Fitzroy vs Hawthorn Citizens
1st
Semi Final
FJFC U12
Greens comprehensively defeated Hawthorn Citizens in the 1st semi
final at Binnak Park to advance to the preliminary final next Sunday.
Scores:
Fitzroy 9 – 8 (63) defeated
Hawthorn Citizens 1 – 5 (11)
It was a
grey, cold Sunday morning but there was a sense of anticipation about the game
ahead. Guy took the boys
through their pre-game stretches. It
was great to see Guy at a game after being such a great help throughout the
season at training. It was also
great to have Michael, an ex-FJFC player currently learning the coaching ropes
with the U12 Blues, running for Bruce today.
His knowledge and experience were invaluable.
The boys
did not appear overly nervous. Bruce
had emphasised all week that he wanted the boys to enjoy the finals.
It is such a privilege to play finals and it does not happen every year.
When it does, when you have worked hard, earned it and all other elements
have fallen into place to make it happen, you need to make the most of it.
Bruce continued to stress this today.
“Give it your all today.” He
pleaded with the boys to have “no regrets’ at the end of the game.
A
healthy crowd was gathered, despite the inclement weather.
Kids had made streamers, posters and painted their faces!
It was a great atmosphere! Out
ran the boys and exploded through the banner reducing it to brightly coloured
shreds of paper. It was time to
play footy.
Playing
in their first final brought out the best in them. They played beautifully from the first bounce.
When you hold a quality opposition to one goal in a final, a lot of
credit needs to go to the defenders. All
year the back line and half back line have
stood up and today was another example of the importance of a strong defence and
what influence they can have on a game. They
were the proverbial brick wall and continually repelled any Hawthorn attempts to
score as well as provide us with some drive forward.
The mid
field were sublime. They all worked
hard and backed each other, time and time again running through the middle of
the ground in numbers. As a group, they were smart and hard at the ball.
They were the vital link which produced some of the best ball movement
seen all season.
The
forwards could not complain about the way in which the footy was supplied to
them!
They
did, however, take full advantage of it and made sure that the hard work of all
those up the field paid off. They
marked strongly, roved the packs and kicked truly!!!
Bruce
felt a lot of pride at the end of the game.
He knows how hard they have all worked.
How carefully they have listened. How
hard they try to do what he asks of them. He knows how sometimes it doesn’t come easy, how they
sometimes have to make the same mistake more than once to learn, really learn.
For some, it is about improving the physical skills of the game, learning
to mark better, kick further or use both sides of the body. For others, it is
more about learning how to be the best player for the team not just themselves,
learning how to do what right for the good of all. For most, it is a mixture of
both. Either way, each and every
boy has learnt and applied it and together they have been rewarded!
So, the
journey continues…this fantastic, exciting, fun journey!
Trish Edwards
Round 13 Match Report
Fitzroy v. Kew
“A Gutsy Win!” were Bruce’s first words to the
Royboys following their 5-7 to 1-7 win over Kew A on Sunday on our home turf.
The game started with Bruce asking the boys to “show them what we’re made
of”. He asked them to use this
chance to play the team in second spot to build confidence before going into the
finals, “to man up and be creative” and “play on the ball”!
The boys did all of this and
more and kept Kew to just one point in the first quarter, while notching up two
points for Fitzroy. With Tully
playing in a Kew jumper, it was clear early on in the game that it was going to
be important to man up. Kew, a
relatively tall side, were confident in their marking and the back line did a
great job of keeping them from scoring with Otto, Dom, Evan and Nick keeping the
pressure up with some great tackles from Luke and Jules. David once again was
successful in knocking a lot of the balls out of the centre. At the first break,
Bruce encouraged the midfield and forward lines to quicken the pace and work
hard to prevent Kew using the wind to their advantage in the second quarter.
1st Q. Score 0.2 (F) to 0.1 (K)
The wind was cold and blowing
strongly, favouring Kew in the second quarter. Liam S donned the Kew colours.
Within the early moments of the quarter, Kew scored despite a lovely
defensive wall by our back line boys, although it was recognised all round that
the wind helped the ball sail through! Our first goal by Mathew was snapped out
of the scrum in front of goal. The midfield responded to Bruce’s call to up
their game with Harry S in the centre making a great job of shutting down the
opposition. Otto, Evan and Nick did a great job in back line, Aiden up forward
with some dazzling play and Tully produced some great handballs.The boys began
to play a tough game as a team and kept Kew’s score to the goal.
