119)
NT THUNDER: 0.1, 5.3, 6.5, 9.7 (61)
GOALS: Sydney University – Jacob Derickx 5, Tristan Davies 3, Sam Fong, Adam Gulden 2, Austin Lucy 2, Tom Young 2, Ned Reinhard, Will Sierakowski.
NT Thunder – Darren Ewing 3, Abraham Ankers, Hugo Drogemuller, Patrick Heenan, Shannon Rioli, Sam Talbot, Chris Williams.
BEST: Sydney University – Adam Gulden, Tom Young, Sam Fong, Jack Hiscox, Xavier Richards, Jake Derickx, Ryan Hebron.
NT Thunder – Abraham Ankers, Ben Rioli, Cameron Ilett, Sam Smith, Joe Anderson, Dion Munkara, Sam Talbot.