LIVE BLOG: NSW/ACT vs. TAS

Welcome to the AFL NSW/ACT LIVE blog of what shapes as a very interesting first Division 2 match of the U18 National Championships, from sunny Southport on Queensland’s Gold Coast.

WATCH LIVE: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-06-20/watch-it-live

FIRST QUARTER

10am: Perfect conditions on the Gold Coast, but this clash is off the a scrappy start, with both sides guilty of poor disposal. Nerves no doubt a factor.

10:04: Tasmania’s Isaac Franks pots his set shot from 40m, and the boys in green get the first goal. TAS 1.17 NSW/ACT 0.0

10:11: Matt Flynn infringed and marched 50m, but his drop punt falls short. TAS 1.2.8 NSW/ACT 0.0

10:14: Another goal from a set shot from a similar position from Tasmania’s Franks, after a turnover. He kicks his second. TAS 2.4.16 NSW/ACT 0.0

10:16: Free kick paid down field to Jock Cornell, who boots the RAMS’ first major.
TAS 2.4.16 NSW/ACT 1.0.6

10:18: Brilliant right foot snap under pressure from the boundary from Nicholas Dodge, and Tasmania have their third. TAS 3.4.22 NSW/ACT 1.0.6

10: 25: The RAMS take it end to end, through Faul and Minogue, and finished with Hopper on the lead. Like Flynn earlier, his kick doesn’t make the distance, and is rushed through. TAS 3.5.23 NSW/ACT 1.2.8

QUARTER TIME

Tasmania made the most of their opportunities going forward, while a couple of kicks that dropped short and some sloppy disposal heading inside forward 50 cruelled the RAMS. General play is relatively even, though the RAMS’ forwards need to tighten up – they’re allowing Tasmania to rebound too easily.

SECOND QUARTER

10:34: Star RAMS midfielder Jacob Hopper is off the ground getting a dislocated finger tended to.TAS 3.5.23 NSW/ACT 1.2.8

10:38: The RAMS get reward for effort, looking the better side, with Charlie Bance snapping truly. TAS 3.5.23 NSW/ACT 2.2.14

10:41: Himmelberg takes a courageous chest mark running back with the flight. His shet shot is smothered, and his regather and snap sails wide. Exciting stuff, but the RAMS need to exert some scoreboard pressure kicking with the wind. TAS 3.5.23 NSW/ACT 2.3.15.

10:47: Jacob Hopper looks classy marking and playing on, but sprays his shot on the run from close the the fence. His finger clearly not an issue though. TAS 3.7.25 NSW/ACT 2.3.15

10:51: Brilliant mark and play on from Minogue and delivers to Himmelberg, who marks and plays on. Questionable decision and Himmelberg is stripped of the football. Could have taken the set shot from 20m. He’ll be ruing that one TAS 3.9.27 NSW/ACT 2.3.15

10:55: End to end run and carry from the RAMS goes through five sets of hands through a chain of handballs, and Matt Flynn finishes the job with a set shot from 25m The RAMS are on top, they’d love one more before half-time. TAS 3.9.27 NSW/ACT 3.3.21

10:57: A free kick to Hopper from 55m as the half-time siren sounds flies wide. TAS 3.9.27 NSW/ACT 3.3.21

HALF TIME

This game is evenly-matched and could go either way. Both sides are playing a similar style of free-flowing football but breaking down heading inside 50. Tasmania may be left to rue their innacuracy, spraying several gettable set shots.

Jacob Hopper leads the way for NSW/ACT with 17 touches, ahead of Charlie Bance and Connor Byrne, with 13 each. Harry Himmelberg (nine disposals, five marks, one tackle that won a free kick, and one behind) would be having a blinder if he kicked straight. Matt Flynn is the dominant big man on the ground, with six possessions, four marks, eight hit outs, and a goal.)

While they lead the Inside 50s 22-19, the RAMS trail in other key metrics, including possessions (190-179), and tackles (22-44).

THIRD QUARTER

11:22: Strong grab plucked between two defenders from Tasmania’s Mitchell Rainbird, and he goals. That’s Tasmania’s first goal since the opening term. TAS 4.9.33 NSW/ACT 3.3.21

11:24: Rainbird turns provider, feeding Brady Quinn who kicks his first. TAS 5.9.39 NSW/ACT 3.4.22

11:25 Three in three minutes from Tasmania. Harrison Pearce dobs one and Tasmania skip out to a game-high 23-point advantage TAS 6.9.45 NSW/ACT 3.4.22

11:30: Himmelberg finally gets his first major. Slotting a set shot from 30m. The Cam McCarthy doppelganger is impressing AIS coach Brenton Sanderson too. TAS 6.9.45 NSW/ACT 4.4.28

