Sharks assert dominance ahead of finals in hearty win over Sydney Uni

The Southport Sharks have done all they can in solidifying themselves as a premiership contender in a 22.13 (145) to 10.5 (65) drubbing of Sydney Uni at Fankhauser Reserve on Saturday afternoon.

Bar the opening 10 minutes, the Sharks never looked like slipping, as they refused to take their foot off the throat of a young Students’ line-up also looking to make their mark this September.

Southport coach Stephen Daniel was delighted in his team’s performance, an all-round team display in a match the Sharks treated like a final.

“I was really happy with the way we played. We knew Sydney Uni had a lot to play for. It’s really pleasing to play the way we did on the eve of finals." 

“They were really good early, but we just kept our composure.”

As the Sharks took a 22-point lead into quarter-time, and added 25 points to it after the break, star Students’ forward Tristan Davies won a three against one aerial contest to feed Jake Hiscox’s run into an open goal-square as the momentum began to shift.

Uni seemingly halted the Sharks’ surge with a 10-minute patch yielding four goals in the second quarter, but the relative success was short-lived, as the Sharks returned to their best, landing 12 goals to Uni’s two in the second half.

It was a dream of a 100th match for journeyman Jed Turner, who racked up 39 hit-outs complemented nicely with 14 disposals and five tackles. 

Mitch Johnson and Josh Hall managed to nab four goals apiece, while star midfielder  Boston lead the disposals with 39 plus 10 clearances.

While the Students struggled to trouble the scoreboard, Jake Bartholomaeus (20 disposals), and Jake Hiscox (14 disposals and three goals) contributed well.

A second-place finish grants Southport an important week off before their preliminary final, while Sydney Uni will prepare for an elimination final against either Sydney or Aspley next week.

Southport v Sydney University at Fankhauser Reserve

SOUTHPORT 5.4 12.6 18.11 22.13 (145)
SYDNEY UNI 2.0 8.1 9.1 10.5 (65)

GOALS – Southport: J Hall 4 M Johnson 4 T Stubbs 3 J Williams 2 J Mentha 2 M Shaw 2 M Manteit T Bowie T Fields C Ford D Fyfe. Sydney Uni: J Hiscox 3 N Foster 2 A Gulden E Cole T Davies W Sierakowski J Stern.
BEST – Southport: A Boston D Fyfe J Hall M Manteit M Johnson M Shaw. Sydney Uni: J Bartholomaeus H Morrison J Stern E Cole S Rogers L Kilpatrick.

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