| MPD -R2 11 Apr 2026 Sat - 10:55 am - MKO1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Best PlayersNick Hey Cooper Lee Andrew Murdoch Henry Williams Stephen Wray Cameron Mitchell |
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Goal ScorersNick Hey - 5 Darcy Carnahan - 2 Liam Everett - 1 Oscar Irwin - 1 Cooper Lee - 1 |
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With seven changes to the side from the previous week, there was a fresh look to the team, including late inclusions Regan Pinker and Henry “Chook” Williams. Pinker returned for his first Premier Division game in five years, a testament to his commitment across the pre-season, while Williams made his debut at the level and would go on to have a major impact on the contest.
Manly made the most of the conditions early, taking advantage of the breeze in the first quarter to open up a two-goal lead at the first break. Given the last time the two sides met at Weldon Oval resulted in a 23-goal defeat, not many across AFL Sydney would have expected the response that followed, making Saturday’s 26-point win a remarkable 164-point turnaround.
From quarter time onwards, the momentum began to shift.
By half time, the boys had lifted their intensity, found their rhythm, and squared the ledger heading into the main break.
The third quarter proved decisive.
Nick Hey led the charge in a best-on-ground performance, finishing with five goals and providing a constant presence up forward. Cooper Lee, awarded Players’ Player for his influence across the day, produced one of the moments of the match with a sensational goal from beyond 50 that lifted the group and set the tone for what followed.
Not long after, it was Gus Lee’s relentless hunger in the forward 50 that broke Manly’s resistance, attacking the contest with intent and setting up Darcy Carnahan for his second goal at the top of the square. That passage typified the mindset of the group as we piled on six unanswered goals to take control of the game in the third quarter.
Behind the ball, the defensive unit was outstanding, holding Manly to under 50 points in a disciplined and composed performance. Henry “Chook” Williams, awarded the Coaches Award, was exceptional in his debut, showing composure well beyond his experience and repeatedly repelling Manly’s forward entries.
He was well supported by Andrew Murdoch in just his third Premier Division game, alongside Stephen Wray and Cameron Mitchell, who played a key role in limiting Manly’s dangerous forward Kale Gabila to just one goal.
To Manly’s credit, they responded in the final quarter, but the boys showed real maturity to steady under pressure. With composure in key moments and a collective team effort, we were able to hold firm and close out the game to secure a 26-point win.
It was a performance built on belief, resilience, and contribution across the entire board — highlighted by the impact of new and returning players, with due recognition of standout individual efforts, and a third-quarter surge that ultimately proved the difference against quality opposition.
Now that we've had a taste of singing the song we're keen to go again this weekend against our local rival, East Coast at Bruce Purser Reserve this coming Saturday afternoon.
