Match Report
This was a true test of where NOBSPC are at in season 2015. Playing at home against a good team in Old Geelong, we were competitive for three quarters before being blown away in the fourth. That says we have the ability but, at the moment, can’t sustain it at a sufficient level over a whole game. Saturday also showed that too much was being left to too few, with many players down on form.
The day started brightly enough as we kicked with the aid of a 3-goal wind. It was a fast and free opening 10 minutes and both sides had three goals on the board. Thereafter it became a struggle as we dominated possession for only a one goal return, consistently playing down the defensive wing and turning the ball over.
In the second quarter we played well into the wind and looked the better side for much of it, as Old Geelong failed to capitalize on their own chances. At half-time we held a narrow lead and there was genuinely nothing between the sides.
The critical time came at the start of the third term as Old Geelong kicked three quick goals into the wind. That we were able to work our way back into the lead was down to Kyle Adams on the wing and Matt Keown up forward, both of whom played some inspired footy. Christian Ryan also assisted with some precise kicking. Old Geelong finished the quarter off the better, so despite these solo efforts, we trailed at the final break.
As the ladies who had come for lunch watched on, we fought to stay in the game for a while in the last quarter before the floodgates opened and Old Geelong literally ran all over us. The midfield was soundly thrashed as the defence was bombarded in the dying minutes. Old Geelong kicked nine of the last ten goals of the match and in the end a margin of 45 points was hard to stomach.
Kew away next week will be an even sterner test. We have much work to do in 2015.