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Caulfield   11.12.78     Defeated     Kew   7.11.53

Radar Report Round 14

The triple header at Glenhuntly Park did not start as well as one would have hoped when the U19’s went down to Fitzroy 7.8 to 8.8 and in losing allows Fitzroy to sit only 4 points and less than 1% behind our fourth position. I must  say Fitzroy looked the better side for most of the action I saw and simply handled the ball better at ground level. Our lads will surely react to this loss and focus on next week’s game.

When the Reserves started with quite a few changes to their line-up I was not sure what to make of the high jumper numbers on the majority of the Kew interchange players – nos. 86, 96, 97! Did this convey a huge list for the club or were they calling on their Reserves’ reserves? When the game got under way Woody kicked an early goal, then a 2^nd, then a 3^rd inside of 12 minutes of play and it could well be Sammy’s day! As it turned out Kew proceeded to let us know they were up for the contest and although ‘slamming Sammy’ had kicked his 4^th by half time, Kew were ahead and a rev up in the rooms was on the cards at the main break. Whatever was said we kicked 4.5 to 2 behinds in the third quarter to take back the lead and Woody was up to 5 goals. Kew were goalless in the final quarter while we kicked another 5 goals (Woody up to 6 majors and a hand in a couple of others) – final score 15.10 to 8.9. Good to see Jerome Stewart back from O/S and kicked a beauty to the far end and Sam Banfield back out on the field of play. I liked Conor M/F’s game and Ando up back continues to impress as a player of the future. And big Sam Mac again got his hand to almost every ruck contest he was in. Darryl Price asked me to ask his son if we do any set ruck work at training ‘cos Sam dominates consistently and yet we don’t appear to take as much advantage as we should from the contests! You ask him Darryl and let me know! The Ressies are purring along at present and as long as they don’t get too far ahead of themselves (they were a bit slack in the first half), we have high expectations of their season.

Have to mention the Thirds with another huge win and Bowesey’s boys are going along nicely at the top of the tree.

The main game was not to be taken lightly as Kew were making a run for finals’ participation with some good form of late. There were a number of changes to our line-up but a couple of boys proved their fitness and gained the necessary clearance from the medics and the team was again well balanced on paper. The middle of the ground was sloppy but the centre circle was moved accommodate better opportunities for the players.

Kew were first out of the middle and it was clear Will Barker was being tagged, similarly to what Kew applied to Tim Nixon in their home game. Kew locked it in their forward zone for a couple of minutes but only scored a behind from a hurried snap. It was Barks who cleared from half back eventually and Tom Small found Brett Sinclair up forward with a quick delivery. We were unable to convert and as Kew cleared, Hugo Gates put in a big defensive punch to relieve the pressure. Neither team was all that efficient by foot and Barker to Harris by hand was better but Kew got the numbers back to stall our entry. The next entry was quick and Nick Tonkin ran on to the ball and scored the first goal of the match; 6 minutes of play completed. Kew were mainly looking for short options in an effort to chop us up but Dec Reilly, Dom O’Keefe and Tonks defended. The Kew ‘smalls’ were very busy but there was some strong tackling by CGFC to maintain control. Jackson Small was effervescent with his ability to leap and get a hand into the contest with a good spoil, Ryan Harris intercepted cleverly but we failed to clear sufficiently and Kew maintained their pressure. Both Barks and Ryan were busy as required but Kew locked the ball deep in the forward area for a time. When Dan Meddings cleared from his mark at halfback and kicked to Brett Sinclair it looked promising but Jesse Toniolo just failed to hang on to the mark and Kew cleared.  There was a bit of play from our half forward to their half forward before Tom Small had a snap; only a behind was registered. Young Jack Presnall in his first senior game for a while marked impressively but kicked into the man on the mark. Nick Silvestro was involved out on the wing in a forward surge but there were large numbers of players at the contest and we were less likely to get clear than Corey returning Wittsy’s shout at the bar! Kew ran it the length of the ground with their runners prominent but only scored a behind from the pocket. Gater and Jacko combined, Declan marking the clearing kick but a turnover occurred with Jacko making a good spoil again in the back half. As the minutes ticked by both teams had opportunities thwarted by either good play by defenders or sloppy delivery. Kew were using the space on the outer wind with their usual style of possession play and their pace looked threatening for a time. The kicking by both sides would have been frustrating for the respective coaches. Jordy Stewart and Harrison Mills held Kew in check and Barks and Sean Stewart combined well. As the siren sounded with only 1.2 to 0.2 on the board, I felt we would need to watch their play-on approach in the next quarter as they were intent on continual, quick movement with short kicks when necessary.

Early in the second quarter, Joe McLellan executed a desperate lunge to restrict what could have been an easy Kew goal. A minute later when we failed to clear long enough, Kew took the opportunity to record their first goal. It was proving difficult for both sides to penetrate the respective defences and there were plenty of ball-ups and boundary throw ins. I again liked Jackson Small’s presence up back and when Ryan Harris and Charlie Logan provided Declan with an opportunity; only a behind resulted. Will Osborn looked as though he was keen to continue his good form of late with some well judged marking and clearing play. For a time Kew were all over us and right in front of me we observed hardly any talk when appropriate communication was essential. Some excellence by Shaun Stewart, at ground level, then provided us with delight seeing the big fella’s continuing development emerge.  The packs continued to form and we were fortunate when Kew missed what should have been an easy goal. Just when scoring looked too difficult, Dan Meddings marked a kick-in, passed to Declan and onto Louis O’Keefe for our second goal for the game.

