1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr Final Score
Aspley 4-3-27 5-3-33 6-4-40 7-4-46
Redcliffe 0-0-00 1-3-9 3-5-23 6-8-44
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Goal Kickers: Brodie Mizzi 2, Declan Watson 1, Braidyn Field 1, Billy Bryant 1, Mitchel Bramwell 1.
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Best Players: Ryan O'Shea, Brodie Mizzi, Declan Watson, Lachlan Baynes, Curtis Nicholson.
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Today our U12 boys travelled to Brendale to take on the as yet undefeated Aspley at their home ground. After an uncharacteristic display from the boys last week against Ipswich, our focus at training through the week had been to get the boys confidence back in each other and to start again, taking games on with run and carry and having the belief to never say die.
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During the pre game warm up there was a sense in the coaching staff that the boys seemed ready to play and that they looked to have got their focus back.
We have known all year that Aspley have the ability to move the ball extremely well and unfortunately for our boys they got a first hand look at how well they could move the ball when not enough pressure is placed on their players through the middle of the ground, and when they are allowed to run free. A four goal to nil first quarter was probably a fair reflection of the game at quarter time as our boys continually let their opponents be first to the ball.
Luckily our games are four quarters long and not one because at the 1/4 break we were able to get in and re-evaluate how we would start to drag ourselves back into the contest. I asked the players to become more accountable for not only their own player but to concentrate and work a bit harder to get to a contest and put pressure on the opposition. We also decided we would simply break the game down again and just try to win that second quarter.
After being quite well beaten in the centre in the first quarter a big effort was asked of our onballers and ruckmen to wrest back control from Aspley and begin to make them chase us for the quarter. That we were able to outscore them in the second quarter showed the boys that if you are prepared to work hard for each other, then you can get yourself back into a contest.
The boys came in at half time very buoyant and looking still full of running despite the warm conditions. So once again, we broke the game down into that single third quarter and asked the boys to simply once again win the quarter. Despite both teams having the same amount of scoring shots are boys came in at three quarter time knowing full well they had won the quarter and had given themselves, by virtue of their hard work, a chance to really push the result in the last quarter.
As a group we all made the committment to finish off the game full of running and, once again just win the quarter. A 3-3 to 1 goal last quarter was testament to the fact that our boys had indeed finished the game as they had promised and through all the hard work got to the front in the last quarter before going down by just two points.
While we as a coaching staff, and all the boys parents were so proud of the fight and courage our boys showed to not just roll over and die in the face of a first quarter onslaught. It is still pertinent to remember we, as a group, need a four quarter contribution from all our players, and not just for three quarters, in order to achieve what we hope to achieve this year.
I am happy to say here for the first time this year, I felt everyone of our boys made a contribution today and did their bit for their teammates, however I will mention a couple of names who did have exceptional games. Our midfield of Lachlan, Declan, Ryan and Curtis were absolutely fantastic in not only getting complete control of the centre bounces but also around the ground at the stoppages. With a couple of players missing we asked some players to play in different positions this week and I will keep saying a hallmark of our team is our flexibility to do a job wherever to help the side. So it was that we had Brodie playing forward this week and he made perhaps his best contribution for the year, and that is saying something because he has been a rock all season. Also Josh.H, Mark, Shaun, Kyle and Connor all deserve a mention for fantastic games. As I said though I could list all our players here now because it was so pleasing that everyone made a contribution during the final three quarters.
Not a win but a significant game in our season nonetheless.
Chris Nicholson
U12's Coach.
