U15 – 2

Contacts

Coaches

Chris Rawlings Chrisrawlings53@optusnet.com.au 0408 556 339

Rick Cucanic slangman@hotmail.com 0418 516 616

Team Managers

Zora Marko zoramarko@optusnet.com.au

Liz O’Connor lzoconnor@optusnet.com.au

Round 5

FJFC U-15 (2) 4.7 (31) lt Boorondara Hawks 9.9 (63) at Brunswick St, May 15, 2011

A bit of recruiting during the past week or so meant the Roys started the post-grading season with three new players from the division four team – Jordan, John and Sam (Hodder, no relation to Max and not to be confused with the other Sam, who is a Howard). That was the upside. The downside was that Connor was still out with a foot injury and Andre broke his wrist the previous week and was probably out for seven weeks. Yet the opening quarter showed some of the Roys’ best form. There were contributors all over the ground. And importantly, the boys were making contests: Kai had a strong tackle down back, Patrick took a contested mark, Kent swooped on a ball and darted in to space and Sam Hodder rode a hip and shoulder to put Wiz in the clear.

The Hawks piled in to the forward line and managed to score a goal but soon after Wiz took a mark and goalled. It felt like there was a real competition out there. The Hawks added two more majors but the backline still help up well, battling a strong wind. John announced himself in the team with a solid mark at half-back that was typical of the boys’ defensive effort. At quarter time, just two goals separated the teams with the Roys to kick with the wind for the second term.

Immediately after the break, Charlie’s excellent ruckwork meant the Roys surged forward but it was the Hawks who actually scored first, after a kick off the ground in the goalsquare. Yet Kent, in traditional style, marked and ran on to goal for a quick reply. Then Sam Hodder ran on to a looping ball, trapped it and kicked another major for a dream start to his new team. The Roys showed some real system and a chain of possessions through the middle showed promise before the Hawks repelled it. Now under pressure, the Hawks couldn’t stifle the Roys” endeavour. The ball came in to the forward line, bouncing towards the goal square where Jaquan was on the end of it, to roost it home. Scores were level, and the Hawks attacked again for what seemed to be an inevitable goal until Luke charged at it, created the point but collected the post on the way through with his head and his knee. Perhaps he’d seen a bit too much of Alan Toovey on Friday night but he gamely tried to play on. With only a point in it at half-time, who could blame him?

In the break, Chris put Luke through a fitness test on his knee. He looked right to go with some strapping. But some of the other boys were starting to show signs of wear and tear. And there was no respite after the break when the Hawks resumed with the wind. Mu was instantly under pressure but kept his calm and started to get a bit of drive out of defence. And although the Roys had imposed a fair bit of physical pressure on the Hawks, the Roys problem was keeping clean possession, especially past the centre. Down the other end, the Hawks rattled on 3.3 to take  a 21-point lead in to the final term.

The game was still up for grabs, if the Roys used the wind and took some risks. Ahmed was shifted to full-forward and in the opening minute just couldn’t quite hang on to a mark. Diggers made some desperate tackles, flinging himself on one occasion to stop a Hawk forward. Seb too, back in the team after his hand injury, laid a copybook tackle deep in defence, but the Roys could still not find their way to goal. Laohjie was sent forward to try to create some chances. But the bench was filling up with the wounded: Mu and Nix hobbled along the boundary line and a couple of others on the field appeared to be carrying injuries. With every passing moment, the sting seemed to ebb out of the game. Fitzroy added a couple of points but the Hawks kicked a couple of goals that sealed the game. When Chris called the boys together after the siren he pointed out that the boys had only played 40 minutes, not the required 80. That was how it was on the scoreboard too – Fitzroy kicked five points in the second half to the Hawks 5.6.

