These are always the hardest ones to compose, to stay positive in the face of disappointment. Just hear me out please, one more time.
The challenge for the Fitzroy Men’s Senior side in their Round 18 clash with fourth-placed Collegians was twofold: one, to win, and two, hope the results of other games around us go our way. Throw into the mix a significant percentage disadvantage, none of this was going to be easy.
Pre-game my view was that we had to focus on what we could control, the winning. There was one change to the line-up: Seakins out with a finger, Poole coming in on the wing.
The Twos monstered Collegians 139–22, finishing the year in eighth spot with six wins. Given the vagaries of player availability, coach Bernie Carter and his boys were competitive and edgy in most games.
The Harry Trott Oval was bathed in sunshine, a cross breeze, and a healthy contingent of Roys’ supporters. All ready to scream their lungs out.
We were quickly out of the blocks, and it was evident that pressure was being applied all over the ground. Captain Hart, McKay, Harvey and Grace provided an aerial threat up forward, along with ‘Tumbling Dice’ Faubel seemingly in every contest. In Charlie’s case, "you got to roll me".
In the midfield, VFL duo Toohey and Heath Ramshaw were canny at stoppages and clean in disposal. Lowrie, Ellis and Green continued to repel the threat posed by Collegians tall forwards.
This was not going to be an easy roll over contest. Collegians were playing to maintain their top four spot. It wasn’t as if they were playing for nought.
At the first break, it was 26-9 our way. My huddle spy Suz cued in to coach Ronaldson. ‘Discipline and composure, one quarter doesn’t win a game, you have them rattled, rip into this next quarter.’
Rip it up we did. Halfway through the second stanza, we lead 50-10. Credit to Collegians, they fought and fought, and started to have influence in the areas we were dominant in. By half time it was 50–28, a good lead, but perhaps one that we allowed to shrink. I scoured the scores of the other games, they weren’t unfavourable to us.
The third was a very even affair, perhaps favouring Collegians slightly, their big men starting to impose, and small crumbers a handful near goal. The highlight of the term was a ‘possible goal of the year’ from Ollie Poole. A huge leap from nowhere on the Junction flank, clever trap when it hit the ground, found his skipper who deftly hung on to the ball until the right moment, found Ollie on his wrong side heading goalwards, checkside for a miracle. Mobbed. Got some laconic left foot skill that boy.
64–48 at the final change, Collegians were coming no doubt, we had to meet the challenge. The huddle’s key message: ‘Make sure there are no excuses when you walk off this ground in 30 minutes time. Have an attacking mindset’.
Put simply, unfortunately, Collegians were all over us in the last, kicking five goals to one. We missed some opportunities when forward, but couldn’t meet the challenge. That’s the reality. 84–72 their way at the end.
What’s also real is that the result of another game meant the Roys would have stayed in Premier if we had have beaten Collegians. We didn’t.
We can bemoan narrow losses earlier in the year. Player turnover, bad luck, whatever, but we have to be real. Club analysts can now get their thinking caps on, and ensure that our drop in B Grade is short lived.
Coach Ronaldson was magnificent after the game. "There’s no other place I’d rather be than coaching at this club." Travis was always hopping into a tough gig. His work ethic, clarity of instruction, honesty and love of club is to be admired. The level of buy in from players is testimony of this.
So that’s it from me for another season, a real roller coaster. Keep well, stay in touch with all things Fitzroy, do your bit to make sure the Roys prosper. To quote the great Van Morrison, ‘It’s too late to stop now’.
Guy Gorilla
Enclosure 103
Melbourne Zoo
Images courtesy Phyllis Quealy
