We reveal the team line-ups and preview the action for Saturday’s double-header of NAB League Boys Semi Finals at Ikon Park, with the Sandringham Dragons taking on the Calder Cannons and the Gippsland Power facing the Western Jets.

 

 

1st Semi Final

SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS vs CALDER CANNONS

Saturday 11am @ Ikon Park

 

WINNER: faces Oakleigh Chargers in preliminary final

LOSER: season over

 

2019 ENCOUNTER

Rd 1 @ RSEA Park: Sandringham Dragons 19.13 (127) d Calder Cannons 1.12 (18)

Calder was never in the hunt after the Dragons booted five unanswered goals in the first quarter. Skipper Ryan Byrnes led Sandringham with 26 disposals, while Finn Maginness (23 disposals and six clearances) and Charlie Dean (five goals) were also important. Daniel Mott topped the stats sheet for the Cannons with 24 touches.

 

FORMLINES

Since their first bye in Round 6, the Dragons (10-7 overall record) have managed a 6-6 record. Most recently, they’ve lost narrowly to both the Oakleigh Chargers and Eastern Ranges either side of a comfortable win against the Geelong Falcons in Wildcard Round.

The Cannons (11-6) have won six of seven games since their Round 11 bye, only losing to Eastern by four points in Round 17 due to a goal kicked after the final siren. They’ve defeated the Tasmania Devils and then the Dandenong Stingrays in sudden-death finals.

 

LAST WEEK

Sandringham was kept at arm’s length throughout its 14-point qualifying-final loss to the Ranges. Ryan Byrnes recorded a game-high 28 disposals, six clearances and 11 inside-50s, while Louis Butler (26 disposals and nine rebound-50s), Corey Watts (17 and 10 hitouts) and Miles Bergman (13 and two goals) were others to stand out in defeat.

Calder stormed to a 36-point elimination final victory over the Stingrays with 10 of the game’s last 11 majors. Sam Ramsay (game-high 35 disposals and seven clearances) and Daniel Mott (34, seven inside-50s and two goals) starred in the midfield, with captain Brodie Newman (17 and seven rebound-50s) controlling play from defence.

 

SELECTION NEWS

The Dragons welcome Jackson Voss back into defence from a one-week knee injury and Jacquin Mifsud into the forward line for the first time since Round 15. Under-16 talent Campbell Chesser comes in as their 23rd player, but ruck Jack Bell (ankle) is out and 2019 NAB AFL Draft prospect Jack Mahony (hand) remains sidelined for another week.

The Cannons have brought breakout top-ager Lachlan Gollant back into their line-up following a week’s absence with a rib complaint, while Ben Bozinovski and Sam Paea have been added to an extended bench.

 

2nd Semi Final

GIPPSLAND POWER vs WESTERN JETS

Saturday 1.30pm @ Ikon Park

 

WINNER: faces Eastern Ranges in preliminary final

LOSER: season over

 

2019 ENCOUNTER

Rd 10 @ Morwell Recreation Reserve: Western Jets 9.11 (65) d Gippsland Power 7.5 (47)

The Jets built a 36-point lead by midway through the third term then saw it reduced to four points early in the fourth before steadying to win. Morrish Medallist Lucas Rocci led the victors from defence with 25 disposals and eight rebound-50s, while ruck William Kennedy had 50 hitouts. Harvey Neocleous kicked four goals for Gippsland in defeat.

 

FORMLINES

Following the loss to Western in Round 10, the Power (11-5 overall record) have won five of seven games, falling only to the Northern Knights in Round 13 and then to the Oakleigh Chargers in a tight and tense qualifying final last week.

After dropping the final three games of their home-and-away campaign, the Jets (10-7) have rebounded to produce two victories in cut-throat games against the GWV Rebels in Wildcard Round and then Northern in last week’s elimination final.

 

LAST WEEK

Gippsland conceded a 23-point lead midway through the third term to fall to the Chargers by eight points. Caleb Serong (game-high 29 disposals and nine clearances) and Sam Flanders (27, nine clearances and four goals) shone for the Power in the middle, while Leo Connolly (23 and 11 rebound-50s) provided drive from defence.

Western recovered from a 36-point quarter-time deficit to eliminate the Knights with an eight-point triumph. Archi Manton booted four majors for the Jets, with William Kennedy (14 disposals and 21 hitouts) feeding on-ballers like Daly Andrews (team-high 17 disposals and seven clearances) and Lucas Failli (14 and six inside-50s).

