Division 3 Bendigo vs Williamstown at Maiden Gully 2/6/18.
There’s always been something about the mood in the car when you’re driving to a game against Willy. It’s knowing that the Williamstown club will almost always put up a side that’s been carefully picked to beat yours without too much issue and that they’ll do it with that maddening, cheerful exuberance and the skillful confidence of an outfit that expects to win and usually does. Everyone has their nicknames, and they all shout excitedly when their new boy gets a goal, or one of their old guys snags his fifth for the day (“Let someone else have a go, Brownie!”). Even if a team mate does something dumb, they all just have a laugh and make fun of him.
But when you’re in opposition to Willy, it definitely feels like you’re not part of the fun. You’re not supposed to be. Like the mouse that the cat keeps alive, just to play with it for a while. If you start to get up off the mat and put up a fight, there’ll be a foot put on your back and a few heavy blows to keep you down. Part of me grudgingly admires the way the Willy club plays and part of me dreads it too. And always has.
Earlier in the week, a quick check of a fixture told me that the Willy State League team had a bye, but despite that, there was a vain hope that maybe a trip out the to the provinces might put off a few Willy players and they’d be short handed. That hope was soon dashed as I arrived at the ground on Saturday arvo and there were 15 cheery lads in blue and gold warming up in bright sunshine. Sigh. How do we switch on for this…?
With the arrival of a couple of tardy Warhawks, there were 13 lined up and so it began. I reckon I can spare you a quarter by quarter commentary on a Willy highlights reel and instead, skip straight to some Bendigo high points. While Williamstown were simply a better side than Bendigo, they will have been disappointed by their last quarter and by Bendigo’s trademark ability to stem bleeding. The Williamstown score line went: 5 in the first, 4 in the second, and 5 in the third. Bendigo were only able to inconvenience the scorers once in first three terms, when Ian Lock took the ball at the restraining line and charged the Willy backline to finish with an impressive goal. Bendigo probably could have been forgiven if they’d dropped their bundle at 14-1 with a quarter to play, but they didn’t do that. Instead, the Warhawks lifted and the play in the forward line became MUCH better and there was some admirable team play: lots of shots, near misses and great backing up. They managed one goal for the quarter, when Ian Lock whipped a nice pass out to John Webb on the right, who found a gap in the goal above the goalie’s head. At the other end of the ground, The Bendigo defence refused to lie down and Willy found themselves unable to partake of the wished-for goal fest, and were kept to just 2 for the quarter. So the game finished with the score on 16-2 and some Warhawk pride restored.
Votes went to Alex Orr (3 club and 2 Association) for remaining switched on and fighting to the end, despite many assaults on goal going unrewarded. Mike Bell got 2 club votes for being able to beat off determined Willy forwards and keep the ball coming up to the Bendigo end of the ground. Lastly, Gino Iuliano got a club vote for withstanding the barrage in goal and keeping out many shots, and also for a great period in the backline, when late in the game, he needed to have a break from being the object of Williamstown target practice and swapped out of goal to give the Willy forwards some stick.
Thanks again to Lester Young for reffing, and to Tracey O’Meara for scoring and keeping quartered oranges up to us. It doesn’t go un-noticed.
We get a break with a bye next weekend, and then a trek out to Eltham the week after. It’s not going to be easy; Eltham have a bye in State League that day, so keep up the fitness, get in some wall practice, get to training and let’s see how we go. We’ll be playing for the Webb Family Cup that week, and I really would like to get it back sometime before I retire…
Around the grounds…
Last weekend, Warhawk junior boys played in matches for other clubs:
Brunswick U17s benefitted from the Will Kenny influence to the tune of both their goals in an 11-2 loss to Altona.
Over at the U13s, Christian Iuliano contributed half the score to Brunswick and Matt Saxon an assist, in an 11-2 loss to Malvern/Caulfield.
Well done lads!
On Sunday, two Warhawk girls, Morgan O’Meara and Ruby McEvoy played for MCC, who were outnumbered by top-of-the-ladder team Newport 15 to 11, but still managed a reasonable total, losing 4-12. Not a bad effort, considering 5 of the Bendigo girls were out with illness or studying for exams.
John Webb
Senior Player
Last Modified on 04/06/2018 19:45