Mead
1 Sep 2002, 21:17
We did it.
It was a tough, tight, scrappy game, with, the advantage frequently seesawing between the two warring sides, but in the end we beat the umpires, thank goodness. (Their may have been some Kangaroos out there as well, I forget..)
Seriously, there had to be about four or five times where one team or the other got control, only to be overhauled minutes later. When we finally pulled clear in the last ten minutes of the final quarter, the sense of euphoria was just unbelievable. Peter Filandia should be kept well away from this team, because we are certainly not lacking in the testicular fortitude department. With the chips down, and the game in the balance, the whole team lifted it up a notch. So, deservedly, it's finals here we come!!
The Good: Maybe its the september euphoria hitting me here, but I can't help but feel there are quite a few players deserving of platitudes
First off- Ben Cousins. I've been a bit harsh on the EB in recent weeks, but in Manuka, he rebounded magnificently from a few flat weeks, doing everything a Captain should do, and more. He toiled all over the ground all day, and the link between him and Gardiner was unbelievable- seemed that every ruck knock would find Cousins' chest. Incredibly he lifted yet another notch in the final quarter, where there was barely a passage of play which he didn't figure in. For my mind, the thing which epitomised all thats good about his game happened about midway through the 4th, when we were in front by a single goal- Cousins, fighting his way clear of a pack, bouncing off a player, hitting the ground, finding the ball again and handballing it clear to an Eagle (who then kicked long to Wilson for a mark and goal!) The truly elite players in the league have the ability to step up and carry their team when it really matters, and Cousins did that today.
Incidentally, Gardiner also played what I felt was one of his best games of the season, dominating in the ruck, playing mobile, hard running footy, and (hallelujah) actually kicking reasonably accurately for a change. If its all the same, I'd prefer if we didn't trade him!
Next on the list, Cousins' midfield partner in crime, Dan-the-Man. Kerr was his usual self in the midfield, running till he dropped, getting at the bottom of every pack, getting scragged, and still getting the ball out. More to the point, he was also very damaging on the scoreboard- he kicked 4 goals including one superb snap across his body from 40m deep in the pocket.
Our forward line functioned pretty well, for a change. After a hectic week spent disciplining Dickie Taylor to try and get him back into form (incidentally, Taylor had a pretty good game) Phil Matera gave Makepeace a regularly towelling up, finishing with 6 goals. The nature of his opportunistic game means that some weeks, Fido is very quiet, and sometimes he is very active, depending on whether the ball drops his way. Gee its nice when he has days like today, though :)
Troy Wilson also had a barnstorming return to the big league, with 5 goals, as well as two excellent flyers, one falling back into a pack over Phil Matera, and one leaping clean over a Roo's shoulders to take a screamer. And Dermott still thinks he can't jump. Welcome back, Porno.
Others efforts of note were the ever dangerous Judd, a very poised performance by Hunter, a promising debut by MacDougall at CHF, and strong games from all three of the old farts, Jako courageously returning to play some of his best footy of the day after jarring his knee, Milli nailing down the FB position as per usual, and Peter Matera playing a superb game across the HB flank and in the midfield, proving that all three of these guys haven't lost their taste for finals footy. Bring on the Bombers!
The Bad: David Haynes blew what could be one of his last ever chances, with another timid performance, and (what really made me spit) missing a bread and butter shot on goal. As per usual his opponent on the HF flank tore him up on the rebound. Haynes and fellow flunkey Embley*might* get another season with the Eagles, but they've done nothing to deserve it.
I have a sense of acute deja vu when I say that Drew Banfield ruined what was otherwise a pretty good game from him with some appalling disposal, but aside from this, nearly everyone pulled their weight.
The Ugly: The whole game smacked of the AFL considering it a bit of an afterthought as far as the 'real' season went. It was played in front of a dinky little crowd at a dinky little ground in Manuka, and one with a freaking CRICKET PITCH smack bang in the middle of the ground. If the Roos come to perth next year, what say we tell them we're going to be playing the game on a gravel road outside kalgoorlie, as part of our community outreach program?
Incidentally, I was very very sad to see Cox go down early on with an ankle problem, partly because of what it could have done to our chances on the day, but also the chance that it will carry over to next week. Dean has been a big part of of our success this year, carrying a burden as the key ruckmen with a maturity beyond his years. He deserves finals footy as much as anyone on the team, and I hope he gets the chance this year.
The Umpiring was appalling, period, and seemed to go against us all day. If we had have lost this one, I would have been very very very bitter indeed.
Final entry in ugly- Mick Martyn, who is here because a.) he is ugly, and b.) he was downright dirty all day. I had to smile watching him try to physically intimidate Wilson by stroking his pecs (didn't know Micky swung that way!). The niggling continued all day, which was okay, because Wilson continued kicking goals on the old fart all day. Troy seemed more nonplussed than anything else by poor old senile Mick's attempts to beat up on a guy twice his size, and to his credit Wilson held his temper, which is lucky given that if he had have taken Mick seriously, Wilson would have made him into an ugly, bald, smear on the ground. Having said that, the two incidents where he stepped on Wilsons kicking foot after the mark, and later gave him a thump over the ear were both dirty, pure and simple.
