Scoreboard Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final Score Fitzroy 2.1 4.4 7.8 9.12 66 Parkside 1.1 1.4 3.5 5.6 36

It was a cool but sunny day at Ramsden with the U13 Browns lining up against near neighbours Parkside, last year’s grand finalist from Green. Key performance indicators for the game were:

Accountability

Talking to each other

Tackling - hit and hold

The respective teams lined up and observed a minute’s silence, on the occasion of Anzac day. Chas was captain for the day, and the boys were kicking into a 2 goal breeze in the first quarter.

Harris was in the ruck in the first quarter. Parkside moved the ball into the attacking zone early in the quarter but were repelled by a shepherded Andrej. Lucien effected a good pickup and kick, and Aiden a good tackle, before Dan and Gus combined to deliver to Aidan who kicked to the goal square where Harry J crumbed and goaled. Good work was done in defense where Ben took the ball directly from a throw in, and Jim and Eddie combined to clear the ball. A goal then resulted to Otis in the goal square after he marked from a kick from Max M. Fitzroy didn?t have it all their own way as forward pressure from Parkside yielded first a rushed behind, and then a goal. A great forward move that began at center half back, with a run and four bounces from Andrej, a run and bounce from Jim, and Aidan evading three defenders only produced a behind.

Chas was swung into the ruck in the second quarter. Robbie registered a behind on the end of a promising build up from Mike and Jim. Parkside couldn?t extricate the ball at the kick in, and Noah was able to swoop and register a major. Only minor scores eventuated for the remainder of the quarter as the ball was bottled up for much of the time on the creek flank, and in the dead pocket. With the clock ticking down Robbie kicked to the hot spot where Harry H marked and played on, and kicked to goal square where the ball bounced, and was shepherded through by Noah. A fraction of second later the siren sounded.

Harris was again dominant in the ruck in the third quarter. From an early centre clearance Robbie received at centre half forward, kicked long to the goal square, where the ball was rushed through. The resulting kick in was gathered off the pack by Gus and rebounded straight back for a major. Aiden was busy in the centre with 3 touches in quick succession, before Harry H marked unchecked in the forward line and played on to register a behind. Aidan then won the ball and delivered to Gus who drilled a goal. Parkside followed the same script to register a behind followed by goal, from a failure to clear. At half time Andy had asked Liam to kick 3 goals this quarter, and he picked up his first one playing for the side on the end of a chain of passes that started with a great punch by Harris, through Aidan, George, and Harry H. Parkside hit back from a throw in close to the goals and kick off the ground for a goal, in a mad scramble in the goal square. A final forward thrust through Gus, and Liam produced another behind.

Chas was back in ruck in the last quarter. For the fifth time in the match a behind was followed by a goal this time to Parkside. Charles gathered at centre and sold a great dummy to his flat footed opponent. A fundamental error of having no one on the goal line gifted Parkside another goal, and with 14 points the difference they dared to dream. Fortunately Fitzroy slammed the door shut with goals to Gus, yet again from a kick in after a behind, and to Mike, courtesy of a build up from Gus, Aiden, Chas and Jim. The boys failed to add to the tally of majors ending the game with behinds to Gus, rushed and Mike.

A solid win, but next week the boys will have a real measuring stick when they journey to face the undefeated St. Damians. Go 'Roys!

"Chicken Smallhorn" (the ghost of Fitzroy past)