We went forward again with an Ossie kick off the ground but Kew also went forward only to be foiled by a brilliant spoil from ‘Jacko’ when under pressure. Kew continued to play on at all costs and at the 14 minute mark, received a free in front of goal and converted. Kew continued to attack frequently and after 19 minutes of play had been registered on the clock, their quick movement was rewarded. They marked in the pocket and kicked truly to take the lead. Kew attacked from the centre bounce but were thwarted by Dec Reilly marking in defence and providing Jordy Stewart with the chance to also control in the air. We were unable to lock it in our forward half as Kew attacked again and despite a good spoil by Nick Tonkin, Kew mopped up, their key forward marked over the top of Dom O’Keefe to make it four for the quarter. The remaining 9 minutes was hard fought with Kew always looking dangerous. When Domma and Gater both fell over we were lucky Kew only managed a behind. Brett Sinclair covered a lot of territory to mark the kick-in but Kew’s runners were up and about and returned it to our danger zone, but only for a point.  Again, Jackson Small marked in defence but the mistakes continued by the blue and whites, kicking out on the full and failing to get low enough at ground level. We did get forward again just before the half time siren when Jordy marked on the last line of defence and Louis O’Keefe, working hard, managed a behind. Half time – we trailed 2.4 to 4.7 in a game unable to enthuse with its overall skill display.

We started the third term in a better mood with Jack Presnall and Ryan Harris combining and Nick Silvestro took a terrific mark to cap off their efforts. Despite the better start Kew kicked a goal after two minutes play after our players fell over and Kew didn’t. Our replying goal came shortly after with Nick Tonkin passing to tom Small and Dec Reilly converting, a good reply. The ground was more slippery after heavy rain late in the second quarter and during the half time break. Then followed about 10 minutes of play with no goals and a solitary behind to us from a Jordan Stewart snap. When Kew kicked their 6^th goal after running into an unattended goal square, they appeared to have all the answers. Much of our handball had been careless, often by the receivers and we looked to be fading from the contest. ‘Meddo’, Finn and Jack Presnall combined in the back half but the ball was turned over again. Kew continued to look more secure with their ball movement but the 20 minute mark became a turning point when Charlie Logan exploded from the pack and on the run kicked a great goal at the 20 minute mark. It was a clear lift for the team. Kew did respond immediately to rush a behind and had another shot on goal but it went out on the full. Nick Silvestro got involved as the play hotted up and Charlie was in the thick of things again. He combined with Nick Tonkin and Brett marked under pressure. Jackson Small suddenly appeared within range and with a great snap kicked a goal to bring us closer and to add momentum. Charlie took the ball out of the middle, combined with ‘Silver’ and Declan kicked a behind from a mark. When Kew attacked again, Brett Sinclair was deep in defence and marked. Charlie in a really hot run of form combined with Barks and Tom small marked 35 out on the siren. Only a behind resulted but we had closed the gap to 7 points.

The final quarter started and we forced the ball, along the ground, to half forward but Kew received a free and kicked back to the wing. Kew received another free and repeated the clearance after our next entry. Kew received their third successive free after a Tonkin surge forward and they scored a behind. Dec Reilly and Tom Small held Kew up and transported forward again via Louis and Tonks. Gater was also in the thick of thing with a mark in the middle and after 7 minutes of the last quarter, Ossie’s long snap was shepherded through for a goal as our momentum gathered. Kew received another free in the middle and then one against Jacko but only a point was just reward. It was Jackson Small to Jordan to Declan to Louis as we attacked again but Kew marked deep in defence. Against the flow, Kew went forward again and goaled only to be countered minutes later when Meddo to Jordy and a mark to Ossie resulted in a huge goal from Will’s set shot. Barks got it out of the middle, Kew defended stoutly with the help of the boundary line. For ten minutes it was it was to and fro but Nick Tonkin and Declan combined and Dec’s kick allowed Jess T to compete and earn a free. Jesse went back and made no mistake and we were on top.

Finn McEvoy took a great mark in his comeback game, making up for giving a free away moments earlier. When the ball went forward again, Tommy Stewart gathered in the forward pocket, running in on an acute angle for a behind. Harrison Mills, who had been given a key role and who had done it well was also in the thick of things sending the ball forward and who else but Chas Logan who snapped truly on his left for our 9^th goal just into time on and I stated we couldn’t be beaten from here, based on momentum. I think it was Millsy who got it out of the middle next and Smally took the mark, a long way out. Realising he had missed a critical one right on three quarter time, Tommy went back and drilled it with a super kick; an expected captain’s goal. From here until the final siren it was all CGFC and Jack Presnall finished off the scoring for the quarter . We controlled the play for the next couple of minutes, Kew well aware the game was lost. Final score 11.12 to 7.11. Strong response after a poor first half.

Goals – Logan 2, Osborn 2, Tonkin, L O’Keefe, Reilly, J Small, Toniolo, T small, Presnall

Better players – (in no particular order) – Reilly, J Small, McLellan, Gates, J Stewart, Mills, Osborn, S Stewart, Logan, Tonkin 

Another good win and confirmation of the club’s position at the top of Winning Edge Club Championship.    

 Go Fields!