There is a five-word phrase in football that is so basic and fundamental that every time it is called into play it hurts. Just as it did when it was uttered time and again after Aspley suffered a shattering loss to Mt.Gravatt at Graham Road on Sunday.
The phrase? Bad kicking is bad football!
And so it was as the Hornets went down 8-18 (66) to 11-12 (78).
It was the worst goal-kicking display by an Aspley side since they entered the then AFLQ State League, now the NEAFL, in 2009.
It was even more wayward then their worst effort in 2009, when they kicked 5-12 against Morningside. Likewise in 2010, when they managed 9-14 against the Brisbane Lions, and in 2011, when they sprayed 8-15 against Morningside.
Yet that was only part of it. In the second half on Sunday Aspley kicked 2-12 to the Vultures’ 7-8 to underpin a result that even Mt.Gravatt faithful admitted pre-match was difficult to predict with any sort of confidence.
After all, Aspley had beaten Mt.Gravatt by 56 points to open the 2012 season only seven weeks earlier.
Aspley had trailed 0-3 to 3-4 after a poor first quarter, but when they piled on 6-3 to the visitors’ 1-4 in the second term to lead by 11 points at halftime all looked to be back on track.
And it might have been had someone not put a make-believe reflector device across the Aspley goals in the second half that inexplicably made it next to impossible for the home side to pilot the ball between the two big sticks.
They had 14 scoring shots to Mt.Gravatt’s 12 in the second half and 26 to 23 overall but lost by 12 points.
And that after they’d kicked a quite acceptable 71-66 in the first six games of the season, and a radar-like 13-6 in their last outing against Broadbeach, albeit in a losing effort.
The home side was out-scored 1-6 to 5-3 in the third quarter and 1-6 to 2-2 in the fourth.
The shattering loss has left Aspley firmly in the competition cellar, two games plus percentage outside the top five. They are level with Mt.Gravatt in eighth spot with a 2-5 win/loss record, and a game clear of ninth-placed Morningside.
It was hardly a memorable 50th game for ruckman Dylan Reid, or a memorable senior debut for ex-Cairns teenager Frazer Eaton, who nevertheless was a solid contributor as the back-ruckman.
Or a memorable first outing in the brown and gold for ex-Queanbeyan (ACT) utility player Jason Satchell, who wasn’t his side’s worst playing working through the midfield and down back.
But there were some positives.
After a disappointing start to the season Brendan Colch regained lost touch at fullback in a performance that would have done his State U21 selection prospects no harm.
Likewise, Ryan Thomson and Trent Manzone sent a message to the State selection panel that they, too, deserve a spot in the Queensland/NT U21 side that will play NSW/ACT U21s at Southport on 26 May.
Declan Bevan, also chasing an U21 jumper, was solid in his second game at centre half back, while State senior squad member Matty Payne found plenty of the ball through the midfield, and Kristian Bucovaz was the most effective of the Aspley forwards with three goals.
Sadly, Mitch McKee, arguably the Hornets’ most consistent player through the first seven rounds and thoroughly deserving of his spot in the State open squad, was denied a chance to push his selection claims when ruled unfit.
McKee will be hoping to resume this week to get one last chance to further his claims when Aspley goes in search of immediate retribution when they take on Broadbeach at H&A Oval on the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Their timing, like their goal-kicking on the weekend, could be better – Broadbeach will be coming off a first-class 13 point win over defending premiers Northern Territory Thunder in Alice Springs.
Last Modified on 15/05/2012 08:14