Beauy won the toss and naturally kicked with, in the old footy terminology, a 10 goal gale. Of course, with the way football is played nowadays, especially run and carry and deft use of handball, it is considered easier to score against the elements than in days gone by. The opening couple of minutes provided us all with some bone crunching moments and Phil Zarra was one of the early proponents for the Blue and White. The Beauy players were just as committed and at the two and a half minute mark, drew first blood with a goal. Chris Hammond was prominent with some early reliefs in the defensive area and Tommy Sundberg weaved his way through heavy traffic more than once as we worked really hard to limit the opposition scoring opportunities. The Zarr and Wij continued to lead the way with their strength and most followed suit and bored in. One of the main danger players kicked the second goal for Beauy at the eight minute mark and the umpiring double seemed content to really let the play go suggesting that it could be ‘last man standing’ that would decide the result of the match. The tackling from both sides was terrific but it was another goal to Beaumaris at the ten minute mark that suggested that we needed to improve our contested footy. Our defence was working well and was typified by a Luke Price smother that saved a certain goal. Inexplicably, we kicked-in to centre half back after a behind and paid the price with Beauy’s fourth for the quarter with 7 or 8 minutes remaining. We had some forward forages but could not penetrate and after missing a couple of opportunities with wasteful disposal, a conversion by Beaumaris, from a kick off the ground, meant we had to batten down the hatches as we entered time on. Tom Breen and Matt Sundberg were working hard to clear from defence but Beauy kicked their sixth goal at the twenty seven and a half minute mark while we remained scoreless. Five more minutes ticked by with only two minor scores against us and 6.4 to our no score was not as we had planned given we pride ourselves on being capable of scoring into the fiercest airstream. Fresh from the joy of being with his first born in the morning, Steve Lawrence was in no mood to hand out cigars to his players at the quickly convened, concealed and animated huddle. The short sharp address was followed by the normal groupings and discussion before further instructions relating particularly to our core goals.

Beaumaris were clearly up and about in the second term and it was over two minutes before we troubled the scoreboard operator and that only for a behind. The clustered forward zone was making life difficult for us and we needed to work much harder to clear the area as the minutes ticked by. Just under the five minute mark, Matty Sundberg, with a brilliant run down, commenced proceedings as he goaled from the resultant free. Unfortunately it was some time, seven minutes to be exact, before the younger of Paul’s boys, Thomas, earned himself a free and neatly allowed the wind to split the middle. With Zarra, Gamey and Hammo upping the ante after another scoreless passage of play, we experienced some narrow misses. It was a poor decision by the Beaumaris “kick-in designate”, whose short pass was intercepted by Jason May, that brought about our third goal at the half way mark of the quarter. Matt Sunny again provided the impetus with a hard earned free kick and kicked our fourth at the sixteen and a half minute mark and all of a sudden we anticipated taking the lead by half time. We certainly had our chances as strong play provided us with opportunities but our long bombs were just missing and the minutes ticked by. Against the flow, with the siren expected at any time, Beaumaris made the most of our poor manning-up as they used the “Chinese chequer” approach to find a man in front. He made no mistake and we were staring down a three, straight kick deficit at half time. Less than a minute later the siren did sound but not before Andrew Slevison made the most of some hard work and kicked a very valuable goal, maybe just the injection we needed. 7.6 to 5.8 against was far from a disaster but there needed to be a substantial lift by all concerned.

With 50 seconds on Scotty’s clock in the timekeeper’s vantage point, Sammy Wood banged one through, I think courtesy of Chris Hammond and a better start could not have been expected. With Slevo allowed some freedom where he learned his trade, the contested ball was being earned more frequently and the May boys, Wij, Carbs and Andy Lawson were hitting hard and gaining reward. Carbs combined with Christopher May and Zac Parsons, relishing his move, got a major, Pele style and everybody was in the action. Beaumaris appeared rattled but suddenly answered after a doubtful centre square free and play-on call and goaled at the seven minute mark. Ben Price, back in defence, was earning his keep with extensive facial bandaging not worrying him at all. With a typical Wij, “head over the ball” effort, the skipper found Andy Laws and he made no mistake as the crowd wondered if the wind had changed! Certainly not, but our desire for the contested ball had!

Mark Nelson’s basketball expertise was revealed as he used his balance and poise, fed off to Slevo who brilliantly passed to Tom Sunny for our fourth for the quarter at the fourteen minute mark. Beaumaris were bleeding extensively and although they lifted their ratio it was ebb and flow for the next ten minutes with our defence desperate and displaying excellent team work. Chris May joined the defence and marked more than once to thwart opposition advances. Docks, Rossy and the others launched some attacks and it was our boys who disrupted the hiatus ice as Carbs, Hammo and Slevo combined to give Woody the opportunity to kick his second for the term; he made no mistake. It was almost Mazenod revisited! Zac Parsons was running and creating, Gamey was enjoying his return to the team and most importantly, that ruthlessness had re-appeared. It had been a brilliant third term, against the odds, yet produced 5 straight goals to 1.5 from Beaumaris. Three quarter time – 10.8 to 8.11 – advantage CGFC.

Beauy made have learnt something from us in the previous term as they scored the first goal of the last quarter, also at the 50 second mark. It then became a real battle again just when the crowd expected us to coast home and some long shots by our guys missed the target and Beaumaris were flooding back. Finally, some hard work by Andy Slevison enabled him to send it long and Luke Price marked strongly and converted; it had taken almost 9 minutes for us to goal. Andy Ross was continuing to provide some good run. Docks again saved in defence with a strong mark, switched to Matty Sundberg who executed the draw and handball over the top to Carbs, he created another chance for Tom Sunny who gathered and converted. With the result now seemingly beyond doubt, players tired a little but Hammo and Zac combined and Slevo kicked one at the fourteen minute mark. Zac was busy again and Jordy Stewart converted as we entered time on. Beaumaris kicked their second for the quarter, they continued to attack but Woody and Docks had everything under control and continually drove the ball from defence. The final three or four minutes saw only minor scores and the final result, 14.13 to 10.12 was very satisfying after our slow start. Overall it was pretty good footy in difficult conditions as the strong winds prevailed and we may well meet again in the finals’ series. Beaumaris are now certain of a semi-final berth against Oakleigh while we will face up to MHSOB in the second semi. But first, we have a trip to Bulleen Templestowe’s ground for round 18. Another interesting selection with two or three players to come back!

The emphasis on training performance is ever present and the demands on all players to ensure that they take responsibility for their own conditioning and fitness away from the club is really important. In this day and age, coaches expect that the extra commitment to players’ welfare, including sacrifices and disciplines, has to be borne by the players themselves. At this point in time, our playing group generally adhere well to this responsibility and have undertaken some additional pledges until the end of the season. “No Stone Unturned” remains the catch cry!

Goals – Tom Sundberg 3, Matt Sundberg 2, Slevison 2, Wood 2, Jason May 1, Chris May 1, Parsons 1, Lawson 1, Stewart 1.

Better Players – Docker, Wood, C May, Hammond, Nelson, Parsons, T Sundberg, M Sundberg, Zarra, Ross, B Price, Widjaja (my opinion only).