U19s v Prahran – Coaching genius or just luck?

The jungle drums were pounding with the news that our leading goalkicker was being banished to CHF to be replaced by that HR enigma, Jordan Goss!  An 8 goal haul in a BOG performance certainly vindicated the coaching panel’s inventiveness and contributed to the coach’s broad smile. In addition, a very handy performance by Mat Innes with a roving commission between the back and forward lines has given the team a flexibility that we haven?t seen in the past couple of years. 

Chris Britton was back and had lost none of his rampaging ruggedness and with Rich Atkins continuing his good form of recent weeks it appeared the backline was settled and comfortable in dealing with the strong, harassing play of the Prahran boys. 

Marlon was always going to be up for a big day with no Pat or Jess and the consensus was that he did a great job in carrying the rucking duties alone, for nearly the whole day.  In fact, all of the midfielders continued their good form with Tom Youl, Baxter and Eddie Turner putting in strong performances.

The Prahran boys to their credit didn?t go down without a fight.  While we were heading to a big win they used their bigger bodies to good effect and it was clear that they would fight it out to the end.  It was just that they couldn?t match our class and in the third the floodgates opened with a 5 goal to zip term this was when the game was closed out.  With Gossy kicking 4 for the quarter to make it to that stage 7 for the game, a 10 goal haul was on the cards with a quarter to go.  To the Prahran boys credit they kept coming back, and in the last they had more scoring shots than us but couldn?t put the goals on the board. 

The goal kicking was shared around with Zeke chipped in for 4 roving to our taller forwards and with Ned Fallon, Eddie Turner and Leon McCarthy all getting on the board. 

Overall, another strong win with a solid team performance with a number of players working well in their new positions.   

I know we?ve been encouraging parents and pets to the game, but I?d just like the player whose mum it was who decided to give her dog some exercise on the ground during the third quarter to point out to her that she’s meant to wait until the game was over!  There was some thought that we might be penalized for having an extra player!

Again, it was good to see such a big turnout of parents and supporters both at the game and in the rooms at the end of the game for a celebratory drink.

Scores

HR      6.3     10.8    15.10  18.12            120

Pra     1.1     4.4     4.5     6.10             46

Best   Goss, Atkins, Turner, Baxter, Youl, Stevens, Woltering, Lewis, Britton

Goals Goss 8, Lewis 4, Turner 2, Fallon 2, McCarthy 1, Innes 1

NEXT WEEK

V PARKDALE AT PARKDALE AT 2PM

OFFICIALS FOR NEXT WEEK – please be at ground by 1:45pm

Goal    Simon Baxter

Time   Rick Culvenor

Bound We need a volunteer!