The Merge / Will the real Elvis stand up / Momentum Swings / Two Zacs don’t make a Razoo
With the mouth-watering aroma of Ivans Pies lingering in the Boss James atmosphere, I became hungry for knowledge… for answers. Who was Boss James and would’ve he supported the merger or would’ve he been our cravat-wearing, merger-busting Don Scott (remember the Hawthorn legend who scuttled the Hawks – Demons merger plans)?
After an extensive investigation, all I can tell you is that Boss was the founder of the Hampton Rovers Football Club and from what I witnessed today he would surely approve (well apart from that god-awful merge strip!).
Today I witnessed a terrific group of young men playing an entertaining brand of footy … a really slick coaching panel mentoring and encouraging our boys …and our Senior Team Manager- Michael “Batman” Kennedy making some school boy errors*.
In most mergers there are unfortunate casualties. Who needs 2 CEO’s or 2 Directors of Human Remains? The big questions for the coaches were: Could we play 2 Presley’s and 2 Zacs? More on this later.
The coaching master plan was to “Keep it simple”:
- Win the Ball (OK I get this)
- Shape (looked like most of the boys were wearing the latest body flattering shape-wear)
- Fast and Furious (Marty Wells mentioned something about Vin Diesel!?)
Q1
The siren sounded, heralding great expectation from this newly formed group. Those expectations were quickly abated by St Kilda City’s clean ball handling resulting in a quick goal.
Our back line was under significant pressure with Ethan Liu showing plenty of guts and determination early on, with a couple of Rovers dads commenting that “he’s already my favourite”. Ethan had plenty of assistance down back with Eddie Davies, Little Elvis (Presley Evans) and Sam Palmer repelling the St. Kilda forward thrusts. Midfielders Jack Kennedy and Will Tuffley were having a big impact on the game with Will kicking our first major. Who’s number 15 we asked, scanning the player sheet for answers (*TM error)? No-Name was getting plenty of touches ( we later discovered that #15 is Lachie Cowell).
Answering one of the key merge conundrums, Big Elvis (Presley McLeish) showed there is room for 2 Presley’s by getting on the end of a beaut Tuffley pass to kick truly.
The Rovers dominated the rest of the quarter building a solid wall to lock the ball in our forward half for most of the quarter. Benjo took 3 marks in as many minutes but the boys were unable to punish on the scoreboard going into quarter time 4 points up
Quarter time scores:
Sandy Rovers 2 4 16
St Kilda City 2 0 12
Q2
St.Kilda City flew out of the gates playing clean, direct footy, kicking the first 2 goals, swinging the momentum back their way.
Our boys dug deep with some uncompromising footy epitomised by a Fast & Furious stretch of play from full back: Kennedy & Cowell gang tackle knocking the ball free to Benjo, cleanly to Kennedy, hands to Shahaf, tackled, dispossessed, strong chase by Liu to regain possession, to Little Elvis who pinpoints Cowell … Goal!
Moments later the boys string together another fast and furious passage of play from Max Ryan to Sallabank to Hare to Kennedy GOAL!! With the boys back in front Tuffley fires a pass to James Hare who immediately plays on from 80m out swings onto the right and kicks a massive sausage bouncing into the goal square and shepherded through by Zac Z for the “Ivans Pies Goal of the Day”.
Half time scores:
6 4 40
5 3 33
The talk at half time was concerning TM Michael “Batman” Kennedy not laminating the team sheets and printing enough for everyone. It was pointed out “just as well” as the team sheet was rife with errors (not just Cowell but 2 or 3 other player number errors). Hopefully TM 2 Tim “Robin” Cassidy can save Batman’s bacon next week.
Q3
St Kilda start sharply again (what is in their drink bottles?) with a quick F50 entry but Palmer stands tall and a clean passage of play with marks from Sallabank-Shahaf-Big Presley and Zac Fuleky who kicks long into the danger spot resulting in a magnificent “Barista Brothers Mark of the Day” to Kennedy who goals.
Moments later Big Elvis lights up the Ivans Pie infused atmosphere with a “BB M of the D” contender and goals to put our boys well in front.
Our boys control the quarter with Fuleky and Ziesing proving you can’t have too many Zacs in a team, and Shahaf asserting his influence.
Scores:
Sandy Rovers 9 7 61
St Kilda City 5 4 34
Q4
There were calls from the bleachers to “test their water bottles” as again St Kilda City came flying out of the blocks to bring the margin back from 27 to 7 points with 13 minutes to play, after Palmer is called for doing a “Forrest Gump” running too far and conceding a 50 m penalty and a gimme goal.
The next 13 minutes was testament to the character of our boys as they swung the momentum our way playing a fast and furious brand of footy led by Captain-for-the-Day Charlie Clarkson and a massive last quarter by Zac Z, Palmer, Ryan and Little Elvis, as our bench was depleted with injuries to Zac F and Cowell (hope the boys are OK).
Quote from our Head Coach Ryan “Well done boys. The hardest thing to do in footy is to shift the momentum in the last quarter. A great way to start the season”.
Final score:
Sandy Rovers 11 10 76
St K C 8 7 55
Goals: Kennedy 3, Big Elvis 3, Hare 1, Tuffley 1, Ryan 1,Cowell 1, Little Elvis 1
Best: Ryan, Clarkson, Palmer, Davies, Kennedy, Shahaf, Liu, Big and Little Elvis, Tuffley and the list could go on…
The “Tough Nut” Award presented by Assistant Coach James to Little Elvis
