3 June 2023
Gilbert Gordon Oval
Riddell District Football Netball League
Last weekend I visited Woodend with friends on another of my ventures to a country football match. This time it was to see home team, the Woodend-Hesket (Hawks), battle it out with the Wallan (Magpies). It was to be a battle for the second place on the ladder behind the strong ladder leaders Diggers Rest (Burras) club.
The day was a combined celebration of the Hesket Football Club being 150 years old, and two senior premiership reunions for 1978 and 1983. The former Hesket club amalgamated with Woodend in 1978. To celebrate the occasion, the Woodend players wore the red and white jumpers of the former Hesket club. This made the football record hard to follow as the Hesket heritage jumper numbers didn’t match the Hawks players’ numbers in the footy record. Fortunately, the young Hawks Reserves players standing in front of us during the senior match were most helpful in identifying players and various plays etc. One quipped, ‘What are you writing for anyway mate, the local rag or the footy record’!
In season 2023, the Hawks are doing pretty well in their top three grades. Prior to the Magpies match the seniors had six wins and a loss – a very competitive loss against competition leaders, the Burras. The Reserves, after two very close losses had won their last four games and with their win over the Magpies, are now second on the ladder. The Under-19s also defeated the Magpies and are currently equal top with Macedon and Gisborne.
Pre-match we had accompanied our wives and partners around the excellent and very busy monthly Woodend market.
Weather wise it was a day of contrast – cool and wet in the morning to quite warm and very sunny during the afternoon to cold and dark in the late afternoon. The afternoon was enjoyed with very friendly Hawks supporters, cold beers and the traditional pie with sauce. We followed in the evening with a lovely craft brew at the Holgate Brewery and an excellent dinner at the local Woodend Indian restaurant.
The early rain had left a lot of muddy water pools around the fence line of the Gilbert Gordon oval which attracted many younger kids jumping and splashing about in their gumboots. It was interesting and very noticeable to see so many young families enjoying a day out at the footy. During game breaks it was nostalgic for me to observe the very many kids kicking and playing footy on the oval. Seemingly, a very good sign for the future of the Hawks.
As usual we made sure we arrived at the Gilbert Gordon Oval early to see the last half of the Reserves. We entered the oval via a pathway on the tennis side of the oval where there was no-one to take our entry fee. We proceeded to the main entrance and paid our $10 entry, much to the combined surprise of the gatekeepers. We noted during the course of the afternoon that our honesty had been passed on to others and we were made very welcome in the throng of Hawks supporters.
Country reserve teams are most often made up of individuals varying in age, shape, size and skills and it doesn’t vary much from small town to small town. This was once again the case for both the Hawks and Magpies Reserves teams. There were, on this occasion though, a noticeable number of younger players in both sides possessing good skills. It was probably one of the better country Reserve games I’ve seen in recent years – fast-paced, good skills and some excellent marks.
The Hawks Reserves 10.9 (69) ended up winning by 19 points over a gallant Magpies outfit 7.8 (50) in a solid, hard-fought match.
In the seniors match the lead changed throughout and there was high intensity, tough, hard and fast open play. All the ingredients of a good old country football match were on display.
The first quarter was a see-sawing hard hitting event won mainly by a good defensive effort by the Hawks 3.4 (22) to the Magpies 1.1 (7). The Hawks did, however, blow a few chances up forward to put themselves further ahead at the break.
The Magpies fought back strongly in the second quarter kicking 3 very good goals and outplaying the Hawks generally. Woodend defended well against a rejuvenated Magpies but like the Carlton Blues, fluffed several opportunities by turning the ball over far too many times.
Steve Boyall (Wallan), James Wiseman and Tobi Duff Tylter (Woodend)
As expected, the Hawks’ Dan Davie was threatening all day and constantly had to pursue his kicks and marks against the combined efforts of two to three Magpie defenders. Nevertheless, always moving and supremely dangerous, he got enough of the ball to boot six goals with three of them absolutely superb. Eat your heart out Harry McKay! The Magpies suffered a little with their emphasis on watching Davie as this allowed the Hawks to find forward targets elsewhere.
The third quarter was exciting to watch. It was a goal for goal battle. A resurging and very determined Magpies showed grit in hitting the lead early with two very good, quick goals. The Hawks backline battled hard to keep them out. For much of this quarter the Hawks found it hard to move the ball past the centre, were out marked by the Magpies around the ground and beaten to the ball often. The Hawks weren’t helped by some poor decision-making and handling errors which caused some crucial turnovers. Respite from the Magpie onslaught came when Davie and Toman both kicked superb goals which seemed to revive the Hawks.
Dan Toman and Ethan Minns (Woodend)
Another goal by Davie put the Hawks within three points of a determined Magpies outfit. A free kick to Davie followed by a 50 metre penalty saw him score another major levelling the scores at 8.7 (55). During the latter minutes of the quarter the Magpies, who had controlled the ball for most of the play, kicked a goal and a behind to start the last quarter seven points up with the Hawks hanging on by ‘the skin of their teeth’. It was anyone’s game.
Steve Boyall (Wallan) and Ethan Minns (Woodend)
The last quarter was played under lights and it was very hard to see players across the other side of the oval.
An early goal by Toby Duff Tylter and a forced behind saw the Hawks draw level. Davie goaled again with one of the best goals of the day and another goal by the Hawks made it a two goal catch-up for the Magpies.
Tyson Chapman (Woodend)
With only several minutes to go, an excellent finishing goal by the Hawks’ Ethan Gove followed quickly by another by the Hawks, seemed to instigate a second wind and they ran over the top of a very gallant and tiring Magpies, winning by 17 points; 13.10 (88) to Wallan’s 10.11 (71).
It was a great and exciting game of country football.
Hawks Best Players:
Stapleton, D. Toman, T. Duff Tylter, S. Medland, T. Martin, Templeton, D. Davie.
Hawks Goal kickers:
Davie 6, Paterson 2, T. Duff Tylter 2, R. Ferguson, D. Toman, E. Minns.
I feel fortunate to have experienced another wonderful day at a country footy match. I thoroughly recommend it! All power to the country football netball community clubs. The Woodend-Hesket and Wallan clubs are two of them.
Read more excellent local footy stories from Allan Barden HERE.
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A colourful description of a good day out at a country footy game.
Allan, I smiled at your description of the Reserve team players. So true!
I was also at that game Allan, I agree it was one of the best country footy games I had seen for a while.
Your description and comments were spot on.
I love reading your amazingly descriptive reports, Allan. I agree with you that watching country football is a great experience and a lovely family outing.
Well done Al, a good read. It does bring back memories of country football games gone by. I umpired country football in Tasmania and South Australia in the 70s and 80s. Very parochial supporters gave the umpires a lot of “encouragement” and if the local side lost, the football manager would advise the umpire after the game that it would be in his interest not to call into the clubrooms for a quiet beer. I should have stuck to boundary umpiring.
You placed us right in there Allan. I could even taste the vindaloo.
Don’t ya love a day at the Country Footy. We’il have to tag along in the near future…the boys at the game and the ladies doing what the ladies do. Brian Schultz
A terrific article about our local footy Al, you really captured the essence of grass roots football in the country and spiced the story up with a little teaser of the great food and beverages available in our little country village of Woodend. Well done.
Jim Holciombe
I was on the gate that day and it was a pleasure to meet you. As happens at all footy it’s sometimes what happens on the outside of the fence that makes local country footy so enjoyable. Thanks for coming.
We have all 3 football teams in the finals , the seniors for the first time since 2009.
Cheers Joel