I looked at my football-scribing notepad, the one I use to put this epistle together. I have enough pages left for another 4 or 5 games. I hope I can use it to its full extent: two home and away games, and hopefully as many finals as we can find. You never know.
Our games against Old Carey should not have presented a problem. In reality, it’s the size of the victories for percentage purposes that matter, and the results from other games. The Two’s were 97-point winners and again, were OK. A full player list will tell the real story.
There’s an Italian heritage recipe to the inclusions. Curcio for his third game, Bombardieri on debut, and the important Lazzaro for his first game of the year. Lowrie also came in, probably went to Italy on his recent European jaunt. Ramshaw was to be an inclusion, but he was required by Carlton for an MCG clash on Sunday. A call up to their VFL side. Carlton have Italian connections as well you will recall.
Fittingly, Lazzaro snapped our first, and Lambert bombed one out of a centre bounce clearance. I observed at the time that Carey would have trouble scoring given our mean defence. I pondered whether our more mobile forward set up would trouble them. They immediately kicked one out of a scrimmage, we were a bit listless, a bit ill disciplined, and it was only a two-point margin at the first break, 15–13. The coach called for composure.
Bill Clayton opened the scoring, and Curcio kicked his first senior goal after strong tackling efforts. While they did kick a couple on the back of some carelessness down back, we started to dominate. Toohey and Ted Clayton were controlling the middle of the ground, Ligris setting us up beautifully from defence, and the forward area was multi pronged – Lambert, Hart, Lazzaro all goaled, Ted read brother Bill’s hands like a book for another. Green and Ellis were beacons in defence. Carey were annoyingly short in their method. 60–26 at half time.
Hogg and Kyroussis had been busy on the wings, Hart kicking a couple on receipt from both. Murder on the Berlin dance floor saw Lowrie convert, and while the game seemingly lacked full intensity, we continued to goal. The coach called for us to finish ruthlessly at the final huddle, after a needless VAFA melee cash collection just prior to the siren.
For large parts of the last, the heat had left the game, Carey’s final for the season as they contemplate C Grade next year. Hart and Lazzaro both registered their fourth goals, Big Bill bullocked another and a left foot snap from Hogg found the majors. 120–48 at the end.
The implications you ask? Fifth placed De La Salle came from behind to beat Willy, but they are still four points behind us on the ladder. Importantly, our percentage moved above theirs. We are therefore four points and a small percentage in front coming into the final round. (According to version 6 on the VAFA website) De La play top-placed Uni Blacks, we play second-placed Beaumaris. It’s in our hands to qualify for B Grade Senior Men’s finals for the first time.
Supporters will remember the value of crowd support when we defeated Beaumaris in the last game of 2019, avoiding relegation. Let’s repeat the dose next Saturday, down bayside way, for a significantly different purpose.
My note pad will be at the ready.
Guy Gorilla
