Round 8 v Western Jets Match Report
Story by U18 player Jack Thorgood
Another unfortunate loss for Calder Cannons has left the team looking at the rest of the season with a new and positive attitude.
Western Jets fell on the right side of the result on Saturday, coming away with a narrow two-point win.
Calder s last-quarter surge, which has become common, almost made up for the rest of the game.
But the Cannons were left to question what would have happened if they had given a consistent four-quarter effort.
Burbank Oval, only 40 minutes down the highway, produced some similar weather to Rams Arena, which furnished a sense of hope within the boys.
The Cannons came out firing in the soggy, bitter weather, ready to play.
In spite of that, with the wind against them a free-flowing Jets side were able to sneak to a three-goal lead in the first quarter.
The message from Calder s coaches was simple - maintain pressure on the outside.
And although the Cannons movement throughout the middle wasn t paying off, coach Andrew Johnston insisted that the boys, Keep taking the risk.
An early Jets goal in the second term created had the Cannons under pressure, but Calder withstood the threat with Zach Guthrie and Ryan Baker standing tall.
They showcased their ability to track down the ball and read the play with brilliance and weave the ball instantly back into the hands of their Cannons teammates.
However, for all the Cannons hard work down back and through the midfield, the Jets continued to outnumber Calder s forward line, sometimes playing with three against one.
The game was played in typical wet-weather fashion, the ball floating back and forth around the ground.
Matthew Borg or Borgy , as he is known throughout the club, was knocked out after being collected in a heavy contest.
At halftime, the Jets led by 19.
Calder Cannons main focus over the last few weeks has been for players to focus on the oppositions outlet, which saw Geelong Falcons triumph over the side 2 weeks ago.
And although it had been discussed at training, it remained an area needing addressing in the second half.
Although Cannons had majority of the possession during the third term, they were unable to capitalize on their opportunities scoring four points to one goal. The Jets tall forwards were stellar and were able to give their team to a 22 point lead at three quarter time.
Nonetheless, the Cannons again defied the odds of another runaway victory.
Calder Cannons scored 3 goals in 4 minutes to draw a very close margin between the two sides. Tyson Lever, Calder s captain, stepped up to the occasion and Dylan Landt s spectacular goal put the side in front.
The Cannons desperately wanted this win and the crowd could see it in their attack but their effort was simply not enough.
A goal at the 15 -inute mark of the last quarter cost them the game.
Jackson Mcdonald, who was a reliable contributor to the team right throughout the game said, Our entry inside 50 was not smart. A couple of wrong decisions gave them some easy goals and we didn t convert our opportunities.
Another crucial loss to Calder Cannons has certainly fired up the club, but we look forward to this weekend against Oakleigh Chargers at home.
Goal Kickers: K. Brown 2, D. Landt, C. Grindlay, H. Blythe, B. Caluzzi, H. Rocke
Best Players: R. Baker, Z. Guthrie, J. Mcdonald, L. Bramble, B. Caluzzi, D. Landt, H. Blythe
Last Modified on 22/06/2016 10:33