Pines Home2010-Pythons Skinned And Left Out To Dry !!

7th August, Stonecats v The pythons at The Stonecave..Weather- Perfect Spring Day with a Morass in the middle !!

Mud, Mud Beautiful Mud !!! …… All`swell in the Everglades..as Dylan Hoare celebrates his return to football !!!

Not having graced the position since 1992, the lure of top spot on the ladder, and Minor Premiers must remain a goal of Coach Barry and his Boys, and Saturdays game against Pines was crucial, in remaining in the hunt for this and top spot at the end of the H & A`s. Due diligence was therefore required by the Coach and Selectors to make sure we could answer any tactics employed by The Pythons.

With Maca unavailable due to a slight Hamstring problem and Hackett out because he was very tired, Eames was pulled strait back in after his finger operation and Dylan was elevated after his great game in the Magoo’s the week before. Unfortunatel, although Tim Gilham’s star burned brightly in his inaugural kickoff  last Saturday, it went out just as quickly, as his stay in the ones was terminated with the inclusion of Stingrays Rohan Bleeker.

With this side ready to roll the boys kicked to the Railway end, in perfect weather conditions, but on a saturated and muddy oval.  

 Byron Barry repulses a Pines attack in the 1st Q..  Cousin Bundy in tow !!

Interesting matchups saw chubby Simon Bishop go on to chubby Zannon, the Hendry boys take on our superheros, The Great Ulmer and Eames, Paul Wintle take on Russel Bishop, while Bundy was set alight on Edwards. Up forward Pines thought Luke Houldcroft could contain Tellis, while his brother Jack was put on to the impossible task of containing Lewis.

It didn’t take long for the gun to go off as at the 2 min mark, The Ulmer marked in the pocket and kicked long to the goal square, where Bodley toe poked it thru for our first goal of the day. This was followed immediately by BT who marked near the point post and ran in for an easy conversion.

But The Pythons immediately replied with their first, when Nackers was caught holding the ball, and Tedge had no trouble in slotting the twin sticks courtesy of the resultant free . The goals then began to flow freely, as from the the resultant centre bounce, Bodley marked, and kicked to the pocket where Pooly accepted the pass and kicked truly from 50m. Coming up to the 10 min mark however, Francis got loose from Heijden and was able to mark and kick long to the pocket where Nunn marked over Bundy and kicked truly to bring up their 2nd.

From the next centre contest, Bodley snared the ball and kicked long to the pocket, were Lewis brought up his first for the day from 45 m.  Dougy (9 touches), Pooly ( 13 ) and Bodley ( 13) were providing great drive in to the forward  line were Lewis was making it uncomfortable for the python forwards. Down back Pines had little opportunity as Bundy ( 12 ), Byron, Paul and Blake were on top of their match ups.

At 15 mins Lewis missed an embarrising sitter from dead in front of an open goal as did Kyle a moment later, accounting for the 2 points for the Q. Further goals where added by Dylan Hoare, Steve and The Boys went in to the short break  well in front, and moving away with some very unstonecat like accuracy 7.2.44 to 3.0.18

Kyle Hutchinson making it hard for the Pines backs while BT takes it easy !!.

The 2nd Q saw Pines come out with more determination, and shoring up some of the gaps on their backline, were able to put some pressure on our attack, but it was in to the 10th min before a score was marked up, with Pines going against the play to score ther only major for the Q, and it was to be a further 5 min before we scored our 1st, with Bods scooping the ball from a pack and snapping a goal from well out under pressure.. This Guys good !!

Blake ( 10 Touches ), was having a very good Q in defence, as was Zannon and Bundy, but the forwards were off the boil and only Kyle, and Lewis, were keeping up their 1st Q fire, and the last goal was kicked by Rhys Johnson from 30 m dead in front on the run, after receiving a spot perfect handball from…you guessed it…Bods !!!

