R1 2023 | U20s vs Brunswick
Beginning the 2023 campaign at home against Brunswick, MHSOB were led by our newly appointed co-captains, Baz (Bailey Gallop) and Sticks (Adam Stikoltzik). The team was brimming with confidence after a good preseason and high morale. However, Brunswick surprised us in the first quarter, piling on goals and leaving us down by 35 points.
Our head coach, Matthew Glover, challenged the boys to come out with more intensity, as we looked flat-footed. Toby Eberbach, our top ruckman, consistently won the ruck contests, while Gia (Matt Giarracca), Cam Witt, and Lachie O’Halloran worked hard on the inside to give us an advantage. Finally, after a great defensive play from our superstar half forward, Dolk (Tom Dolkas) - who happens to be one of the few father-son players we have at MHSOBFC - we were able to kick our first goal of the match from Lachie. As the first half came to a close, we returned to the locker room with a sense of belief that our system was working, despite our failure to execute properly. Our heads were held high as we remained optimistic.
The second half began, and we were quick to hit the scoreboard thanks to Nafi Anaan, our forward maestro, setting up Sammy Tralaggan for an easy set shot. As the pressure continued to rise, we were able to dominate Brunswick with some excellent attacking plays from both Goose Jnr (Gabe Wines-Winch) and Dimma (James Dimogotsi). However, our team was missing some key players, and we continued to struggle with executing inside forward 50, allowing Brunswick to score with ease on the rebound. Despite this setback, Goose set up Finny (Finn Kilgour) for an effortless snap around his body, resulting in his first goal for the year. Our belief remained strong as we recognized that our system was working, but we were failing to execute effectively.
Just before the start of the fourth quarter, our coaching staff identified Brunswick's #1 as a major threat, constantly tearing apart our team with his exceptional speed and ability to find the ball with ease. In response, we assigned Goose and Waddle to tag him and shut him down for the remainder of the game. The boys were sent back onto the field for the last quarter, ready to fight until the end. Waddle's outstanding defensive effort, with three consecutive hard ball gets and tackles, resulted in a stoppage outside our 50 and a chance for Dolk to kick his first of many goals for the team. Then, Higgo's impressive checkside banana from the boundary resulted in another goal, lifting the team's spirits even higher. Our plan to shut down number 1 worked perfectly, thanks to the great defensive work of both Waddle and Goose, who left him with a sore body.
Final Score: MHSOB: 5.10-40 defeated by Brunswick: 17.13-115
Goal Kickers: S. Tralaggan, L. O’Halloran, T. Dolkas, J. Higgins, F. Kilgour
Best Players: N. Wood, C. Witt, L. O’Halloran, T. Dolkas, T. Eberbach, M. Giaracca