"Farewell to the Fisherman"
The Woodend Hesket Football Club has signed a Channel 7 television agreement to host the next season of LOST on Thursday nights as it prepares for a Round 5 date with Diggers Rest this weekend on our hallowed home turf. Last week saw the tale of Robbie `Friday Night Disco' Martin losing his bag featuring all of his footy gear evolve into the greatest adventure stories in club history... Patrick Kopke losing his memory after being drilled in the head with a football and this week... the sad departure and loss of our dear great fisherman Steve Fisher... gone will the clichÃf¨ be of "A fisherman lost at sea"... because we have the real drama story... "Fisherman lost to the big NT".
While the talk up of how the interesting challenge against the Melton Centrals would be, it appears the walkabouts of Robbie Martin's footy gear proved an even bigger talking point as he exhausted the telephone the night before the game trying to find where it had gone... information of its possible location was scarce and saw the wild goose chase begin... he landed the location of his gear the morning of the game... unwashed and skunk scented. When Robbie donned for the mighty Brown and Gold vertical stripes for another senior appearance later that day he looked like a character from the T.V show LOST with mud and a skunk scent from head to toe, hence staking the claim for the football club to take part in the next season of the show. Before coming off the ground injured, Robbie had more touches than anyone on the ground... needless to say that his opponents wanted to stay as far away from him as possible. That's one mystery solved.
For the record on this day... Brendan `Funnel' Fennell steered the Hawk ship to victory early over the Blues with countless telling touches and 3 goals. With extremely hot conditions and the dug out on the bench being more or less than a handful of chairs and a light post, the Hawks stunned the Blues with a tremendous 9.2 to nothing effort with one of the Melton players quoted on saying "Geez... I didn't know you guys were this good". With the first 10 on the board, the game was played out in a pretty well contested spirit with the Blues managing to create some scoreboard pressure but had no hope on stopping the Darko/Salpie connection up forward who kicked 10 between them. Pistol Pete was unstoppable on the wing, Rockin Roll Billie Joel Taylor electrifying across half back yet again and Nick Hannett showing some class playing up against his brother in the centre. It's a question of who was gloating the most at the Hannett family table on Mothers Day Lunch the following day... we'd like to think that Nick had the upper-hand in the battle. A 91 point win to the soaring undefeated Hawks at senior level was enough to suggest their strength this year.
The Under 18's trip on Saturday was much shorter than the journey to Melton by stopping off at Diggers Rest for what proved to be an outstanding clash. The Boroughs outfit were a lot better than the one losing to the Hawks by more than 15 goals the year before and look prepared to give the ladder leaders a rattle. The secret weapon of the day proved to be John `Junior' Millard as he slotted through three of the very best on the day to add to his extensive highlight reel since joining the team this season. `Ricter' Ric Cerminara tried to outdo Junior's efforts on the day by staking his highlight reel claims that `how you KICK the goal is more exciting than how MANY were kicked' as he dribbled through a 3rd quarter classic from the boundary line.
The young Hawks tried desperately to push off a determined Borough in the 2nd half but after leading by as much as four goals in the final stanza and looking home and hosed, the Hawks were pressured and were nearly overran. Pat Kopke decided to use his head and apply some tremendous pressure of his own, who ever thought he took it literally as an effort to smoother saw the ball crash into his head and appearing to be a little out of the playing loop despite finishing the game. A dubious downfield decision saw Diggers with a goal scoring opportunity 15metres out in front of goal. With the margin 3 points and the clock deep into red time, the shot faded away for a point and the Hawks held on for a memorable 2 point win against a side they will face yet again in their next bout. Just for the record... in case he has forgotten already "The Hawks ***Won by 2 points*** and the ***ball*** hit you in the head" as Pat was quoted on asking the question again just as quick as it was answered and driving everyone insane. A little bout of concussion can cause more pain than just the person who was on the receiving end.
Last Saturday saw the biggest Fish in the Pond, Steve Fisher, line up for his final away game of his illustrious career at Hawkland. The number 30... reminiscent of Carlton great Bruce Doull... without the headband, ran tirelessly through the middle to suggest that maybe his decision to pull off the boots was a little out of context and that he had much more to deliver. The Hawks took on Melton in a tight and scrappy encounter with no fewer than 4 goals kicked in the game to half time in perfect weather conditions. Brennan Beall lined up in the number 24 for the first time this year and kicked an amazing goal before the change to give the Hawks the lead. The 2nd half saw a more exciting performance with `Gussy' Gary Hewitt staking another claim for senior selection with another great game. The `Mauritian' Christian Braddy was starring at both ends of the ground by heading over to the forward line into the 2nd half and kicking 2 of the best... including robbing a goal opportunity from Kyle `FitzVola' Fitzpatrick in the final stanza. The Hawks went on to win convincingly against the 2005 premiers and gave the sign that even when the game is close, they can still blow a side away.
This week, in front of all the Sponsors on `Sponsors Day' at the club, the greatest Fisherman to grace the club for his final game against Diggers Rest in the reserves. While work commitments stand in the way of his illustrious career, Steve Fisher will sadly pull the pin on his journey with the club but will do so in fine style in front of a hostile home crowd and Sponsors having the opportunity to see one of Woodend's favourite characters leave on a great note. We wish him all the best in his final game. With the 18's having a Bye, The seniors will lace up against a Diggers Rest side going down to Kilmore at home by 2 points... what will the match have in store? We'll see you on Saturday and find out! Congratulations to the netball teams who won very well on the weekend to each go off to a stunning start to the year!
HawkEye
Last Modified on 11/02/2008 21:42