Coaches Report - R7
Round 7 V Henley at home plus Meds 200th
Round 7 V Henley at home
Henley are a good football side and they have a host of damaging players. Their last 3 matches (lost to Goodies by 8 points, beat Uni by 36, beat Portland by 114) suggest they have been playing some pretty good football. With this in mind I was predicting a close, hard fought contest.
In front of a big ladies day crowd the first quarter was very even. I felt as though the Henley midfield was getting the better or ours and we needed to improve in this area if wanted to get control of the game. Pleasingly in the second quarter this is exactly what we were able to do. When we had the ball we played some excellent direct running football and our forwards were able to capitalise on this which kept the score board ticking over. Our defenders were playing disciplined and accountable football and were working well as a unit.
Early in the third quarter Henley stole the momentum back and really challenged us. Henley’s good foot skills and our drop off in accountability both played a large part in Henley out playing us for the first 15 minutes of this quarter. From about the half way mark of the third quarter we started to win some inside ball and apply better pressure on their ball carrier. This allowed us to halt Henley’s momentum and swing the game back in our favour.
It was excellent to see our run continued throughout the last quarter and the group certainly looked to play with the determination to do everything possible to get a win for Meds in his 200th match for the club. Despite having 6 more scoring shots than Henley we only won the match by 16 points.
Next week we play Portland at home before we have the bye for the June long weekend. It is important we continue to work hard this week and consolidate our place in the top 3 before the week off.
I’d like to congratulate club stalwart Anthony Medhurst on being the 23rd Roccer to play 200 games for the club. He has not only been a terrific player for the club but he has also been an outstanding club man. This is Meds’ 15th season at the club after joining the ROCS straight from school. He played in the B grade premiership side in his first year in 2000 and the A grade premiership side in 2003. He was name half back flank in the SAAFL team of the year in 2006. He is as passionate about the ROCS now as he has ever been and the club is certainly a better place having had him as a player and club man. Well done to the B’s, C’s and supporters for giving him a worthy reception as he was chaired off the ground on Saturday too.
Tom Wigley
A Grade Coach
