Passion Teamwork Fun Respect
It was an emotional day last Sunday; plenty of highs and a few lows, some great footy and it all started with our U8 and 9 teams enjoying the Lightning Carnivals. I will get that later.
I hope you don’t mind as it has received possibly too much media this past few days but I need to point out that we at Rovers are very proud of our kids that play football, some are good enough to be invited to do so professionally.
Andrew Brayshaw is one of our favourite sons. Andy or ‘Snee’ to his mates around the club is living proof what desire, commitment and hard work can achieve. His commitment in his last 2 years leading into his draft year was remarkable, drafted at #2 in the nation was massive for us as a club given his brother Angus went at #3, 3 years earlier.
Snee, everyone at Rovers is right behind you. We applaud your kind nature and that of your family these past few day handling the pressure. For Mark Brayshaw (Snee’s dad) to be thinking of Andrew Gaff is inspiring. As a father, I am unsure what emotion I would feel should a child of mine be handled in a game of sport in this way. Good luck Andy in your recovery from everyone at Rovers.
I am unsure if any club in the land has more juniors on AFL lists than we do. Some clubs take footy to extreme levels like playing a child in a D5 team early Sunday and playing the same child in D1 late in the arvo just so the club can make finals in D5 and not register that child on the team sheet. (Enough said on this.)
When a club has 10 listed players we can smile knowing we must be doing something right as a club. I got a buzz catching up with Brayden Maynard last week and watching his level of courage backing into Buddy Franklin with 90 seconds to go was awe inspiring.
Here is the list of current AFL players that played Juniors in the Green and Gold.
Karl Amon (Port), Angus Brayshaw (Demons), Hamish Brayshaw (Eagles), Andrew Brayshaw (Dockers), Corey Maynard (Demons), Brayden Maynard (Pies), Jayden Hunt (Demons), Christian Salem (Demons), Will Walker (Roos) and Ty Vickery, although retired, still remains on the Hawks list.
On Saturday our U12 Girls formed a guard of honour at the G for the Demons, great idea from the Demons AFLW, our girls loved the experience.
Seven teams from our U8-9 age groups had their lightning carnivals on Sunday. I was at McKinnon Reserve to welcome a few U9 lads in Julian’s team; they are a great batch of lads and from all reports showed the oppo how it is done, 3-0 for the day.
Under 8 Maroons have had a blast this year!
Tim Hall asked parents earlier in the week and received this feedback from coaching the U8 Green, an unnamed parent wrote this:
“We didn’t have anything negative to comment on from the Rovers perspective. It was disappointing to see at times the behaviour of some kids from other clubs and the swearing and rough play. I’m really glad we’re not involved with a club like that. The positives for us were to keep the emphasis on the boys having fun and enjoying playing. As well as continuing to focus on the importance of playing in a team, looking out for each other and supporting each other. The arrangements of moving the kids to different positions around the ground is great and makes it fair for everyone.”
This is great feedback and we know guys like Tim are in the coaching caper for all the right reasons.
I went back to the Boss around 10am and watched first play second in U16 D1, great standard of footy. East Sandy Rovers at full strength beat Vamps with 1-2 out, then watched our D2 team have a draw with St Kilda City, this was followed by another draw with our U18 Ladies. The good news is all three teams will play finals.
The Under 14D4 lads played on Boss James earlier and lost to Ajax, Griffo was vocal at ¾ time and after the game. The boys are looking the goods for finals and needed a wakeup call, GO GRANT.
The U13 boys both lost but both teams had proud coaches following the games, Mike’s lads were beaten by a far superior team size wise and Ash’s team bashed away and went to down to an over physical Vampires team.
I rounded my afternoon off taking the family up the club for a social evening, AHWTR. I love catching up with proud parents and living the social side that a footy club has to offer, it was a real shock to see Andy get injured live whilst we were in the club he grew up in as a child. I love seeing the U14 parents that have always been a social lot. No idea how this lot of Nerds ended up with such cool parents.
My Favourite Nerds. One phone, 8 minds all on fortnight, I guess.
So this now brings us up to the last round of the home and away for teams U11 to U18s. Plenty to love about some teams looking good for finals action over the next few weeks, I will look at each finals team next week and try and predict their fortune.
Good luck to our U10 age group this week in the Lightning Carnival, go hard lads.
Have fun everyone
Love Caggs
You must be logged in to post a comment.