Round 8 – St Kilda v Carlton: Honouring Mothers Match

 

Saturday, 13 May 2017
2:10 pm (5:10 am York, UK and 1:10 pm Kyoto)
Docklands Stadium, Melbourne

 

St Kilda and Carlton have played footy on Monday as Post Mother’s Day clashes for several years. They had moderate rivalry these years because of the specific Monday games.

Then both played in Wellington in 2015 was sadly the last year St Kilda hosted an AFL match over there.

This year Saints and Blues are back around Mother’s Day and it’s a day before Mother’s Day. It’s a big blockbuster for me.

Mothers all over the world are doing amazing jobs. These include cooking, washing and cleaning for their children and partners. I have many wonderful friends who are mums including my girlfriend, Katie.

Let’s honour lovely mothers.

Two days before the clash, my good friend and our great Almanacker Yvette Worby launched her book entitled Siren’s Call in St Kilda. It was successful as you know and they had nice guest speakers including a St Kilda Shark player (Brittany Bonnici) and two Saints (Gilbert and Bruce). Indeed she is a good mum too, and I honour her for wonderful works looking after her family and writing an amazing story.

The roof at the stadium is open, Carlton captain Murphy wins the toss and let the ball bounced on the field.

 

1st Quarter: Saints pleasing Sainter mums

At first the opponent dominate as Bluebagger mums seem to have strong motherships to control the game. The ball up is done 35 metres out Saints goal square and Weitering scored the first goal in the game.

Membrey has a chance to respond and to answer his mum’s love, but misses the opportunity.

Then Steven kicks the ball close to the boundary line towards the pack of Saints and Blues. Gresham picks the ball and handballs Riewoldt. The former skipper handballs Billings who shots a goal with his left feet.

Congestion is no worries and motherhood could create some space for us. Great handball and kicking skills create goals in the busy fields.

Newnes kicks beautifully towards our goal pocket at the half centre and Bruce takes a great contested mark 30 metres out. He kicks a goal directly in front. Bruce shows his efforts to us, especially to Yvette as a guest speaker in her book launch.

Later in the quarter, the ball is travelled endlessly and I describe it as the loop trip in my note. It is named after taking a loop bus service to go shopping and get free wifi listening to ABC Grandstand live footy coverage.

Billings scores his second goal with open space later and Membrey follows. Saints seem to please Sainter mums, but Carlton show efforts as they have beat Swans and Collingwood in the previous matches.

Jack Silvagni takes a mark directly in front and kicks a goal. Bluebagger mums seem to start cooking for their sons.

Sadly Saints go down and Silvagni kicks his second narrowing the margin to two.

Then Katie starts writing on Facebook Messanger making me smile as I am her baby boy and her loves are on my way.

Meanwhile Sinclair takes a mark and Gresham only scores a behind.

 

2nd Quarter: Aishiteru baby

The sentence is the mixture of Japanese and English we use to express our love. Aishiteru means ‘I love you’.

Why not translating baby into Japanese to make sense? Sadly Japanese language has no romantic word that English has, such as darling, sweetheart and babe.

We keep texting while the game is on. Our communication is precious and I love Katie.

Meanwhile only within a minute after the first bounce for the quarter, Riewoldt picks a dropped ball and kicks beautifully to Billings who takes a chest mark and is a busy loved boy.

He must be said “Aishiteru baby” by his mum before the game and kicks a goal from 45 metres out.

But Saints seem not to understand this phrase correctly. Marc Murphy kicks goals two in a row. He seems to know how to play Mother’s Day week matches against us.

Gresham runs towards the goal square with open space, but Alex Silvagni tackles him from behind. The Former Docker has good skills to tackle opponents as a defender with advantages of being tall. Bless the young small forward.

At the nearly end, both teams face tackles missing opportunities to score goals.

Cripps seem to goal easy with open space directly in front, but Geary tackles him well. He shows efforts as the skipper and must have been got loves with “Aishiteru baby”.

Then Roberton kicks in congestion just behind the goal posts, but Carlton defender block the ball in sake of loving their baby boys.

Katie is tired as it is early in the morning in York, we finish talking for a while with saying “Aishiteru baby”.

 

3rd Quarter: Mums hard jobs clearing mess

Saints start well with coast to coast kicks. Yvette’s guest on Thursday, Bruce kicks from 70 metres out towards Riewoldt. He takes the classic chest mark that I am sure showing his love to his lovely wife and mum. The mighty Nick show ends kicking a goal comfortably.

Balls up and Ross snatches a goal beautifully in the congested goal square. Ross finally answers to “Aishiteru baby.”

It’s also Billings Day as he scores a goal in the left angle to make his 50th game most memorable kicking fifth goal.

But at the end of the quarter, Docklands say “Hey mum! We need you.”

Simpson kicks long towards packs of players. Contested marks are attempted, but no success and three players fall down. Our big boy Carlisle cannot stand up.

Gibbs scores a goal and then brawls occur on the footy field. Such flares have happened between Saints and Blues before including at Post Mother’s Day blockbusters.

Post match news sadden me as it’s reported St Kilda players sledge Murphy with personal issues. And media coverage and reactions on social media worsen as all parties (Murphy, Carlton and St Kilda) take no more action but comments are still made.

I wish mums didn’t have to cop such trash journalism. Please leave alone even I am shamed my boys crossed the line.

 

4th Quarter: Love you Mum

Ross swifts 60 metres out and snarls a goal straight powerfully. Now Saints are back in front again.

On the radio, commentators say “It’s a quiet day for Josh Bruce kicking only a goal”. I want him to be a gun celebrating Yvette’s book published and honouring her ‘motherhood’ towards the club.

Then he answers to mums. Taking a high mark and kicks straight to extend our lead to two goals.

Finally mums are honoured and St Kilda supporters are pleased by 19 points. We get into the fifth on the ladder at the time.

Thanks to Richmond showing great efforts to finish ninth, we stay sixth on the ladder at the end of Round 8, higher than Richmond or Bulldogs. It’s a good Mother’s Day present.

Please note that Mother’s Day in York was in April.

 

ST KILDA 4.3 6.5 9.8 12.13 (85)
CARLTON 4.0 6.1 9.3 10.6 (66)

 

GOALS
St Kilda: Billings 5, Ross 2, Bruce 2, Membrey, Riewoldt, Steele
Carlton: J. Silvagni 2, Murphy 2, Cripps 2, Weitering, C. Curnow, Williamson, Gibbs

BEST
St Kilda: Billings, Ross, Carlisle, Newnes, Steven, Dunstan
Carlton: Murphy, Cripps, A. Silvagni, Docherty, Rowe, Kreuzer

OUR VOTES
Billings (STK 3), Newnes (STK 2), Carlisle (STK 1)

Official crowd: 38,014