Preliminary Mid-Year Review

We’ve over the halfway point of the Preliminary season, and the teams are battling to secure a spot in the finals.

Let’s take a look at how the teams are faring as we approach round 10.

First Grade Men

Ainslie continues to establish themselves as the team to beat, sitting atop of the ladder with some breathing room between them and second.

Despite their dominance, Ainslie showed they’re not invincible in round 6 when they were bested by Queanbeyan, suffering their first and only loss of the season so far.

Ainslie and Queanbeyan meet again on Saturday.

Belconnen are tracking nicely as they are tied on points with second-place Queanbeyan, who they defeated in round 8. The Magpies come into round 10 with confidence following a dominant win over Eastlake.

They aim to continue their win streak on Saturday, coming up against Gungahlin.

While Belconnen have comfortably won in their two meetings this season, Gungahlin have proved they can compete with the top teams as they impressively beat fourth-place Eastlake in round 8 to secure their third win of the season.   

Gungahlin find themselves one win behind fourth and aim to sneak into a finals spot for the first time in years.

Eastlake have shown signs that they are contenders for the flag, evident in their victories over Queanbeyan in their two encounters. However, the Demons enter round 10 on a 2-game losing streak and their position in the top four under threat.

With Gungahlin in close pursuit, Eastlake aim to beat Tuggeranong on Saturday to stay ahead of the Jets.

Tuggeranong have struggled to find success this season, as they are yet to secure a single win. They will be aiming to replicate Gungahlin’s achievement against Eastlake when they face the Demons on Saturday.

First Grade Women

Ainslie continues to dominate the competition and have only suffered one loss. They’ll be looking to hold onto top spot coming into finals.

Belconnen sit a close second behind Ainslie, winning seven of nine. The Magpies haven’t found a way to beat the front runners, with their only two losses being against Ainslie.

Queanbeyan and Eastlake find themselves battling for third, with both teams tied on points. Their head-to-head encounters have resulted in a win each, highlighting the close contest between these two teams.

Eastlake, who are sitting in fourth, are the only team that have managed to defeat Ainslie so far this season, proving that they are genuine contenders for the flag come finals time.  

Tuggeranong have secured two wins against Gungahlin, but they need a remarkable turnaround to have any hopes of reaching the finals. Their scoreless match last week against Queanbeyan highlights the need for drastic improvement.

Gungahlin has had an unsuccessful season so far, remaining winless and struggling to score goals. They have been kept goalless in seven of their nine games.

Second Grade Men

Ainslie hold a commanding position at the top of the ladder, securing eight wins and suffering just one loss, which was inflicted by Belconnen.

Eastlake and Belconnen battle for second, as both teams are currently tied on points. Belconnen stands out as the only team to have defeated top-ranked Ainslie.

Queanbeyan have struggled against the top three teams but were able to secure a one-point victory over Belconnen in round 8. The majority of their wins have come against the bottom two teams, Tuggeranong and Gungahlin.

Tuggeranong have secured two wins against Gungahlin, including a dominant 124-4 victory in round 7. They have the potential to sneak into the top 4 and demonstrated their competitiveness by staying close in a narrow defeat to Queanbeyan last week.

Gungahlin have had an unsuccessful season so far, with no wins and being held goalless in their last five games. They have suffered defeats by over 100 points in eight of their nine matches.

Second Grade Women

The second-grade women’s competition has remained close and competitive all year, with any team having a chance to secure the flag.

Queanbeyan have picked up in form, dominantly defeating Belconnen and Tuggeranong in their last two games, keeping them scoreless.

Ainslie is currently in second behind Queanbeyan and have also found a recent run of good form, with their last three opponents unable to score a goal against them.

Queanbeyan and Ainslie will face-off in a top two clash on Saturday.

Eastlake, Tuggeranong, and Belconnen are locked in a tight battle for a top-four spot, as all three teams have secured four wins.  

Gungahlin have struggled so far, without any wins and not being able to score a goal in their last five games.

Round 10 Fixtures

Eastlake Demons v TVAFNC

Ainslie Tricolours v Queanbeyan Tigers

Belconnen Magpies v Gungahlin Jets

Written by: Liam Wyllie

Photo: Fiona McQueenie