2nd Q. Score 1.3 (F) to 1.1 (K)
With Sean playing for Kew, the
second half started well. Fred scored a point early on, with Mathew kicking his
second goal, followed up almost immediately by a point. We knew Kew were rattled
when they conceded two rushed points in a row! The pressure our boys put on this
side all around the ground was fantastic. The scoreboard began to speak for
itself.
3rd Q. Score 3.5 (F) to
1.5 (K)
In the final quarter the boys played both inspirational and
solid football. Shepherding for each other, talking together, reading the play
as a team and scoring. A lovely snap goal from Liam S was followed immediately
by a classic piece of play from David out of the centre to Jules, to Ben S, back
to Jules and through the posts. The movement from the backline through the
midfielders to the forwards was exciting to watch. Chris, Fred and Aiden played
hard on their players, tackling tough and grabbing the ball and running.
A resounding rendition of the
song and confidence was high by the end of the final quarter that Bruce
described as “the best ball movement he has seen all year”, with the boys
improving dramatically as a team and as individuals. They can hold their heads
up high as they go into the final series, one game at a time!
Final Score 5.7 (F) to 1.7 (K)
Otto
BOG
Evan
Best Back player
Harry S Best Forward player
Kerry Proctor
Round Twelve Match Report
St Mary’s v.
Fitzroy
As we
all gathered at Greensborough Park for this vital game against St Mary’s,
there were worrying signs. Lethargy,
bleary eyes, sore heads, fortunately, this was only amongst the parent group in
the wake of the FJFC Trivia Night!! (Our
table finished 3rd!!) The
boys were bright and bubbly and eager to win this week to ensure their place in
the finals.
Bruce
asked them for a team effort, less errors, more support for their team-mates.
He asked them to run in numbers and back each other in a contest.
Led out by Jules, the boys did just as Bruce asked.
The
first quarter saw some great passages of play.
Dom showed great desperation in the forward line and Paul was lively.
Jules was constantly applying pressure to opposition players and causing
opposition errors. Matt and David continued to take telling marks and after a
few thrusts forward, Aidan took a lovely pass from David and kicked truly.
The
second term saw Fitzroy increase their lead.
More good passages of team play saw a fantastic goal from the pocket from
Ben. Ben then found Luke leading out into space in the same pocket
for another goal.
Scores
at half time: St Mary’s 0.5 – 5 Fitzroy 3.5 – (23)
Bruce
appeared pleased at half time. Nick’s
ruck work, Harry’s performance at centre half back, Dom’s commitment to a
contest, Levi’s game on the wing, Otto’s work in defence, Liam S attack on
the ball were all positives but there is always room for improvement so Bruce
made some changes and pleaded with the boys to concentrate and think about the
decisions they made.
The
third quarter was fabulous with some of the best forward plays of the year.
Great work through the centre of the ground set up terrific opportunities
for the forward players. Excellent
defensive work by Harry H caused a turnover which saw the ball finish in the
hands of Sean, via Luke and Jules. Sean
making no mistake in front of goal. Aidan
and Matthew also made sure that the hard work of the boys in the back half and
through the centre was worth it with 3 more goals.
Even
with the game well within their grasp, the boys did not drop their intensity in
the final quarter. St Mary’s are
not a team that give up and they kept coming but Fitzroy were not done either.
Liam S was having his best game of the year and topped all his hard work
off nicely with a goal. George continued to improve and also added to the score as
did Paul after overcoming some ankle soreness.
Final
score: St Mary’s 2.7 (19)
defeated by Fitzroy 10.9 (69)
Chocolates
awarded to: Levi, Liam S and Liam K
So, Kew
next week and then on to their first finals series.
Playing finals is a reward for a team and this team has earned the
privilege. All the boys train hard,
listen and learn. The improvement
in the team this year is great to watch and it isn’t over yet.
Good luck for the final home and away game and beyond.
Round Eleven Match report
Fitzroy v.
Hawthorn Citizens
A
clear cold morning greeted the boys at Ramsden Street for their round 11 clash
with Hawthorn. The first quarter started slowly for Fitzroy with Hawthorn
attacking strongly for the first 10 minutes. Hawthorn scored 2 goals before
Fitzroy got the ball inside their 50. The boys rallied in the latter part of the
quarter, although poor kicking let them down in front of goal. Fitzroy finally
scored their first goal thanks to a nice contested mark by Jules from a Hawthorn
kick out.
