Around the Grounds Round 1

Thursday, July 23, 2020 - 9:52 AM

It was a full day of games at David Grays Arena on Saturday with each of our 4 teams competing and all coming off different seasons in 2019. For our Women’s sides we also held our annual ‘Madi’s Day’ game against Swan Districts and celebrated the life of Madi Molloy who tragically lost her battle with brain cancer in 2016.

The day started well with a win for our Rogers Cup Girls. The Reigning Premiers led at every change, proving too strong for Swans and eventually winning 7.5 (47) to 1.2 (8) in new coach Geoff Hayes first game in charge.

The League side struggled mightily last year managing only a single victory for the season, with scoring avenues difficult to come by averaging only 20 points a game. So, there may have been some cause for concern coming up against last year’s Grand Finalists Swan Districts. That was last year though, with the girls amassing their 2nd highest WAFLW score in what was a great exhibition of Womens Football.

The first half was an incredibly tight contest, with neither team able to be separated at quarter or half-time. In the third quarter the girls kicked away and featured some great passages of play, one in particular resulted in Kira Phillips marking and goaling a set shot her 3rd for the afternoon. At three quarter time, the girls found themselves a goal to the good 7.3 (45) – 6.3 (39).

Unfortunately, in the final quarter the girls couldn’t quite hang on, only managing a solitary behind to Swans 2.1 with time expiring with ball locked deep in the Thunder forward line. With the final score reading 7.4 (46) to 8.4 (52).

The Colts rounded out our opening round of fixtures with what may have been the best game of the day. A see-sawing affair throughout with the margin never going beyond 14 points. Perth led at quarter time despite some fairly inaccurate opening quarter kicking from Conor McPartland who had 0.3 to go along with 13 first term possessions. Harry Quartermaine kicked Perth’s opening 2 goals, while Jono Ietto and Jack Walsh kicked our first for the game. 

In the second term, Isiah Winder and Zach Rankin both hit double digits in disposals, propelling the side to a 4-goal term, with 2 late goals to Kobe Farmer and Roy George putting us out to a 12-point half time lead. 

Perth responded after half-time with 4-straight to open the 3rd and turned the game completely around. 2-goals in a 2-minutes from Josh Draper on his Colts debut and the Demons lead had been trimmed back to 1 at three quarter time. 

Once again to start the last momentum shifted, Perth kicked the opening goal through Jack Evans. It wasn’t until the 18-minute mark that Adam Davey kicked the first for the Thunder in the quarter and put them up 1. Jono Ietto kicked his second soon after and with less than 4-minutes to play the boys clung to a 7-point lead.

Harry Quartermaine kicked his 7th for the game, to bring the margin back under a single kick with just over a minute to go and finally Jack Evans was controversially awarded a high tackle directly in front as time expired, making no mistake getting and delivering the Demons a 5-point win.

Isiah Winder starred again in the middle, picking up 32 possessions (16 contested) 7 marks, 7 tackles and 2 inside 50s good for 159 ranking points.

Bodie Kitchingman (21 possessions, 8 marks, 3 tackles), Zachary Rankin (21 possessions, 8 marks, 6 inside 50s, 4 tackles) and David Yaccob (19 possessions) were all solid contributors.

Jonathon Ietto and Josh Draper each kicked two goals, while Kobe Farmer, Jack Walsh, Michael Sellwood, Riley Vidovich, Roy George and Adam Davey each kicked one.

It’s a weekend in Freo this week for all teams as The Colts play at New Choice Homes Park against East Freo on Saturday from 12. The Womens sides both clash with South Fremantle at Fremantle Community Bank Oval on Sunday.

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