Men’s Division 3, Chadstone vs Bendigo at Chadstone, 17/8/19
Last home and away game for the year, with a long shot at a finals berth at stake. Altona would have to lose, Uni would have to lose, Surrey had already given a walkover that morning so they were now out of the way. However, we also had to win this game.
Chadstone hadn’t won a game all season, but we needed to be anything but complacent, especially with the possibility that it might all come down to percentage …
Conditions were sunny and pleasant, though the ground at Chaddy had some bad muddy spots in high traffic areas. The Warhawks arrived with 15 players, with Mason Matheson the only regular player out for the day. We were also bolstered by the return of Paul Iuliano. Chadstone began short-handed with 9, but had late arrivals get them up to 12.
I think I can dispense with a quarter-by-quarter style of report as Chadstone were shut-out entirely for the day. The Warhawk defence held the Chadstone attack at bay magnificently and Gino Iuliano mopped up any shots that came his way. To their credit, the Chaddy middies were quite sharp with any loose balls and they had a reasonable share of the ball, but just never really looked dangerous or organised in attack.
Bendigo, on the other hand, had almost overtaken their highest score on record going into the third quarter. with the scoring being 9 in the first, 4 in the second, 7 in the third and 7 more in the last and a final tally of 27-0, which will now stand as our best ever score. Hopefully not for long.
Nine players were involved in scoring on the scoresheet, which is fantastic and made the team extremely difficult to play against. The powerhouse shooters were Alex Orr and Paul Iuliano, who got nine each, scoring with exactly the same quarterly tally: Q1: 3, Q2: 1, Q3: 2, Q4:3. The rest of the team worked well off the ball, making room and setting up and feeding and the other nine goals came from four other players with Ian Lock and Mark Reader shooting three each, Russell Crofts slotting two and Brett Ruiz one. The assist tally is also telling of great teamwork, with John Webb getting three, Mark Reader two, and Christian Iuliano, Ian Lock, Russell Crofts and Matt Saxon all getting one each.
A fantastic effort from everyone and there was never a lapse. The things we work on came off well this game, like ensuring that someone works behind the goal and backs up shots, moving for passes and cutting to create space and not rushing or taking rash shots. It all went well.
Votes went to Alex Orr (3 Association and 3 club votes) for his great day of scoring and tireless work in the middy. Tim Davis had a blinder (2 Association votes and 2 club votes) as a defensive middy, creating turnovers and shutting down Chaddy scoring opportunities. Mike Bell (1 Association and 1 club vote) did the same in defence and both he and Tim arrived often in our attack to deliver the ball to hungry forwards.
I’m going to bet that this might be the first game where Bendigo have ever monopolised the votes.
I immediately messaged Uni to ask how they’d gone. Sadly for our finals hopes, I was told that they’d beaten Camberwell 8-4, and I was also told that Altona had crushed Caulfield 35-1. So it was over, with the Warhawks ending the season a respectable 6th on the ladder out of 10. Happily we sit above Surrey Park (who I’m still dirty on for using State League players to thrash us and knock us out of the four earlier in the year).
A great way to finish a season that really saw us take our game up a level. We are now comfortably a middle-of-the-ladder team and a contender for finals in coming years.
John Webb, Senior player
Women’s B grade Footscray v Bendigo/MCC. 18/8/19
Bendigo/MCC convincingly defeated Footscray 17 to 6. Bendigo ladies featured in the scoring with Abbey scoring 2 goals and an assist, while Morgan scored a nice individual goal. Ruby fought hard for ground balls, and Jessica was solid in the midfield and defence with some great stick checking.
Abbey was amongst the votes with 3 club and 3 Association. Well done!
A great game to finish the season.
Last Modified on 20/08/2019 16:48