Last Saturday, the Warhawks hosted Malvern at Maiden Gully ground. A gloomy and overcast day greeted arriving players, and at the toss of the coin, sun position had no bearing on chosen end.
Bendigo defence had key omissions with Ty and Dion Griffin unable to play and Mark Reader injured and coaching from the bench. So Marty Boyle and Jarrod Topp-Lowe and middie convert, Mason Matheson made up the backline with Gino Iuliano barking orders from the cage. Bendigo began with 13 players, Malvern with 12
Malvern jumped the Warhawks, getting two quick goals before Bendigo could react, but the backline soon organised and slowed the scoring rate . However, the Malvern side were very skilful and their ball movement and player movement in attack was almost flawless and they put on 4 goals for the quarter. Up the other end, the Warhawk attack looked very lively and there was good ball movement and they were able to put in one goal when Alex Orr came around on the right from behind and sent an accurate pass to John Webb who slotted the goal. We went to the break 4 -1.
The second quarter had Malvern winning and maintaining much of the possession and attacking steadily and in a well-organised way, but the Warhawk defence was able to limit the scoring through good set up and talk and the excellent saving work of Gino. The Warhawks were able to get possession fairly often but shots went wide or were stopped. Ian Lock got one nice goal on the crease from an Alex Orr assist after some slick movement. Malvern threw 5 for the quarter. At half time the score was 9 -2.
The last half, Bendigo couldn’t find the back of the net, despite some really good shots and great endeavour and fighting by middies to keep the ball with Bendigo. Malvern were able to net 7 more for the half and ran out winners, 16 to 2.
I think Bendigo played a good game and were simply outclassed. Malvern had some former stars in their side, including Ex-Australian Brad Skepper, whose accurate passing from defence to a leading forward almost prompted me to applaud at one point. Seven out of 12 Malvern players got on the scoresheet with goals or assists or both. This time of year, the big clubs begin to position for finals, and part of that is to settle on their best team to win a grand final and to then beat single-team clubs like ours by as much as possible to ensure a good percentage. In the mean time, injuries take their toll for us and with no other senior teams or juniors to supplement our numbers, we can only do what we can do. But I still maintain that last Saturday was a good fighting effort by the Warhawks.
In a game where the Bendigo goal was under siege all day, goalie Gino Iuliano worked relentlessly all match and snagged the votes for the Warhawks, with 2 Association and 3 club votes. Vince Fitzpatrick was awarded two well-earned club votes and Rordan Brayshaw one, after a tireless effort on the midfield and heaps of ticker. Well done lads.
Next game is on the 11th of July and we play Caulfield at Caulfield Park.
John Webb
Last Modified on 05/07/2015 17:37