Following a gutsy, undermanned performance against the Toronto Dingoes in Round 3, the Ottawa Swans Australian Football Club returned to Toronto to battle the high-flying Broadview Hawks, who currently sit atop the Ontario Australian Football League ladder. As the Swans claimed both victories against the Hawks in the 2011 competition, there was no doubt the Toronto squad would be looking to exact revenge this time around.
The torrential downpours primarily held off at the slim University of Toronto-Scarborough grounds for the Saturday afternoon matinee, which allowed for a quick-paced game of footy. From the opening bounce, both teams were happy to oblige as possession quickly ping-ponged through the centre corridor. For the Swans’ part, Chris MacLean and Paul McCosh were able to deliver to a leading Warrick Pond in the opening moments, however, the visitors were unable to convert. In response, the Hawks launched their own forward attack through their hard-running midfield and centre-half forward, who proved in-form throughout the day.
In the second term, the Swans had re-group and, with slight adjustments to their structure, were able to wrestle control and win possession out of the pack. Darren Roffey, consistently proving his worth, took several contested marks around the ground, while Pond showed great courage, throwing his body into danger, ultimately producing a turnover and a goal for the Swans as the half came to a close.
Inspired by their compatriots’ commitment, the Swans persisted in the second half and continued their attack at each and every contest. Jake Plunkett-Latimer was a force across the backline, along with Alec Campbell and Mike Kozlowski, the trio combatted the attack from their much-experienced opponents. In his début, Tyler MacLellan proved a valuable asset on the day, helping to generate forward pressure, resulting in the Swans’ second goal of the match.
As the game came to a close, the Hawks remained relentless in attacking the goals. Ottawa Coach, Chris MacLean, implored his team to run out the fourth and not let up. The effort and commitment to each other remained evident and wrung throughout the game, however, the Broadview side proved too great on the day, coming away easy victors. “The team worked tirelessly across the ground. Our goal kicking was a bit sub-par today and we didn’t capitalize on the forward pressure we did generate. We’ve improved every round and we expect to hit our stride with more hard work,” Captain Darren Roffey commented on the day.
The Swans return to the drawing board in advance of their clash with the Toronto Eagles next Saturday, 9th June at the Rideau Carleton Raceway, Ottawa at 2pm.
Ottawa Swans 2.5 (17) defeated by Broadview Hawks 18.9 (117).
Goals: Marc Magierowicz, Darren Roffey
Best: Mike Kozlowski, Darren Roffey, Paul McCosh, Alec Campbell, Jake Plunkett-Latimer
Last Modified on 05/06/2012 05:50