Link to Sporting Pulse Report

 

Caulfield   14.17.101     Defeated     Old Camberwell   12.11.83

 

After a week of cold, wintry weather it was a pleasant surprise to arrive at Old Camberwell’s home ground, Gordon Barnard Reserve and see the ground in very good condition apart from the turf wicket area in the middle. The accompanying sunshine made it quite pleasant as the Reserves ran out with a number of changes but again with a very solid line-up. Some wasteful shooting for goal saw the scoreboard reading 3.10 to zero at quarter time, improvement in the second term 9.13 to 1.1 and by the end of the game 20.17 to 3.1; a really good result. Conor Wilson was a great target up forward and his kicking style equally impressive. Tom Rothel continues to look very much at home up forward and big Sam McDonald again the dominant big-man. Nick Tonkin got plenty of the ball after his sabbatical and Lachy Holmes had the ball on a string whenever the opposition entered their forward half. Tom Stewart, Damian Hay and Alister Burge all had their share and overall, it was another impressive performance by Andy and Luke’s boys.

The main game also started in brilliant sunshine with many of us overly kitted out for winter and Ryan Haris, back in the team after missing the previous round, obtained the first centre clearance albeit with a kick off the ground. Brett Sinclair featured with an early touch and Tom Green, Tom Small and Nick Silver worked together to send it deep forward and Louis O’Keefe got the first score of the game with a ‘poster’. Camberwell’s first real attack was held up by a Jordan Stewart mark at half back and he repeated the save a minute later. A nice passage ensued with accurate passing around the wing involving Harrison Mills, Tom Small and Tim Nixon; Louis O’Keefe on the end of it but only produced a behind from a sharp angle. Nick Silvestro laid a great tackle and Finn McEvoy out-marked two opponents. Louis was involved again and Will Osborn scored a behind. Camberwell cleared but the ball was returned to our attacking zone. Tim Nixon took a gutsy mark, hit Brett Sinclair up on the lead and Brett’s goal was the first for the match six and a half minutes from the start of the game.

It became obvious to all and sundry that a few of the Camberwell speedsters were more than making a nuisance of themselves and one of their slight but super quick lads provided them with the answering goal within a minute. It became more obvious that we would have to tighten up as Camberwell’s runners were becoming noticeably ‘slippery’ and our defence became under constant pressure and fumbled a few times although the cost wasn’t maximised. Our concerns on the outer side became reality when Camberwell scored two goals in as many minutes and our defence was under real pressure, not helped by our lack of bite through the middle of the ground. We were hanging in there and Jesse Toniolo kicked a behind but there were too many turn-overs. When Dan Meddings missed a tackle, he immediately placed a smother, hopefully a sign that everyone would care enough to provide extra effort to make up for mistakes. Unfortunately Camberwell made it three unanswered goals in a row with their experienced big man controlling the ruck and providing an ‘armchair’ ride and with their set shot splitting the middle. I was concerned that there was little adjustment to Camberwell’s rucking dominance by our on-ballers who simply had to tighten up. Fortunately our defence was sound under pressure otherwise the scoreline could have been more concerning and Joe McLelland and Jackson Small were impressive. It was ‘Jacko’ who cleared again and Greeny made the most of the opportunity with a long kick to Brett Sinclair, onto Tim Nixon and to Jesse Toniolo who converted just short of the 24 minute mark.  Louis was now in the ruck, competing vigorously as usual and the tide started to turn when he went back to full forward, marked on the lead and kicked our third goal. Another good passage of play eventuated with Tom Green, ‘Millsy’ and ‘Ossie’ combining. Immediately following a great smother by ‘Nico, Dan Meddings kicked truly on the angle and we were in front by the narrowest of margins. When Camberwell surged forward again, Dom O’Keefe and Sean Stewart held them up and fortunately their big gun missed a shot on the siren. Although we had not been at our best, we led at the break 4.3 to 4.2.

I reckoned we needed to concentrate more and not ‘ball watch’ in defence which was a tendency in the first quarter. Although we won the first centre clearance, as the second quarter got under way we turned it over at half forward. Tim Nixon then made up for the error with a pass to Brett Sinclair but he was too far out to score. After a stoppage, Tom Green made the most of his opportunity and goaled inside of two minutes to provide a little breathing space. Importantly Greeny made the most of the chance from a stoppage.

