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The 'Roy boys returned to Ramsden St to host St Damians, who were out of the four on percentage, and playing for their season. With four injured Fitzroy, had only two on the bench, but Max M was acting as a trainer.
Harris was rucking in the first with Fitzroy kicking into a raw south westerly wind. With the advantage of the wind St Damians carried the ball into the forward zone, where it was temporarilly repelled by Robbie before St Damians registered a behind. Fitzroy successfully cleared the ball through Mike and Harry H but St Damians rebounded for a mark and goal. From the centre break Aiden and Mike transferred the ball to Dan in the pocket whose shot on goal was astray. Although St Damians were able to advance the ball to centre Mike, Aiden, Noah and Charles combined to kick to the hot spot, where Otis crumbed the ball and goaled. A decisive clearance through Gus and Chas propelled the ball to centre half forward, where Gabe was awarded a free. His kick was marked by Dan, who played on and snapped a goal around his body. Thirty seconds later the ball was again in the forward 50 where Dan ran onto the ball and kicked truly from an acute angle. The quarter finished with touched and rushed behinds to St Damians, and a rushed behind to Fitzroy. Fitzroy had had a poor return from nine inside 50s in this quarter.
With the wind at their back Fitzroy exerted their dominance in the second. Aiden, Gus, Andrej and Dan advanced the ball to the forward pocket, where Robbie took charge at 2 consecutive throw ins, and the ball was relayed through Chas and Gus to Dan whose shot hit the post. From the resulting kick in Declan rebounded the ball, where George crumbed and kicked truly. A quick clearance from centre delivered to Dan, who again hit the post! Another behind followed the kick in, but from that kick in Mike combined with Aiden for a 1-2 handball and goal. A decisive break out of the centre produced a mark by Noah from Mike, and a behind. A further behind was rushed from the upfield efforts of Declan, Mike and Gus. This time, from the kick in Chas won the ball and rebounded to George who goaled. At the centre bounce Mike was awarded a free, kicked to Charles, who handballed to Noah and in turn to Dan who ran into the open goal. At the next ball up Mike intercepted and went for a run and 2 bounces and kicked to the pocket. From the throw in Chas scored a goal after marking from passes from Aiden and Dan. Fitzroy continued to exert pressure through the efforts of Mike, Robbie, Eddie and Noah. Against the run of play St Damians conveyed the ball to the hot spot where Harry J repelled, as the siren sounded. Dark clouds, which had been gathering ominously, unleashed a squall that had players and spectators fleeing for cover. In this quarter the boys had conveyed the ball 13 times into the forward 50. Other notable statistics included 6 hard ball gets, and 5 shepherds.
Wind blown rain arrived in the third quarter. Watching the play, or having dry paper to write on became mutually exclusive, making your scribe’s notes somewhat unreliable - it was more like carving paper than marking it. Early on Mike, Harry H, Robbie and Noah combined to supply George, who converted. Two behinds to Fitzroy were interspersed by a goal to St Damians. Charles did great work in defense against the tide. Robbie had a shot on goal courtesy of upfield efforts of Declan and Harry H, but his kick hit the post. George registered a fourth major from a build up by Gus, Mike, Declan, and Dan, and Dan scored another behind. Against the wind, and in driving rain Fitzroy had managed 10 hard ball gets, and 7 inside 50s, a great effort!
The final quarter commenced with a behind to St Damians. The kick in was conveyed from end to end by Gus, Mike, Aiden, Robbie, and Liam to George, whose kick was astray. Harry J was doing a sterling effort on the last line with a clearance, that resulted in a behind to Gus. The kick in, however, was intercepted by Andrej, whose kick was marked and converted by Robbie. Eddie and Harry J were desperate in defense, to first repel the ball, force a rushed behind, and then touch a behind. Promising possessions by Harry J, Chas, Mike, and Charles went unrewarded. Robbie passed to George, who played on, brushed aside an opponent, but kicked inaccurately. Dan scored his fourth goal in a specialist role as a small forward from supply by Robbie and Charles. As a consolation, on a day when their finals aspirations evaporated St Damians scored a goal a second before the siren.
Like Collingwood we are taking it one week at a time, with bona fide hard nuts St Marys our last opponents in the minor round. Go 'Roys!
"Chicken Smallhorn" (the ghost of Fitzroy past)
Game 15