Under 12-1 2009

Game 1 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 14

Fitzroy 1.1 1.3 1.3 3.6 24

Beverley Hills 1.2 2.5 8.6 8.6 54

The U12 Golds were back at Hungry to take on one of the competition?s heavy hitters, Beverley Hills. Arki and Sapphire were captains for the day, lost the toss, so Fitzroy had a 4 goal breeze in their faces in the first quarter.

Beverley Hills jumped out of the blocks with a quick goal, followed by a behind. Gus was being stalwart in defense, and an attack on goal was rushed through for a behind. For much of this quarter the ball was camped in the Beverley Hills? half but Fitzroy were doing well to lock the ball in, and obstruct progress, such as a great smother by Harry J. Then the tide turned as Aidan delivered to Declan at centre half forward. Declan kicked forward and Aidan following on picked up and forced the ball into the pocket where George kicked off the ground for a behind. Beverley Hills failed to clear the resulting kick in, as Otis gathered, kicked to Declan, and then Otis followed on to smother a relieving kick. Again a Beverley Hills possession was thwarted by Angus who laid a great tackle, picked up the ball, hand balled to Otis, and in turn to Aidan, who threaded a goal.

Noah took up his accustomed stint in ruck in the second quarter. Angus was applying pressure to the Beverley Hills? ball carriers, and Harry H. executed a great shepherd. A dangerous forward move by Beverley Hills only resulted in a behind as Harry H. harried the ball carrier wide into the pocket. However the resulting kick in was rebounded in for a Beverley Hills goal. At the other end Harry J. registered a behind after a promising build up from Dan and Declan. In a mad flurry a Beverley Hills attack was forced through for a behind with Louis putting his body on the line by running into the goal post. George kicked long to the goal square where the ball bounced through for a behind. So far in the match the wind did not seem to be conferring the expected advantage.

However that all changed in the third quarter as Beverley Hills embarked on a goal scoring flurry. Despite the Fitzroy brains trust deploying the flood Beverley Hills were finding lose players in their forward fifty. Along with basic defensive errors this contributed to a haul for Beverley Hills of 6 unanswered goals.

The coach passionately voiced his disappointment at three quarter time and asked the boys to lift their heads, and to win the last quarter.

From the start Andrej delivered deep into the forward line, where a great tackle by Sapphire, was awarded a free, and converted. Aiden was doing great work around the packs and Arki laid a great smother. Aidan narrowly missed on the end of a promising build up from Andrej and Dan. Otis and Arki combined for a great 1-2. Some momentum was lost with continued short passing in the forward line, not always to a player in a better position. Finally Dan slotted a goal but in the process a Beverley Hills defender tried to do a Leigh Matthews on the goal post, and managed to give it a good shake. The ball was swept out the centre by Chas and Aidan for Gus to register a behind. From the kick in Chas marked and bombed a behind, but it was too little, too late for the ?Roy boys.

Fittingly Beverley Hills awarded their medal to the opposition player with the best conduct and spirit to Andrej.

We finish our season next week against our old friends Greythorn, and will watch with interest the battle for fourth spot. Go ?Roys!

?Chicken Smallhorn? (the ghost of Fitzroy past)