11:32: Tasmania hits back as Rainbird gets his second of the quarter to push the margin back out. TAS 7.9.51 NSW/ACT 4.4.28

11:34: Jake Marshall is slung after he disposed of it but his shot falls short from 40m, holding up into the wind. TAS 7.9.51 NSW/ACT 4.4.28

11:40: NSW/ACT on top but time after time their forwards are caught behind heading inside 50 and outpointed.TAS 7.9.51 NSW/ACT 4.5.29

11:41: Minogue feeds Cal McFadden – back on the ground with a bandaged head after a gash – who marks strongly from behind and kicks truly from 15. TAS 7.10.52 NSW/ACT 5.5.35

11:44: That was a coach killer. Quinn kicks his second after a rash handball from big man Kyle Galloway, just five seconds before the three-quarter-time siren. TAS 8.11.59 NSW/ACT 5.5.35

THREE QUARTER TIME

The RAMS will need to lift significantly to win this. They were against the wind that quarter, but that didn’t excuse some sloppy periods of football. Work rate needs to lift, with NSW/ACT comprehensively beaten in tackles and hard ball gets. They’ll need a fast start to the last term to be in with a chance.

FOURTH QUARTER

11:55: Frenetic start to the last quarter! After Tasmania kicked a quick major NSW/ACT repsonds as Himmelberg kicks his third, before Jock Cornell missed a golden opportunity for another major, slicing a set shot wide. TAS 9.11.65 NSW/ACT 6.6.42

11:59: Marshall’s flying shot marked on the line. TAS 9.11.65 NSW/ACT 6.6.42

12:02:Setterfield hit Himmelberg on the chest, and the spearhead makes no mistake from 4om. Momentum with the RAMS, though time is their enemy at the halfway mark of the term. TAS 9.11.65 NSW/ACT 7.6.48.

12:04: Comprehensive tap from Flynn into Hopper’s lap, and he snaps truly from 40m. TAS 9.11.65 NSW/ACT 8.6.54

12:05: Hopper is the dominant player on the ground, spearing a pass to Himmelberg, but the enigmatic big man misses. TAS 9.12.66 NSW/ACT 8.8. 56

12:05: Juggling mark from Zachary Sproule, snaring it like Ricky Ponting diving away at third slip. More importantly, he capitalises, and the RAMS are back to within four points. TAS 9.12.66 NSW/ACT 9.8.62

12:08: Brilliance from Luke Webb on the boundary, evading two and squaring it to Nicholas Dodge, who goals from 15 metres. Against the run of play, that might be enough for Tassie. TAS 10.12.72 NSW/ACT 9.8.62

12:15: Jacob Hopper has been immense in the last term, his pass out in front of Jock Cornell, who goals off the ground. Just two points in this with just seconds remaining. TAS 10.12.72 NSW/ACT 10.10.70

12:16: Siren sounds, and Tasmania have scraped across the line in a pulsating finish. TAS 10.12.72 NSW/ACT 10.10.70

FULL TIME

TASMANIA 10.12.72 def NSW/ACT 10.10.70

Goals: Harrison Himmelberg 3, Jock Cornell, Charlie Bance, Matthew Flynn, Callum Mc Fadden, Jacob Hopper, Zachary Sproule.

Best: Jacob Hopper, Harrison Himmelberg, Harrison Macreadie, Josh Minogue, Charlie Bance, Jake Marshall.

The first half of this clash was sloppy at times, but as the wind died down after half-time the football improved appreciably.

Both sides were hard at the contest all morning in what was a very physical encounter, with the RAMS suffering a spate of injuries to the likes of Jacob Hopper, Jayden Rymer, Sam Wilson, and Cal McFadden.

NSW/ACT came roaring back into the contest in the last term on the back of a sterling effort from midfielder Jacob Hopper, but fell two points short at the death, beaten by the clock.

Hopper was outstanding in a losing side, ammassing 33 touches, nine clearances, 10 Inside 50s, and a goal, though he got silver service in the ruck – particularly in the closing stages – from Matt Flyn, who had 14 touches, 22 hit outs, and a goal.

Harry Himmelberg was arguably the most exciting player on the ground, the big man drawing plenty of the ball, potting three goals, and showing plenty of flashes of brilliance.

With 23 disposals and plenty of hard ball gets, Charlie Bance backed up his wonderful last weekend of TAC Cup football with another impressive display, while Jake Marshall, Tom Faul, Harrison Macreadie had their moments, and Will Setterfield finished strongly.

The RAMS next play NT at Simonds Stadium at 2:10, next Saturday June 27.