Saturday started with a great show of support – to have over 60 to a home lunch when were running 0-9-1 was pleasing to all.
What a day. 8 goals down at half time and looking at a massive whopping. While the boys endeavoured to carry out the coachs instructions in that first half, nothing seemed to go our way. We tried and yet time and time again, the bounce of the ball eluded us.
After the main break for the first time this year it started to go our way. Cracker, struggling with dodgy ribs, came into the game. Cowboy and Shem Curry started to get a bit of the ball and give some good delivery and young Jack Wilson in the ruck, was putting in by far his best performance for the Rovers, started to turn the tide.
With Danny Corp on fire and I think ending up with 4, Stu Burggraaff rising to the challenge given to him by the coach and slotting a couple we were running rampart over a lacklustre Ivanhoe cohort. We banged on 5 to 1 for the quarter in what was our best 30 minutes of footy for the year.
Anyway, whod want to be a backman? Ivanhoe are not short of good-sized forwards. Both Atta and JLov were under huge pressure all day and every time those OH midfielders let go with those long bomb our hearts were in our mouths. It was pointed out to me that with a backline of Lyall, Lovig, Ward, Schmitz. Atkins and Lynch we had an average age of 20. Its clear that the future is bright.
In the last we were against the wind and while only 5 goals down we knew from past weeks, that it could get ugly, very ugly. The coach, to his credit, maintained his upbeat exhortations to his charges and made it clear to them that he wanted. Facing a 5 goal wind we more than matched the Hoers and while they posted a number of easy goals from fragile decisions, we held our own.
Great to see Cracker, while not his usual in and under self, playing a different role as the elusive forward, Corpy creating the options, Shem Curry putting his body on the line and Fletch as per usual getting it and banging it forward. It was a different Rovers from the past few weeks. You could feel a desperation. Everyone was in on it, while Jacko was still suffering from the fumbles, Jack Baxter executed a few precise moves and Tom Youl buoyed by the coachs forecast that eventually the ball will bounce your way, came into the game.
While another loss is nothing to write home about, there were a number of positives that came out of the game. Weve found a player in Lynchy, we saw the silky skills of Cam Sharp, we watched as young Jack Wilson found his home in the ruck and we saw him time and time again win the contested knockout, we saw our baby backmen match it with the best and our midfielders , at last win more of those contested possessions. There were many positives.
Lunch as usual was superb. Great to see a large contingent of Old Ivanhoians enjoying our hospitality and staying for post game drinks. Ivanhoe, over the past couple of years has been the pick of the away game lunches, so lets hope we get to enjoy them next year!
Its a bye next week and then wer e at home to Old Brighton at the Boss on Saturday, July 16 for lunch at 12 and the game at 2.00pm. it could be a new look Rovers by that date with Carr, Martyn, and Turner all vying for selection.
See you then….
