My Aussie Rules Rd #4 2008 Match Report - Part 2

I awoke the next morning after our 1 point loss to Aspley and began my preparations for the day. I planned on getting to the Ressies game a little early @ Morningside in order to get Benny there an hour before the game like he needed to be.

On my way to pick up some breakfast I got a phone call from the Ressies Coach. When I saw his name on my phone display I got a little excited wondering if I was getting a call up, when the first question was "how did you pull up from last night?" I started to get a little more excited.

Sure enough, after a late pullout, Gary wanted to know if I was able to play Ressies that day. Acting nonchalantly while inside I was bursting with excitement I told him I would. So now not only was I taking Benny to be there an hour early I was also needing to be there an hour early myself!

As most of you readers will know it is my goal for the season to become a permanent fixture in the Reserves side. So getting a chance to play a game was pretty damn exciting for me. Gary told me he'd probably only play me for less than half a game or so as a substitute for some of our bigger forwards when they needed a rest.

Upon arriving at the ground, and given my #44 jersey was not available since I wore it the night before, I was presented with the big cash #1 jersey for the day's match. After some pre game chat we warmed up, got prepared and I headed to the bench for the start of the match.

In the reverse of the night befores game we would be fighting back from behind all game and be behind @ every change. It wasn't a good start to the game with the 5.1 vs 2.0 being the quarter time score.

I was inserted into the game from the start of the 2nd quarter playing in a forward pocket. The immediate difference between Ressies and 3rds was the space allowed to remain open inside the forward 50. I got out a couple of times on short leads and made a tackle or two (got a hard knock to the back of my skull in one of them). But the highlight of the 2nd had to be my first Ressies goal for the year.

Standing deep, a mere metre or two in front of the goal line, between the right point post and the right goal post I watched as the ball was bombed into me and my opponent. I slipped to the front of him and realised the ball was going over my head. Backing back I realised I probably wasn't going to be able to grab it. But reaching up I got enough hands on it to stop him from grabbing it and it fell behind us. Spinning, I ran around him and surprisingly beat him to the ball.

Problem was by the time I had it I was almost standing on the goal line between the point post and goal post. I tried to change the angle of my run and getting into a goal scoring position but as I ran towards the post I got tackled and bustled into the post. It didn't hurt but unfortunately the ball I was carrying also had hit the post. So I thought it was over... but then... I was awarded a free kick for being tackled high. Still not sure, given all the confusion, if he did get me high but I got to go back on a very tight angle to have a shot. But despite the angle being tight the mark was on the post so I really shouldn't have missed... and didn't.

Another highlight of that quarter was when I got out into some space on a lead and Benny kicked me a beauty from about the 50m arc. Being out in front of my defender I leapt and got both hands to the ball but the mark was dropped. I have a feeling he got some purchase on it as well but it would have been nice to kick another goal for the quarter and off a pass from Benny. But it wasn't to be.

For the 3rd I was told to play out of the goal square with Shelby our FF. Towards the end of the quarter he was pushed about 10m forward from the square giving me the square to myself. Got involved in some scraps for the ball and got another lead and mark out towards the pocket boundary which I dutifully turned and kicked to the top of the goal square as per team discipline. Probably could have had a shot but with a group of Senior players watching directly behind me on the boundary I didn't want to spray it (the wind was difficult from that pocket and it had been identified earlier as a tough pocket for goals), so I hit it to the top of the square. It wasn't marked and they cleared and I wonder if I should have had a shot. But the runner passed on a message saying I did the right thing and it wasn't my fault it wasn't marked so I guess I did the right thing.

In the last I again was playing out of the square and again got out on a number of leads. The delivery was another noticeable difference between Ressies & 3rds as was their respect of your leads. Unfortunately in 3rds you'll lead only to find the player not looking in your direction and even if they notice they either don't kick it to you or bomb it and don't give you much of a chance. Presented well a couple of times and creating an option and a contest which is all I was asked to do.

As I said earlier we were down at every change. At one point about halfway through the last we had fought back valiantly to be down by a goal. I got out on a lead on about a 30 degree angle and marked about 35m out. By the time I went back my full run up distance I was basically on the boundary line and a tight looking shot. Looking around for an option I didn't find one I thought was on so decided to take the shot. Absolutely nailed it. It never looked like missing from the second it left my foot. Put the team equal for the first time since the start of the game and celebrated with the guys around me. Was an awesome feeling.

In the end we won by 2 points. We kicked another goal or two and then they responded. Deep into the last they had a couple of shots on goal when I thought the game must have been almost over. One of them was after the siren for a shot to win the game from a free kick. It was a fair way out though and despite it looking good from his boot it was punched away and we won by 2 after being down all day!! A great result and I was proud to play a part in it.

I got singled out for some mention in the sheds after the game which was pretty cool and I was just stoked with how the day went. The Seniors also had a last gasp win against their Seniors to make it a demoralising day for Coorparoo (Sorry Lewis!) but a great one for us.

I was pretty rooted on Sunday after two games of footy. At one point I had been lazing on the couch for a long time and went to stand up and almost couldn't. My whole body was tired and empty, but you better believe it was worth it! Only thing that could have been better is if the Lions had managed to beat the Hawks the night before.