Sydney University had more shots than sideshow alley in the Sydney Premier League Grand Final at Blacktown International Sportspark on Saturday but couldn’t hit enough targets to claim the big prize.
Pennant Hills Demons triumphed 66-60 to hold sway for season 2017.
The Students had 25 shots at goal in the Grand Final, including 10 in a nail-biting final term, compared with 16 for the match from Pennant Hills. But the Students could only land seven majors while the Demons kicked 10.
Maybe they needed more target practice during two weekends off during the finals series.
After finishing minor premiers, Sydney University had a week off while the elimination finals were being held.
They then accounted for North Shore Bombers 81-27 in the major semi-final, earning a grand final berth and another week off while the Bombers and Pennant Hills battled out the preliminary final.
Sydney University started the Grand Final where they left off the semi-final, kicking three of five in the opening term to lead 23-8 at the break.
But the Demons booted four to one in the second term to trail 31-28 at the main break. The Demons landed another four to one in the third session to lead 52-40 at the final break.
Sydney University dominated the final term but couldn’t kick true, landing just two goals from 10 attempts, while the Demons landed two from four attempts to win by a goal.
And that was the story of the Grand Final.
Sydney University also bowed out in the Division One Grand Final, going down 79-35 to St George Dragons, who went into the decider as favourites having finished the season proper as minor premiers.
Saints kicked five goals in the opening term to lead 31-18 at the first break. They extended that to 45-26 at the main break and kept the Students goalless in the third term to lead 64-28 going into the final quarter.
Dylan Addison kicked five for the winners, while Charlie Morgan bagged a pair for the Students.
The previous week, Sydney University’s Division One women’s side lost their Grand Final 86-19 to UNSW-Eastern Suburbs Stingrays, while Sydney University’s NEAFL side made it through to the semi-finals where they lost 115-83 to Brisbane Lions.
Scoreboard
Sydney Men’s Premier League – Grand Final
Premier Division: Pennant Hills Demons 10.6: 66 (Nicholas Hey 3, Matthew Carey 2, James Peatling, James Boag, Joshua Stern, Ranga Ediriwickrama, Tim Wales) defeated Sydney University 7.18: 60 (William Stratford 2, Nicholas Foster, Sam Ryan, Joshua Cole, Luke Vella, Matthew Vicic) at Blacktown International Sportspark on Saturday.
Best players
Pennant Hills: Ranga Ediriwickrama, Michael Carroll, Joshua Stern, Cooper Lee, Lloyd Shepherd, Matthew Carey.
Sydney University: Joshua Cole, Michael Fogarty, Ryan Bottin-Noonan, Kane Murphy, Harry Morrison, Montgomery Krochmal.
Division One: St George Dragons 12.7: 79 (Dylan Addison 5, Jordan Ware 2, Liam Maze, Shannon Randell, Onur Selvi, Daniel Napper, Michael Holmes) defeated Sydney University 5.5: 35 (Charlie Morgan 2, Oscar Osborne, Joseph Stapleton, John Walsh) at Blacktown International Sportspark on Saturday.
Best players
St George: Liam Maze, Connor Flanagan, Timothy Tegg, Dylan Addison, Stephen Wilsen, Michael
Webb.
Sydney University: Jacob Swarts, John Walsh, Oscar Osborne, Ben Fitzpatrick, Christopher Browne, Benjamin Hawtin.
Sydney Women’s Premier League – Grand Final
Division One: UNSW-Eastern Suburbs Stingrays 13.8: 86 (Belinda Pride 4, Jasmine Smith 3, Jemma Still 2, Ingrid Nielsen, Roxane, McGee, Nadia Moore, Rachelle Godman) defeated Sydney University Bombers 3.1: 19 (Rachael Stack 2, Kristy Sutcliffe) at Blacktown International Sportspark on Sunday.
Best players:
UNSW-Eastern Suburbs Stingrays: Jasmine Smith, Phoebe Monahan, Sandra Janjetovic, Roxane McGee, Belinda Pride, Madelane Collier.
Sydney University: Nicola Barr, Pippy Clegg, Jennifer Lew, Andrea Roditis, Kristy Sutcliffe, Ellie Brush.
NEAFL – Semi-Final
Brisbane Lions 16.19: 115 (Jono Freeman 3, Rohan Bewick 2, Matthew Hammelmann 2, Josh Clayton 2, Oscar McInerney 2, Benjamin Sloan, Corey Lyons, Michael Close, Ryan Dadds, Luke O’Sullivan) defeated Sydney University 12.11: 83 (Jack Hiscox 2, Michael Manteit 2, Jonathan Williams, Alistair Gillespie, Zachary O’Brien, Jacob Derickx, Damien Bonney, Thomas Derickx, Mitchell Thompson, Matthew Wilson) at the Gabba on Saturday.
Best players
Brisbane Lions: Claye Beams, Cedric Cox, Oscar McInerney, Rohan Bewick, Matthew Eagles, Archie Smith.
Sydney University: Zachary O’Brien, Lewis Stevenson, Timothy Barton, Tom Ayton, Jonathan Williams.
