Saturday offered up great conditions for football on Saturday, with a big crowd present to see Deni Rovers record their second win for the Picola season with a victory over Rennie.
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Rennie kicked with a breeze in the first quarter and started well to kick the first goal of the match.
Rovers used their greater speed to their advantage and created several scoring opportunities, with Allan Bond kicking the first goal, which was followed up with three further goals for the quarter.
A 17-point lead at quarter-time was a good reward for hard running and good ball movement against the breeze that was worth two or three goals.
Rovers consolidated their advantage in the second quarter, kicking four goals three, while Rennie was inaccurate, kicking one goal four.
The Rovers’ edge in speed and fitness appeared evident, and a 33-point lead at half-time put them in a good position to sew up the match.
Rennie came out after half-time and really took the game up to the Rovers side.
Renowned goal kicker Chase Strawhorn was a real threat up forward and took his tally to four for the game, as Rennie kicked 3.1 for the quarter to Rovers’ 1.4, as Rovers failed to make the most of their opportunities.
The lead was back to 24 points at three-quarter time, which was a comfortable but not match-winning lead.
Rovers needed to get back to playing good football, and they did this in the last quarter, running away from their determined opponents to kick five goals seven for the quarter to Rennie’s one goal one behind.
The final result was a 54-point victory, which was a good result for the Rovers despite some wasted scoring opportunities due to inaccuracy.
The better players for the game were James Gilligan, who has started the season in great form to record two best on ground performances.
Cam Wills was very effective on-ball and won plenty of clearances.
Cam Robinson continued his good form with another good game on the ball and up forward, while Bond, Josh Flight and Tyson Willis were ever dangerous up forward.
Bond and Flight each kicked three goals, while youngsters Willis and Jackson Muldoon-Leetham kicked two each.
Tom Dowling played his first game on Saturday, while thirds player Andrew Croker played his first game as a substitute.
The side travels over to Yarroweyah this weekend and will be keen to retain their unbeaten record.
Coach Alex Hay played a half in the reserves on Saturday as he recovers from injury.
Hayden Barker and captain Adam Bodey should also be available to strengthen the side further in the coming weeks.
Final score: Rovers 14.16 (100) def Rennie 6.10 (46).
Goals: J Flight 3, A Bond 3, J Muldoon-Leetham 2, T Willis 2, J Gilligan, J Hay, C Didcock and H Mcilwain.
Best players: J Gilligan, C Wills, C Robinson, A Bond, T Willis and J Flight.
Awards: Physiofit with Britt – James Gilligan, Barber & Threadz – Cam Wills, Deni RSL – Cam Robinson and Frank n Beans – Allan Bond.
Reserves:
The ressies put in a good performance to record an 86-point victory over Rennie, starting the season with two wins.
Youngsters Brodie Elphick, Aden Bermingham and Darby Watson led the way, and they were well supported by the experienced trio of John Glowrey, Matt Johnson and Scott Howard.
Alex Hay played a half, kicking three goals together with Scott Howard’s three, while Matt Horne, Aden Bermingham and Brodie Elphick kicked two each.
Final score: Rovers 14.11 (95) def Rennie 1.3 (9).
Goals: A Hay 3, S Howard 3, M Horne 2, A Bermingham 2, B Elphick 2, D Watson and M Wade.
Best players: B Elphick, A Bermingham, J Glowrey, M Johnson, S Howard and D Watson.
Awards: Deni RSL – Aden Bermingham, Frank n Beans – Brodie Elphick, N8 Health – John Glowrey, Myo on the Move – Matthew Johnson, Pattison Pastoral Butchery – Scott Howard and SmokoShak – Darby Watson.
Thirds:
On a great day for footy, the Rovers got off to a good start, with Jack Van Lieshout giving the on-ballers first use of the footy with his great ruck work.
The midfielders got on top early, with Austin Armytage, Luke Holloway and Alex Harvey showing their dominance.
Andrew Smith was looking dangerous, creating lots of opportunities up forward, and Cayden Hawley kicked his first goal for the year.
The Rovers finished with a four-goal first quarter.
In the second quarter again, the Rovers got on top, with Brody Wills, Dexter Hardman, and Jessie Jervis linking up well and having plenty of the footy.
