A dominant performance by ruckman Andrew Phillips has steered the UWS GIANTS to a big win over 2014 NEAFL premiers, Aspley.
Phillips produced a career-high 83 hit-outs - including 25 to advantage - in the GIANTS’ 95-point win at Spotless Stadium on Sunday.
The top-of-the-table clash has now pushed the UWS GIANTS a game clear at the top of the NEAFL ladder with seven rounds remaining this season.
It was a successful day for the club with the GIANTS’ senior side also recording a 35-point win over St Kilda that afternoon.
UWS GIANTS coach Brett Hand said his side put in a clinical performance against one of the premiership favourites.
“They were certainly missing a few handy players but I was really impressed with our ball movement and tackling throughout the day,” Hand said.
“Aspley are the best contested ball side going around and we managed to get on top of them in that regard.
“Andrew Phillips capitalised on being the tallest man on the ground with his body work and obviously the amount of hit-outs he had was outstanding.
“He also won our defensive acts award this week so for a big man to do that shows he’s been working really hard on his game.
“I thought Josh Kelly was also outstanding against some bigger bodies in the midfield and he had 10 tackles himself which is great.
“Nathan Wilson provided plenty of run off the backline along with Adam Kennedy and Caleb Marchbank who returned to the side this week.”
The UWS GIANTS led at every change during the match and dominated the possession count 344-220.
Up forward Jed Lamb and Jarrod Pickett were dangerous, kicking three goals apiece while crowd-favourite Jon Patton also made a successful return from a knee injury after 11 months on the sideline.
Patton played 45 minutes of game-time and finished with four kicks, two handballs and a goal, but more importantly got through almost a half of footy unscathed.
The highlight of the match came in the second term with Will Hoskin-Elliott taking four running bounces through the midfield before kicking a memorable goal.
This week the UWS GIANTS face Gold Coast Reserves at Metricon Stadium on Saturday at 10.30am as a curtain-riaser to the GIANTS v Suns match.
UWS GIANTS 22.16 (148) def Aspley 8.6 (54)
BEST – Phillips, Kelly, Wilson, Hoskin-Elliott, Marchbank, Barrett.
GOALS – Lamb 3, Pickett 3, Townsend 2, Addison 2, Flynn 2, Reid 2, Stewart 2, Kelly 2, Phillips, Golds, Patton, Hoskin-Elliott
Sauce Red Hot
A dominant performance by ruckman Andrew Phillips has steered the UWS GIANTS to a big win over 2014 NEAFL premiers, Aspley.