Just 3 SUANFC sides took to the field in Round 8, with the NEAFL and Reds enjoying hard-fought wins, while the Plats suffered their sixth consecutive loss.
6th Grade Plats: Sydney AFL Division 5
The Plays made their way to Rosedale Park early Saturday morning to face South-West Sydney, who, like the Students, had just the 1 win for the season coming into this match.
The Students started the game the better of the 2 sides, kicking the only goal of the first quarter to lead by 4 points at quarter time.
Despite their inaccuracy in the second quarter, South-West Sydney wrestled back momentum, and took an 11-point lead into the main break, following a 3.6 to 1.3 quarter.
The third quarter saw South-West make the most of their opportunities, kicking 4.1 to the Students’ 3.3, as the Magpies increased their lead to 15 points at 3 quarter time.
The Students will be ruing their missed opportunities, kicking 6 straight behinds in the final quarter as the Magpies ran away with a 3 goal win at home.
Blair Mcfarlane returned to the best for the Students, while Manning Begg showed his debut was no fluke, once again being named in the best 6 for the Students.
Final Score: South-West Sydney 8.13 61 def. Sydney University 5.13 43.
1st Grade Seniors: NEAFL
The NEAFL boys made it 2 wins from 2 games against Southport on Saturday, grinding out a tough 14-point win over the home side.
In a stark contrast to last time the 2 sides met, Southport started strongly, managing to go into the first break with a 1 goal lead over the Students.
The home side found things tougher in the second, conceding 5 goals and finding themselves down by 11 points at halftime.
The game tightened up in the third quarter, with just 4 goals kicked between the 2 sides, as the Students stretched the margin out to 20 points.
A tense final quarter saw Southport kick 3 goals to 2, but it was too little, too late, as the Students now sit a game clear of the Giants and Redland in 4th spot.
In his return from a quad injury, Matt Rawlinson was prolific for the Students, picking up 25 disposals and laying 6 tackles.
Mike Manteit collected 25 disposals, 8 marks and 2 goals, while Kane Murphy and Daniel Preen led the Students tackle count with 15 tackles between them.
Jake Derickx was unstoppable in front of goal, kicking 4 goals straight.
Final Score: Southport 10.13 73 def. by Sydney University 13.9 87.
4th Grade Reds: Sydney AFL Division 2
The Reds enjoyed their third win of 2016, with a memorable 1-point triumph over UTS at Trumper Park on Saturday.
The Students got off to a great start kicking 4 of the first 5 goals to lead by 15 points.
UTS struggled to kick straight in front of goal, registering 10 behinds by halftime, while the Students (7.2) led by 22 points.
The third quarter saw UTS worth their way back into the contest, kicking 4 goals to 2, to trail by just 9 points at 3 quarter time.
Through true SUANFC spirit, the Reds held on to win by 1 point, despite conceding 3 goals to 2 in the final quarter.
Luke Hayward, Adam Birman and Stephen Lloyd were named best afield for the Students, while James Nettle and Daniel Risby kicked 5 goals between them.
Final Score: UTS 9.16 70 def. by Sydney University 11.5 71.
All 8 SUANFC sides are in action this weekend, headlined by the NEAFL boys playing in the Friday Night AFL curtain raiser against the undefeated Sydney Swans.
Up the Students!