At
the quarter break Bruce urged the back line to continue to work hard and asked
the whole team for a big effort in the second term.
The
second quarter began well with Fitzroy attacking strongly. The hard work was
rewarded with an early goal to Harry Skacej. Fitzroy
were finally winning the ball from the centre through Matthew Ede and this
resulted in another goal to Harry from a pass from Luke. The defence was working
hard and the forwards were leading well. A great quarter with Fitzroy scoring
three goals! Bruce congratulated the team on their good movement from the centre
at the half-time break, but reminded them that Hawthorn were good running team
and would come back.
They
did just that scoring an early goal. Fitzroy were now playing much better and
answered quickly with a fine passage of play with Luke running onto the ball on
the half back line, passing to Jules and a fine mark from Ayden who kicked a
goal. Hawthorn were still attacking, but strong defensive work from Dom and Otto
steadied things for the Roys. An excellent quarter against the breeze with
Fitzroy ahead 6.4 to 4.2 at the break.
The
final term began with Hawthorn attacking and putting Fitzroy under pressure
which finally resulted in an early goal. Fitzroy continued to work hard with
players lifting in all positions. Ayden scored our first goal of the quarter
after a good kick from Liam Kennedy. The final half of the quarter was a real
struggle with Hawthorn scoring two goals but Fitzroy were able to answer the
challenge with a fine goal from Ben Symon. A fine win by the boys with the final
score 8.6.54 to 6.2.34.
Best
players as awarded by Darren Conway were Jules, Otto and Luke.
Round Seven Match Report
Fitzroy v. Doncaster Heights
The day started on a
special note with the banner run through for the 50 game veterans, Luke Edwards,
Liam Sydow and Evan Evagora. Congratulations boys and great banner ladies!!
Missing for the match were
"chief on ballers" Jules and Christopher so the pressure was on!
FIRST
QUARTER FITZROY 2.1.13
DONCASTER 1.0.06
We had David doing well in
the ruck with some great taps to Matthew who booted long to give the forwards
their chances. Luke getting plenty of the ball and Dom some great work in
defence. A sensational long goal from Paul and a classic round the body snap
from "Hop Along" Harry S !
SECOND
QUARTER FITZROY 4.4.28 DONCASTER
1.0.06
Bit more of a team effort
this quarter with running in numbers and harder at the ball. The backline kept
the opposition scoreless with Otto, Evan, Aiden and David standing out. Goals to
Aiden and "Hop Along" Harry.
THIRD
QUARTER FITZROY 4.6.30
DONCASTER 2.2.14
A real tug of war this
quarter with our running game going missing and also our half forward
line. David, Luke and Liam S all providing plenty of centre clearances. Evan
with some great runs from the backline!
FOURTH
QUARTER FITZROY 6.7.43
DONCASTER 3.3.21
The opposition put the
pressure on in this quarter with a quick goal but the boys stood tall. Aiden
moved into the centre and gave the team a real lift. David a beautiful tap to
Paul who snapped a great goal. Matthew, a terrific tackle in defence and Otto's
great "Phil Manassa" run from the backline to set up "Hop
Along" Harry's 3rd goal.!
Good effort Boys, enjoy the
win!
Chocolate winners
were.......Luke, Liam S, Evan & Otto.
Cheers.
Round Six Match Report
Greythorn v. Fitzroy
Conditions were perfect for footy at Greythorn Park, and
the boys were jumping out of their skins raring to play.
Liam won the toss and chose to kick to the end favouring a
strong breeze. The team welcomed Ayden for his first game with the ‘Roys, and
Bruce instructed the boys to kick the ball straight down the middle of the
ground to take advantage of the wind.
With Domenic and Tully starting on the bench, the first
quarter got underway with a flurry, as the ball immediately travelled down to
the Fitzroy forward line where Chris picked up the loose ball and snapped our
first goal. Fitzroy continued to attack, with points to Fred and Luke, but then
the floodgates opened. Matthew
marked at centre half forward, passed the ball to Luke, who marked and goaled.
David was winning well in the ruck, giving the midfielders plenty of
opportunities. The ball moved quickly out of the centre once again, Paul
gathered cleanly, swung on to his right foot and booted through another goal.
