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In the grip of winter's first blast the U13 Brown's ventured to Greensborough to confront the formidable St Mary's. In past times Whatmore Park had not been a happy destination for our club and team.
Chas was in the ruck in the first. Despite a great relieving mark at full back by Declan, St Marys conveyed the ball back into the attacking zone, where they were awarded a free, and goaled. Fitzroy registered their first score, a rushed behind, and Eddie and Charles both took impressive marks. Max M won the ball, passed to Gus, and thence to Andrej who was rewarded with a free kick. His kick to the goal square was won by George, who registered a 6 pointer. The umpire was prepared to award frees, from one of which St Mary's scored their next goal. Eddie, Andrej, Noah, Gus, Gabe combined to register a behind, before Chas scored a goal from a free kick after Charles, Harry H, and Max M had moved the ball to the forward pocket.
Coach Andy was unhappy with the boys' accountability at quarter time, and told them they were fortunate to be in the lead.
Harris was given a run in the ruck in the second. Early on Noah scored a behind courtesy of supply from Gus, Aidan, Dan and Robbie. Mike put in 2 efforts to clear the ball from centre half back, and both sides put in desperate efforts to force 3 consecutive ball ups on the wing before Mike roved the tap, and passed to Aidan for a behind. St Marys moved the ball slickly to the other end for a behind. The game seemed to reach an impasse with both sides defenses dominating, exemplified by Harry J putting his head over the ball. The impasse was broken when Harry H roved the tap from a throw in, passed to Gus, whose kick was marked by Chas and converted. A quick forward movement by St Mary's found a gaping hole in Fitzroy's defense, with 4 unmarked St Mary's players in the hot spot, but somehow the Fitzroy managed to regroup to repel the ball. Mike won the ball in the centre and through a chain of marks to Andrej, Harris, and then Aidan, a goal was registered in the dying seconds.
The gathering black clouds were a metaphor for the coaching staff's mood at half time: St Marys greater desire for the ball was not reflected on the score board, and our boys needed to eliminate their complacency.
Chas was back in the ruck in the third. St Marys opened the scoring with a rushed behind. From the kick in the ball was conveyed to the other end, for Gabe to kick a behind, through Mike and Aiden. At this point the rain came and your scribe's recording of proceedings became more unreliable, more so if Anthony and Gabrielle hadn't kindly shared their umbrella. Yet another behind was registered by Robbie from a free kick. The rain heralded a change in teams desire for the ball, as the 'Roy boys seemed to revel in the inclement conditions. Noah, Lucien, Ben, George, and Mike combined to give Robbie a major. Following another rushed behind, Robbie marked the kick in, and kicked to the goal square where Noah used his futsal skills to soccer a goal. Further forward pressure gave Fitzroy 2 further behinds, whilst Lucien marked strongly on the wing, and Mike continued to cover more ground than the early explorers.
With the rain stopped, and the sun breaking through, Andy was far more positive about the boys' efforts at the break.
The last quarter started with the ball ping-ponging from one end to the other, including an uninterrupted chain of 6 marks or free kicks to St Marys, that fortunately only resulted in an out on the full. As always Mike put in a second effort in defense, and Declan busted a pack to help convey the ball to the other end, where Robbie's kick came off hands for a behind. From the resulting kick in, Aidan made a great pick up in the pocket, ran and threaded a goal from an acute angle. From the centre bounce Aiden roved the hitout, hand passed to Mike, who combined in a familiar 1-2 with Aidan, and kicked long to the goal square, where the ball evaded the defenders and bounced through. The floodgates were threatening to open when Aiden again won the ball and through Mike, Chas, and off Noah's hands, allowed Harris to gather and major. Consecutive marks to Aidan and Gus came to nothing, but then Gus won the contested ball on the wing and kicked to Andrej who marked impressively at centre half forward. With great vision he spotted Aidan unattended in pocket, who marked and goaled. A thrust by St Marys was thwarted by great body work from Eddie in defense. As a result Mike gathered the ball, kicked to Charles who marked, played on, and hand balled to Aidan, whose kick on goal was assisted through off the boot of Noah.
For coach Andy it was a revelatory experience to finally return from St Marys with a win.
Next week, to the parents' relief, and the boys disappointment, we have a sport free weekend, followed by an encounter with the 'Hoes at Ramsden. Go 'Roys!
"Chicken Smallhorn" (the ghost of Fitzroy past)
Game 9