Under 13 Div 1 Boys Aim Up & Deliver
When the 2021 season came to a grinding halt on August 2nd last year, due to Covid restrictions, our U12 Div 1 Boys were coming off a loss to the Hampton Rovers. In fact it was their 2nd loss to Hampton in the shortened seson. The boys had a habit of running ‘hot & cold’. When they were ‘on’ they looked unbeatable, but at other times they looked anything but.
That final match for the 2021 season displayed some defensive issues that would need to be resolved before the start of season 2022. It also gave Coach Terry Lucas a clean slate, where he could put a good pre-season into the guys and consolidate their roles, working from a fresh palette.
Terry then assembled an on field and off team that would change the course of this team’s destiny. Division 1 footy is uncompromising, you need a good plan, but equally you need good players – enter some boys from a local club who wanted the chance to play Div 1 footy. Terry jumped at the opportunity to recruit.
Come Round 1 of the 2022 season, the boys crunched East Brighton by 10 goals. Then in Round 2 they let Hampton know that things had changed, and a guy called Max McGlone had arrived. Every team needs a dominant goal kicker and Terry had decided, this is our guy. Max ended up kicking 31 goals for the season, a tremendous return for Terry’s faith.
So, by the end of Round 15 things were all squared up on top of the ladder with guess who… Hampton Rovers. Good teams don’t just disappear. Following the semi final round the same two teams would be pitted together in a mega Grand Final, one that took in the previous two ‘lost’ years and the current season.
What a mouth-watering match up!
Coach Lucas can be several things, importantly he is a great motivator and a profound strategist. As a football analysist his eyes are sharp to the opposition and the conditions.
This Hampton team rolls from the back six, their defence is rock solid and they have the ability to move the ball quickly to the attacking half. With the wind that would be an issue for Coach Lucas.
Terry decided to put in place two distinct games plans – the corridor with the wind and the narrow flank going into it. Up until half time only 1 goal had been scored into the wind. The last thing Terry wanted was Hampton’s long kicking defensive group gun barrelling balls into their attacking 50. As a consequence, Terry assigned Luke Sonogan to play on Hampton’s dominant fullback, virtually as a defensive full forward. It was a bold move, but it worked. (see photo below of Luke taking a tremendous mark over Hampton's exceptional fullback)
Come ¾ time Terry was fired up, sensing victory was at arms length he delivered one of the great motivating addresses. Every player took up the challenge, the Beauy crowd was pumped and the boys delivered.
What a game it was. Hampton were tough and resilient – no one expected anything less. The hits were forceful and the skills high from both teams. At this level you don’t drop marks and you tackle ferociously. Every contest counts; after all, a Div 1 premiership is at stake.
When the siren rang it was chaos and relief. The Div 3 boys joined in the celebrations as the Div 1 boys had done earlier for them.
For Terry and his Assistant Coach Tim Hancock this was the culmination of 3 years work.
For Terry personally, this was a challenge he probably didn’t need, given the fact he is President of the Club. However, Terry’s not the sort of guy to back down from the challenge of a premiership, especially with his son Chris in the team. Terry was supported in his quest by his family, Juniors President Ben Conrad, Team Manager Andy Spink, coaching Director Steve Nash, Tim Hancock and of course all the parents and players.
At the end of the day, it’s the players who win games. On Sunday this bunch of boys did just that, a moment in their lives they will never forget.
Final score: BFC 5.7-37 – Hampton Rovers 3.4-22
Goal Kickers: Max McGlone 2, Elliot Grant 2, Hamish Robinson 1.
Bryce Gill was a deserved winner of the Umpires Best & Fairest Award.
Well done to Terry, Tim & Andy and their group of titans.
Go Sharks!
(for more photos CLICK HERE)
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