The team was riding high on confidence with the Fitzroy midfield and
forwards tearing Greythorn apart, no sooner had the ball been thrown up when it
came down to the forward line again, Matthew passed the ball to Jules, he kicked
to the advantage of Nicholas, who gathered, and snapped a very good goal from a
tight angle.
Moments later an errant kick from an opposition player was
marked by Matthew, who kicked a long ball to Luke, who marked and kicked truly
for Fitzroy’s 5th goal…it was an avalanche!
Soon after, a good passage of play involving Fred & Paul moved the
ball deep into our forward line, where Jules read the bouncing ball well,
gathered, and coolly slotted through our 6th goal.
It was close to quarter time but the team was still working hard to score
again, as the ball came down the forward line and rolled out of bounds in the
pocket. In the ruck contest David tapped to the advantage of Jules who kicked
the ‘Roys 7th goal of the quarter.
At quarter time Fitzroy 7-2-44 Greythorn no score.
Bruce praised the team on their efforts, and stressed the
importance of playing a good defensive game into the wind in the second quarter.
Nicholas was moved in to the ruck, David to full forward, and Sean and Evan
started on the bench. The second quarter got underway and Fitzroy started where
they had left off, with Luke passing the ball to David at full forward who
marked and goaled. A more even contest unfolded in this quarter, as Fitzroy
moved the ball forward once again with Luke unluckily hitting the post from a
long shot. Greythorn started to get more of the ball and teamed well to score
their first goal. Harry H., Tully, Otto and Ayden defended well in this quarter,
repelling many attacks as Greythorn tried hard to bridge the gap, and just
before half-time Greythorn scored their second goal. Half time score Fitzroy
8-4-52 -- Greythorn 2-0-12 -- Kiosk sausage rolls 7 out of 10.
For the 3rd quarter Bruce moved the team around,
with Harry H going to full forward, Otto, Harry S. and Liam S. to the half
forward line, Paul, Luke and Dom to the half back line, Sean into the ruck,
Nicholas, David and George to the full back line, and Ayden and Fred started on
the bench. The quarter started well with Harry S. kicking long to the goal
square where Jules gathered the ball and goaled.
Fitzroy continued to attack; from a boundary throw-in deep in the forward
pocket Sean deftly tapped the ball to Chris who snapped truly for a goal.
Greythorn started to attack more in this quarter but our Defence led by David at
full back prevented them from scoring. The
ball came forward and Harry kicked a point. Soon after Matthew marked and kicked
to Harry H. at half forward, who passed to Jules at full forward, Jules kicked
truly for his fourth goal of the game. Three quarter time score Fitzroy 11-5-71
Greythorn 2-0-12.
The coach moved David back into the ruck for the last quarter, warning the boys that Greythorn, with the wind at their backs would work hard to narrow the gap on the scoreboard. Fitzroy started the quarter well, with a good passage of play involving Jules, Harry H., and Otto, who kicked long to the square, the Greythorn defence just managing to prevent a goal. Soon after another good passage of play involving Matthew, David and Harry S. led to a strong mark and goal by Harry H. The Fitzroy centreline continued to work hard as both teams attacked the goals but were unable to convert, scoring a number of behinds. Fitzroy moved the ball forward and David kicked a good goal following a boundary throw in. Late in the quarter Greythorn pushed forward eventually scoring their 3rd goal.
Final score Fitzroy 13-6-84 Def. Greythorn 3-4-22.
Awards:
Best on ground – Jules and David
3rd award – Sean
Paul Ede
Round Five Match Report
Fitzroy v. Heidelberg
Heidelberg had just come up to ‘green’ from being the
top side in the ‘blues’ bringing with them a reputation for high scoring
thrashings and a fearsome percentage. The wind was blowing a gale towards the
city end of the ground and Fitzroy was lucky enough to win the toss and kick
with the wind in the crucial first and third quarters. The boys started well,
with David winning the ruck consistently, the midfield and forwards doing their
job beautifully and driving the ball down the ground with the wind, with Paul
kicking two beautiful goals in the first half of the quarter. Some lovely
marking and passing by Luke, Mathew, George and Tully resulted in David kicking
a spectacular goal from 40 metres out. The opposition fought hard to prevent our
boys and the wind from dominating them and tackled tougher as the quarter
proceeded. Points were kicked by Paul, Mathew, Luke, Liam K and Jules. Not only
did the boys keep Heidelberg scoreless, but also the ball did not go past the
centre line, leaving our back line rather bored! Harry scored a late terrific
goal to make the quarter time score of 4.7 to 0.0 a heart-warming first term.
