SKOBS RISE ABOVE THE BLACKS’ MOONLIGHT CLOUD
Whenever the Blacks come up against St Kevins, there is a flurry of pre-match correspondence. Players from both teams receive messages from friends and family during the week that convey how deeply important a win would be to their respective club. In the lead-up to this week’s instalment, the Blacks’ own Huw Lacey was one of these well-wishers. Having been drawn to Europe for a good friend’s wedding, Lace was smart enough to include a trip to Royal Ascot on his itinerary. These two sporting events on opposite sides of the globe included one common denominator – an undefeated participant. In the north, it was Black Caviar, in the south, it was St Kevins.
It’s an interesting exercise to consider the difference in perception of an unbeaten streak. For example, a Blackers fan following the great mare would say that “Winning form is good form”, whilst in the same breath may say that the Uni’s Saturday opponent was “Probably due for a loss”. Your scribe is reminded of how his Year 9 History teacher would say that “Actions speak louder than words“ before the next day saying that ‘The pen is mightier than the sword’. Such contradictions probably explained the time when my class-mate gave the teacher ‘the bird’ after being scolded for asking why St George didn’t just use a Bic.
The initial 1st v 2nd clash for the day was a fierce battle from when they ‘jumped’. It was immediately clear that St Kevins had not achieved their win-loss record by chance as their midfield pressure was fanatical and their forwards were moving swiftly. Pleasingly, the Blacks matched them in these areas, and at an early stage of the 2nd quarter, the Uni were looking like the better team.
One player who held the midfield together in the first half was Scotty ‘Scooter’ Myers. Scooter is the sort of character that every footy club needs. When he is not fighting fires during his work day, he is creating explosive events in his role as Blacks social coordinator. With a relaxed disposition and self-depreciating demeanour, he’s the sort of bloke that any Mum would want to rescue the family cat from the tree. As for the football field, he just makes things look easy.
Put simply, when the 2nd half started, St Kevins lifted by quite a lot, and the Blacks lifted by not quite as much. With the soggy conditions, and an umpire that seemed intent on showing the AFL how to get rid of a ‘rolling maul’ (ie by calling for a ball up immediately), there were plenty of close contests. By kicking two goals to none in the 3rd quarter, and the first goal of the last, the home side had a four goal lead that looked to be insurmountable.
It was at this stage, however, that the Blacks Magoos donned their ‘Moonlight Cloud’ colours and lifted for a late game surge. With young bucks ‘Stinger’ McNamara, Jacob Gardiner and Cam Turner leading the charge, the Scoobies put their opponents under enormous pressure and had a couple of half-chances gone their way the result may have been different. Of course, that’s easy to say. That’s why I wrote it.
All in all, the home side walked away as deserved victors, and our boys were left with a feeling that is better to have in June than September.
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| St. Kevins | 4.3.27 | 6.5.41 | 8.6.54 | 9.6.60 |
| Uni Blacks | 3.3.21 | 4.7.31 | 4.9.33 | 6.11.47 |
Goal Kickers
Jesse 2, Kalms, Holt, Myers, Crow
Best Players
Myers, McNamara, Guthrie, Kalms, Gardiner, Jesse
DRYSA WHITE HOT AS BLACKS JUMP TO TOP SPOT
It’s impossible to construct any form of Royal Ascot analogy for the senior game as the Uni were able to get a lead of 5 lengths whilst their opponent was still in the gates. In one of the most fanatical opening terms put on by a Blacks side in recent times, the away side was 28 points ahead at the first change, and with some better kicking for goal, it could have been more.
By the time half time came around, the margin was even greater. The Blacks were 45 points ahead and the large home crowd that had gathered in front of the pavilion were subdued. I would say that they looked ‘shell shocked’, but I’ve been warned against using war references. This goes back to the time I headed a story about Ryan Crowley’s groin surgery with the line “Saving Ryan’s Privates”
The key to the Blacks’ first half dominance was their relentless attack on the ball. No-one typified this more than Angus “Small Coastal Town” Drysdale. With a case of white line fever that is curable only by the touch of leather, Drysa’s commitment to physicality ensures that the face of any nearby opponent turns as white as Angus himself. Though his wiry frame may not seem suited to contested play, our boy can be a hard one to sedate on both the footy field and in the Clyde front bar after a Collingwood victory.
Though the 2nd half saw a lift in intensity from their opponents, The Blacks were clearly not in a mood to let the game get away. Willingham and young Roder controlled the ruck, Nick Batten and Simon Thomas ran in straight lines and forgot all about their future modelling gigs, and Jordie ‘The Foz’ Foster kicked 5 goals in a performance that only underlined his status as the Cyril Rioli/Dean Jones/Black Caviar to your columnist’s Bruce McAvaney/Bill Lawry/Gerard Whateley
If there was a ‘Name A Game’ DVD offering in the VAFA, there would be two things assured as a result of this contest. Firstly, there would be a large take-up of stock from a range of Blackers across the world, and secondly, those copies would quickly gather dust if the result were to be reversed later in the year. I should probably also note the fact that if such a service existed, Dave Batten would be the first to take up a subscription. He scrutinizes himself like no other. That’s why we love him.
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | |
| St. Kevins | 1.0.6 | 1.0.6 | 4.0.24 | 6.0.36 |
| Uni Blacks | 5.4.34 | 7.9.51 | 10.13.73 | 14.15.99 |
Goal Kickers
Foster 5, Matthews 2, Bismire 2, Roder 2, Richardson, Weekley, N Batten
Best Players
Drysdale, Thomas, Richardson, Roder, Mahon, Foster
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