I was driven to and from the game at the H.T. King Oval yesterday. In the morning I was at the Knox Hospital in the morning, having a gastroscopy. Our kicking for goal, and forward line play generally, has got to me. I wanted to make sure that the sick in the stomach feeling I get when any of our players line up for a simple shot at goal is not due to some medical issue. My mother, uncle, grandmother and grand uncle all died of stomach cancer and the shooting for goal this year will either give me stomach cancer or completely remove my gut epithelium.
I get the results of the gastroscopy on Tuesday and I hope they are better than the result of yesterday: a 59 point flogging by St Kevins Old Boys. Now Saint Kevin was an interesting chap and the facilities at the footy yesterday had some parallels with his life. Saint Kevin lived in a cave, wore skins and went about praying. Now those “shelter sheds” down at St Kevins reminded me of his story. I reckon the shelter sheds (shipping containers?) were actually upside down. I was in a cave of sorts, wearing a leather jacket and praying for a win that would eliminate any chance of relegation. I reckon all the “Micks” amongst us can miss Mass today.
Now when I arrived at the ground there was an immediate groan from the Fitzroy faithful. You see we do not lose every game I come to, but we win all the ones I miss. This was explained to me by several groups of supporters. Where does that leave me? With a gut ache.
The news was not good at the start of the game; Rory out and “Won’t He Fenton” was crunched early in the first quarter and played no further part in the match. We started well though with Daniel Bisetto leading the defenders a merry dance with three goals in the first quarter. We were kicking with the breeze however and St Kevins murdered us for the rest of the match.
Our on-ballers were taken apart. We are not quick enough in the contested ball situation. The better B Grade sides offload the ball, back up in waves and run and spread much quicker than we do. A seminal incident occurred in the second quarter when Cuzzie put the ball out in front of Greg Hesse. Greg had a 5 metre break, with no one between him and the goals. We were playing “Pagan’s Paddock.” Greg, one of our better players, has no great leg speed and he was overtaken not by one St Kevins’ player but two! They ran away from us all day.
Max Allen kicked two goals for us in the third quarter but of the rest of the match here was nothing to excite a Fitzroy supporter. The final scores were Fitzroy 5.8. to St Kevins 13.19. The seconds and thirds also lost.
Stev Fenton drove me home (you are supposed to go home and not drive after a gastroscopy). When I got out of the car I could hear the ducks enjoying the sheets of water on the oval next to our house. I went for a walk this morning and had to pick my way through the duck droppings. Big game next week against Parkdale and if we lose we are back in the “s…t.”
Go the Redders.
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