After a week of wet and wooly conditions Brindisi St was home to the first BOGGY match of the year between Hampton Rovers and SBMT.
The early morning game between the Thirds and Old Camberwell was a walk over in our favour giving the Thirds their first points for the year and Coach Luke Porter an early morning sleep in.
As the morning got greyer so did the hopes of the Hampton Rovers Development team taking on a rampant SBMT.
A first half display that was hard to watch for those in Green and Yellow saw 13 goals to none piled in before the half.
The second half was more competitive with a 6 goal to 2 second half much to the dismay of coach Steve D’Andrea. Matthew Caia again proved a handful booting 5 sitting himself comfortably atop the Premier B Reserves leaderboard. Studdered, Colyvan and Hubeek provided drive from the midfield that set up the 111 point demolition.
In front of the Women of SBMT who hosted a sell out Luncheon it was time for the Seniors to take centre stage and renew hostilities with for SBMT Coach now Hampton Coach Owen Lalor.
The middle had become a ‘Glue Pot’ by 2.00pm and it was the Hampton Rovers mids with bigger bodies that were able to provide first use. The SBMT backline let by the Garside’s and Jaryd Robertson thwarted most Rovers attacks but it was inaccuracy at the other end that cost the Tigers going into the break 1 goal 7 to Hampton Rovers 2 goals 1 who were aided by a flukey breeze.
Level at quarter time into the flukey breeze seemed to be a fair result. But the Rovers upped the ante in the second and with some good ball movement to put enormous pressure on the Tigers who found themselves 5 points down at the long break. Not an insurmountable position and with a lift in tempo the support group was still optimistic.
The first half was a tough struggle as again we started slowly and to use Coach Steve Ryan’s words ‘we played flat footed football.’
Alex Whalebone in his Senior debut was impressive in the first half, and he recieved solid support from James and Tom Tyquin.
The famous Sash was a different unit in the 2nd half led by Captain Simon Richards they took the grind up to Hampton and got on top. Alex Smout was ellusive forward and Velluto started clunking marks that have been evading him in recent weeks. Again it was inaccuracy that stopped SBMT from putting the game beyond doubt. Goals from Barnes, O’Toole and Velluto helped extend take and then extend the lead to 16 points at the final change.
The message at the break again was simple. Move the ball quick, get it forward and work as one.
That message was followed but a last quarter display of 7 behinds really didn’t allow the scoreboard to show the 2nd half dominance.
8 goals to 3 in the second half put the game beyond doubt but it was the 21 behinds that were the most concerning.
Michael Barnes, James and Tom Tyquin and Darcy Holden all put on fantastic displays in what were trying conditions.
The Under 19s took on 3rd place Old Melburnians at Albert Park and it was the bigger bodies, smaller ground and mud pit that allowed the OM’s to get a 10 point win.
Maddaford, Hayes, O’Meara and Pastura were significant in defence holding but mulitple OM attacks.
The Under 19 Development team had a nail biter against bottom of the ladder St. John’s. Resting multiple sore bodies they jump out to a 20 point lead at half time. St. John’s proved a much improved unit after the break taking the game to the wirer late in the last but it was Matthew Aleardi’s cool head who slotted a goal 40m out on the boundary that saw SBMT home by 19 points. Max Thompson kicked 4 whilst Matt Lannan and Thomas Weston-Arnold were amongst the best for SBMT.
This week The Seniors take on Old Haileybury away in Caulfield, Thirds vs Marcellin Away and both 19s teams take on Old Carey and Melbourne High School Old Boys respectively.