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Preliminary final day at Zerbes reserve was Fitzroy's "Festival of the Boot", with three teams in consecutive matches. The Fitzroy changing room was very professionally decorated with placards, the club flag flew proudly from the flag pole, and Mick Creati belted out the French national anthem as the players ran out. Bundoora had won the toss and bravely chosen to kick against the stiff breeze in the first, presumably in the hope that conditions would suit them better later in the match.
A free kick and 2 marks to Bundoora propelled the ball up the hill to full forward where Harris and Aiden were able to clear. Charles and Noah advanced the ball to a throw in in the pocket, where Mike won the ball and kicked to the goal square for a rushed behind. From the kick in, Mike won a free kick for a high tackle, relayed to Gus whose kick from an acute angle was off line. The game was being played completely in Fitzroy's half. Harris made a good tap at a ball up, and Ben took a strong mark on the wing and kicked to half forward where Harris received a leg injury and was forced from the field. Chas won the throw in but the ball was again rushed by the desperate Bundoora defense. Gus took a mark from the resulting kick in, but his shot on goal was marked on the line. Bundoora cleared and carried the ball to centre half forward before Aiden, Gus, Harry J and Andrej combined for a behind. Fitzroy were in danger of totally squandering their quarter with the wind. Finally Andrej was awarded a free kick from the kick in and passed to Mike who goaled. From the centre bounce Liam at centre half back cleared the Bundoora incursion and the ball was passed through Andrej, Mike, and Aiden, and marked by George whose shot on goal was just off line. Robbie was awarded a free kick for a great tackle, and Robbie, Mike, Aiden, and Lucien continued to exert forward pressure but there was no further addition to the score. With only one goal to Fitzroy in the quarter it looked as if Bundoora's gamble to kick into the wind may have paid off!
Chas was in ruck in the second. Early on Lucien dropped a mark but compensated by gathering the ball and clearing. Declan took a great relieving mark at full back, and then when the ball rebounded punched through a behind. Unfortunately the kick in was crumbed and kicked straight by Bundoora. A free kick to Chas for a centre bounce infringement was passed to Aiden, Gus, and marked by George. George passed to Gus, and then provided a shepherd as Gus had a shot on goal that was off line. Bundoora were able to sweep the ball back into the scoring zone and despite the best efforts of Gus and Mike added another goal. Mike won a free kick for a great tackle, passed to Dan, who was also awarded a free kick. When his kick was marked at centre half forward by Charles it looked promising, but Bundoora cleared the ball. Further build ups through Lucien, Max M, Dan, Mike and Gus also broke down at half forward. Bundoora added a behind, and then a goal from 2 uncontested marks and the gift of a 25 metre penalty for encroaching on the mark. Another quick break out of centre by Bundoora produced an off line kick. Sustained efforts up the hill by Robbie, Charles, Gus, Max M, Mike, Noah, George gave Dan a mark and a shot on goal after the siren. However the distance necessitated a kick too close to the mark, which was smothered. With a 9 point deficit things were looking a bit grim for the 'Roy boys!
Bundoora were so late out of the rooms at the resumption the umpire almost restarted the match without them. Declan was immediately dominant in the ruck. Robbie and Charles conveyed the ball to half forward where Gus and Noah laid good tackles, and Mike passed to Dan in the goal square, but desperate defense by Bundoora denied a score. Then from a throw in, in the pocket, Charles received, hand passed to Mike, who wheeled around and kicked truly. Bundoora were gifted a free kick and a 25 metre penalty but did not make Fitzroy pay. Harry H and Robbie were strong to retain the ball in the Fitzroy half, where Mike was awarded a free. His kick to goal square produced a frantic melee, that was cleared by Bundoora, but Lucien pounced, ran around an opponent and kicked truly from an acute angle. Mike, Robbie and Noah put in conspicuous efforts, Robbie made a clearance at half back, and Gus and Lucien combined to kick to the goal square without reward. Gus found Declan with a free kick, but his shot on goal was rushed through. However from the kick in Dan won possession and registered a six pointer. Fitzroy had held Bundoora scoreless, but their lead of 10 points was a small buffer when Bundoora had last use of the breeze.
Rather than strengthening, to Fitzroy's advantage, the wind had swung around more to the west so that it was not so heavily favouring the southern end in the last. Declan was again consistently winning the ruck. Robbie was continuing to tackle strongly, Aiden, Gus, Charles and Mike were driving the ball up hill, and Declan put in great solo effort, going for a run and 2 bounces. Robbie repelled a Bundoora thrust at centre half back and through Noah, with help from a shepherd by Gus, the ball was advanced to the forward 50. From a throw in Mike won the ball and kicked off line. Bundoora moved the ball back to full forward where the Fitzroy defense locked the ball in for a ball up. Ben was able to clear but Bundoora rebounded for a behind. From the kick in Lucien had 3 touches of the ball on the wing to retain possession, and then followed up with a tackle. Declan and Mike were roaming the field and lending valuable support to Ben in defense. An ominous build up by Bundoora through a free kick and mark yielded a behind. Fitzroy attempted to clear from the kick out but an out on the full gave Bundoora a free kick within range. Gus took a strong mark in the goal square and then kicked to touch to relieve the pressure. Again Bundoora threatened with a ball up in the hot spot, but Mike effected a great smother. Dan won the ball, kicked to Lucien who marked. Declan smothered a Bundoora kick, then gathered and kicked to Ben. His quick kick into the depopulated forward zone found George, and in turn Andrej. Andrej kicked to Ben, who had followed the ball down field, and ran into an open goal to score the only goal for the match at the northern end, and deliver the coup de gras. Not bad for a defender! With the margin extended to 3 kicks there was only time for Bundoora to have one more scoring opportunity, which produced a behind.
The boys have deservedly won the right to play off for the premiership against some other side. Bring it on. Go 'Roys!
"Chicken Smallhorn" (the ghost of Fitzroy past)
Preliminary Final