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On Mother's day the U13 Browns journeyed to the green and effluent (sic) eastern suburbs to take on the winless in Gold, and recently demoted, Hawthorn Citizens. Key performance indicators for the game were:
Quite unusually there were two field umpires. Fitzroy were kicking to the northerly end in the first quarter, into the combination of a 3 goal breeze and a 3 goal slope. An early forward thrust by HC was repelled by Declan, Gus, Mike and Dan, but the ball was rebounded in to centre half forward by HC where a kick bounced through for a goal. Aidan and Dan laid good tackles but it failed to stem a HC goal from a free kick. HC clearly knew how to play their ground: get it to centre half forward, and then bomb long where gravity would suck it through, exactly how their next goal resulted. At the following centre bounce Chas was sprigged in the shin, unnoticed by the umpires and had to leave the field in distress. Two further goals to HC followed from loose opponents in defense. From only their second entry into the 50 in the quarter Noah registered a behind, following a mark on the end of passes from Otis and Mike. HC rounded out the quarter with another major, just as the siren sounded.
A 6 goal to zip quarter, and to be frank the 'Roy boys and supporters were a bit shell shocked. Had HC been foxing in their time in Gold, or were they just fired up by being back in Brown? Coach Andy was subdued but resolute: the boys needed to disciplined in defense, and to watch numbers 7 and 23.
To remain in the game Fitzroy had to respond quickly and emphatically, which they did within 30 seconds. From the first bounce the ball came to Gus who kicked to the forward 50 where Noah couldn?t complete the mark, but buttered up and goaled. At the next ruck contest Liam injured his left arm as he fell to the ground, and Andy had to quickly draft our 4th choice ruckman Declan. In the meantime Andrej had kicked a goal from the half forward flank. Declan won the next tap which was gathered by Aidan, and marked by George, who converted. HC made a rare entry into the forward line but the ball was rebounded by Charles and Aiden, then seemed to be swept to the other end by gravity and force of numbers, where Max B's kick in the general direction bounced through! From the kick out following a rushed behind to HC Lucien picked up and kicked long down the wing, to Gus, Andrej and to Harry H who marked and goaled. Lucien won the ball again on the half forward flank delivered to Aiden whose kick to the hot spot was marked by Noah and converted. Another forward thrust lead to a behind to Gabe. Lucien again picked up the ball on the run and kicked forward but the siren intervened.
A special mention of the goal umpire supplied by HC, who clearly had watched replays of the VFL in the '70s, and signaled goals with a theatrical flourish, although slightly more so for HC goals than for Fitzroy.
To the premiership quarter, and with the scores back on par Fitzroy needed to ensure there was not another HC blow out as in the first quarter. The boys responded heroically to restrict HC to one goal. Declan was dominant in the ruck and around the ground, took a telling mark, was awarded a free kick, and also kicked a behind. A recuperated Chas managed the first goal at the summit end after a free kick for kicking in danger. Eddie was a rock at centre half back, and Aiden and Mike prominent in making the HC forward arc a no go zone.
Despite a great tap by Declan, HC carried the ball up hill for a goal to snatch a 4 point lead early in the last. Another forward thrust was again thwarted by a strong contested mark by Eddie. The ball was conveyed down the eastern flank by Gus, Dan and Ben, before Chas won the ball, kicked to George, who handballed to Jim running past and into an open goal. Following a rushed behind Gus won the ball and kicked to Noah. His kick to the goal line was repelled but marked by Gus, and then George, who majored. Another goal to Fitzroy was Eddie's as it started with a great mark at centre half back, and was conveyed through a series of uninterrupted marks to Max M, Chas and George. Fitzroy registered 2 further behinds, Ben put in a great second effort off his own hand ball, and then Aidan put the nail in the coffin after running around 3 opponents.
In the rooms after the game Andy said that although he didn't like to single out names he particularly wanted to mention the effort of Declan in the ruck. We seemed to be blessed with big men: we didn't even need to resort to Noah and Eddie our 5th and 6th choice ruckmen, who have aquitted themselves well in this role in the past.
Next week we will have a stern test when we meet competition powerhouse Bundoora at Ramsden. Go 'Roys!
"Chicken Smallhorn" (the ghost of Fitzroy past)
Game 5