Under 11 - 3

FJFC U-11 6.9 (45) d v St Marys 2.5 (17) at Ramsden St, April 29, 2007.

How quickly we forget. Had the summer really been that long? Had we really forgotten what St Marys looked like – strong, tall, and hard at it?
Yes, we had. This was the team the under-10 Roy Boys had beaten in a one-point thriller and then, in a season-defining contest for both teams, a tense and frantic seven-point showdown last year. But perhaps the summer-induced amnesia, this drought of memory, was really about a new season and a fresh slate. Only one thing remained the same: the rain fell on the first day of the season then and now. Not the soaking rain we needed, and by the time the boys ran on it was all but gone, but it rained nevertheless.
That was how we knew that footy had started.

Now, the problem with the under-11s is the matches start later than they did last year. This is both an opportunity and a challenge for parents – an opportunity to have a more leisurely start to the day, a second cup of tea, a longer look at the Sunday paper, an extra few blinks of sleep. But the challenge is trying to manage the boys’ excitement, bouncing off the walls for an extra hour, handballing the footy around the lounge room or terrorising the dog. What can you do?

Thank goodness for Terry, a man of serene good sense, who manages, most of the time, to calm the rattiest of boys.
He spoke to each of them before the game, gave them a little insight in to what they should look to do in their position, and then let them loose.

Well, it’s amazing what a year can do. Here was a team largely intact from last year’s Under-10 blues, and despite its wonderful efforts and improvement during last season, had discovered renewed confidence and intensity. And then there were some things that remained the same, like Dave’s ability to seize on a loose ball on the forward line and turn it in to the first goal of the season. And Fraser doing those little back arches to dart away from tackles, and Elia’s grace and speed.

But there were new things too that laid the platform for the Roys’ early dominance. Atticus, shrewd and strong at full-forward, wheeling around in front of goal to send a pass to Patrick to calmly kick a goal, and then add another moments later. The new Nicks were adjusting to the pace just fine – Nick Basinisi was swift and courageous and Nick Nassios was tackling tough. At quarter time, the focused Fitzroy boys had an 11-point lead, with St Marys’ scoring their first goal late in the quarter.

The Roys resumed the second quarter with the same intent, and in a goal square scrimmage Patrick latched on to a loose ball and kicked his third goal. There was some inspiring work in the midfield: Jesse’s tackling was fierce and Digby gave the team great drive from the centreline, constantly sending the Roys’ back in to attack. At half time, the Roys had extended their lead to 22 points.

But the thing about the first game of the season is that maybe your fitness is not what it could be and perhaps you feel that you’ve done the job already. And the Roys stopped a little in the third quarter. St Marys gained some composure and surged to score another goal. It took some outstanding efforts, with Sam McKenzie showing some smooth ball-handling skills, Martin’s fearless assault on the ball and Max bravely defending in the back pocket to deny St Marys again. And then there was Aleks charging out of defence. In the last quarter, he kicked two quick goals to seal the result, but in between Adam and Walt helped keep the pressure on to lock the ball in the Roys’ forward line. Fitzroy was 28 points in front when the siren sounded. It was a forceful win.

Footy was back, and so were the Roys.

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