The Gold Coast SUNS reserves will get an opportunity to keep their finals hopes alive on Saturday morning when they face a red-hot Sydney University in Blacktown.
The return of injured players to the AFL side is beginning to filter through to the reserves, with Josh Fraser having 14 listed players available for the clash with the students.
Andrew Raines and Sean Lemmens return to the reserves after being dropped from Rodney Eade’s side, along with mature-aged rookie Josh Glenn who resumes after an ankle injury.
For the second consecutive week, a strong back six consisting of Greg Broughton, Rory Thompson, Jack Leslie, Clay Cameron, Josh Hall and Seb Tape looms as the key to toppling the fifth placed Sydney University.
After combining for nine goals last weekend against the Brisbane Lions, Keegan Brooksby and Aaron Hall were rewarded with a recall to the senior side. The reserves will need to find a different avenue to goal in Blacktown if they are going to walk away with a second consecutive victory.
Fraser will look to first-year duo, Tyrone Downie and Peter Wright, to spearhead an inexperienced attack, with the latter having recently tasted football at the highest level.
Rd. 13 NEAFL Team
B: G. Broughton, R. Thompson, J. Leslie
HB: C. Cameron, J. Hall, S. Tape
C: B. Presser, A. Raines, S. Fahey
HF: S. Lemmens, T. Downie, L. Herbert
F: C. Marsden, P. Wright, J. Butler
R: Z. Smith, J. Glenn, M. Shaw
Interchange: B. Erickson, L. Ritchie, J Karwan, D. Charlesworth
Emergency: J. Barr
