For the first time in four years the Belconnen Magpies left the AFL Canberra Grand Final without the premiership cup after the Sydney Swans’ Reserves’ tough 17 point win at Manuka Oval yesterday.The Swans took charge in the first quarter kicking four goals and keeping Belconnen goalless in a game that looked like it would resemble a majority of games the Swans have played this year. Jarred Moore kicked two goals and Nick Malceski and Nick Potter kicked one apiece.Tim Schmidt kicked the first two goals in the second quarter and Belconnen did not kick their first goal for the game until ten minutes into the second term but kicked another two soon after.Moore kicked his third and the last for the quarter, giving the Swans a 23 point lead by half time.Jarrad McVeigh and Luke Vogels both left the field injured the second quarter and did not return for the remainder of the match.Belconnen opened the third term well putting the first two goals on the board and slimming the margin but goals to Heath Grundy and Guy Campbell, for the Swans, inflated the margin again.By the end of the third quarter, Belconnen had kicked another two goals and the margin was only eight points.The last quarter started frantically with Belconnen constantly in attack and looking like they steal the game from the Swans but Malceski swung the match back in the Swans’ control with a burst of quality football where he kicked two goals, one on the run from half back that he kicked from the 50 metre line.Moore sealed the win, kicking his fourth goal for the day, and although Belconnen managed one more before the final siren the damage had been done.The Swans’ best players were Moore who played on ball and forward and had 22 disposals, Jarrad Sundqvist who had 24 possessions, also playing on ball, Andrew Hayes at half back with 19 disposals and 11 marks, Campbell in the ruck, Grundy at centre half forward with eight marks and Josh Willoughby who played in defence and on the ball and managed 19 possessions.Malceski, with 22 disposals playing on ball and in the forward line, took the honours of winning the trophy for best on ground in the grand final, voted by AFL Canberra representatives, after a consistent season that saw him named on the wing in the AFL Canberra Team of Year.Four other Swans were also named on the team, Willoughby on the wing, Grundy in the forward pocket, Moore as the ruck rover and Schmidt was named as an interchange player.The Swans Reserves finished the season undefeated and the fact this young team played such a high standard of football week in week out is a tribute to John Longmire and his assistant coaches, Peter Jonas and Brett Allison.
Final Score:Swans Reserves 4.3 (29) 7.7 (49) 9.8 (62) 12.8 (80)Belconnen Magpies 0.3 (3) 3.8(26) 7.12 (54) 8.15 (63)
Goals:Swans Reserves: Moore 4; Malceski 3; Schmidt 2; Campbell, Grundy, PotterBelconnen Magpies: Jeffrey, White 3; Jennings 2
Best:Swans Reserves: Malceski, Moore, Sundqvist, Hayes, Campbell, Grundy, WilloughbyBelconnen Magpies: Mahar, Jeffrey, Jennings, J Bennett, White