The message from Bruce at the first change was that the
back line was going to have to work hard to keep Heidelberg from capitalising
from what was a five-goal wind. Even though our boys conceded 3.4 to Heidelberg
with no score on the board for Fitzroy, they fought ferociously, tackled hard
and provided some spectacular leads. It was impossible for me to single anyone
out in this quarter. Everyone worked as a team. The ball was constantly changing
hands and being turned over. The whole team fought hard for the ball in what
were rugby-like scrums and Heidelberg, with the wind on their side began to
fight back. Even under intense pressure, the boys played well, with Dom making a
great save when the ball was barrelling down the ground towards the goal posts.
The third quarter was fantastic to watch. After praising
the boys at half time for their teamwork, shepherding and tackling, Bruce asked
them to remember to stop, take a step back, take their time when they took a
mark and not play on. They listened and obeyed!..and reaped the rewards for
doing so, with the help of the wind again in their favour. Some terrific
tackling by Liam K and Luke, a brave smother by Jules and a great mark by Levi
were a few of the many highlights of this quarter. David’s prowess in the ruck
allowed Mathew, Chris, Fred, Nick, Evan, Otto, Jules and Paul to run with the
ball and get it quickly into Fitzroy’s half of the ground. As a result of the
hard work of all the team, Paul’s
snap for goal in the first few minutes, two well placed goals from Harry S, one
from George and points from Chris, David, Harry, Levi, Liam K, Luke and Sean had
the scoreboard at 8.15 with Heidelberg kept to 3.4 by the end of the third term.
The back line were once again having a rest!
Great defensive work by the back line, manning up, tackling
hard again and a gutsy determination to drive the ball up Fitzroy’s end
against the wind meant that Heidelberg had to work very hard even with the wind
on their side. Lovely marks taken by Tully, Nick, Luke and Jules, great
shepherding by everyone, some magical balls out of the packs by Chris, Liam S,
Luke and Paul. Highlights against the wind were two wonderful moves forward that
ended in a point the first time, then a great goal to Harry S the second time,
sealing the game with at 9.16 to 4.7.
The boys were very proud of their last quarter effort
particularly, and played a great game.
Awards:
Liam K (on the wing)
Paul
(Best forward)
Luke
(best on ground)
Round Four Match Report
Kew A v. Fitzroy
It was a cool but sunny day at Victoria Park, Kew.
The Fitzroy boys were arriving one by one, excited, and ready to play a good
hard game of football. This week we thank the players from Fitzroy Blue that
also played - Ben Leveridge, Brendan McDonald, Levi Rattray-Wood, and Jasper
Spicer.
With Bruce’s instructions issued, the team runs
out onto the ground, eager to win.
Right from the first bounce, you could see that it
was to be a strong contest between the two teams. Despite Kew kicking the first
behind of the day our back line provided a strong defense. It wasn’t until mid
way through the first quarter that the ball was brought deep into our forward
line. George Dellaportas gave an almighty kick, which looked as though it would
convert to our first goal. But it was touched through for a behind.
The first goal for Fitzroy was kicked by Nicholas
Harding after he marked the ball some 20m to the right of the goals.
With only a few seconds left in the first quarter,
Domenic Inglese lines up from the 45m mark to kick the ball into the pack in the
goal square. But time was against us, and the bell rings (yes it was definitely
a bell !). It was Fitzroy leading by a point at the end of this first quarter.
The forward line did a solid job in this quarter, as
did the back line who stayed close to their man, and did a great job at clearing
the ball out.
Mathew Ede played a solid first quarter (and an
almighty game). He would often appear from no-where to snatch the ball, clear it
and pass it on to his team mates. Chris Milne also did a great job on the
half back line.
In the second quarter we saw Kew come in hard,
putting a lot of pressure on our back line, who did well to clear the ball. We
saw some great marking, Fred Conway taking one at our 50m mark. Also, some good
strategic decisions, with Domenic deciding to punch the ball through for a
behind for Kew, at a time where it got dangerously close for Kew to kick a goal.
Some great team work between Otto Ishak and Levi Rattray-Wood, in the center
half forward. But Kew dominated the quarter as they inched forward, a point at a
time, until just before the “bell” they score a goal to take a 5 point lead.
