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OCGFC 10.5.65 lost to AJAX 28.16.184
It is with a heavy heart that I write about the outcome of Saturday's Preliminary Final match against the all conquering Ajax at Trevor Barker Oval. For the second year in a row, our boys were belted off the park, albeit this season we had won a final & we were coming into the match in good form having won 7 games straight & Ajax having only won one match in the previous four weeks.
From the first bounce we were simply outclassed & I think it is fair to say that they had posted 3 goals into the wind before we had even touched the ball. Such was the mid field dominance that the backline which has been the cornerstone of our efforts this season were constantly under immense pressure & at the first break we found ourselves facing a 38 point deficit. The message could not haver been simpler, resist the pressure, be resilient to it & try to break down the lead in small bites. If it takes all afternoon to do it then so be it!
Unfortunately the Jackas were relentless in their approach to the ball & the opposition player with it & many of our players, who are naturally cool in a crisis were forced to make rushed decisions which resulted in the skill level falling away & the confidence levels eroded. The opposition pumped the ball into their goal square & scored a mammoth 7 goals 9 points & the "Inside 50" count hit 42X for the first half. What could the Wellers boys do? Again they were encouraged not to look at the scoreboard, & to focus on taking small wins. They kick a goal, we kick two. To the boys great credit , we did have a mini revival in the third quarter & we were able to snag 4 goals however the Jackas weren't going to be upstaged & they grabbed another 5 for themselves. By the start of the final quarter, key opposition players were being benched in order to have them rested for the "Big Show" the following weekend. Would this allow the Wellers to fight for pride & regain some yardage on their opponents? Unfortunately it wasn't to be & they somehow found the energy to boot another 8 goals to well & truly put us away. To add insult to injury, the final score was left on the ground's scoreboard post match for all to be reminded what had transpired during the afternoon.
There weren't too many Wellers who could seriously put their hand up for a pass mark on the report card. Certainly Greg Tolson, playing in a Back Pocket continually drove the ball forward only to see it rebound back into his space with "sauce on it"! Jordon Eade was busy around the packs & he finished the day with two valuable goals, Sam Killworth worked hard at CHF & took a number of strong contested marks. He finished the day with 1 goal 2 behinds from 4 shots on goal & we all certainly want to see him make better of these scoring opportunities next season. Roh Kapoor capped off a memorable season for the club by giving his absolute all to the cause, finishing the match with a muscle injury yet still being prepared to go down with a fight. Others to show a bit of fight in all the maelstrom were Robbie Deev & Jack Le Cerf . Goal Scorers were Jordan Eade, Warren Carlyle & Jackson Eade 2, Danny Desanctis, Ken Darby, Sam Killworth & Caine Hillier.
As Senior Coach, despite the disappointing outcome, I would certainly like to thank the boys for their mighty effort in getting to this game. Mid year, we were bottom two & looking distinctly like heading South to Division 1 next season. To the boys credit, they fought hard to get themselves out of the big hole that they had dug for themselves & were good enough to get to a point where Premier B was only 1 game away. Premature perhaps? After all we lost 5 more games during the season than our opponents, & whilst we matched them defensively score wise, they were at least a 5 goal better side than us going forward.
We now know what it takes to be a Grand Finalist. You have to be hard at the ball, first in & have clean skills. You need to be aggressive, but in a disciplined fashion. You need to be able to play to a plan & be disciplined enough to stick with it. You can't fumble in these matches because the opportunity will be lost. As a group, we will carry the memory of this loss into next season. It won't scar us, it will motivate us to be better as a group & as individuals.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Matty & his committee for their support of our efforts this season & also for the confidence that they displayed in us when things did not look great during the season. To all the coaches & support staff, I also want to say, on behalf of the playing group, a big thankyou for your efforts during the season. To everyone who has assisted putting on the show each week for the boys, we are all extremely greatful. I look forward to seeing as many as possible of you all at the Club Presentation afternoon at the Amora Hotel on Sunday 25th September, where we will be able to more effectively say thankyou & where we will celebrate the performances of those players deserving enough of winning one of the Club's prized awards.
Goal Kickers: J. Eade 2, W. CARLYLE 2, J. Eade 2, D. De Sanctis , K. Darby , S. Killworth , C. Hillier
Best Players: G. Tolson, R. Deev, J. Le Cerf, R. KAPOOR, S. Killworth, W. CARLYLE
Tim Killworth
Senior Coach
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PRESENTATION NIGHT
25th September 2011
4PM @ Amora Hotel Richmond
$40 per head
Players attendance is compulsory. Parents and supporters most welcome.
Please contact Steve Derry on 0422 573 400 or email secretary@ocgfc.com.au to RSVP so we can confirm numbers.
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