Match Reports

Round 2 (16th April 2023)

Supers v Eastern Hills Cats

It was a wet week however the weather gods gave some reprieve to the Sunday football goers to deliver a glorious 22 degrees on the sunny fields out at Dianella. After receiving much motivation from the Seniors and Masters, it was time for the Wembley youth to spring into action.

After a rocky start to 2023, the Wembley Supers took full advantage of the free agency and family ties to the mighty O’Leary family to get the signatures of another two quality individuals in Ben and Kim to top up the playing list heading into round 2. In addition to this were a few names making their debut for 2023 providing a solid outfit looking to wreak havoc on the travelling Eastern Hills Cats.

Quarter 1: After the back slaps and well wishes for both teams it was bounce down seeing the big framed Brendan launching into a Jeremy Cameron look alike to provide first use out of the middle. Bassett, Daniher and a Little Things Gin fuelled Tom Martin sprung out of the blocks to give the forwards first use.

Riley Kemp appeared to bring his own ball in the first quarter running amok on the wing and going coast to coast like butter on toast delivering to the tall timber in Plonk and Brad causing head aches for the Cats backmen. In amongst the early 6-point action, it was noted that inaccuracy on goal was starting to develop from the Wembley Supers leaving the door ajar for the travellers from the Eastern Hills.

To their credit, the cats responded to the early momentum from the Wembley Supers however the formidable back six did not let up with Dan “who needs two hamstrings?” O’Leary, Chidgzey, Adam, Burgo, and Alex “Jets” Sardelich putting up a solid defensive wall and rebounding out of the back 50.

Quarter 2: We saw two endurance beasts coming off 4 quarters of footy already in the tank from the Masters in Cogs and Fev thrown into the mix. Cogs stepped in to give Brendan a well-deserved chop out in the ruck and Fev injected some poise and quality disposal off a wing to continue the solid start of Kemp.

Unfortunately for the Wembley Supers we saw the inaccuracy continue which was much to the delight of the Cats defence. This was until the dribbling goal that would make even Jason Dunstal applaud was delivered from the Jdogg after a burst of pace across goal. The Margaret River Roasting goal of the year bar was set, and the goals started falling for Wembley, it was game on!

Quarter 3: After a half time reset, coach Jodda accompanied by assistant Junior Coffey decided to throw additional headaches the way of the Cats by injecting in a new look midfield. Kim “Kms” O’Leary who was blowing up the Telstra heat tracker (refer to Figure 1) off the wing went into overdrive clocking up the kilometres on ball and providing a burst to break lines across the midfield receiving leather poisoning for his troubles. In addition, Keenan was rock solid at stoppages and put his diesel engine on display by putting on a silky 1-2-3-4 effort along the wing to deliver a lace out goal opportunity late in the quarter.

Figure 1 – Kim O’Leary possession heatmap

Another new name that has been a quality addition into the side is D.Higgs who provided an option on the wing for the Wembley defence to deliver to and executed a level of agility not seen in masters football history which had the peanut gallery in awe and facilitated delivery into the Wembley forward line.

To continue the forward onslaught, it was important to have forward defensive pressure, which was delivered by Ben O’Leary, Ross, Jdogg and Daniher ensuring the ball stayed in the Wembley forward 50. The combination of delivery down the ground and pressure facilitated a forward highlight which came in the form of a Marcus Easthope’s juggling mark whilst falling backwards and cracking set shot finish to rub salt into the wounds of the opponents.

Quarter 4: Again, another elite coaching move from Jodda and junior Coffey saw the spine flipped on its head with the tall timber forwards in Plonk and Brad heading down back and sending Adam “meat-axe” Williams and Dol heading up forward.

It wasn’t long until the highlight reel began with Dol’s repeat leads and strong hands out of centre half forward providing a solid target and creating a big hole behind him for Adam to weave his magic. D Higgs’ agility must have been contagious as Adam produced a Quade Cooper style goose step in the forward pocket to create a goal opportunity out of a sure thing boundary throw in.

In amongst all the O’Leary highlights of the day, it was now time for Ben O’Leary to get amongst the action. After relentless self-sacrificing leads, pressure acts and one percenters that often go unnoticed, it was the reward for hard work that came in the form of a strong lead and set shot 40m out on a tough angle. After the Cats backmen gave the boot of Ben no respect leaving the goal line vacant, the opportunity was taken full advantage of launching a monster straight through the big sticks sending the Dianella watering hole into hysterics.

This became a theme late in the game with Marcus getting amongst the bomb action launching a 40m+ monster over the despondent heads of the Eastern Hills Cats last line of defence. Save to say it was the final nail in the coffin and the Wembley Supers were home and hosed.