In the rooms at ˝ time : Some positives and not so
positives as Bruce reviewed with the boys their performance in the 2nd
quarter. It was a quarter where the boys played well in the 1st half
of the quarter and let themselves down in the 2nd half. The back line
did not hold up well as the quarter progressed, as did the centerline. On the
other hand, the forwards held their positions well and played the game as they
were expected. It was up to the 3rd
quarter to change the situation, and the new instructions were to play
“man-on-man”…. Go Fitzroy !!!
David Cappellari started the 3rd quarter
with some good solid ruck work – strong knock-outs through out the quarter and
the game. Fred Conway had a fabulous run down the right wing, cleanly disposing
the ball with a very nice kick, straight to Nicholas Harding who marked the
ball. Great work also by Harry Skacej who moved the ball nicely along into the
forward line. However, the boys were not able to convert a score, as Kew fought
hard to regain possession.
It was a tough contest, as both Kew and Fitzroy
bring the ball up and down the field to their respective forward lines. Some
great tackling by the Fitzroy team, such as the tackle by Luke Edwards in the
center half forward.
Mathew Ede appeared again, passing the ball to David
Cappellari, who passed to Harry Skacej and then onto Nicholas Harding. Nicholas
took a great shot at goal, as we all held our breath for what was looking to be
Fitzroy’s third goal……it goes through for a behind.
Kew then took control to kick two consecutive goals
and finish the quarter with a 16 point lead.
In all it was a much better quarter for Fitzroy, as
they held Kew back, chasing the ball, tackling harder, better marks and more
disposals.
Fitzroy took control at the beginning of the final
quarter, and dominated the game in the first 5 mins, keeping the ball in their
forward line. Some good long kicks by players such as Harry Heard, and solid
work from other members of the back line, Ben Leveridge and Sean Creaser. Kew
proved to be too determined not to lose their lead and fought even harder to
prevent Fitzroy from scoring.
Final scores were certainly not a reflection of the
effort put in by each and every one of the boys as they fought to regain
leadership in the game. Well done Fitzroy U12 Green !!
Kew wins the game by 17 points (Kew 34 to Fitzroy
17)
Coach’s “Chocolate” awards went to :
Mathew Ede
Chris Milne
Fred Conway.
Round Three Match Report
Fitzroy v. St. Mary's
It was a terrific day for the whole team and a pleasure to watch the boys work together to sing the song gustily for the first time this season. They deserved their resounding win. Right from the first siren the boys were determined to get the ball and kept it in Fitzroy’s half of the field for the whole of the first quarter (and then for most of the game), keeping St. Mary’s scoreless until the last quarter. David worked tirelessly in the ruck, dominating the hit outs every time as well as scoring a beautiful goal in the first quarter along with Paul and Liam. A lovely left foot snap from George, good marking from Harry and Liam S rewarded them with scoring points and importantly the increasing confidence in the team! Chris managed to steal the ball from everywhere, and there were some terrific marks taken by Jules, Harry, George, Luke and Evan with some great tackling and shepherding from Dom to allow them to do it.
The
ground was hard and the ball bouncing erratically and St. Mary’s gave it all
they could in the second quarter particularly with some very tough tackling. The
boys improved their shepherding and team-work particularly and managed to
deliver very strong scoring leads resulting in the half time score of 3-8 to 0.
Harry S played a very brave game, determined to play on after a bruising mark
injured him, but his determination to play on reflected the mood of the team.
Fred, Evan, Tully, Otto, Luke, Chris and Jules kept the ball moving down the
field, emerging from what were often scrappy packs to look for each other and
off they went!
The
final quarter began with them playing against a very strong wind which made
kicking for goals very difficult. Some great marks from David and Luke, two
goals to Matthew, one to Jules and Luke with points to Harry and David resulting
in a final score of 8-14 to 1. Great passages of play from David to Jules to
Harry, fantastic tackling and running with the ball from Chris, Evan, Mathew,
Evan and Otto. It was very fast and great fun to watch. Everyone put in and
played well.
Coaches Awards:
Best Defender:
Chris Milne
Best
Midfielder: Jules Meltzer
Best
Forward: Harry Skacej
Kerry
Proctor
Round Two Match Report
Hawthorn Citizens v. Fitzroy
Mild
weather conditions at the Victoria Road Reserve welcomed players for this round
two clash. The first quarter was an arm wrestle with neither team able to break
the shackles and score a goal. Our
back men were playing well, repelling several strong attacks from the Hawthorn
forwards, with Harry Heard at full back standing out with his accurate kicking
and strong attack on the ball. At
Quarter time with only one point the difference, the coach emphasized the
importance to the team of playing in front of their opponents, and making the
play.