Round 4

Fitzroy U15 2 6.4 (40) d Bundoora 4.7 (31) at Telfer Reserve, Bundoora, May 7, 2011

So the Mother’s Day round and everyone was in a bit of a festive mood. Frazer joined the boys, down from the golds, Diggers was back but Connor had damaged his foot at basketball and had to miss. Seb’s hand was keeping him out for another week. Once again, the Roys were reduced to a two-person bench. But the boys are a resourceful lot. Luke showed some great poise to take a strong mark on half-back and soon after Ahmed goalled from the pocket to set the Roys on their way.

Yet for the next 10 minutes, the defenders, once again, were under the pump as Bundoora surged. Jesse took on a couple of bigger opponents and got around them, while Andre maintained his solid defensive work from last week. Bundoora managed a point and then a goal before the rain and the siren to end the first quarter arrived.

The downpour changed the game: it became all about the stoppages, a succession of ball-ups after crash-bashing and tackling. In the midst of all of this, Frazer managed to snare a ball that had spilled clear, turned, and swung the ball over his shoulder. As he fell to ground, the footy sailed through for a goal. It was inspirational stuff and the Roys took heart, pushing hard for more rewards in the forward line. Kent, as he has done often over the years, grabbed a ball from the boundary thrown-in and kicked the goal. The Roys were up by 11 points at the first change but in a blink of the resumption, Bundoora goalled to reduce the margin and raise the tension.

While the spectators headed for their cars or huddled under shelter next to the canteen, the boys pondered what they needed to do to finish in front. They had a sniff but could they go all the way this time?

Nix, who benefitted from a relayed free, calmly and purposefully slotted the answering goal minutes later. Lochie was trying to impose himself and was sure-footed through the slippery centre. When he too was given a free – and then a 15m penalty – he kicked the Roys’ fifth to give the boys what appeared to be a match-winning lead at half-time.

But the second half was a long slog. Charlie kept jumping, smothering and tapping with barely any respite all day. He kept contesting, never giving up. Across the ground, the boys found themselves under renewed pressure as Bundoora tried to come again. In a goal square scrimmage, the ever-alert Sam Howard managed to snag a goal that seemed to guarantee victory. Bundoora, though, kept burrowing in and the game shifted in a vast rolling rugby maul between the two half-forward lines.

In one desperate save, Frazer, down in defence with an injury, managed to surgically extract a ball from the gluey goal square with a chip kick off the ground that set Patrick off down the half-back line with a clearing kick to relieve the pressure. Digby made a couple of desperate defensive moves that helped delay Bundoora for precious moments. And while the rain stayed away, a chill wind started to blow and Bundoora mounted their final assault. A Bundoora mark in front of goal produced a major and tightened the nerves of every Fitzroy mother just on three-quarter time.

The final quarter was a dog-fight. The ball tumbled and rolled, skewed off boots, got stuck in packs, and was routinely claimed by the umpire for yet another ball-up. Each time it happened, the Roys soaked up more time and each time slowly lessened the pressure. Wiz kicked a point from a free but Bundoora could not conjure a goal. Al managed to show a reserve of speed asnd skill to drive the ball out of defence in the face of some constant attention. Resolute, dogged and almost exhausted the Roys hung on. Only a brave solo effort from Bundoora that resulted in a goal in the shadows of the siren reduced Fitzroy’s winning margin. And later, in the quiet of the visitors’ rooms, the Roys sang the song for the first time this season.

Round 3

FJFC U-15 2 1.0 (6) lt Banyule 28.12 (180) at Brunswick St, May 1, 2011

Question – Who was it who said after a football match on Sunday: “It was certainly a wake-up call for the boys to understand how brutal this game is, and how quickly you have to move on.” Was it Ric? Chris perhaps? No, it was an AFL coach, a bloke called Guy McKenna, who had seen his boys at the Gold Coast Suns thumped by Essendon and realised that this week is gone and next week is all that matters.

Now, it could have felt that the Mothers Day massacre came a week early to Brunswick St in round three. Banyule won its first two games by huge amounts. They were down from the brown division and recruited five or six players from Heidelberg. It’s also Banyule’s only under-15 team. And boy, can they play: tall, strong, fast and skillful. Pretty good package really. What could the Roys do against it? Not much. In fact, not many teams can do much against that talent, fitness and desire.

