PASSION TEAMWORK FUN RESPECT
BEFORE YOU KNOW IT, THE SEASON IS HALF GONE, 8 ROUNDS COMPLETED, PLENTY SAID, PLENTY WITNESSED.
Last Wednesday evening I was lucky enough to coach, for the first time in 21 years, Interleague football. I have been asked in the past but for some reason I felt the time was right to coach an SMJFL team. Earlier this year St Kilda Football Club in conjunction with the SMJFL & Sandy Dragons U16-TAC U18 unveiled the St Kilda, Next Generation Academy, all clubs are invited to nominate players to participate.
94 under 14 boys came together in mid-February and have worked hard through a selection process to form 2 teams of 24 per team to play interleague against other Metro leagues. We played the Yarra League. Every boy although smaller played with great vigour and listened to the instructions given. We fell 15 points short under lights at Moorleigh Reserve in East Bentleigh but as a coach I couldn’t have been prouder. Two Rovers lads played, Luke Nixon-Smith captained the SMJFL for the night along with Zach Bowen, the Rovers were well represented.
The reactions from the opposition bench when the game wasn’t going to script had many present wondering why the need for stress and language. We have another 2 games to go this Saturday and Monday with a possible Grand Final looming late in June.
Earlier this year an ex Hampton Primary School teacher called Cally Davidson contacted me about the potential of 30 U12 lads from WA travelling to Melbourne on June 1st to 4th and was wondering if we could accommodate them with a game of footy. Several emails and calls and with help from TMs and coaches the lads from WA turned up at Castlefield on Saturday afternoon and our 2 U12 teams played a spirited game. An invite for the U13 Rovers team to travel to WA in 2019 is on the table, let’s plan around the Queen’s Birthday weekend.
The Rover U12s and the Wembley Downs Cats
The Mighty U11 squad both won on Sunday. Purple and Orange had big wins and looked sharp, the match reports from both coaches were great. Here’s Orange belting out the song at Princess Park, AJAX home ground.
Both the U12 Boys teams hit a brick wall the day after the Wembley Downs Game, going down to Vamps in D1 by 3 goals and plenty (10 goals) in D3. Never mind lads, a trip to Perth is what’s needed next season with plenty of footy in between. A big shout out to Taj Hotton who made it all the way to the final 40 boys in the SSV State trials, very proud of you champ.
The Under 12 Girls Yellow report was a doozy; sore head from the night before at the club Gala had the scribe confessing to a little electric boogaloo. Back to the girls: 14 V 14 against the Vamps, that’s right people a draw against the team that smacked us in Round 1 last year in D1. That’s what I call DEVELOPMENT.
Richard’s U18 girls had a famous win, a come from behind classic. Ali Coyne ended with 3 goals and Steph Peacock was miss everywhere. Dusty gets 35-40 on a brilliant day, Steph must have had 55-60, true story.
The Under 13 lads had a great win at Ashwood. This made me happy as I coached Ashwood seniors many moons ago and a few old mates were there to see it. Mike’s D4 team went down in a nail biter.
Both under 14 teams had a crack but came up short.
The Under 16 lads D2 team beat Beauie Sharks by 6-7 goals, this was their first win, every lad contributed.
Finally, have a read of this match report from the Under 8 Maroon team, it reads like an episode of Bold And The Beautiful. I am picturing Brook Logan and Ridge Forrester in a scene, somewhere in this report a game of footy was played.
Enjoy the week off everyone. Thank the lord I am coaching Saturday and Monday and I get to watch the U13 Interleague Sunday, otherwise Julie would have a list of things to do as long a baby’s arm to be done around the house.
Go Rovers
Caggs
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