Point Post Round 16, 2015

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Point Post Round 16, 2015 Editorial Congratulations to our U11 and U12 teams, who made it through to the finals. Best of luck for the semi- finals this weekend!

1 Point Post Round 16, 2015 Editorial Congratulations to our U11 and U12 teams, who made it through to the finals. Best of luck for the semi- finals this weekend! Don t forget the Dockers end of season Trophy Brunch, which will be held on Sunday 13 th September from 10am. This week s issue is so late that we can report that the Dockers Trivia night was a great success. Many thanks to Andrew, who led the organisation, and to all those who contributed prizes for the raffle and silent auction. (And who would have thought a banana has 5 sides!?) Some of the funds raised at the Trivia night will donated to Ben Mitchell to help fund his trip as All Australian AFL Junior Umpire to South Africa next year. Ben s father, Mitch, will again be serving breakfast at ELS Hall on Sunday. Just $12 will get you a mug of coffee and poached or fried eggs and bacon with a spinach and Hollandaise sauce on a toasted bun, served to you on a plate by Ben himself. U11 Even before Sunday s home game against Kellyville, the Dockers were guaranteed to finish in 4 th spot on the ladder. A win would not elevate them higher nor would a loss would send them lower. With the result bearing no impact on the season, the only motivation to play well was to build confidence coming into the finals. We had a full bench and Coach Darren opted to sit back and watch the Dockers take responsibility for the game. Magnet was given the captaincy for the day and showed tremendous leadership by huddling all the players together after the coin toss to rev the boys up. Whatever he said, it worked brilliantly because the Dockers put on one of the best opening POINT POST- - - ROUND 16 1

quarters we have seen all year. It was all one way traffic as Tom won the ruck contest getting first use of the ball to Fuzz quick hands to Magnet who shot the ball forward to Henry inside 50.

2 quarters we have seen all year. It was all one way traffic as Tom won the ruck contest getting first use of the ball to Fuzz quick hands to Magnet who shot the ball forward to Henry inside 50. The Magpies hadn t touched the ball before Bronson had added to his growing goal tally for the season. In quick succession Fuzz, Tom and Henry all got among the scorers piling on 7 unanswered goals (plus 3 behinds including one post rattler from Magnet) to set the tone for the match. At quarter time the Kellyville coach politely asked if they could take up our earlier offer and borrow a player or 2. Seeing as we had a full bench Luke and Mitch turned their jumpers inside out and became Magpies for 15 minutes. It worked well for them with Luke kicking a lovely goal and Mitch on the receiving end of a perfect handpass from the Dockers after calling for the ball! The game was more evenly matched with the ball being spread all over the full sized field. Micah stood out in the backline giving plenty of drive and connecting with James and Harry to set up plenty of rebound inside 50s. The chain of passes and handballs along the far side wing looked like a training drill as the Dockers expertly moved the ball from defence to attack. The forwards were doing an equally great job of locking the ball in and applying heaps of pressure. The team work was fantastic. Matty The Wall bursting at speed through the middle of the ground and kicking long to Aiden in the pocket. A quick tap on to Magnet who fired a bullet pass to Tom juggled mark was dropped but roved by Henry and a sensational goal involving 5 Docker players. The siren blowing at half time meant that Magnet, Tom and Fuzz headed off to join the Under 12s for their game. The Dockers had a comfortable lead, no real need to win and their 3 most prolific possession gatherers were off for the second half. There were signs there that this could be a game of 2 halves and the Dockers may have faded out. 2 POINT POST- - - ROUND 16

Any fear that would happen was immediately squashed. Josh moved into the ruck with Lachy and Ashton leaping at the opportunity to show their pace through the midfield.

