The Old Dark Navy's
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Another game, another loss .... and all that is left to do is gauge whether there were any more positives to come out of the game that might point to a real tilt at success in the 2003 season.
The Kangaroos had a place in the final 8 on the line while the Blues wanted to build on a courageous effort against Port the previous week. Wayne Brittain continues to fight for his job and tried to match wits with someone who if rumours were correct, is on the wish list to be the next Navy Blue hope, Denis Pagan. For the most part I have to say that Brittain made a pretty good fist of what he had to work with by employing a long kicking, lower mistake rate type of game while Pagan showed faith in a tried and true formula during the early stages.
Carlton had all the running early and capitalised with the first two goals to former Roo Corey McKernan. As has been the case all too frequently this year, the spirited attack on the contest waned slightly and the Roos slick hands enable them to pepper the goals albeit inaccurately, and the Blues found themselves trailing by 6 points at quarter time. Beaumont found plenty of space running from half back and leaving his man Byron Pickett behind, Corey McKernan enforced his presence early and Bret Thornton showed plenty of talent in the back half. Honourable mentions also to Ang Christou running across half back and starting in middle at centre bounces while Ian Prendergast also started full of enthusiasm and controlled aggression.
In the second quarter the break we all feared but probably knew would come came very swiftly. 5 goals in 8 minutes and therefore the last 7 goals saw the Roos out to a commanding 36 point lead. The rot for the quarter started with a Rocca mark and goal after Luke Livingston mistimed a defensive fist and missed altogether. The third Roos goal for the quarter to Byron Pickett came just seconds after Ryan Houlihan fumbled the ball inside the Blues attacking 50 and the Roos rebounded strongly. Scott Camporeale who ran with Shannon Grant most of the night found himself stuck deep in defence at one point and Blues fans were sweating on Brittain to rectify the situation. At the lowest point on the quarter a glimpse at the bench revealed a benched yet again Houlihan having a hearty laugh in the direction of a dazed Luke Livingston. Given the state of play at the time, the mind boggled as to what the joke could have been!
Fortunately for our sanity, the Blues found a new lease of life when Brittain released his bench players, Sporn, Eccles and Doering. Immediately the trio found themselves in the thick of a rejuvenated Blues outfit and with some vintage Camporeale class thrown in for good measure, the Blues fought back to within 17 points at the long break. Once again when there was excitement to be had Corey McKernan was in the thick of the action.
The half time siren had been the Blues enemy such was the momentum they had generated but in the early stages of the third quarter they appeared to have come out in the same manner. They couldn't make it count on the scoreboard though and another withering Roos burst, this time 5 goals in 6 minutes saw the Blues 47 points down and a humiliating defeat in the offering. Simon Fletcher sold Ian Prendergast into trouble and seconds later John Blakey goaled. Justin Murphy produced a period of ill discipline as only he can and Simpson put another nail in the Carlton coffin. Glen Archer had moved forward and given the understrength Blues defence something to think about while a gift angle from the umpire made a certainty of another Byron Pickett major. Some fine work from Camporeale, Franchina and a resurgent Andrew Eccles restored some faith for the Blues but still the three quarter time margin was 43 points.
The match was on a knife edge at the start of the last quarter. Either the Blues were going to show some pride and restrict the damage or the Roos were going to earn some much needed percentage before the finals arrived. When Porter marked in the middle of a terrible attempt to spoil from Merrington, Hotton and Livingston and promptly goaled the margin was just shy of the half ton. Sam Cranage sharked the ball and snapped a fantastic goal to give the fans something to shout about but Byron Pickett silenced them shortly after. The margin blew out to 51 points and the Blues had nothing to show for their efforts for all but a couple of Kangaroos purple patches. From that point on however the Roos failed to score while the Blues lifted again to show that they have the players if only they could find the four quarter concentration required to go the distance. Goals to Doering, Murphy, Houlihan, Hickmott and the ever present McKernan and the thoughts of a miracle comeback surfaced once more. From there on though, the game died as a spectacle as the Roos put numbers around the ball to protect their lead and the Blues couldn't find the spark to overcome them. Jimmy Plunkett missed an easy goal that might have kept the Blues alive and time wound down to record an 18th loss for the Blues in 2002 and another streak of 6 weeks without singing the club song. And as Big Jack squirmed in his seat besides former great Kenny Hunter, thoughts once again turned to the future events to come after two more games have played themselves out.
All in all another week down, yet another loss, the company of a relieved Roos supporting friend who drank all the beer while the long suffering Blues fan (myself) got to play designated driver and the puzzle was complete. Ah well I've become quite adept at failing this year, water off a duck's back. To the victor goes the spoil yada yada yada and the Roos live on to fight another week. And to my mate, glad you have something to smile about in time for your birthday tomorrow. Have a good one buddy but always remember, Corey McKernan is ours now!!!