Digby and Lochie were unavailable and Seb couldn’t play because he had six stitches in his hand after a woodwork accident. Kent was back for his first game of the season and the final numbers were tight. The Roys managed to get Tom and Martin Deasey from the gold teams to at least provide a bench but Martin suffered a corked thigh before half-time and took no further part. And Wiz took a stinging blow to the head early and was appropriately cautious about coming back on, especially when he still felt a bit dizzy. So there wasn’t a lot of respite out there, especially if you were a defender wearing a Fitzroy jumper.

The ball just kept getting pumped in there to Banyule’s big, strong forwards who marked and kicked with something resembling AFL finesse. The defence tried their hardest – Kai, Sam and Patrick were run ragged. Al had his hardest day at the office since he joined the club and Luke found himself facing some quick and elusive forwards. Yet the defenders kept trying. The problem was that against sides like Banyule defenders have to stay on their opponent, but it’s damn hard when your opponent is so strong and mobile.

Up until three quarter time, the Roys had only gone in to the forward 50 three times. Once, Tom had goalled, but on the other occasions, the back half was so full of Roys desperate to prevent another Banyule goal, there was no one in the Roys’ forward line to make the most of the bouncing ball.

Fitzroy trailed by a cricket score at three-quarter time but Ric urged the boys on. “Football’s a running game. So run. Run, run some more, and if you’re knackered, run some more,” he told the boys in the huddle. And the boys, with great credit, lifted their endeavour and showed some of their talent and skill, shutting down some Banyule forwards and conjuring some inspired passages of play themselves. It was not a pretty scoreboard but the last quarter revealed the boys were not going to steamrolled. And there was plenty to think about when the siren finally sounded.

Round 2

St Marys 10. 4 (64) d Fitzroy 2 9.8 (62) at AK Line Reserve, Sunday, April 10, 2011

Bloody hard game footy. The Roys barely had a team. Mu, Mo and Al had a wedding they were missing to make sure they could take their place in the team. Guru Phil, back for his first game of the season, picked them up from the ceremony and dropped them back for the celebrations almost as soon as the siren had finished. Kent was still injured, Max was out of action, and three lads were away for the weekend. Anthony came down from the Gold to make a final team of 17. And St Marys, well St Marys, always have a red hot go. Still, the rain held off and the ground was in good condition. The boys looked a little sluggish: some of them had spent the week at school camp and they were probably still dreaming of abseiling and the Leap of Faith.

But even so, after Digby got the ball forward and a pack formed on the edge of the goalsquare, Connor grabbed the loose ball and banged it on the boot, over his head, for an exciting start to the Roys’ scoring. That was the only joy for the quarter as St Marys banged on three goals and started to look like they meant business. There were a couple of promising forward thrusts from the Roys but they couldn’t quite nail it. All the time, empty bench meant that Chris and Rick were rotating players around to help conserve energy. It was a smart tactic but could it stop the Borough?

The short answer was no, and St Marys opened the scoring in the second term with a goal. Seb took a great contested grab in the forward line but the Roys were unable to convert. The tide looked like it would turn when Connor kicked two, the first after trapping a bouncing ball and the second from a set shot that curved through the uprights. There were signs of a system but it was a little short-lived. The ball rebounded in to defence where Andre ran back in to a contest. He managed to make a great spoil and then followed up with a stunning tackle that earned him a free kick. It was tough stuff. Yet the Borough snagged a couple of majors to stretch the lead. Charlie had been strong all day, won a free and converted  to leave the Roys 11 points adrift at the main break.

It was not a happy half-time. Lochie had been given a yellow card and was off the field for 20 minutes. It was a tough penalty for a team without a bench. The coaches re-drew the line-ups and kept the backline strong. Rick spoke about the need for the boys to show some discipline. Chris urged the half-back line to become the springboard for the Roys’ attack, to become more creative.