3 Any fear that would happen was immediately squashed. Josh moved into the ruck with Lachy and Ashton leaping at the opportunity to show their pace through the midfield. Ryan presented the tall target up forward with Hugh and Simon both combining around the stoppages perfectly. First year player Simon continues to apply great forward pressure allowing Hughie to rove the pockets and snap at goal from all angles. It was good to see Hughie get back amongst the goal scorers this week. It was a tighter 3 rd quarter but the Dockers maintained their ascendancy and extended their lead by 1 goal. The most pleasing sight was the way the boys connected across the ground. Buster enjoyed his time in the midfield alternating between ruck work and low down roving, plus his shepherding was outstanding. Ashton had plenty of dash (how have we not given him the nick name DASH- ton before today?) and Mitch provided the explosive pace out the centre to fire the ball forward to tall targets Luke or Josh. Lachy and Henry roved any loose balls and peppered away at goals. The accuracy was a bit askew but the forwards and running midfielders piled on an incredible 4 goals 12 for the last quarter to make a statement that the Dockers are a genuine force to be reckoned with and are hitting some great form just in time for the finals! Henry and DASHton each earned a pack of footy cards Henry for his outstanding 4 quarter efforts and Ash for stepping up in commitment and second efforts at the ball. Probably the best 4 quarter effort from the boys in quite a while and a great lead up to the first final next week! Go Dockers! U12 Stephen Grech For our last round match we were off to Penshurst at Olds Park against Ramsgate. This was our POINT POST- - - ROUND 16 3

4 second week in a row against this team so we knew that we were in for a tough game. Again we had Tom E, Cameron and Rhys from the Under 11 s join us straight from their game what brilliant and committed athletes they are and thanks to the boys parents too for driving them from one side of Sydney to the other to play for us. Talking of team men Ben again (now with plaster cast off) made the trek across town to cheer the boys on and play runner for the day you are a champion Ben! We started the day with a few players on the park with injuries from the get go, Matt with a heavily taped ankle, Fynn with a heavily taped shoulder and Conor recovering from a dose of the flu. We continue to miss Tamas and Blake on the field and Gabe was away this week. To allow for the absences and injuries Coach Rissa placed some players in different positions starting Aiden and Jayden in the forwards, Yianni in the backs and Tom E in centre half back. The first quarter saw us on the back foot a little, and they held us to one minor score. We unfortunately lost possession from several of our own kicks however what we did see was a lot of quick hand passing out the back door which is a promising sign. Tom M did some fantastic shepherding and a lot of crumbing work over the ball for a great physical first quarter. Aryan took a great mark in the first quarter that blunted the Ramsgate momentum. First quarter 3-2 to 0-1. The second quarter began with more conviction. Matt got a free kick for a tackle off the ball which he sent downfield through Fynn and Rhys and we started to pick up some momentum. Sam also got a free kick 40 metres out for a late tackle but was just unable to kick the distance. Rhys applied incredible pressure around the mid- field and made the opposition work for the ball, he shepherded for Matt which allowed him to run through and score his first goal for the day. Poor Yianni had a head clash in quarter 2 that took both him and the opposition player out for a while ouch! Aryan and Flynn played fantastically in 4 POINT POST- - - ROUND 16

defence. Luke showed brilliant commitment, speed, agility and played out of his skin to get to the ball and made several clearing kicks at key moments. Second quarter 5-3 to 1-1.

We took our time to play a more controlled game with accurate kicking and quick movement of the ball. Goals were scored by Rhys, Fynn and Matt.

5 defence. Luke showed brilliant commitment, speed, agility and played out of his skin to get to the ball and made several clearing kicks at key moments. Second quarter 5-3 to 1-1. The Coach Rissa words of wisdom at half time sent the boys onto the park with a new commitment and the play was a different story. We won the third quarter by starting the play the game our way. We took our time to play a more controlled game with accurate kicking and quick movement of the ball. Goals were scored by Rhys, Fynn and Matt. Will and Jayden worked hard all day in the forwards scrambling for possession and Lucas put in his usual brilliant effort to tag his opponent and always trying to get to the ball first. Adam played a pivotal role in fullback with his usual amazing energy! Third Quarter 6-4 to 4-3. By the final quarter both Matt and Fynn were rested following some tough collisions and the opposition gained 3 quick goals from us. We managed to strike back through goals to Alexander and Sam who took a big mark in front of the sticks to set himself up. Cameron P played a great game in mid- field and showed great courage over the ball against the older (and bigger!) boys. Final score 9-4 to 6-5. At the end of the round games we are 3rd on the ladder and are looking forward to our first semi against Miranda at ELS Hall this Sunday. Rest up boys, train hard and be your best! Warren Platts U13 Round 15 Perfect conditions presented for our home game against the formidable Willoughby/Mosman Swans. Based on our earlier POINT POST- - - ROUND 16 5

