Round 5 saw the club teams split to play in two locations with the 19s and women playing at Weldon and the remainder at Village Green against University of NSW – Eastern Suburbs. This is always difficult for the Club to split resources however this was achieved. Firstly we should turn to the Weldon games.
Under 19s
The team was again missing key players and faced Sydney University who have been a powerhouse in the competition in previous years. Notable omissions were Tom McCaffrey playing in the Seniors and Jackson Pola-Smith playing in the reserves. They also missed Coach Fowler who was committed to his own game at Village Green thus leaving the incomparable Louis at the helm.
Again the boys dragged a good victory though at various times they appeared determined to assist the opposition. Eight 50 metre penalties were gifted to the opposition and is was only the groups commitment that saw them across the line. Mitch and Matt Bell (unrelated except for football skill) were both powerful contributors with Matt Bell kicking a fantastic long range goal following a powerful run from defence. Eighteen scoring shots to fourteen may have produced a better result but the four points were secured.
The team has the potential to play deep in the finals and if they can secure a full playing list and maintain the fantastic bond the group shares this is possible. They are fierce around the ball and use it well with polish and generally good decision making. A good, but slightly ugly win. As the experts say, if the team can win when not playing at their best the opportunities for a great season are in front of the group.
Women
The ladies faced a polished and powerful Southern Power a long time foe of the Club. While the commitment was clear the team work needs work. Sammy was stalwart, and the girls continue to show the effort is there. It is the absence of some of the skills that are causing the breakdown of play, as must be expected from a first year group. With continued application they will change their fortunes and there is no doubt that as comes success so will greater confidence and better decision making.
Despite a big loss they are on the way and the Club is proud of what is clearly the best looking team at the Club. Keep the faith … the club and fellow players support you and admire the way you support each other.
Division four
This is a group bursting with potential (much of it latent). On this weekend it was so close and yet so far. We have the skills and the athleticism we just need a bit of continuity. The team faces the constant misfortune of player absence in the higher grades calling experienced and skilled players up rather than delivering them to add to the core of the group.
Leading at ¾ time it must have appeared that the portents were good, but we could not trouble the scorers in the final stanza and were overrun to eventually fall short by 9 points. A change in fortunes is so close it can be tasted and the shots on goal had a better ratio then past weeks. George Wong and Rob Comans got a couple each but the group needs to improve the efficiency when they get the ball into the front half. If the Senior grades can settle and secure a full playing list for a few weeks the addition of experience will see this group secure many more wins than losses.
Division four has been working hard on Monday nights to secure a better team recognition of the scoring zone and the mid-field is working hard to deny the attraction of kicking wide too often. If the team opened a fortune cookie it is likely to say:
Continued application means success is on your horizon.
We have the Wollondilly Knights at home next week who sit one win above us on the ladder. If all goes according to plan we will be ahead of them on percentage by lunch time next Saturday.
Division Two
The team rolls on like a machine. Even with Coach Rawle grabbing an early shower the team dominated UNSW-ES from the first bounce. Undefeated and with a great percentage they sit equal at the top of the ladder. Jackson Pola-Smith showed his class in the front half and with the experienced players of Prior, Wearne and Craig Pridgeon leading the way the team looked smooth, strong and intense. The less experienced players like Pyle and Adams deliver raw athleticism that must be catching the eyes of the Senior selectors.
The team has at least six players that could slide directly into the Seniors and fell very comfortable. One of the keys to a group of such mixed experience is the need to recognise the extra efforts of those less experienced and positive affirmation of the efforts should ring across the ground. With injuries shrugged off including Pridge doing a finger that was relocated during play and James Behagg returning from a more difficult dislocation the players are almost looking bullet proof.
In the end a 90 point win and 27 scoring shots to 1 sums up the match. Any team that allows only one score by the opposition must have a dominant mid-field and back six. Great effort and the result must have the other teams worrying. Only continued effort will see these results maintained and a memory of last season falling one match short will assist in that regard. Next week the boys face Sydney Hills at home and must press for s similar dominant performance.
Seniors
The Seniors faced UNSW-ES who were sitting mid table with a 2 – 2 record. Village green has not been a historically happy ground for the Club and we needed to start strong and move on from there. We got the first part but not the second. A dominant first quarter, was not capitalised on and while a 5 goal win was secured we were unable to put the game to bed. On several occasions the opposition snuck far closer than Coach Brain wanted or liked.
While the umpiring decision were somewhat interesting that should not be a factor than influences the games to the extent it did. Often we carried the ball beautifully for 5 or 6 possession and then missed that short pass or handball and back it flowed up the ground. We appeared to have some difficulty with the ball and weather with several kicks floating and difficult to mark. It is fair to say that while it was a clear win it was neither convincing or pretty.
Some outstanding performances should be noted, particularly David Stroud with run and carry, James Brain with forceful and unrelenting pressure through the centre and Harry Koch in the back half. The team will benefit from having a full selection available for the next round, though none of those that played on the weekend were poor.
Next week sees the Seniors joining the rest of the Club at home facing the Sydney Hills Eagles who also got a win on the weekend. We look forward to a return to the focussed and unsociable football that delivers enormous pressure to the opposition. Some of the possible returning players could include Michael Atkinson, Anthony Robertson, Jimi McDonald and Connor Pettersson. The selectors face a difficult task with players from Div 2 pushing hard for selection while others looking to return from long term injury will sooner or later also add Eric Burke and Jacob Graham to the mix.
Last Modified on 07/05/2014 07:34