There was an air of desperation about the game now. The Roys had to hold on against an impending St Marys onslaught. The Borough had a sniff and went in hard, with the wind at their back. They scored first before Ahmed replied for the Roys. Lochie, back on the field, was determined to make up for what had happened earlier in the game, and after a string of free kicks moved the ball from the Roys’ defence to the forward line, Lochie managed to kick the goal to narrow the gap. But St Marys kept coming, and swept the ball back downfield to add another two goals. The Roys tried to hit back: Patrick and Luke had pushed forward and kept driving the ball deep in to attack, only to find the wind cruelly holding the ball up.

The one comfort for the Roys was the wind had picked up for the final term, and the 17-point deficit did not look remote. And then after St Marys scored a goal a Roys’ comeback seemed a fading hope. But these boys don’t give up easily. Anthony was fierce around the ball and Jesse, finding himself in a new role in the middle, was helping Charlie get the ball  in to the corridor. Connor dobbed a point and then Charlie won a free that he laid off to Ahmed, who goalled. With 14 minutes left, the margin was back to 17 points. The boys were coming. Connor was marking everything that came his way but he couldn’t quite find his accuracy. Then, after a swift ball movement from the middle, he marked and goalled. The momentum was all with the Roys and although they were almost spent, their pressure was terrific. Not once did the ball cross the centre line and enter St Marys’ forward 50. The pressure mounted and then a flurry of points  showed that it wasn’t going to be the Roys’ day. Another minute might have done it. Who would know? Just like last week, the Roys won the final quarter, but the effort required was just a little too much in the end. Yet it was cracking game from a team without a bench.

Round 1

Fitzroy U-15 2 7.5 (47) lt to Whitehorse Colts 19.10 (124) Brunswick St, April 2, 2011

So here we go: a new season, a new division – from blue to green but because we’re all a bit older, it’s division three, not division four. And the boys are bigger and stronger, although there’s been an interrupted pre-season with cricket going on and on – among other things – and their fitness is not quite there.

Six months can do a lot to a teenager. And the memories of premierships get filed away in the back of the mind. Chris and Rick are still about though, and now they’re running the show: a couple of Pie-men with the big flag in their kit bag. But this one’s a challenge. There are a few boys missing for the first game of the season. Kent has done a shoulder and the bench is wafer-thin. Just two bodies to choose from.

The visitors have come down from the old Brown division where they struggled to win a game. Yet they set the early pace of the contest. They have a bit of run and kick to position. The Roys look pretty rusty.

Chris has opted for a similar spine to last season and it’s easy to spot who’s doing what. There are glimpses of last year’s slick ball movement from half-back but the ball keeps rebounding and the pressure builds. As the quarter wears on, the Colts start to asset themselves, slamming on six goals while Wiz dobs the Roys’ only answer. Chris lets the defenders know that it was one of the worst quarters he’s seen in a while, but gives everyone a bit of hope that the three-goal wind will be to the Roys’ advantage in the second quarter.

But the wind doesn’t help. The Colts are dominating around the ground: they are quicker, more decisive and more physical. Ahmed takes a turn in the ruck to relieve Charlie but the Colts midfield still manages to get the ball out the centre. At half-time, the margin is 66 points. At three quarter time, it has blown out to 100 points. The Roys have no consistent winners but Luke, who has shown determination and strength in defence, has done well and Patrick, down at centre half-back, has taken a series of marks. Charlie has contested hard in the ruck and Jesse has relished getting in to the clinches.

In the last quarter though the boys show a bit of system and some form: Ahmed goals from a free in the pocket and adds another two shortly after. Sam scouts and goals, Mu grabs another and Connor helps clear the road for Kai to kick one. The Roys easily win the final quarter and can hold their heads up as they walk off, a little sore and disappointed, when the siren sounds.

Nick Richardson