CAULFIELD GRAMMARIANS 3.11.29 def by OLD HAILEYBURY 22.18.150

Goal Kickers: C. Sinclair 2, E. Kalaja
Best Players: A. Bruhn, B. Carboni, D. Daly, S. Widjaja, R. Foote, B. Hyland

After a weather report predicting hail we were pleasantly surprised to turn up to Headquarters to a pleasant Sunday afternoon. This was to be the last pleasant thing for the day.

We came into the game with a couple of changes with Ashy "Silks" Bruhn and Mark "The General" Pennycuick returning after a week off and Duncan "G-Love" Kellaway playing his first game for the season. Some good experience returning but we still fielded an extremely young side.

After some good feeling in the rooms and a commitment to surprise Haileybury with absolute ferocity from the opening bounce, we were shell shocked as they piled on goals to none in the opening term. They had all the play early but as the quarter wore on we were able to get a bit more of the footy. However our ball use around the ground and into the forward line was atrocious.

Throughout the second and third quarters we were once again able to set up some good pieces of play but continually let ourselves down with skills and wasted opportunities in front of goal. Cal Sinclair was again proving a handful for his much older opponent and the midfield, lead by Wij, were tackling hard and winning some vital centre clearances. But Haileybury’s continual forward run was killing us and with an unwillingness to go with their players they slotted goals with ease. Benny Hyland continued his great form this season with great attack and run from the backline – something we should all take note of. Always undersized, Benny continually puts his body on the line and will take on any opponent, no matter their size.

With the game all but over at three quarter time, we stressed the importance of gaining some respect with a strong showing in the last quarter. Unfortunately, we provided anything but this. The result was eight goals to one and some absolute arrogance from some of the Haileybury players, something we should remember when we face them again in round 10. We didn’t show much reason for them to respect us, but nevertheless, we know we are capable of far better.

As a young, developing side we must take positives out of a game like this. Not so much in what we did, but learning what it takes to be a top side at this level. Haileybury’s run and physicality was up to A-grade football standard so we should not be disheartened by being outclassed. We should instead recognise the weaknesses in our game and know that every game we win this year will be through pressure, run, enthusiasm and genuine hard work.

Next week we take on Marcellin. We knocked these guys off in a practice match purely through pressure on the man for the entire game. While the home and away season is a completely different prospect, we know that they like to chip the ball around until they find the best option. Our pressure must be intense this week and if it is, there is no reason why we can’t turn it around and square the ledger at 2-2.

Everyone get down to training and stick together. Let’s have an enjoyable week on the track, have some fun and bring a real sense of purpose to Marcellin this weekend. We’re now the underdog and not much is expected of us from the outside, but expectations from within should still remain high. We should have confidence within this group that playing at our best, we are an exciting unit and a daunting opponent for this competition. Let’s show it in the way we play.

Go Fields!

By Richard Foote