Monash Blues Firsts Triumph – by Thirteen POINTS – in a heart-stopping, nail biting thriller against NOBS/St Pat’s In the first quarter Blues ahead five goals to one; NOBS challenged in Second Quarter and scores almost even at half-time (NOBS bottom team); Coach, Hayden, pulled out ‘all the stops’ and only in the last quarter the Blues heroes came good with vigorous scoring to take the game led by Captain, Sam Baring. Meanwhile, the Reserves had an eleven goal victory against NOBS and re-ignited their season (18-12 to 7 – 11); Coaches Muncha, Coaster and Murch ecstatic. Best players included Matt Hunt and Jarrod Samuels of the “Ormond Four”; Hayden de Vanney, the Nhill hero, Jack Gallagher about to mentor, friend, Tim McKenzie in Europe and Harry Stephenson who kicked five goals and Tom Ruddell … and in the Unders, we were defeated in two points also in a desperate last quarter. Altogether though, it was a strong day for the Club in brilliant winter sunshine which helped to turn out large numbers of parents and friends. In the desperate last quarter of the Firsts Game, as the team ‘dug deep’, they were aided by the catatonic, umpire-terrifying, roars of Club President, Adam, urging his team on. Andrew McGregor, Emeritus Club President present in support. At Half-Time, Coach Hayden praised awesome, mid-fielder, TMac and ‘one other’ – possibly the defensive brilliance of Earl Ree-Goodings (who with Tim Berenyi of the Unders has placed Mansfield on the map) However, every man played his part: Goals in the Firsts went to men like James Taylor (Gareth unavailable with the ‘flu) two goals; Ben Arnberg one? two goals?; Matt McCart one; Ryan Phillips, one and Joe Cosgriff two goals. On the Firsts best players ‘we’ await an official list in the Herald-Sun (say) … but altogether parents had reason to be proud of their sons. The Monash Blues have a FACEBOOK PAGE and the writer tries to get this REPORT on to the FACEBOOK PAGE a.s.a.p. and if by accident you don’t receive a personal email, the REPORT should be on the Monash Blues FACEBOOK Page Next Week at the Oakleigh Firsts and Ressies Game (Away), Firsts regular, Tim Powell plays his 100th game with the Monash Blues. Tim is an Engineer (Graduate), a quiet achiever (from Scotch in his younger days – like the Duffy brothers, Tom and James) and Tim’s 100th Game is a significant milestone! Noticed Firsts man, Andy Young, eating bananas before the big game. Bananas, as energy food were popularised by (Dr) Dujon Fuzzard of Firsts fame for years. Dujon hailed from Bendigo, Girton College and young Med student, Jake Wilson (Unders) also from Bendigo-Girton College is a worthy successor to Dujon who is at the Royal Melbourne . In the Firsts Victory, the Back lines stood tall – the “Flanagan line” – well-named in my view because Ewan has been a high-marking strongman with the Blues for years but with Zac and Callum and Tim and the famous Earl this year In the RESSIES, our dominance came later in the Game but before Half-Time, Harry had five goals in a personal best for 2013 with Jarrod and Jack G. and Alex Armstrong picking up goals too … Coach, Shane, had a few straight words at Half-Time. The few harsh words had effect and we kicked an avalanche of goals in the second half to run out big winners. With some men going overseas in the University vacation, “we” welcomed Clubbies strongmen, James Hertan, Jason Henry and Jules Bouchier from the Clubbies into the Unders. No sign of our five medicos – the winter ills and chills for the patients have them anchored in their hospitals . Everyone should be thrilled that some Blues men are returning to the teams after injury or being o/s: James Duffy is in training (after six months in France); Paul Tweedly is around with a relatively minor injury; Dr. Sam Walsh may be available for next week, the famous Pat Bryce is due to play with the Unders next week as he eases back into the Firsts; Ryan Smith played with the Unders yesterday also getting back into gear after an absence; George Smythe is a strong character and won’t be out for long, Gareth was unavailable with the ‘flu but should be back for next week and (Im told) that Azzi Williams is back from o/s and soon to be back in training … Sticks is going o/s but due back in early August and will be missed by parents, brother and “Chewy” even with five weeks away. (It’s easy to see Alex keeping fit in London by jogging down the Mall to the Palace, sharing a pleasantry with Prince Andrew, then around into Birdcage Walk and drawing admiring looks from the ladies parading their finery on the summer days in the Royal Parks!) In the Ressies Game, a ‘blast from the past’, John Bolton who played 1997 – 2005 and was a key player in the Reserves in their Grand Final victory in 2002 – John ran the boundary in the new Club policy that key leaders from the past do the Reserves boundary duties each week. John runs a Construction Company – Valley Steel in Melbourne . In the Unders, Ryan Smith (“Rhino”) played well back from an injury … Ryan is a Mannixman from Ballarat and Clarendon College . We lost 65 points to 63. Goals were wildly shared: Tim Berenyi, Lance Hammond, Tom Duffy, Jake Bartells all got among the goals. … among the Best were Cal Oppy, Jake Wilson, Tom Duffy, Tim Berenyi and Nick Schade who is becoming a full-back in the Sam Baring tradition. What has popular Unders Player, Cam Davey got in common with Captain, Sam Baring and the Blues answer to Buddy Franklin, Joe Cosgriff? Answer: Cam, Sam and Joe attended Xavier College in their younger days! … so to Oakleigh for next week!
Posted on: Sun, 23 Jun 2013 22:00:46 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015