Coaches Report - Preliminary Final
A Grade Match Report: Preliminary Final 2025 v Golden Grove
A Grade Match Report: Preliminary Final 2025 v Golden Grove
Preliminary Finals historically are the most brutal of contests as the prize on offer is a berth in the Grand Final and a premiership opportunity. Our opponent stood between us and the right to play in the final game. Richmond was the venue and without doubt the largest ROC’s crowd of any game in 2025 gathered to provided unprecedented support for the players.
We strive every week for a fast start both from our own game’s perspective and to build scoreboard pressure. In the opening quarter this eluded us as we couldn’t settle, our referencing was off and ball use and lack of pressure on the ball gave our opponents control of the ball and the quarter forcing us to chase. Our opening goal came on the siren from a Finn Wakelin contested mark, leaving us fortuitously with a deficit of just 16 points.
Resetting at the break the message was simple adjust, lift the intensity and play our way. Again our opponents controlled the contest despite veteran James Butterworth giving us first use. The leakage continued with our opponents racing out to a 36 point lead during the quarter. Darci Best was matching it with his opponent and attacked when the opportunity presented along with Xavier Tranfa around the ball we slowly began to run and hit the scoreboard late with two vital goals to head into the main break 22 points behind.
Belief and resilience have been one of the true strengths of our group across the season as we have been in similar situations before as we sat together in the rooms at halftime.
We knew we had two more quarters to put our stamp on the game.
Saddled with that belief the players as a collective group shifted the momentum of the game, one goal at a time. Every single player dug deep, and our run & carry returned, our ball use returned and our pressure lifted. Josh Shute off half back controlled our opponents entries providing us with direct drive , Tranfa, Warton, Lymn and Dawson shared the ball driving it inside where Boxer, McCormack and Wakelin got to work chipping away at the deficit and within in red time of the quarter we had cut the margin back to 4 points. Our opponents sensing this shift to their credit found a way to kick 2 late goals and what would prove to be crucial goals. Again our group sparked again by characteristic Tranfa grit we finished the quarter with a goal to seal a 5 goal return and just an 11 point margin.
The ROC’s crowd and unbridled support around the players at the final break was incredible, the message simple “ play our way right to the end “. As stated, Preliminary Finals are brutal, players have endured long seasons and they are within 30 minutes of the goal that was planted in Preseason, so the challenge was again set.
What followed in the next thirty minutes was amazing to watch. Again our opponents pushed and kicked the opening three goals of the quarter. Most would have thought game done, but not us, not this group, not these players, not this club. The belief remained and we came again, locking the ball our front half going inside 50 time and time again kicking the next three goals and even at the final siren with the deficit at just 10 points the ball was sitting in our forward 50. ‘All 22 had played to the end”.
Our season and what an incredible season it was, was at an end. We saluted our opponents and with our heads held high left the arena to once again reflect, learn and look to go again in 2026.
Thank you to all the supporters, sponsors, committee members, trainers, team managers and coaching group for all of your support during 2025, your voice, support, counsel and guidance has been incredible and appreciated.
Final Score : ROCFC 11.7.73 defeated by Golden Grove 12.11.83
Goal Kickers: F. Wakelin 3, J. Boxer 3, X. Tranfa 3, T. McCormack 2
Best Players: X. Tranfa, F. Wakelin, D. Best, R. Lymn, J. Shute
See you at the footy in 2026.
Damian Boots
A Grade & Club Coach
