By Garry Gorilla
Walking along McKean Street, heading to the game, and there was a line from The Beatles that was playing on a loop in my mind.
I’ve got a feeling, a feeling deep inside.
That feeling was that this was the Saturday the Roys Men’s team was going to show what it could do. A feeling that the players were going to click and get a win against Old Carey.
The sun was shining, there wasn’t a breath of wind, and something in my bones told me they were going to rise to the challenge.
As I crested Hipster Hill it was half time of the Reserves match. Bernies’ Twos were 14 points up against the bottom team, and I knew he wouldn’t be satisfied with that scoreline. They duly emerged from the break and piled on six goals in the third quarter to set up a comfortable win. There’s some talent and system there, but still areas to improve: defending kick ins, keeping it in the forward 50. Work-rate aspects of their game that they’ ll need against the stronger teams.'
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I peered into the Community Room and it was heaving with people. A reunion of past Ammos players, including members of previous Fitzroy premiership teams. By the look of the bottles on the tables I could appreciate why the team was previously known as ‘the Reds’.
The Senior team ran onto the ground for the main match, with three changes to the 22. In came Harvey, Johnson and Lyne.
I’ve got a feeling.
Well, turns out it was a feeling of dread. For the first 15 minutes Fitzroy was getting its share of the ball, but simple skill errors were creating turnovers and undermining any good work. A 50-metre penalty gifted the visitors their first goal. Entering time on of the first quarter, Old Carey led 29–0.
The Roys pulled one back when Harvey won a free kick in a marking contest, but at the first change coach Ronaldson jogged purposefully to the players, gathered them in and gave them a blunt rev up. In the huddle he then pleaded with them to “lift a gear”.
Captain Hart was sent into the centre square and duly won the first clearance to set up a Davie goal within six seconds. Both of these senior players were central to creating a bit of momentum in the second quarter. Ligris and Lowrie took the game on with their run off half back.
The Roys were down by 21 points at half time, but there were some encouraging signs.
The third quarter would prove to be Fitzroy’s best of the season. It began with Hart taking a strong contested mark in the centre of the ground, moving it on quickly and creating a chance for Johnstone to kick a crumber’s goal.
A few minutes later Turner was responsible for the next Roys’ goal, providing an aerial contest, recovering to lay a tackle and beating two opponents to the loose ball before handballing to Jordan, who snapped truly.
Fitzroy was dominant for 30 minutes, and it was all set up by pressure and tackling, overlap run and composed ball use. The Roys kicked six goals to one for the term, were bristling with energy and led by 13 points as they gathered at three-quarter time, urged on by a few rowdy reunion Redders.
I’ve got a feeling.
Early in the final quarter the signs were excellent. The ball was living in the Roys’ forward line, and being kept there through efforts like Johnstone’s – who chased and tackled two opponents to force a stoppage that resulted in a Turner goal. When a Lester snap put the Roys 21 points up at the eight-minute mark, victory looked well within grasp.
And then everything changed.
From that point on, Old Carey kicked seven unanswered goals. It was inexplicable. 20-odd minutes of football that should demand some serious reflection. What do you do when the opposition comes at you and regains momentum? Force repeat stoppages, calm things down by retaining the ball, work your backside off to get across to a loose opponent.
It turns out that ‘feeling’ would be one of disappointment, one of knowing Fitzroy had let another chance for a winnable home game slip from its grasp.
Despite that, there was some genuine positives to take from the match. An understanding that when Fitzroy takes on the game it can produce some stunning football. The encouraging efforts of a few of its youngest players, such as Gorman-Andrews, Shepherd and Suarez. The fact that the Roys created more scoring shots than Old Carey, but just need to convert some of those relatively straightforward set shots. The knowledge that the senior players are fighting to turn the season around.
The disappointment was real, but there should be another feeling: hope. Stretches of play during Saturday’s match showed that Fitzroy has reason to be ambitious about what it can achieve over the next 10 matches. With a stronger start, and a more sustained effort, I’ve got a feeling the Roys will win their share of games in the coming weeks.
