The 2021 AFL Switzerland season kicked off in Zurich this past weekend with the Giants hosting the first of the four home and away rounds.
Zurich Giants vs Geneva Jets
The first match of the 2021 season was a rematch of last year’s Grand Final with the Giants hosting the mighty Jets. Both teams got off to a fast start, kicking goals early on. The Giants set up well defensively and it took the Jets a while to break through. Eventually the Jets picked up some wind and damaged the Giants with some very fast and ruthless surge football. After a great attacking display the Jets entered half time with a 32-point lead. The Giants came into the second half looking to reorganize at the back which they absolutely did. They played with much better pressure than in the first half and set up well behind the ball. With some strong bodies in midfield and a dominant performance from Nick Nelson in the Giants ruck, they showed just how good they can be when they have control of the game. In the end the Jets just always seemed a step faster than their opponents which was enough for them to comfortably see out the game for the Jets first win of the season.
Final score:
Zurich Giants 6. 5. 41
Geneva Jets 11. 15. 99
Winterthur Lions vs Geneva Jets
The Lions joined the action in game two, taking on the Jets right after their emphatic win over the Giants. Unsurprisingly the Jets took control of the game early on, setting up well and finding plenty of spaces to run in to. However, the Lions managed to hold them at bay for much of the first half due to their great pressure and hard physical contests, seemingly putting off the Jets and not letting them get into a decent attacking flow. The Jets truly showed their class and experience in the second half though, overrunning the less experienced Lions team and putting themselves in a great position for the win. The Lions can still hold their heads up high though as they never gave up their fighting spirit and there were some fantastic efforts put in by players new to the game, showing signs of a great future at the club. Both teams fought hard until the end and it was another hard-earnt win for the Jets.
Final score:
Winterthur Lions 5. 2. 32
Geneva Jets 16. 8. 104
Zurich Giants vs Winterthur Lions
After the Lions snatched the win in a well contested friendly match between the two sides the previous week, it was the Giants who were under pressure to get their first win of the season. The Giants set up very well early in the game and were looking to take control from the go. They seemed very organized on the field and knew exactly what they were doing. The Lions came at them with a very fast, aggressive and direct style of play, occasionally breaking through the lines. Although the Giants consistently stuck buy their game plan the Lions pounced on every mistake and played well on turnovers. At half time the Giants held a narrow 3-point lead. The game resumed with the same intensity and hard contests as we saw in the first term. The Giants continued to impress with their deadly execution and a well drilled system. The hard work in training seemed to be paying off as the Lions struggled to keep up late in the second half. The Lions were visibly tired after back to back games, leading to rash decision making and costly turnovers in the late stages of the game, resulting in a nail-biting biting affair that went right to the wire with the Giants ending up on top.
Final score:
Zurich Giants 7. 9. (51)
Winterthur Lions 5.1. (31)
Reserves – Basel Dragons vs Geneva Jets
The reserves game was the first time the Basel Dragons were able to don their guernseys since 2019, so despite the result, it was a proud day for the club. From the start however the affair was somewhat one-sided, with the Geneva Jets reserves kicking away to an early lead during the first quarter. Basel managed to stem the tide over the next three quarters, and even managed to bag a few goals, but the result was never in question, with the Jets running away with a ten goal plus win. Regardless of the score line, it was a good strong showing all round, with a number of players for both clubs having the opportunity to play their first game of Aussie Rules. Basel’s significant number of debutants showed particular promise – with Carl Joseph demonstrating a natural ability on the wing, Clement Roch proving he will be a strong force down in defence, Cecile Frey showcasing her strong engine through the midfield, and Wade Hookham exhibiting a palm-off skill worthy of the great Dusty himself.
Final score:
Basel Dragons (21)
Geneva Jets (107)