As the clock wound down, The Ulmer marked a pass from Dougy, but missed from directly in front, Lewis missed from the pocket and Kyle from 10m to an open goal, while Tellis missed a running shot after a magical piece of play and handball from Bods..the last of only 7 points for the half, with the boys going  in comfortably in front  9.7.70 to 4.2.26, with the floodgates yet to open ..look out Pythons !!!

The Barry Cousins Sort Out Things On The Backline !!

The 3rd or Premiership Q as its ofttimes called,started from the ballup with Dylan passing to Nackers who sank it from the 40 m mark on the run . Three min on ..yes..Bodley marked in the pocket at an acute angle but was able to run on and bring up the double calico’s..way to go David !!

From the centre bounce the ball went to to a big pack of players at CHF and ..yes..Bodley marked..and goaled from in front at 40 m, absolutely dominating the forward line with the backs completely bemused !!

From the next centre ballup, Lewis outbustled Houldcraft to mark right in front and kick a beautiful goal for the 4th of the Q.  Then Chappy led to a beautiful pass from Steve, held it and goaled from in front in the sandpit.

At the 13 min mark, Kyle goaled from in front from a handball from..Bodley..scooped up from amongst a pack of defenders. Next to goal was Lewis, who marked in front, but then got the benefit of a 50m penalty to goal from the goalline courtesy of more stupid play by Pines !!!!!!!!!!.. 

 Next to fire was Byron, who kicked at goal from a Lewis handball, but was splattered by Mackay after the kick and Tellis goaled from the goal line from the resultant 50m penalty.  

Just how undisciplined can a side get ??    Their backline play and tactics would at times have been overshadowed by some Aus kick sides Ive seen !!   Nuff said !! On with the Game….

…At the 20 min mark Tellis missed from a  mark on the goal line..its true..and then Chappy was monstered by Marriner, and he received a free…but wait…yes..some aside to the umpire sent him backpedalling for another 50 m penalty which Chappy gratefully accepted, to put it through from the goal line…How dumb can U get ??

When Luke Houldcroft was put on to Lewis and the idiot tactics started,  I gave up and decided enough was enough, and went in  to make up an early ice bath for myself to cool my brain, and regain some football sanity. Im told futher goals were added by Lewis and BT before the boys finished the 3rd Q, having put on 11.3.69 ( our best for the season ) with Dylan ( 15 touches ), Tellis (8 ) and  Bodley (10) leading the way to the execution !!

Lewis and Houldcroft !!!

The last Q continued in the same fashion, with Chaplin on fire getting 3 goals in a row from 8 possessions, Byron still solid, Bodley picking up the last of his 5, Benny making amends and slotting 1, while Kyle, Craig and Steve did likewise to total 8 for the Q and finish the game 28.11.179 to 11.3.69, a score which flattered Pines who picked up 5 in the last Q as the foot came off.

My best by a Collins Street mile was Bods, playing certainly his best ever game ( 34 touches, 5 goals ), and marking himself down as a future mainstay of the Stonecat Ruck and CHF positions for years to come … Brilliant… also now on my 3rd week as best player !!   Close up, was Bundy with 27 touches on the half back line, Dougy winning on the wing ( 26 ), and Dylan with 30 possessions in his 2nd game back..and a goal !!  Also firing were Steve (31), Lewis with 4 and Chappy with another great bag of 5 goals…to think, he was almost dropped!!!

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Grover cleans up !!

Schneider’s Seriously Scintillating Seconds were under some pressure on Saturday, as it had a must win situation against Pines if it was to retain the double chance.

But not to worry, after a hard battle thru the first 3 Qs and a 6 point lead at the Orange break, the boys kicked away in the last Q, thanks to strong play and goals from those faces from the past and semi retirees, Gavin Artico and Andrew Schneider. Our best on the day were Strico with another great Captains game and 10 kicks, Andrew with 4 match winning goals, Grover onball and Steve Meagher in the ruck..

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Reidys Raiders had no trouble beating a depleted Pines unit, keeping them to just 3 points while putting on 18 goals and a % booster and staying on track for the Five !!

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Bodley At His Best !!

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