It was a cold morning in the ACT when the Greater Western Sydney GIANTS headed out to take on the Sydney Swan’s Reserves in their third NEAFL match of 2011. The first half was a scrappy low scoring affair with both teams struggling to convert their efforts on the scoreboard. However after a close three quarters a tired GIANTS squad allowed the Swan’s to run away with victory.
GIANTS head coach Kevin Sheedy was full of praise for the effort his young squad showed in the first three quarters and was excited by some of the young GIANTS Academy talent, namely sixteen year old Joe Redfern.
“I honestly believe that the coaching staff and the players have done a magnificent job today coming off a big loss at the hands of the Bullants last week in the Foxtel Cup. We played the Swans a month ago and were beaten very well. To come down to Canberra today and be three goals down and three quarter time was a really good effort. We played well for one hundred minutes of a one hundred and twenty minute game.
“The Sydney Swans have got some great players in there, premiership players like Seaby and Roberts-Thomson. We haven’t got players with that sort of experience, who can drive a game and guide their team over the line. That will not be a part of it next year.
“We had a terrific young player play today in Joe Redfern who is a very quiet young talent for us. He comes out of the Riverina area from our Academy program. He’s only sixteen, that’s two years younger than our AIS AFL Academy players,” he said.
After a solid performance in the first three quarters, the GIANTS ran out of steam in the fourth term and allowed the Swans to run away with the victory. Sheedy said that fatigue was a major contributor in the team’s performance in the fourth quarter and commended Jeremy Cameron and Jacob Townsend for their efforts after returning from a massive journey to Europe with the AIS AFL Academy Squad.
“We just didn’t have that energy left in us to carry us through the fourth quarter. That’s probably part of the reason why we didn’t kick a goal in the last quarter and allowed them to kick five in the last ten minutes.
“We travel to Cooparoo this weekend so we won’t train them too hard during the week. We’ll freshen them up and take the positives out of today’s match. We’re happy with some good, solid pressure from our boys in the first three quarters of this match. Even in the last ten minutes, the Swan’s only kicked one goal.
“I think that today was a terrific all around team effort. Jack Hombsch is playing really well, I made him captain today and every time I put him into a leadership position he steps up,” Sheedy said.
GWS GIANTS
3.9.27
Sydney Swans Reserves
12.15.87
GIANTS goal kickers
Reid 1
Casley 1
Carey 1
Bests
Giles, Hombsch, Aylett, Phillips, Clifton, Carey, Miles