 

SELECTION NEWS

The Power regain a key component of their star-studded midfield with ruck Charlie Comben returning from an Achilles strain after missing the qualifying-final loss. Nicholas Prowd comes in as the 23rd player and Will Papley has been named on an extended bench, but skipper Brock Smith will miss another final due to illness.

The Jets have added bottom-agers Cody Raak, Harley Blake, Kyle Borg and Zen Christofi to their extended bench but have lost highly-rated top-age forward/midfielder Josh Honey for the season because of a tear in his hip-flexor tendon.

 

 

See the full teams for the NAB League Boys Semi Finals below.

 

SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS v. CALDER CANNONS

1st Semi Final - 07/09/2019

11:00am

Ikon Park – Carlton

 

SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS

B: 18. J. Lloyd, 33. C. Watts, 74. H. Loughnan

HB: 13. L. Butler, 29. F. McAsey, 7. J. Voss

C: 43. J.  Bowey, 5. R.  Byrnes, 15. A.  Hanrahan

HF: 9. N. Burke, 12. C. Dean, 16. J. Mifsud

F: 36. O. Lewis, 6. M. Bergman, 11. H. Ralphsmith

R: 30. A. Courtney, 2. D. Chirgwin, 4. F. Maginness

Int: 26. J. Castan, 8. T. Deane-Johns, 3. G. Grey, 10. J. Le Grice , 37. W. Mackay, 39. B. O'Leary, 14. K. Yorke

23P: 76. C. Chesser

 

In: J. Mifsud, J. Voss, J. Castan, T. Deane-Johns, C. Chesser

Out: L. Carrigan,  J. Bell

 

CALDER CANNONS

B: 39. B. Overman, 23. C. Brand, 31. G. Thomas

HB: 5. C. Brown, 38. B. Newman, 32. M. Simpson

C: 43. L.  Gollant, 8. S.  Ramsay, 16. J.  Keeping

HF: 12. J. O'Sullivan, 26. M. Fletcher, 2. J. Sutton

F: 44. H. Andronaco, 21. H. Jones, 3. J. Cardillo

R: 61. J. Hotchkin, 27. N. Gentile, 1. D. Mott

Int: 49. M. Allison, 37. B. Bozinovski, 29. C. Edwardes, 41. J. Eyre, 10. H. Minton-Connell, 60. S. Paea, 48. N. Stewart

23P: 45. F. Gentile

 

In: B. Bozinovski, L. Gollant, S. Paea

 

 

GIPPSLAND POWER v. WESTERN JETS

2nd Semi Final - 07/09/2019

1:30pm

Ikon Park – Carlton

 

GIPPSLAND POWER

B: 36. M. Bentvelzen , 14. T. Hourigan, 35. J. van der Pligt

HB: 10. L. Connolly, 24. B. Maslen, 37. H. Pepper

C: 1. R.  Angwin, 4. S.  Flanders, 15. R.  Sparkes

HF: 13. T. Fitzpatrick, 16. J. Smith, 20. H. Neocleous

F: 7. S. Berry, 22. Z. Reid, 19. F. Phillips

R: 17. C. Comben, 6. R. Baldi, 2. C. Serong

Int: 30. T. Baldi, 26. C. Doultree, 8. B. McAuliffe, 21. M. McGarrity, 9. W. Papley, 29. T. Rees, 44. K. Robinson

23P: 33. N. Prowd

 

In: N. Prowd, W. Papley, C. Comben

 

WESTERN JETS

B: 42. E. Acevski, 28. K. Crimmins, 4. L. Rocci

HB: 20. D. Cassar, 39. L. Phillips, 8. J. Kellett

C: 14. M.  Cousins, 1. L.  Failli, 33. S.  El-Hawli

HF: 3. E. Ford, 18. E. Jeka, 17. N. Reynolds

F: 13. D. Bolkas, 44. A. Manton, 45. A. Clarke

R: 47. W. Kennedy, 19. J. Horo, 7. D. Andrews

Int: 15. H. Blake, 5. K. Borg, 10. Z. Christofi, 37. L. Conway, 26. C. Raak, 41. L. Rzanovski, 32. H. Schumann

23P: 6. B. Cootee

 

In: H. Blake, Z. Christofi, K. Borg, C. Raak

Out: J. Honey