I completed couch duties in the Fairfield cave in enough time to see the last three quarters of the Twos in their clash against St Kevins’ Old Boys, aka SKOBS. At BSO on Pride Day if you get my drift.
The Twos went down by five goals, not for lack of effort. More structure, continuity in the playing group and dare I say it, less mistakes, will bring better results.
Better players included Darcy Winstanley, all the better for his month of Seniors' experience, Harry Tauber running into Senior contention after returning from overseas, and ‘Blocker’ Vlassopoulos, fresh from a break in Sri Lanka with my granddaughter on some kind of study tour. Study tour?
The Seniors entered the arena with huge crowd backing. A guard of honour from former RedRoys was a touching addition. Players from games already completed and a large twilight crowd. There was a positive vibe. Predictably, Charlie Faubel ran backwards through the guard of honour, returning to the rooms for something forgotten. Again.
There were five changes from last week, four of them from interstate pre-betrothal duties. Nice. Ligris, McKay, Wilson, Turner and first gamer Poole in for Winstanley, Johnstone, Lester, Heath Ramshaw and Grace, the last two returning to their VFL clubs. Predictably, Charlie Faubel ran backwards through the guard of honour, returning to the rooms for something forgotten. Again.
The Roys had to start well. Far too often goals are conceded early, under the pump, chasing our tails, pushing uphill, all that sort of stuff. SKOBS kicked the first two within a few minutes, so much for the script.
Fitzroy seemed to be playing at a pretty decent level of intensity though, and although they competed well, the ledger could not be squared by quarter time. After the tardy start, it was a goal each in a period of to and fro.
Ligris was ever efficient down back, McKay such a threat up forward that it made you wish harder for two of him, and Kewell is a player to be admired, presenting up forward as required and defending like a Trojan.
23–9 SKOBS’ way at the first huddle. Coach Ronaldson stressed the need for quick movement, and accountability in the clinches. For the first 15 minutes that’s what was delivered, and it’s then the Roys look like an A Grade side.
But just when you think you’re back in the contest, errors creep in. Let’s face it, the other mob have a skill, size and poise advantage, and the margin blows out. 58–28 at the half time siren.
Darcy Lowrie had played a great first half, having a splendid year as a mature, hard-running, high leaping defender. Just before the break Harward kicked a ripper, taking the ball under pressure, breaking a tackle, running on and check siding for a major. His pressure around the ball is to be admired.
That’s it from me, Guy Gorilla, I’m not allowed out after dark, part of my court order. Cousin Garry took over scribbling duties in the second half.
He tells me that the third quarter was a tug of war, which might have earned Fitzroy an Olympic medal in the early 1900s but didn’t get them back into contention here. Crucially, some poor discipline cost Fitzroy a couple of goals.
The Roys began the final term with a goal inside two minutes, but it was all St Kevins after that. Their ability to get the ball from the contest into space and slickly and precisely deliver it up forward sliced the Roys open and led to the next six goals. The 73-point margin was a heavy blow to Fitzroy’s percentage.
The Gorillas thought Laidlaw and Harward were among the better contributors across four quarters, cracking in and slotting nice goals, while Seakins and Ramshaw worked hard on the wings.
Key defenders Lowrie and Green barely lost a contest against quality opponents, a good effort given how often the ball came into their orbit. McKay and Faubel looked threatening up forward.
Next up for the Roys is a crucial away match against Old Melburnians at Elsternwick Park on Saturday afternoon.
Gorilla cousins Guy and Garry
Images courtesy Phyllis Quealy