The
second quarter started well with Tully and Luke unlucky not to score goals,
hitting the post twice as Fitzroy attacked repeatedly. David was playing well in
the ruck but the rovers and midfielders were unable to take advantage of his
dominance. Several of our forward attacks resulted in the ball dropping short of
the goals, and repelled by the Hawthorn defence. Meanwhile the Fitzroy defence
was standing up well with Harry and Ben standing out. The goalless deadlock was
broken right on the half time siren when Hawthorn kicked the first goal of the
match. Overall the coach was pleased with the 2nd quarter improvement
from the team, but reminded the boys to spoil the contested ball if caught out
of position, as the Hawthorn side are a fast-running marking side who carry and
move the ball forward quickly. Bruce also asked the boys to talk to each other
more out on the field, especially the rucks and rovers.
The third quarter started
in a similar vein to the first half, with David taking a saving mark on the goal
line in defence, the boys then moving the ball forward where George snapped a
behind. But then the unthinkable happened, the canteen sold out of monster
pythons, but more importantly, the Hawthorn side cut loose and slammed on five
unanswered goals to hold a commanding thirty five point lead at three quarter
time. Though the boys were looking disappointed at the last break, Bruce
stressed the importance of working as a team, running with the ball, looking for
team mates when in possession, and manning up on opponents when they had the
ball. “If they can kick five goals in a quarter so can we”.
In
the last quarter the boys tried hard to bridge the gap, with Nicholas scoring
our first goal. However in the end
the task proved too great as Hawthorn steadied, and eventually ran out winners
by 32 points.
Final
Score: Hawthorn Citizens 7 – 6
– 48 def. Fitzroy
1 – 10 - 16
Coaches
Awards: Best On
Ground: Harry Heard
Best Midfielder: Liam Kennedy
Best Forward: Otto Ishak
Paul
Ede
Round 1 Match Report
What
a game! In a last quarter boil over, Fitzroy nearly pinched a win from the
Preston Bullants in the first match of the season. Playing at home, the Roys
seemed strangely subdued for much of the first three quarters of footy, relying
on dominant David in the ruck to provide the spark.
The
Bullants played good, accountable football all day, out marking our boys and
kicking with purpose. At the beginning of the match the coach told the team he
wanted effort and a contest at the ball. “If we do that, we’ll win the
game,” Bruce said. Our captain, Jules Meltzer won the toss and elected to kick
to the Ramsden Street end of the ground. A strong wind sprung up not long into
the match, giving the Bullants a distinct advantage. That said, the first half
of the first term was a tight arm wrestle between the two sides before the
Bullants posted the first score of the game. Fitzroy fell away and by half time
still had not scored.
The
midfield struggled to get the ball away and our back line was under intense
pressure. Domenic stayed with his man throughout, never conceding an inch and
used his body to block the Bullants forward thrust. Again, David won every tap
and marked and kicked just as impressively. As Bruce said at halftime, “If it
weren’t for David, we’d be eight goals behind.” The boys were subdued
during the break but Bruce urged them to lift their heads. “It will only take
two kicks and we’re back in business,” he reminded them.
In
the third quarter our forward line – Liam K, Ben, Harry, Tully and Nicholas
were given more chance to make an impact on the game and acquitted themselves
well, creating a wall that the Bullants found difficult to penetrate. Evan had
plenty of the footy for most of the game, running the ball down the wing
regularly. At the beginning of the last term Fitzroy needed four goals, a task
that most thought was beyond them at this late stage in proceedings, no one told
the boys that. They came out fighting. The midfield started to get the ball away
cleanly with Jules and Chris M in typical fashion, never saying die. David, Ben
and Harry all kicked great goals that inspired their team mates (and
excited parents) to believe that the Roys just might escape with the four points
after all. By the time the siren sounded, the momentum was with Fitzroy. The
boys had started to believe in themselves and were seeing the results.
As we trudged off the field all the doubts from halftime were gone,
replaced with a sniff of what nearly was.
Final
Score: Preston Bullants 3-7-25 def
Fitzroy 3-5-23
Fitzroy
Best On Ground: David C, Domenic I, Evan E.
Julie-Anne
Davies