Another game, another loss .... and all that is left to do is gauge whether there were any more positives to come out of the game that might point to a real tilt at success in the 2003 season.
The Kangaroos had a place in the final 8 on the line while the Blues wanted to build on a courageous effort against Port the previous week. Wayne Brittain continues to fight for his job and tried to match wits with someone who if rumours were correct, is on the wish list to be the next Navy Blue hope, Denis Pagan. For the most part I have to say that Brittain made a pretty good fist of what he had to work with by employing a long kicking, lower mistake rate type of game while Pagan showed faith in a tried and true formula during the early stages.
Carlton had all the running early and capitalised with the first two goals to former Roo Corey McKernan. As has been the case all too frequently this year, the spirited attack on the contest waned slightly and the Roos slick hands enable them to pepper the goals albeit inaccurately, and the Blues found themselves trailing by 6 points at quarter time. Beaumont found plenty of space running from half back and leaving his man Byron Pickett behind, Corey McKernan enforced his presence early and Bret Thornton showed plenty of talent in the back half. Honourable mentions also to Ang Christou running across half back and starting in middle at centre bounces while Ian Prendergast also started full of enthusiasm and controlled aggression.
In the second quarter the break we all feared but probably knew would come came very swiftly. 5 goals in 8 minutes and therefore the last 7 goals saw the Roos out to a commanding 36 point lead. The rot for the quarter started with a Rocca mark and goal after Luke Livingston mistimed a defensive fist and missed altogether. The third Roos goal for the quarter to Byron Pickett came just seconds after Ryan Houlihan fumbled the ball inside the Blues attacking 50 and the Roos rebounded strongly. Scott Camporeale who ran with Shannon Grant most of the night found himself stuck deep in defence at one point and Blues fans were sweating on Brittain to rectify the situation. At the lowest point on the quarter a glimpse at the bench revealed a benched yet again Houlihan having a hearty laugh in the direction of a dazed Luke Livingston. Given the state of play at the time, the mind boggled as to what the joke could have been!
Fortunately for our sanity, the Blues found a new lease of life when Brittain released his bench players, Sporn, Eccles and Doering. Immediately the trio found themselves in the thick of a rejuvenated Blues outfit and with some vintage Camporeale class thrown in for good measure, the Blues fought back to within 17 points at the long break. Once again when there was excitement to be had Corey McKernan was in the thick of the action.
The half time siren had been the Blues enemy such was the momentum they had generated but in the early stages of the third quarter they appeared to have come out in the same manner. They couldn't make it count on the scoreboard though and another withering Roos burst, this time 5 goals in 6 minutes saw the Blues 47 points down and a humiliating defeat in the offering. Simon Fletcher sold Ian Prendergast into trouble and seconds later John Blakey goaled. Justin Murphy produced a period of ill discipline as only he can and Simpson put another nail in the Carlton coffin. Glen Archer had moved forward and given the understrength Blues defence something to think about while a gift angle from the umpire made a certainty of another Byron Pickett major. Some fine work from Camporeale, Franchina and a resurgent Andrew Eccles restored some faith for the Blues but still the three quarter time margin was 43 points.
The match was on a knife edge at the start of the last quarter. Either the Blues were going to show some pride and restrict the damage or the Roos were going to earn some much needed percentage before the finals arrived. When Porter marked in the middle of a terrible attempt to spoil from Merrington, Hotton and Livingston and promptly goaled the margin was just shy of the half ton. Sam Cranage sharked the ball and snapped a fantastic goal to give the fans something to shout about but Byron Pickett silenced them shortly after. The margin blew out to 51 points and the Blues had nothing to show for their efforts for all but a couple of Kangaroos purple patches. From that point on however the Roos failed to score while the Blues lifted again to show that they have the players if only they could find the four quarter concentration required to go the distance. Goals to Doering, Murphy, Houlihan, Hickmott and the ever present McKernan and the thoughts of a miracle comeback surfaced once more. From there on though, the game died as a spectacle as the Roos put numbers around the ball to protect their lead and the Blues couldn't find the spark to overcome them. Jimmy Plunkett missed an easy goal that might have kept the Blues alive and time wound down to record an 18th loss for the Blues in 2002 and another streak of 6 weeks without singing the club song. And as Big Jack squirmed in his seat besides former great Kenny Hunter, thoughts once again turned to the future events to come after two more games have played themselves out.
All in all another week down, yet another loss, the company of a relieved Roos supporting friend who drank all the beer while the long suffering Blues fan (myself) got to play designated driver and the puzzle was complete. Ah well I've become quite adept at failing this year, water off a duck's back. To the victor goes the spoil yada yada yada and the Roos live on to fight another week. And to my mate, glad you have something to smile about in time for your birthday tomorrow. Have a good one buddy but always remember, Corey McKernan is ours now!!!
