Sandy Rovers 13.20.98 d. Oakleigh 2.2.14
Headline: Strong performance overall. Important to play for 4-quarters and not be wasteful up forward — make them count!
Goal kickers: Kyle 4, Hall 3, Kenny 2, White, Sardo, McKinley, Spaziani.
Player performance: Again this week there was a really good all round contribution throughout the game from everyone – kudos boys. Marcus White, best on performance with relentless courage to continually hunt the ball and attacking every contest with a big appetite, drive the ball forward or launch off half back – basically a flawless game. Kyle coming up from U15 performed brilliantly as a small forward showing real footy smarts and competitive efforts. Tom McKinley continued to lead the way with poise, excellent decision making with a strong competitive effort across half back and through the midfield. Will Nolan — has been building each week into form and demonstrated how to stand strong in overhead marking contests and generally great attack on the contested footy. Matti S got better as the game went on — when you decide to ‘show up at the contest’ look out, you make things happen with quick ball movement and in / under clearances, provided the team with real attacking drive. Bassy was a real beast across half forward again – banging the ball deep into the forward line, marking and creating some claps of thunder with multiple forward pressure acts to lock the ball in. Mitch played his best game of the season and with a real focus on making each contest count will continue to get the best out of himself making a strong team contribution. Liam Kenny provided a very strong marking target up forward enabling a big kick forward to a contest, either marking or bringing ball to ground for crummers, with Matty Warman providing excellent support. Coops worked tirelessly all day providing plenty of contested ball clearances and driving the ball our way. Felix again showing versatility as a tall running marking target around the ground and pinch hitting at full back.
Plays of the Day: Switch of the day – well it took until the 3Q but the Marcus to Tom McKinley to Will Nolan across the half backline was pure by foot nailing the target – sublime. There was some excellent running and link up handballs in the last quarter responding to the message to run the game out and finish all over your opponent…
Tackle of the day: Wowee – number 33 thought he had a clearance from his half back line only to be brilliantly and inspirationally chased down by Matti S in in half forward line for what was one of the great bear hug tackles.
Game summary: A great start to the game to set the tone. Second quarter was really frustrating…you just switched off half way through and allowed the opposition in for a couple easy goals, which on the scoreline was fine, but what I was most displeased about was the opposition lifted, the voices could be heard and got all yappy with some momentum and you just let them do it…that’s not on, you are better than that, and Paul and I expect more of a response “in the quarter”. The intensity lifted in the third quarter and with lots of forward entries put the game well and truly beyond doubt. Best quarter of the day was the fourth when you took it upon yourselves to respond and finish all over the opposition – which is what you needed to do. Opportunities to build poise when under pressure to work your way through to not be wasteful in our scoring zone (we got a bit too congested…we’ll start the first quarter next week with an alternative forward set up to add another string to the bow) or deep inside the oppositions forward 50 (kick to the boundary, not back into their scoring zone).
Injuries: Charlie Officer (shoulder), Beau H (ribs) – rest up boys.
Thanks to Christian, Ben and Birdman for getting along to the game while injured.
Four from four is a great start boys. Same as last week – be honest about where we are at and what we need to do individually and as a team to be the best we can — keep bringing the competitive spirit and wonderful team ethos.
