What a weekend! What a mixed bag of results. We have one side through to their Grand Final, one using their second bite of the cherry, one still up in the air and one side knocked out. Just when you thought you’d seen it all…
Firstly, Congratulations to our C Grade side on progressing straight through to their Open 2’s Grand Final on Friday the 6th of September. We wish you were playing on the Sunday like you deserve but that decision was sadly beyond our control. Well done, none-the-less. Congratulations to Hayesie and his team on the way you’ve gone about your work this year. You’ve really deserved your chance at the big prize. Enjoy your weekend off but the biggest test is ahead of you. Time to prepare!
Our under 18s suffered a defeat at the hands of Brothers 48-34 with a scoreline for both sides that doesn’t scream semi-final. The three weeks between games may have taken its toll. At least Sunday allowed the boys to shake off the ring rust. Now for the task of knocking over a Redbank Plains side on a little bit of a roll. The boys are more than capable of recapturing winning form and I’m sure Mick, Doylie and Brett will have the boys ready and rearing to go next Sunday.
Reserve Grade put in a spirited effort against Swifts but sadly fell just short as they were defeated 20-14 and eliminated from this season’s competition. There were lots of positives to take away from the last couple of games for our Reserves and I’m sure if the same side had have been available for a couple of weeks in a row they could have had a real tilt at the title. Hopefully all the boys see the potential and return next year. I’m sure it will pay dividends if they do. Well done to all our Reserve Grade players for their efforts throughout season 2013.
Finally to the big story of the weekend. After what must be the greatest local league game I have ever seen, Goodna and Norths played each other to a standstill over 110 minutes for a 30 all result. It seemed like deja vu all over again, after Norths allowed Goodna to skip out to a sizeable lead before half time. Before completely running them off their feet in the second half in almost identical circumstances to last year’s corresponding clash. After 80 minutes, scores were all locked up at 24-all after another great comeback, and we were headed to extra time. Norths once more dominated play with Goodna tiring fast and we scored what looked to be the match winner to give us a 30-24 lead with only a few minutes left to play. On the back of a dropped ball and a penalty, completely against the flow of play, Goodna managed to square the ledger. 30 all is where things stayed to the conclusion of the first two 10 minute periods of extra time. The game then moved into golden point and Norths were once again dominant. With sustained pressure we took a couple of shots at field goal that just faded away from the posts before forcing an error and looking set to wrap things up. Until…
Until… the IRL intervened. Sighting player welfare as cause they called a halt to proceedings and blew full time. Disregarding the rule book under which the game was being contested the game was called by league officials and a mid-week replay was announced. The efforts by all the boys to put their bodies on the line for 110 minutes were phenomenal. The game deserved a result for all 34 players that had taken part, whether we came out on top or not. Sadly that wasn’t allowed to happen and we are now headed back to The Oval at 7.30pm Wednesday night for another 80 minutes of action. The upside is the boys are now brimming with confidence, after going toe-to-toe with Goodna for so long and comfortable in the knowledge that if we can weather the early big man storm that our side has the fitness to come out victorious.
For all who can make it Wednesday night, it would be great to have a presence in the can bar to help lift our boys to victory. I hope to see you all there as we cheer the boys on victory.
What a weekend of footy, and it’s not over yet.
I hope to see you all Wednesday night as our boys look to extend their season.
Cheers, and as always…
Up The Tigers!
Shane Ritchie
President
