R6 2024 | Seniors at Wattle Park
MHSOBFC travelled out to Deakin University in Burwood, with the team looking to put four solid quarters of football together and bounce back from their draw last week. The Unicorns welcomed back Orlando Seelander and Aditya Munukutla for their first senior games of the year, adding both height and strength to the backline.
It was an even first quarter, with both sides wrestling for some consistent ball use. Nick “Pop Up” McKinnon was classy early and gave MHSOBFC some impact on the scoreboard. The return of Will Kruyt showcased his elite ruck work, which was most appreciated by midfielder Jamie Radcliffe-Smith, allowing him to return to his regular midfield role and helping the away team gain an early advantage in contested footy. Wattle Park would wrestle back late in the first quarter, and if not for some great contested marking from Will Hellier (if you can call elevating two feet above your opponents a “contest”) - and wayward goal kicking from the Animals, the lead could have been far greater.
New recruit Chris Wright prepares to get a handball away. Image courtesy of Jim Wilson.
The second quarter was played between two arcs, with limited control gained by either team. Last week’s final quarter hero Duncan Clarke took to his new forward position and kicked a much-needed goal, one of two for the afternoon. At the main break, a single goal separated the two sides, and Head Coach Bernie Pretty was left to try and motivate his charges who looked flat for periods of the first half.
In the third quarter, the players failed to rise to the expectations set for them as the Unicorns’ structure began to break down, Wattle Park capitalised, quickly turning a lack of effort and intensity into a two-goal lead—a lead that ultimately proved insurmountable. The second half continued as a scrappy affair right up until the final siren. Both teams made their forwards work hard, matched by some staunch defensive efforts from Titch Wilson. His slick ball use and defensive coordination ensured that the final score was more favourable than it perhaps deserved to be.
Overall, it was a tough game for the Unicorns, with moments of brilliance overshadowed by lapses in effort and structure. The team will need to address these issues to perform more consistently in future encounters.
Final Scores: MHSOBFC 8.8-56 defeated by Wattle Park 10.18-78
Goal Kickers: Will Hellier 3, Duncan Clarke 2, Nick McKinnon, Tony Tran, Ben Field-Pimm
Best Players: Nick McKinnon, Will Kruyt, Will Hellier, Mitchell Wilson, Sam Hayes, Jamie Radcliffe-Smith