Now onto a tough ask with back to back weeks games. Looking forward to getting the whole list down to training Wednesday and carrying the momentum into the Wembley home games this coming Sunday.

– Luke “The Other” Daniher

 

Masters v Eastern Hills Cats

Round 2 saw the Masters take to the field at Light Street Reserve in Dianella, and what had previously been ominous cloud cover soon gave way to ideal footy conditions for a Sunday afternoon in April.

The first quarter was a hotly contested arm wrestle, with both sides jostling for position and dominance in a quarter fought overwhelmingly in the middle and across the wings. That’s not to say the backline and forwards weren’t busy, because oh boy were they…

Q1 saw BOM breaking tackles and lines, Irish working hard in the ruck, and Cogs putting his best foot forward for casting consideration for any upcoming sequel to “Everything, Everywhere, All at Once”. Camera Pan backwards a hundred metres or so, and Dozer took his nickname literally by being able to squeeze in a Dad-nap because our half back line, including great second efforts and third efforts from PK, Abba, Fev and BP increasingly put their stamp on the game and created an impenetrable semi-circular wall spanning from both wings across half back that just locked the play in that Cat’s defensive half.

The forward line worked hard and attained multiple scoring opportunities in the first quarter and capitalised where they could but were tested by a gritty and determined Eastern Hills defence that was in plenty of cases backing up from their previous Seniors game. It made for a very evenly matched and well contested first quarter of play as the arm wrestle played out across the midfield and Wembley’s forward line.

Cue the Second Quarter, and as brave as the Eastern Hills boys were, Wembley’s Masters just started to get a bit of an edge. Not only did our half backs continue to rebound most of what appeared rearwards of centre square, but the tempo on the wings and the movement back into attack stepped up a notch.

Jimmy had had his usual good start to the game, but in this quarter he combined with Fev in a competition between the two of them to see who could burn off more opponents. With V Man and Uni continuing to provide workmanlike and effective support from the outset, and Cogs continuing his pretty believable attempts to make the Hills boys think there were five of him running about the shop, Wembley started to truly assert some ascendancy – Sarge as usual exercised some canny fieldcraft and contribute to some very slick movement by hands that linked up well to an increasingly dangerous forward line.

Half time, saw the traditional possie swap. By this time the Eastern Hills boys were fighting hard with plenty of admirable Masters spirit but the Cats were up against it. For the Wembley Masters, Fingers and Fev connected for a couple and where Fev wasn’t terrorising the opposition, Abba continued to spread, chase and rebound with so much pace, he was tripping the cameras on Alexander Drive.

The final Quarter was more of the same, and to both sides’ credit neither gave an inch. There was plenty of hard, fair contact despite the extremely tired bodies. DC and Fingers were up and about in the forward fifty with their usual fearless commitment to the contest in the air and on the ground, and the usual suspects in the backline, middle and on the wings worked like Thoroughbreds to strangle opposition forward movement and rebound it back for the forwards to have another crack.

Needless to say the day was won by the continual second and third efforts by Wembley’s Masters across half back, mids and wings that largely constrained Eastern’s offensive movement and allowed us to keep applying pressure with numbers behind the ball and at the contest. Once the contested ball was in Wembley hands, it was moved pretty slickly, breaking lines with plenty of run.

With some injuries during the game reducing the numbers the field opened up just as our boys started to get tired and give fewer shits. Beer O’Clock couldn’t come soon enough, and players from both sides called it a day – the boys in Black justifiably proud of their efforts to wrest control of the game, whilst the Hills boys in Blue and White could hold their heads high for battling all day and never giving up in a physically demanding contest that was nonetheless played in good spirits, further reinforcing the history of great games of footy between Wembley and Eastern Hills.

– Anton “Dozer” Avila

 

Seniors v Eastern Hills Cats (Pictorial)

Editors Prologue

In a never ending quest to improve the readership of the match report and in so doing expose more branding for our illustrious sponsors, the author of this report brings with great joy the first Match Report Pictorial (it is easier for many of you to read the pictures and more pictures mean less writing).

I know some of you are excited by the notion of a “pictorial” but this is by no means the type you may have been hoping for. The excitement and anticipation is likely to be replaced by disappointment and delusion almost instantly. Akin to that you feel when you realise your AFL team loses its first game of the year and the reality of a never ending list rebuild surfaces like a turd that just won’t flush.

But enough I say of the editorial prologue, lets dig into the excitement of ROUND 2 – PIES V CATS at the CROCS Swamp.