Camberwell missed an opportunity to convert after their quick movement forward and as usual Dom O’Keefe was working hard to contain his opponent but he had good back-up from Jackson Small and Joe McLelland. Nixon to Toniolo to Tom Small was smart football but only a behind resulted and Camberwell took the ball from their last line to half forward with only one kick and lots of supporting handball. Their spread was impressive at this time. Shortly after Camberwell attacked again, their pace around the ball and their teamwork again impressive, in fact they seemed to do it too easily and their resultant goal gave them the lead. They had been threatening throughout the second term and kicked the next goal to create some concerns for our coaches. Osborn to Simic only produced a behind but Dan Meddings fought hard and created an opportunity for Jesse Toniolo who disposed efficiently and Louis capped it off with his second major. Jordy Stewart’s judgment of the ball in the air is usually good and this was no exception when he again took a contested mark at half back. A Nixon/Gallop combination could have started another surge forward but the costly turnover that followed presented Camberwell with an opportunity and they made no mistake. It was Joey to the fore a few minutes later as he set it up to Louis who kicked his second for the quarter, well into time-on. Just when we looked like adding to the tally of goals, Sean Stewart’s delivery to Louis only gained another behind on the siren and we went to the half time break 3 points up, 7.8 to 7.5 but with some concerns and some re-arranging to do one thought.

Camberwell jumped out of the blocks with an excellent goal from an acute angle and for a few minutes ran riot before Greeny and then Tom Small worked hard and Tommy’s second effort got it to our goal square and Louis converted. For the next five minutes or so we looked pretty ordinary with turn-overs and Camberwell made the most of it with the next goal to maintain the pressure. Quite a few of our boys were not having their best of days and we missed some more goal opportunities with poor shots on goal and three consecutive behinds. Invariably, when we seemed to be getting a ‘run-on’ a kick would be ‘murdered’ and Camberwell pounced frequently on our mistakes. More behinds were forthcoming from Damo Simic and Ryan Harris and our handball was poor at this stage. Fortunately the defence was holding firm and Sean Stewart was battling hard against a quality ruckman, Sean receiving some relief from Louis. Brett Sinclair was working in the back half and took a saving mark followed by our best piece of play for the day (as called by Mike O’Keefe) involving Greeny, Nico, Brett, Jesse T and Tom Small, Damo Simic finishing it off with a major 10 minutes into the quarter. It then became a ‘slugging’ type of contest for almost 13 minutes of goalless play but a great bit of work by Louis in the ruck was followed up by Charlie Logan who located Tom Small for a ‘captains goal’ to again take the lead. Unfortunately we tended to ‘doze off’ and Camberwell provided the answering goal to level the score. Their on-ballers, who were receiving an armchair ride from their ‘giant’, were creating problems for us, especially when they levelled the scores again with a goal just into time-on. As the three quarter time siren was about to blow, some more good work from ‘Meddo’ on the wing created an opportunity and Louis responded with a pass to Greeny for our 11^th goal and the lead by 6 points at the final break. The game certainly looked as is it would go down to the wire.

The final quarter began with a few breaks going our way such as out of bounds on the full and a couple of free kicks but for some unaccountable reason we seemed to favour kicking directly to the vicinity where their big man embraced each opportunity overhead with his great hands. We were also not working hard enough to shut down the opposition on-ballers. Sure enough, the first goal of the quarter was scored by Camberwell three minutes in from a set shot and we needed a lift. We had to be stronger around the packs and needed to redress the point of difference, their numbers 4 and 39! For a time we were going forward often enough but were held up each time by Camberwell’s stout defence at half back. Greeny missed a shot on the run and the sheer pressure of the ball being held in Camberwell’s half gave them another chance and they took it with a kick off the ground for 6 points. We did look leg weary but with the pressure mounting managed to get forward often enough to register a number of behinds, with some strong individual efforts. Joe copped an awful decision on the wing but a Dom O’K tackle held Camberwell up and we worked it forward again, this time it was Louis’ turn to boot one off the deck and we were back to 4 points up! All of a sudden the ability around the footy lifted and our boys stood tough, led by some good movement – Jordy to Joe and Meddo powering his way through created an opportunity and Jesse T made no mistake at the 18 minute mark. Another effort from Tom Small and Ossie ran into an open goal to take us 16 points up and our biggest lead for the game. It was pretty much over at this stage and the challenge had been answered. The final 10 minutes saw more coordination and some strong individual efforts – Nico bursting out of the centre, Jordy charging through the muddy middle, Ryan Harris working hard on the last line, Tom Small really hard at it, Sean Stewart, who had battled heroically all day marking at CHB and defiance throughout. We had two more shots on goal, both for behinds and in the dying moments, Jackson Small took a great mark topping off a good day for him. Final Score 14.17 to 12.11 and a good victory against stoic opposition.

I liked the response when we were under real pressure and there was a number of occasions where players, who hadn’t had a really good day, had a good moment at critical times and they would know who they are. Some excellent efforts by both experienced and inexperienced players at various times and plenty of ammunition for Simon and his staff, especially with the big one coming up against Mazenod.

Goals – L O’Keefe 5, Toniolo 2, Green 2, Sinclair, Meddings, Simic, T Small, Osborn

Better players (in no particular order) – J Stewart, T Small, McLelland, Meddings, Nixon, Green, S Stewart, L O’Keefe, J Small

Great to hear the Thirds got over the line against the top team and although the U19’s went down, it was against the top team and the 19’s are heading to another finals’ series. 

Go Fields!