6 encounter this year (quite a mauling!), a confident Swans coach said they d provide our undermanned side with players to balance the teams once they d reached the 60 point difference (adding they needed a strong % boosting win heading into the finals). That provided sufficient incentive to show the opposition our fighting Dockers spirit! Our core group of U13 Dockers have continued their steady improvement and once again displayed effective teamwork and a more determined ability to win the contested ball. Improved defence led by Nick and Tim repelled repeated Swans attacks, and our midfield provided the forwards with opportunity to score. U12s provided 1 player/quarter, and Harry E added a Dash of class. Matt was strong in the first quarter and kicked our first goal. Dash lived up to his name and was dominant through the corridor, also kicking a goal. Only 2 points difference at the first quarter break appeared to have the Swans coach in a panic! The Dockers continued to compete strongly in the 2 nd quarter. Nick and Brok laid several strong tackles, and Yianni once again proved that the shortest can bring down the tallest! Dan read the flow of play very well and attacked the footy all day, and kicked another well- earned goal. Riley fought hard against bigger players and showed good aerial skills. Brok continued to burst out of the packs, Haz was our key ball gathering midfielder, and Lachy had strong marks on the lead. In the second half, the Dockers showed tremendous spirit, but the Swans gradually stretched their lead. The lads fought hard despite obvious fatigue, largely due to no interchange players (compared to seven for the Swans) and losing Haz to injury in the 3rd quarter. Nick followed his best game of the season performance last week with another great game at full back, reading the play to stop goals with spoiling touches, strong marking and tackling against the taller opposition. Hugo and Tim contributed strongly to our greatly improved defence, supported by Jack when moved to half- back. Zann and Dan ran and ran, Hugh chased and Will marked truly. Multiple leads and clean passages of play demonstrated overall improvement in the U13s game sense and skills. The final score ( to ) didn t really reflect the closely fought first half. Our Dockers should be very proud of their performance under these 6 POINT POST- - - ROUND 16

7 conditions. The lads gave the Swans a highly competitive and physical game (duly acknowledged by the Swans coach), and if they can take the same fighting spirit into the final game, the Dockers stand a good chance of defeating the higher positioned Cannons, jumping well clear of the wooden spoon and ending the season on a high! Keep up the great effort! U13 Round 16 Charles Allan Fittingly, another warm (dry and dusty!) day greeted the last game of Our opposition, the Canada Bay Cannons, were close above on the ladder and the Dockers were ready for a win! With no help possible from the U12s this week (as they were playing away), we were down in numbers, so a big thanks to Dash and Nao after playing U14s to boost our team to the required minimum. The Cannons team had three U14s and two U13/div 2 players, plus the luxury of players on the bench (compared to Dockers none), so our lads faced a familiar challenge. The key aims were to score early, keep the scoreline within striking distance and use possessions wisely. Both teams had a free player in defence and the 1st quarter set the scene for a highly competitive match. Cannons big midfielders won many clearances, but our back line continued their strong recent form with effective defence and counterattacks, highlighted by Nick and Nao kicking to our leading midfielders around the boundary or down the corridor. A strong surge forward and the first goal to Dash! First aim achieved! In a fast- paced quarter, the lads attacked the ball with consistent determination but the larger- bodied Cannons fought back to hold a slim lead at quarter time. The next 2 quarters remained tight as the Dockers battled hard against faster and taller opposition. In the centre, Lachy competed well against taller rucks all day, and Dan provided speed and effective efforts to defend or attack. Brok was tiring in the heat, but barged through packs when needed, and applied the enforcer tackle to those within his grasp! Nao (Ninja) was moved midfield to block a speedy Cannons U14 who consistently cleared centre ball ups. Seems an effective way to block was to win the footy and break into the open himself! Based on U14s coach and parents, Nao was having his best game of the season! POINT POST- - - ROUND 16 7

