The most encouraging thing about the weekend’s loss was the enthusiasm. To see the team take the field and simply blow the opposition away in the first 20 minutes was just wonderful to see. Every ball was taken on with enthusiasm (Ray!), every ruck that formed was blown over the top with enthusiasm (Clinton, Billy, Drew, Jesse), every tackled player was taken to the ground with enthusiasm, every ball was contested with enthusiasm. It was exciting. It was a beginning. It was the grand final we didn’t have. It was a joy to watch! Before we knew it we were a try up. Our replacement hooker; Carl, went over to finish off a wonderful forwards effort. The kick was not made, but it didn’t seem to matter, they had just not shown up. And then, we ran out of puff. It was like a switch being turned off. I could see it. We had just had a chance at another try, and missed out by a silly error that was to become the mark of the game. And while the first half was characterised by us having 90 percent of the ball and in their territory 90 percent of the time, it just didn’t seem like we were going to be able to match the level we had in the first twenty minutes. Those of us watching on the sideline were concerned. Very concerned. We had great depth in the bench, but the first game is as much about finding a rhythm that will characterise the season as it is about getting everyone a game and trying to maintain the flow as players are interchanged. Maintaining the enthusiasm to me was the most important thing for this new team, regardless of the result, and I think we did that. Even later in the game, it was good to see that every part of the game was hotly contested, no matter who was on the field and no matter what condition they were in. You would have thought it was a do or die match. For some, it was. For some it seemed like the grand final all over again, for others it was proof they belonged to the team, and still others, it was proof they could be a part of the team. No matter what, it was well contested, with enthusiasm, and a joy to watch, despite the end result.
With the rest at half time that I had hoped would rally the guys back to the fray, the second half started somewhat with a flourish. It was a flourish however not from us. The opposition, (speak not their name) seemed to have sensed our waning fitness and started back with their own brand of the game. And while it would be easy to say some of the calls really didn’t go our way, it is likely that will happen every game. What mattered was, once again, the enthusiasm with which we defended. It was shoe lace stuff. Corner flag grabs, pressured passes failing to meet the mark and then finally a gapping hole. And while their player could have improved their kickers chances, I think they were just glad to finally crack our line. Their kick failed and it was a game at 5 all. We had been making our tactical substitutions regularly at this stage trying to get the fresh legs out there of new, old and to be named stars (Dykes, Billy, Dave, Adam, Doug, Craig, Gary, Henry and Sean – you guess their category), but by the time they had scored, the overall level of fitness seemed to have averaged out with the rugby equivalent of ‘cloudy with sunny periods’; at ‘hang in there with a chance of sufficient bursts’. Mind you, those bursts were made with such gusto and, you guessed it, enthusiasm, it was really an encouraging sight for what is to come for the season. But with the lack of fitness came the revealing weakness; not protecting the ball on the ground! We played right into their hands. While we still seemed to win more than our share of the ball, they were able to tackle, release, get up on their feet and then steal it at will. A brief burst of energy and a penalty down in their end seemed to give the team wake up call that they may in trouble, so the posts were opted for instead of continuing to take it to them. Regardless of those who may not have agreed with it, it was a captains call, a brave call, a leaders call, a wise call, Robby’s call. The points were got off his own boot. From backing himself, we were 8 – 5 up.
Using all of our reserves, it became a game of desperation. They were pressing, we had moments of brilliance spurred, no doubt, by the efforts from the first half; the proverbial pendulum swung. They had a crack, and we stopped them. And then, most distressing to see, we had not one, but two overlaps and a chance at another, that just seemed to go begging, by sliding attack, inexperience, dumb luck, shitty passes, slow ball and maybe, just maybe, a touch of white line fever. Each moment that passed, each dropped ball or tackled player, the heart of the team seemed to be lost by the moment. Late in the game, they scored again. Opportunistic, but a try none the less. Gallantly the team really did try to pull out the stops and made one last, enthusiastic, gallant effort from what was really nothing. A kick down field, a funny bounce, a hot pursuit, a forced kick (good job Craig T), a won lineout and low and behold, we were down there again. It seemed like we could do it. All the effort would not be in vain. But alas, injury, fitness, a failed pass, a second guess and a dispirit tackle and the ball was gone, kicked back down the field. That effort seemed to rally the team, but while another effort was beginning, the full time whistle went and it was all over. We went down; 10 – 8.
And so, this week, we have three things to work on:
Fitness!
Blowing the man off the tackled player, and
The backs not sliding and straightening up their attack!
Let’s see how that goes next week.
Carl Bird 1 Try
Rob Rodokal 1 Penalty
1 point – Craig Trenberth
2 points – Ray Turner
3 points – Billy Laidler
Managers Mug:
Jesse O’Hara
– Peter
