GAVIN LOWE


LCFNL – Junior football


WELL what a super effort from this undermanned Under 14.5 side that took on Millicent at their home ground in the cool early hours of Saturday morning.


It usually pretty tough going over there and this game turned out to be in keeping with recent contests between these sides. The Saints won the toss and kicked to the town end where most of the scoring is traditionally done, there always seemed to be a wind blowing that way, however our young chargers defended grimly limiting their score to only points early.


Brendan in the ruck was doing well for the Cats with great support from our captain George Robbins and Alby Lane, but the home team were just too big and the goals eventually came.


The Cats made their first foray forward and the siren sounded before we could register a score; by this stage the Saints were well ahead.


Our turn came to kick to the town end but the home side were relentless, our ruckmen Brendan and Kudsai were doing a great job but the goals kept coming.


We found it difficult to clear the packs and then our super reliable back pocket player, Aston Hoe, sustained a kick to his ankle and had to leave the ground, which really put the pressure on.


The Cats continued to link-up the play from line to line but as soon as there was the slightest fumble or loose ball the Saints were onto it and made us pay.


Our defence stuck to their game plan, trying to pressure the shots on goal and this quarter held firm, making the opposition work hard for it.


Kudsai in the ruck found a good ally in Zeb Beaton who just grew as the game went on.


Fraser Richardson did his bit to stem the tide on the wing, while Riley Gorman just kept on having a crack at it.


Fletcher McKinnon was a livewire as usual and Darcy Gorman went hard to the very end.


From the fence the scoreboard showed we were well-beaten, but from a club point of view this was a special effort by a group of kids that love playing footy with their mates.


Under 17.5


THIS game got off to a pretty even start.


The Cats looked competitive early – Lucas Thompson filling in in the ruck for Sam Paton who was out with sickness, a huge gap in the side after his game last week.


The Saints were doing most of the attacking, but our defence only allowing points at this stage, a trademark tackle from Billy Rhook on the last line thwarted the Saints’ first goal and cleared the danger zone.


Riley Winters was in and under the packs and gave good support to Jedd Rhook who got to play the first quarter then subbed out for Senior duties.


An errant hand ball in the backline gifted the Saints their first goal and the only goal kicked for the first term.


The game was getting pretty heated as the Saints were not getting it all their way.


The umpire was heard to have warned the Saints’ coaching staff to settle his team down in the break, but you could imagine that would not have gone much further.


As play resumed, Toby Auld copped a reckless high tackle and some Saints backchat put him on the goal line and he slotted through our first major.


The game was pretty even between the half forward lines with Jack Nelson playing a big game at centre half back for the Cats and Jett Lykke running the wing was a winner for us.


A snap goal to Jack Rhook and a reply from the Saints and it was pretty close at the long break and I do not think the Saints were very happy about it.


The Saints were quite inaccurate in front of goal, keeping the Cats in the contest.


A spoil from Billy got the ball out to Riley Winters on the run, transferring play to our forward line for Jack Rhook to mark and goal; the scoreboard was evening-up somewhat to end the third quarter.


The Saints got consecutive goals in the early part of the last and a few spot fires opened up – the umpire warned the players to no avail.


As time went on, a Millicent player felled a Cats player and supporting his mate, then one of our boys rushed in to remonstrate and it was out of control.


The umpire called the game off, with apparently no points to be awarded, so possibly the Saints may have shot themselves in the foot by going from a winning position, trying to be heroes and costing them the game and that was how it unfolded.