8 Cam also fought hard in the middle, gaining handballs and kicks under pressure in several passages of play. Nick, Hugo and Tim maintained a tight defence, and combined with constant leads from the midfield the footy moved with great teamwork from the backs to forwards on multiple occasions. Zann and Hugh had their best games of the season, attacking the ball and collecting several effective handballs. The Cannons maintained the lead, but the Dockers remained strong, and importantly, maintained striking distance. Another aim achieved! A change of momentum began in the third quarter. Dominant Cannons players appeared to be tiring. Dockers were exhausted but kept fighting for the ball, winning kicks from great tackles and playing in front. At full back, Nick saved several goals close to target, took the mark of the day, and with repeated efforts consistently cleared the ball from deep in defence. Hugo charged, tackled and provided leads. Lachy kept our forward drive going along the wings with great leads and marks on the run, supported by Dan and a wilting but determined Nao. A sturdy contested gather and handball by Jack on the boundary led to Haz scoring another goal. Dash and Haz were forward all game and made the most of the Dockers attacks, with both outrunning the opposition and snapping crucial goals, and Dash also dominant in the air. The entire Dockers team lifted as they regained the lead for the first time since their first goal. Tim came off injured and with no subs Jack was moved back to fill the void, producing his best game of the season. Cannons narrowed the margin, and Brok was moved to neutralise the giant Cannon forward, where he spoilt some important marking attempts. Repeated efforts by Hugo, Jack and Nick applied constant defensive pressure on Canada Bay, demonstrated by the final Cannons score of 7 goals and 15 behinds. With the game in the balance, Dan, Lachy, Nao and Cam mustered their reserves to hinder the Cannons midfield, and close tagging by Hugh and Zann, and a timely Zann intercept mark in our forward line, helped to maintain our lead. The big Cannons were coming back, but the final siren sounded, the lads prevailed and the home crowd cheered!! Dash and Haz finished with 4 and 6 goals respectively in our hard fought come- from- behind Dockers victory ( to POINT POST- - - ROUND 16

9 57). It was a terrific team effort, every player contributed to this well- deserved win. Exhausted and proud, the lads (and even some dads) sang their club song! A great way to end the season! U14 Round 14 Charles Allan Our 2nd match of the year against Kellyville I saw as a learning opportunity, with the Magpies clearly the dominant team in Div 2, easily beating 2nd place Heathcote by 7 goals. Having coached 7 of the Kellyville players in Reps this season, I challenged half our team by matching them against specific opposition players in run- with roles, playing against that player no matter what position he played. We went into the game still without Super & Merlin, along with Rizza who was still recovering from an eye injury received in the Glebe incident. While the Maggies were also missing players, they still had 3-4 on the bench. I was really happy with the team s effort in Q1, keeping Kellyville to 4 goals and really embracing the challenge. Q2 and 3 we struggled to maintain our intensity and concentration and this impacted the scoreboard, as the Magpies got their running game going. The boys lifted in the 4th quarter, showing plenty of spirit when some teams would have given up and were unlucky not to score a number of times in a much more even quarter. Some of the more notable performances on the day included: Ninja - got better as the game progressed showing his usual determination to win each contest; Bull his most disciplined display of the year against one of Kellyville s most important players; Sticks probably the only clear Dockers winner in the 1 on 1 battles, keeping a damaging running half back almost kickless and laying some textbook tackles; Diesel playing a sweeping role, he won plenty of the ball and used it well, making excellent decisions; and Liam in another outstanding display, taking on and eventually beating 3 taller opponents in the Ruck. I could have reduced the scoreline by adopting our normal structure, however, this was an investment in 2016 and if even 3-4 of the players learnt where to run and/or what is required to be the top team in the POINT POST- - - ROUND 16 9

10 competition then I m happy with the result. Heads up boys. NRD 0 0 = 0 lost to KM 22 9 = 141 Acknowledgements Michael Hudson Thanks to managers & coaches for their reports, Craig Parr, Kyle Mahoney, and Julian Turner for photos, and Club sponsors for all their support. 10 POINT POST- - - ROUND 16

Point Post Round 14, 2015

Point Post Round 14, 2015 Editorial Please note that, due to circumstances out of our control, the Club has had to change the date of the Trivia night, which will now be held on Friday 21st August. The