Colts Report - Grand Final

Posted on 26/09/2011

A Grand Final win was a fitting finale for the dominant South’s Colts. An outstanding year by all the players, support staff and the coaching crew. A well deserved result for all the toil of a ten month program and some exceptional efforts. The game itself was a terrific spectacle with a customary slow start by the favoured Bulldogs side. A rugged opening quarter was punctuated by some terrific and calm defensive efforts early from Steve Verrier and Jason Maskos. They were able to capitalise on the aerial efforts of Josh Bootsma and Robbie Thompson along with Sean Lynch and James Laurino to turn defence into attack and repel a fast starting Claremont side. The midfield held off a talented opposition early with Shannon Burnett, Dale Hamilton and Brendan Verrier supplying run and holding sway on the wide spaces on Subiaco Oval. Brendan Ahchee was at his flamboyant best and kept his team mates within striking distance at quarter time. The gallant Claremont side had placed the South boys under enormous pressure, but the unrelenting Bulldogs midfield slowly wrenched back the ascendancy during the early parts of the second quarter. Ruckmen Myles Bolger and Brandon Davies started to give our midfield first use of the ball at the stoppages; this was the signal for Adam Carter, Simon Panizza and Jacob Martinez to make sure the ball was heading in the right direction from the breakdowns and started a clawing back of a sizeable Tigers lead. Marvin Warrell and Haiden Schloithe  found the open spaces to their liking and gave the opposition backs all sorts of headaches running far and wide to create options for our ball winners inside. The half time break saw the Bulldogs in front which must have had the Tigers coaching staff scratching their heads; watching a lead that had gone in just ten minutes of gut busting football from the South boys. The third quarter was definitely our premiership quarter. A nine goal effort from the South forwards was a real treat as Adem Sakin, Nick Carlson and Manny Collard chased and harassed at every opportunity and gave themselves every chance to post a winning score. Twin towers Shane Kerstin (5 Goals) and the “Mel Whinnen” medal winner Mason Shaw (7 Goals), were outstanding overhead and gave little away as they peppered the goals with regularity and accuracy. The players had spent all reserves of energy in a scintillating nine goal third quarter and were able to hang on with many of the boys succumbing to the warmer conditions with cramp in the last term. Any hope of a Claremont revival was quickly quashed as Nick Carlson slotted the goal of the day from the boundary and announced the champions of 2011 to be the South Fremantle Colts team.

 

I wish to thank all the support staff for their dedication and help over the past season. Sue Jones was dutifully at training each and every night was just fantastic. Lew Turner, our match day team manager, property man Paul Elms and medical staff Michelle Hellmrich, David Dawes and Dayne Albronda were all professional and caring towards all players. Assistant coaches, Peter Robinson, Jason Ireland and Daniel Gilmore were tremendous in their moulding of the playing group that have proven to be exceptional on and off the ground. Special thanks to the club officials for their support. Terry Dean, Brent Dawkins and Daniel Vidovich were very encouraging and dedicated in making 2011 as successful as possible. Thank you must go to the families of these volunteers for allowing us all the time away from home to be a part of this program. Planning for 2012 has already begun but we will make sure we celebrate a fantastic 2011.

 

Arthur Maskos

SFFC Colts

Sponsors