“A Lazy Ten” from ‘The Outer Eye’
Leigh Williams put on a clinic against Knox in our last home game for 2016, booting 10 of our 16 goals as we comfortably accounted for Knox by 45 points at Mullum Reserve. After missing 5 games through rds 4-8 with a quad injury, Leigh has 58 goals from his 12 games this season at just under 5 a game. He won’t win the EFL goalkicking this year, he will run 2nd, but his reputation as the best key forward in the EFL is surely intact.
The game itself was fairly scrappy early as Knox looked to salvage something from their season, a poor one which will see them relegated to 2nd division next year. Meanwhile, our boys were also searching for meaning from a wasted year which will see us miss finals for the first time 5 years. Knox kicked the first goal, but we replied immediately through Writter and began to assume control of the game. Leigh got on the board at the 9 minute mark after a neat hit up from Jordon Clarke, but there was little indication of the avalanche to come. Pearson slotted a lovely goal from a set shot 50m late in the quarter but Knox found a 2nd goal too so that at QT our lead was just 8 points, 3.3 – 2.1
The 2nd quarter saw the struggle continue as the game failed to reach great heights. It took 17 minutes before Matt Aver broke the goal drought in spectacular fashion with a checkside set shot 30m out. From the next centre clearance Stewies tap found Fingers at full pace, his hit-up well marked by Leroy. His conversion from 35m on a tight angle from the dead pocket was a beauty, but that was our last major for the quarter. Knox had 7 behinds for the quarter but no goals as they wasted several good opportunities to get closer. At HT we led 54 – 2.8.
Signs of what was to follow emerged early in the 3rd quarter when a poor clearance from Knox at halfback was intercepted by Ace who used his penetrating left foot to perfection to hit Leroy up 35m from goal. His conversion was excellent, in fact his kicking for goal since returning from injury in Rd 9 has been first class. 7 minutes in Jordon Clarke continued the trend of good goalkicking with a beauty from 35m out on the boundary. Matt Aver got in on the act after excellent link-up play through the middle from Fingers and Bater. Aver’s set shot from outside 50 was unerring. We were playing some of our best footy now as a long kick came in from Writter to Leroy doubling back towards goal. First to the ball his deft tap went straight into the path of Pearso who slammed it through from point blank range. Knox stemmed the bleeding a little with their first goal in more than 45 minutes of footy, but Pearso returned the favour with a neat pass to Leroy who made no mistake from 40m. At the 20m mark Perso went long again and Leroy marked strongly between opponents. His checkside from 35 unsurprisingly split the middle as he is an excellent exponent of this kick, his 3rd for the quarter and our 6th as we took an unassailable 43 point lead 11.6 – 3.11 into the final quarter.
The final quarter saw the Leroy show move into full swing. It appeared he would and could mark every ball that went into his zone as he outmuscled his lighter and clearly tiring opponent. While not our best footy for the year (we allowed Knox 5 goals) the crowd were thoroughly entertained as our big spearhead continued to slot goals. His first for the quarter and 6th for the game came at the 5 minute mark after Westy’s kick to advantage saw him easily outmark his opponent and score from 30m straight in front. 10 minutes in came a rare blemish, a poster from 45m after Ace hit him lace-out. 16 minutes in Leroy-watch moved into full-swing, however, as excellent play from two of our best on the day, Pearson and Fingers, saw Leroy released running into the open goal to slam through his 7th. Moments later it was another one on the run from close range after an unselfish handball from Westy. 22 minute in that man Fingers again provided silver service through the middle, Leroy marking and converting from 40m. With time running out the Norwood faithful were in full voice, demanding a 10th goal from Leroy, and they were not to be denied. A dubious free to Knox and then 2 25m penalties for dissent would normally anger the crowd, but on this occasion it just served to get the ball back to the middle, closer to our goals. From the centre clearance, some great work from Gouldy, Gibbo, Hudson, Quinlivan and then Gibbo again saw a short pass hit Leroy low down, 35m out. Fittingly, his kick was true, his 5th for the quarter, and 10th for the game.
The siren rang soon after, final scores 16.8.104(Leroy 10, Writter 2, Pearso 2, Aver, Clarke) d Knox 8.11.59
Leroy was a standout BOG, but he did owe much of his good day to the work of Fingers Pearso and Bater in mid-field, while Alex Calder and Hilly also played great games. Gary Lisle also played a handy game, back into the side after many weeks in the 2s
We move to a 9-8 win/loss ratio and will finish 6th. Ironically Doncaster are 5th and if we look right back to spilt milk in Rd 2 against them at home, this could be where the seeds of our season of frustration were sown Happily, the development squad and Colts also had wins to complete another Wooders day. The 19s need only to win to secure the double chance, the Development squad need a win and for Rowville to slip up to Balwyn.
Last Modified on 16/08/2016 09:30