The inaugural match for the Haynes Mechanical AFL Mackay City v’s Country Perpetual Shield was played under warm conditions at Moranbah on Saturday, with a resounding victory to the Country team.
In a new concept to the region, teams comprising the three city, and three country based AFL Mackay clubs took to the field in an effort to impress selectors for a cap in the Mackay Crows representative team to play Townsville next weekend.
Predictions of a “50 goal thrashing” from one Mackay based club official failed to eventuate, with a more committed Country outfit playing inspired football to humble their more fancied opponents, many of whom have rarely tasted defeat in the regular home and away competition.
Speaking after the match, AFL Mackay Chairman Steve Pel commented that although it would have been easy to select a representative team based on club form alone, “This match allows the selectors to see how some of these guys perform under pressure.”
The City team travelled to Moranbah with a reduced squad, due largely to unavailability and injury, and were met by a Country squad at full strength. A large contingent of the Country team made the long journey from Airlie Beach, however this didn’t diminish their enthusiasm to get one up on their City based rivals.
From the first bounce, both teams knew they were in a contest, with the defensive prowess of each team evident as scoring opportunities were slim in the early stages of the first quarter. Early goals to Mark “Funky” Pollard of the Country team, who ended the match as the leading goal kicker with five goals, helped build the momentum to go to the first break with a three goal lead.
The intensity continued in the second quarter, in a low scoring affair highlighted by excellent defence by Dylan Lambert of the Country side who limited the normally prolific Craig Dowdell to just three goals for the match.
The City team’s Sam Bilal stood out with good delivery through the centre line, aided by attacking work by Chris Butcher and Heath Brown to ensure the Country lead had not extended at the long break.
Delivery from the centre contests by Zane Templeman to the forward combination of Tom Baldissera, Matt Hungerford and best-on-ground, Nick O’Reilly saw the Country team push the ascendency in the third quarter, piling on five clear goals with as many behinds as they controlled possession at nearly every turn.
Defensive pressure by John Ryan, Ben Crosbie and James McKenzie delivered through to the classy centre line combination of Darren Semmler and Tim Bone to restrict the City team to just one goal, going to the break eight goals behind.
The final quarter saw a spirited revival by the City team, who’s work rate increased significantly when key play-maker and Coach, John Price switched himself into attack to lead his team to a goal scoring spree to win the final quarter.
With enough goals in the bank, the Country team held out City to a convincing 32 point victory to create a rivalry which is sure to last for many years to come.
Country 5.3, 8.5, 13.11, 17.15 (117) defeated City 2.2, 5.4, 6.5, 13.7 (85)
Goal kickers:
Country: 5 M Pollard; 3 A Hancock, N O’Reilly; 2 M Hungerford; 1 D Marks, J Ryan, T Bradley, B Crosbie.
City: 3 C Dowdell; 2 S Bilal, I Walker; 1 N Cross, S Dunbar, T Bailey, S Thomas, J Price, H Wagstaff.
Last Modified on 10/01/2009 18:21