Ground Report

• Fast Track weed and dog poo free
• Light South West Breeze favouring the Light St end carrying the aroma of the public facilities away from the playing area
• Weather Fine, partly cloudy, no chance of rain, plenty of chance of a F up or 2

Ins/Outs

• In – Twitter (straight off pyscho 1000km bike ride), Eppo (debut for the RooDog), Hammy (international guest star) Newy (1st Emergency and WaterBoy)
• Out – Simmo (gone fishin), Werns (AWOL), Lui (carers leave)

Match Report

Round 2 was set for the seniors talented, skilled, well oiled machine to explode into the game crushing the spirit, hopes and fortune of our foe. This was the plan in January at the start of preseason formulated over a frothy at “the Wembley”.

Sad to say that was a pipe dream clouded by the beer dregs in the bottom of my glass. Its not all bad news though, the despair of an empty glass is soon replaced with another full pint and so has the hope for game dominating success in Round 3 at the Magpies Nest.

Unlike his AFL coaching counterparts, Wattsie has been prepared to unleash a new game day prep and strategy to keep the opposition guessing…. And his team mates wondering. Starting on Wednesday of game week with all keen to impress on the track for fear of losing their place amongst elite peers. Having names on the white board three days before the game has no one guessing if we will need the support of the ramshackle Crocs.

The drafting of free agents Slarkey and Nankers is considered a major coup with each immediately having an impact on confidence and skill. Slarks sailing through the air like a bin chicken with his aerial dominance and Nankers charging off CHB like a wounded rhino, the opposition was paralysed with fear.

Having slated the team line up Wednesday the seniors chat group was lit up like a Ukrainian village with the despairing picture of the team full forward bound by machines that go “bing”, laying prostrate and forlorn.

Below: Space hooked up to more wires than a Western Power Substation

Before the board could be reshuffled to account for the loss of Space the absence of space was replaced with Space….. I’m not sure what care the nurses administered but it seems one tab of harden up was administered. Space back in the game.

And that is exactly what the Seniors need – more space because when you screw it up as often as we do that is exactly what is needed, more space and Space.

Back to Sunday, I digress like a politician on an international goodwill trade junket finding himself lost in a red light district.

From the opening bounce it was evident that the impact of special international draft player “Hammy” was going to introduce the Cats to all of his old tricks. Gathering the ball and bursting out of the guts, sending the ball deep into the forward line and cutting a path through the spine of the ground with surgical precision.

Siren sounds. Strong first 15, competitive with energy in the tank the Maggies have a slight lead in confidence having unleashed the league leading free agents.

With the absence of any further policy on COVID, except that the policy is now there is no need for a policy, it was a welcome relief to have a designated waterboy back able to roam the field. Suiting up early as the designated Emergency, Newy robed in the flouro vest was a welcome visitor throughout the game given the sunny warm conditions at The Swamp.

Several goals were exchanged with cries from the Maggies backline for the mids to push down harder. Under fire and enormous pressure the backend was holding up, supported by the strength of Drew, Brynna, Poobah, TK, Nankers and first year recruit Longy.

Half time arrives as the weather breaks and the clouds completely disappear. Out marches Boothy, determined to have more an impact than Muz as Chief Magnet Shuffler. A cross between a happy Mick Malthouse and a bearded tooth fairy, not wanting to blow his chances of moving in whilst Muz was absent, Boothy got to work passing off the whiteboard to the coach.

Final quarter and a quick chat at the break resulted in more magnet shuffling. This time backline enforcer and Club Coach – Brynna declared he had enough of Slarks domination wanting a slice of the goal scoring action.

Having had no impact on the scoreboard as a forward its likely Brynna will be taking his rightful place in the backline for round 3.

Not long after The Terminator takes a heavy hit to the hip, not something easily done. Without doubt running into a brick wall at full speed would leave a sick and sorry Cat on Monday considering his choice to take on Twitter over the ball.

 

Summary : A well rounded game and played in great Masters spirit, the Maggies acquitted themselves well agsinst the Cats and a great game had by all.

Thanks to those blokes from Masters backing up so we had a bench, we appreciate your support!

Special mention to everyone assisting with Kate, Moose’s daughter after the game, it was great to see everyone involved rally around to ensure she was in safe hands. Special mention the our resident Dr – Rolls, great work on and off the field mate! Also Mandy, Prindis better half for organising the ambos asap.

I couldn’t find a centrefold for this pictorial exposé sorry this is as close as I could get….

– Craig “Why Am I doing the writeup when I also do everything else” Watts