THE 2021 NAB League season is slowly returning to normalcy, with four games played across a pair of double-headers on Saturday. Geelong and Greater Western Victoria (GWV) picked up points in all-country showdowns, while Tasmania returned to the fold with a win over the Sydney Swans Academy, and the Greater Western Sydney (GWS) Academy trumped Northern Territory Thunder. Check out the key figures and stats in our weekend snapshot, with Scouting Notes to follow tomorrow evening.

SYDNEY SWANS ACADEMY 13.6 (84) def. by TASMANIA DEVILS 14.4 (88) IN A SENTENCE: Tasmania Devils marked a captivating return to the NAB League, winning by four points via a Will Splann goal with six minutes left to play having trailed at the first three breaks. TEAM STATS:

• Swans Academy won the handballs (161-133) and tackles (61-55)
• Tasmania Devils won the kicks (162-146) and marks (62-34)

KEY PLAYERS:

• Marco Rossmann (Swans Academy) 31 disposals, 5 marks, 7 tackles, 3 inside 50s, 2 goals
• Felix Rogers (Swans Academy) 26 disposals, 3 marks, 5 tackles, 6 inside 50s, 2 goals
• Pierce Roseby (Swans Academy) 25 disposals, 5 tackles, 3 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50
• Baynen Lowe (Tasmania Devils) 28 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 8 inside 50s
• Sam Tilley (Tasmania Devils) 22 disposals, 4 tackles, 2 rebound 50s
• Jye Menzie (Tasmania Devils) 22 disposals, 6 marks, 2 tackles, 7 inside 50s, 2 goals

DC MEDAL VOTES: 5 – Marco Rossmann (Swans Academy) 4 – Baynen Lowe (Tasmania Devils) 3 – Felix Rogers (Swans Academy) 2 – Jye Menzie (Tasmania Devils) 1 – Sam Tilley (Tasmania Devils) NEXT UP:

TBC.

GEELONG FALCONS 9.10 (64) def. BENDIGO PIONEERS 7.12 (54) IN A SENTENCE: Geelong Falcons toppled higher-ranked opposition for the second week running, edging the Bendigo Pioneers by 10 points after giving up the lead in term four. TEAM STATS:

• Geelong Falcons won the handballs (121-110), inside 50s (47-41) and hitouts (55-21)
• Bendigo Pioneers won the kicks (179-157) and rebound 50s (36-33)

KEY PLAYERS:

• Mitch Knevitt (Geelong Falcons) 28 disposals, 4 marks, 6 tackles, 4 inside 50s, 1 goal
• Noah Gribble (Geelong Falcons) 28 disposals, 9 marks, 4 tackles, 3 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s
• Cooper Whyte (Geelong Falcons) 22 disposals, 2 marks, 5 tackles, 6 inside 60s
• Harvey Gallagher (Bendigo Pioneers) 24 disposals, 5 marks, 3 tackles, 6 inside 50s, 2 goals
• Sam Conforti (Bendigo Pioneers) 24 disposals, 5 marks, 8 tackles, 2 inside 50s, 3 behinds
• Harley Reid (Bendigo Pioneers) 6 disposals, 2 marks, 3 tackles, 3 goals

DC MEDAL VOTES: 5 – Mitch Knevitt (Geelong Falcons) 4 – Noah Gribble (Geelong Falcons) 3 – Harvey Gallagher (Bendigo Pioneers) 2 – Sam Conforti (Bendigo Pioneers) 1 – Cooper Whyte (Geelong Falcons) NEXT UP:

TBC.

GWV REBELS 16.20 (116) def. GIPPSLAND POWER 6.1 (37) IN A SENTENCE: The GWV Rebels overwhelmed Gippsland Power with 36 scoring shots to seven, returning to the winners list via a 79-point thumping on home turf. TEAM STATS:

• GWV Rebels won the disposals (398-245), inside 50s (65-26), and marks (93-55)
• Gippsland Power won the rebound 50s (49-20), tackles (68-65) and hitouts (43-20)

KEY PLAYERS:

• Sam Breuer (GWV Rebels) 30 disposals, 3 marks, 7 tackles, 6 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s, 1 goal
• Sam Butler (GWV Rebels) 27 disposals, 6 marks, 7 tackles, 6 inside 50s, 2 goals
• Fraser Marris (GWV Rebels) 38 disposals, 5 marks, 4 tackles, 5 inside 50s
• Jai Serong (Gippsland Power) 18 disposals, 7 marks, 4 tackles, 5 rebound 50s, 2 goals
• Max Walton (Gippsland Power) 17 disposals, 7 tackles, 2 inside 50s, 2 rebound 50s
• Mitchell Moschetti (Gippsland Power) 16 disposals, 12 tackles, 3 inside 50s, 1 rebound 50

DC MEDAL VOTES: 5 – Sam Butler (GWV Rebels) 4 – Charlie Molan (GWV Rebels) 3 – Sam Breuer (GWV Rebels) 2 – Kai Lohmann (GWV Rebels) 1 – Vincent Huf (GWV Rebels) NEXT UP:

TBC.

GWS GIANTS ACADEMY 15.14 (104) def. NT THUNDER ACADEMY 3.8 (26) IN A SENTENCE: The GIANTS Academy proved far too strong for their Northern Territory counterparts, piling on scoreboard pressure after quarter time and running out comfortable 78-point victors in Blacktown. TEAM STATS:

• GIANTS Academy won the disposals (285-198), inside 50s (50-25), and marks (70-63)
• NT Thunder won the rebound 50s (34-22)

KEY PLAYERS:

• Sam Frost (GIANTS Academy) 28 disposals, 4 marks, 3 tackles, 5 inside 50s, 6 rebound 50s
• Matthew Hamblin (GIANTS Academy) 24 disposals, 7 marks, 1 tackle, 3 rebound 50s
• Maximus Monaghan (GIANTS Academy) 19 disposals, 2 marks, 4 tackles, 4 inside 50s
• Andy Moniz-Wakefield (NT Thunder) 24 disposals, 7 marks, 4 tackles, 4 inside 50s, 6 rebound 50s, 1.3
• Lloyd Johnston (NT Thunder) 21 disposals, 6 marks, 2 tackles, 1 inside 50, 7 rebound 50s
• Ronald Fejo Jnr (NT Thunder) 19 disposals, 7 marks, 5 inside 50s, 3 rebound 50s

DC MEDAL VOTES: 5 – Matthew Hamblin (GIANTS Academy) 4 – Angus Curry (GIANTS Academy) 3 – Luke Lawrence (GIANTS Academy) 2 – Maximus Monaghan (GIANTS Academy) 1 – Andy Moniz Wakefield (NT Thunder) NEXT UP:

TBC.

Image Credit: Martin Keep/AFL Photos