Under 12-1 2009

Game 2 Game 3 Game 4 Game 5 Game 6 Game 7 Game 8 Game 9 Game 10 Game 11 Game 12 Game 13 Game 14 Game 15

Game 13

Glen Iris 0.2 1.3 3.2 5.9 39

Fitzroy 3.2 3.5 3.6 4.7 31

On a fine and windy day the U12 Golds traveled to Kooyong to take on Glen Iris. For the 'Roy boys the prospect of finals action was over, but for Glen Iris it was an absolute must win game. Aidan and Daniel were captains for the day, won the toss and elected to kick to the eastern end, favoured by a 2-3 goal north westerly breeze.

Chas won the ball up with a big thump that was read by Aidan who kicked deep to the hot spot. Louis ran on to the ball and registered a major. Gus, Otis and Aidan were in the thick of the action. Gus gathered the pill, hand balled to Aidan, whose hand ball found Lucien running down the half forward flank who drilled a goal. Louis, Sapphire, Gus and Otis were prominent in the forward line before Aidan handballed to Noah whose kick on goal was touched. A great chain of passes that started with Eddie at full back, to Andrej, then Aidan who bounced twice and evaded 2 opponents, to Gus, ended with a mark by Otis and a behind. Nevertheless Noah and Sapphire kept presenting in the hot spot. Late in the quarter Glen Iris pressed forward but very determined defense by Eddie, Harris and Robbie meant that only 2 behinds were registered.

Come the second quarter the breeze had markedly dropped. Noah relieved Chas in the ruck. A forward thrust by Glen Iris found 3 unmarked players in the goal square, only one of whom was needed to score the goal. Harry H. gathered the ball at half back, delivered to Andrej who combined with Aidan for a great 1-2 as they ran down the wing and kicked to Sapphire whose shot on goal was touched (as the goal umpire was clearly instructed by the defender). Eddie took a great relieving mark at full back to repel a Glen Iris thrust. Andrej went for one of his runs, this time with 3 bounces, found Louis, whose kick to Sapphire was scrambled through by Glen Iris for a rushed behind. Iraklis was prominent as Glen Iris again pressed forward, with only a behind to show. A great passage of play that started with a relieving mark at full back by Harris, through Dan, Aidan, and Lucien, was marked by Harry H., whose shot on goal narrowly missed. The constant theme of the first half had been Fitzroy's great tackling and shepherding.

Glen Iris had clearly endured a spray from the coach at half time as for much of this quarter the ball was camped in the Fitzroy defensive zone with desperate defense by Dan, Iraklis and Eddie denying a score. Briefly the ball was swept up the other end for a rushed behind before the forward pressure by Glen Iris yielded 2 goals. It was if it was a wet day such were the number of kicks off the ground. Gabe and Iraklis combined to rush a behind. The siren came as great relief with the ball in the Glen Iris' forward pocket.

Chas was in the thick of it at the start of the last quarter, pressing the ball forward, where Gus ran on to it and registered a behind. Noah took an emphatic mark in the goal square, and registered a major, on the end of a chain of passes from Robbie, Dan, Louis, Aidan, and Otis. Fitzroy's buffer was eroded first by 3 behinds, and then by a goal to tie things up (on the score board). The impasse was resolved as Glen Iris swept the ball out of the centre, to goal. Eddie took a great relieving mark at full back, but the ball was rebounded in successively by Glen Iris for 2 further behinds.

As coach Michael said after the game, despite the result, this was one of Fitzroy's best games of the season.

Next week we are back at "Hungry" for an appointment with the "Hillbillies". Go 'Roys!

"Chicken Smallhorn" (the ghost of Fitzroy past)