Well, alls well that ends well, and now the real challenge begins!
It was a tough, tight, scrappy game, with, the advantage frequently seesawing between the two warring sides, but in the end we beat the umpires, thank goodness. (Their may have been some Kangaroos out there as well, I forget..)
Seriously, there had to be about four or five times where one team or the other got control, only to be overhauled minutes later. When we finally pulled clear in the last ten minutes of the final quarter, the sense of euphoria was just unbelievable. Peter Filandia should be kept well away from this team, because we are certainly not lacking in the testicular fortitude department. With the chips down, and the game in the balance, the whole team lifted it up a notch. So, deservedly, it's finals here we come!!
The Good: Maybe its the september euphoria hitting me here, but I can't help but feel there are quite a few players deserving of platitudes
First off- Ben Cousins. I've been a bit harsh on the EB in recent weeks, but in Manuka, he rebounded magnificently from a few flat weeks, doing everything a Captain should do, and more. He toiled all over the ground all day, and the link between him and Gardiner was unbelievable- seemed that every ruck knock would find Cousins' chest. Incredibly he lifted yet another notch in the final quarter, where there was barely a passage of play which he didn't figure in. For my mind, the thing which epitomised all thats good about his game happened about midway through the 4th, when we were in front by a single goal- Cousins, fighting his way clear of a pack, bouncing off a player, hitting the ground, finding the ball again and handballing it clear to an Eagle (who then kicked long to Wilson for a mark and goal!) The truly elite players in the league have the ability to step up and carry their team when it really matters, and Cousins did that today.
Incidentally, Gardiner also played what I felt was one of his best games of the season, dominating in the ruck, playing mobile, hard running footy, and (hallelujah) actually kicking reasonably accurately for a change. If its all the same, I'd prefer if we didn't trade him!
Next on the list, Cousins' midfield partner in crime, Dan-the-Man. Kerr was his usual self in the midfield, running till he dropped, getting at the bottom of every pack, getting scragged, and still getting the ball out. More to the point, he was also very damaging on the scoreboard- he kicked 4 goals including one superb snap across his body from 40m deep in the pocket.
Our forward line functioned pretty well, for a change. After a hectic week spent disciplining Dickie Taylor to try and get him back into form (incidentally, Taylor had a pretty good game) Phil Matera gave Makepeace a regularly towelling up, finishing with 6 goals. The nature of his opportunistic game means that some weeks, Fido is very quiet, and sometimes he is very active, depending on whether the ball drops his way. Gee its nice when he has days like today, though :)
Troy Wilson also had a barnstorming return to the big league, with 5 goals, as well as two excellent flyers, one falling back into a pack over Phil Matera, and one leaping clean over a Roo's shoulders to take a screamer. And Dermott still thinks he can't jump. Welcome back, Porno.
Others efforts of note were the ever dangerous Judd, a very poised performance by Hunter, a promising debut by MacDougall at CHF, and strong games from all three of the old farts, Jako courageously returning to play some of his best footy of the day after jarring his knee, Milli nailing down the FB position as per usual, and Peter Matera playing a superb game across the HB flank and in the midfield, proving that all three of these guys haven't lost their taste for finals footy. Bring on the Bombers!
The Bad: David Haynes blew what could be one of his last ever chances, with another timid performance, and (what really made me spit) missing a bread and butter shot on goal. As per usual his opponent on the HF flank tore him up on the rebound. Haynes and fellow flunkey Embley*might* get another season with the Eagles, but they've done nothing to deserve it.
I have a sense of acute deja vu when I say that Drew Banfield ruined what was otherwise a pretty good game from him with some appalling disposal, but aside from this, nearly everyone pulled their weight.
The Ugly: The whole game smacked of the AFL considering it a bit of an afterthought as far as the 'real' season went. It was played in front of a dinky little crowd at a dinky little ground in Manuka, and one with a freaking CRICKET PITCH smack bang in the middle of the ground. If the Roos come to perth next year, what say we tell them we're going to be playing the game on a gravel road outside kalgoorlie, as part of our community outreach program?
Incidentally, I was very very sad to see Cox go down early on with an ankle problem, partly because of what it could have done to our chances on the day, but also the chance that it will carry over to next week. Dean has been a big part of of our success this year, carrying a burden as the key ruckmen with a maturity beyond his years. He deserves finals footy as much as anyone on the team, and I hope he gets the chance this year.
The Umpiring was appalling, period, and seemed to go against us all day. If we had have lost this one, I would have been very very very bitter indeed.
Final entry in ugly- Mick Martyn, who is here because a.) he is ugly, and b.) he was downright dirty all day. I had to smile watching him try to physically intimidate Wilson by stroking his pecs (didn't know Micky swung that way!). The niggling continued all day, which was okay, because Wilson continued kicking goals on the old fart all day. Troy seemed more nonplussed than anything else by poor old senile Mick's attempts to beat up on a guy twice his size, and to his credit Wilson held his temper, which is lucky given that if he had have taken Mick seriously, Wilson would have made him into an ugly, bald, smear on the ground. Having said that, the two incidents where he stepped on Wilsons kicking foot after the mark, and later gave him a thump over the ear were both dirty, pure and simple.
Well, alls well that ends well, and now the real challenge begins!