Blimey, it’s a long way to Caulfield. Lots of time to think about the game ahead: Will the museum-grade gear hold together? Will the knees hold together? Will I be walking on Sunday? Can I get the “Player Mode” switch in my head to work? That switch is so maddeningly hit-or-miss, these days. Can we ever get that man-up play to work….?
The Warhawks arrived in sunshine and we were treated to pleasant weather all day. However, the sun was going to be no friend to the goalies at the southern end of the field. The ground was in very good order. Even the cricket pitch was OK.
Bendigo took the field with a full side of 16, welcoming Hayden Baker into the side for his first game with us. Caulfield had 13 to start and with their other sides committed to difficult matches elsewhere, we looked forward to an even match.
The first quarter was very even with possession changing frequently. The Warhawks were not settled in attack and though there we some good attempts to score, they lost the ball to turnovers through poor stick skills way too often. The Warhawk defence benefitted from a good practice session during the week and it was obvious that middies were better organised. However, the turnovers in attack gave Caulfield many chances to score on fast breaks, and they were able to get 2 on the scoresheet for the quarter, while Bendigo found the net only once through Angus Angiolella with a nice solo drive on goal.
The second term was better for the Warhawks, with more structure to the attack, but still little reward for effort showing on the scoreboard. Alex Orr scored a good fighting goal, while Caulfield opened up their lead with two more goals for the quarter to be up 4 to 2 at half time. In the first half, the Warhawk centres were doing really well winning the draw often, but the middies had trouble following up with clean possession and Caulfield did it better on the whole. There were occasions where possession was not called for half a minute with no-one able to secure the ball. At half time break, a firm reminder about using TWO HANDS on sticks to pick up contested balls was made. I tried not to swear.
In the third quarter, the Warhawks began to lift. The attack began to look more dangerous and the ball moved better. Will Kenny scored a good goal from a nice feed, Alex Orr added to his total in emphatic style and Angus Angiolella, who had asked me at half time to tell him off if I saw him take on the entire defence again, took on the entire defence and managed to get off a shot that beat the goalie. I couldn’t really tell him off, as it was pretty to watch.
Caulfield managed three for the quarter as well, but the Warhawk defence was starting to push the attack further out and limiting them to longer shots, which Gino Iuliano tended with his usual sure elegance. The Bendigo defence also limited the Caulfield attack’s ball movement by putting more pressure on a key Caulfield forward who, though he was an imposing size, tended to drop the ball when checked and this was exploited to advantage, leading to more turnovers by the Warhawks.
We went to the last quarter down 7 to 5. The Warhawk attack now had more and better use of the ball. Despite Caulfield’s obvious attempt to slow things down in their attack and run the clock down, the Bendigo defence managed to pressure them into turnovers and Bendigo attack set up much better and looked more dangerous. Angus Angiolella scored two quick goals from big long shots out the front, after good passing moved the defence to protect the left side, where the sun was horribly in the eyes of the Caulfield goalie. Caulfield managed one more goal to keep the Warhawks down by one. Then a minute penalty gave the Warhawks a chance at a draw, and Angus slotted one more to level the score. Shortly after, Alex put in the winning shot from another great passage of play and a neat pass from Angus. We’d snatched the game 9-8.
Well done everyone. I couldn’t have stood to lose this one and everyone lifted when it was needed. Votes were awarded to Angus Angiolella (3 Association votes and 3 Club for his great endeavour all around the ground, Ty Griffin was given one Association vote and 2 club votes for a gutsy day in defence, keeping the Caulfield teenagers at bay with intimidating presence, but measured checking (for the most part) and James Dawson picked up a Club vote, evidently catching the refs’ eyes with his willingness to run and fight to exhaustion.
Next week we get a break (Wall! Find a wall!), then take on the might of Footscray at Footscray. Let’s get to training, practice the moves and see what we can do.
One last thing, it might be interesting (or really alarming) for the younger chaps to have the thought process of the older forward laid out in point form, as he lined up late in the game for a shot on goal. It occurs at roughly the same speed that you can read it:
- Pass ball to Angus to maximise chance that I can get it back when I want it.
- Move to right so that sun is at my back.
- Wait for Angus to shrug a check and lure away other defender.
- Call for ball.
- Catch ball (Yes!)
- Slight panic at pace of approaching backman, dispense with planned extra step.
- Shoot low from high up to ensure goalie is blinded.
- Hit goalie on foot and watch rebounding ball disappear up-field with Caulfield 16 year old.
- Consider giving chase.
- Reconsider and adjust stick with frown and mutter “Bugger!”
Senior Player, John Webb
Last Modified on 06/06/2017 08:00