Max Watson led hard from full forward and was rewarded for his efforts with a couple of goals.
Andrew Croker also pushed forward, kicking his first goal at the club.
Rovers again finished with a four-goal quarter.
The third quarter saw Spencer and Baxter Cowley, and Ethan Connolly step up, taking the game on with every opportunity and racking up possessions all over the ground.
Henry Learmonth was at his destructive best inside the forward 50, creating headaches for the opposition trying to man up on him.
The Rovers had another four-goal quarter.
In the fourth quarter, the Rovers saved the best for last, slamming home 13 goals.
Ben Hayes and Nick Fanning moved into the midfield and had the ball on a string.
Alex Harvey finished the game off strong with about ten midfield clearances for the quarter.
Even Brody Wills crept forward from the back pocket to kick a couple of goals.
Final score: Deni Rovers 25.13 (163) defeated Rennie 1.0 (6).
Goals: Spencer Cowley 4, Andrew Croker 3, Austin Armytage 2, Brody Wills 2, Alex Harvey 2, Max Watson 2, Ben Hayes 2, Andrew Smith 2, Cayden Hawley 2, Jack Van Lieshout, Baxter Cowley, Dexter Hardman and Luke Holloway.
Best players: Alex Harvey, Austin Armytage, Andrew Smith, Jack Van Lieshout, Andrew Croker and Ethan Connelly.
Awards: BLT Fabrication – Alex Harvey, Fanmac Ag & Logistics – Austin Armytage and Andrew Smith, Barber & Threadz – Jack Van Lieshout, Wired Entertainment – Andrew Croker, Rovers Canteen – Ethan Connolly and Subway – Baxter Cowley.
Fourths:
A perfect weekend for football.
The sun was shining, and the young Roos were in form from the first bounce.
Lincoln Meharry controlled the ruck and gave the onballers, Bentley Hardman and Callan Glenn, the perfect opportunity to clear the centre and drive the ball into the powerhouse leading forward Stuart Benger.
Great team play saw four individual goal-scorers in the opening term.
Dominance continued all over the ground with Rennie not given many opportunities to clear the ball.
Newbie Dannon Leetham has slotted in perfectly and asserts his power around the ground.
As the third term started extra players were given the opportunity to take the field which congested the centre play and slowed the momentum of play into the forward line.
However, the Rovers were able to find space and drive the ball forward on numerous occasions.
Wingers Taj McCully, Mark Godfrey, Ged O’Donnell and Reece King pushed hard all game to keep the ball in our possession.
With all the kids on the field in the last term, it was great to see them share the ball around to create space and open up passages of play.
Jake Harvey and Alex Ledwidge were strong across centre-half-back, running directly at the contest and stopping entry into Rennie’s forward line.
Unselfish play by Stu Benger gave Ollie Dunmore his first goal with all players and spectators erupting.
Final score: Deni Rovers 10.12 (72) defeated Rennie 0.1 (1).
Goals: Dannon Leetham 4, Bentley Hardman 2, Stuart Benger 2, Mikey Benger and Ollie Dunmore.
Best players: Dannon Leetham, Bentley Hardman, Lincoln Meharry, Cormick Hardman and Mikey Benger.
Awards: Riverside Bookkeeping Services – Callan Glenn, Hardman’s Intersport – Ollie Dunmore, BLT Fabrication – Dannon Leetham, Cruizin* Diner – Bentley Hardman, McDonald’s – Jake Harvey, Subway – Mikey Benger and Lick It Quick Ice Cream – Ryan Bulmer.
Fifths:
Saturday showed how many keen little footy stars we have around the club, with almost 40 children turning up to play.
Sharing roughly 10 players with Rennie, this let us play a full field with even amounts of players per team.
All kids had a great time playing with and against their peers, and really putting their skills from training to use.
Even after only two games all players have shown so much confidence and improvement.
Fifths games are not scored.
Awards: McDonald’s – BLT Fabrication - Lenny Parker and Xavier Collihole, Logan Littman and Jock Gordon, Subway - Max Woolston and Will Kirby and Lick It Quick Icecream - Linken Collihole.
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