U17s football THE boys played in town last Sunday for an important clash against Centrals. The Eagles U17s needed to win to keep their third spot safe so this was a vital game. Our backline and forward line up looked a little different; Eddie Morphett was last line of defence and Jaxon McCormack was full forward. The boys were up and about but it was up and down the ground continually for a while. Then Jaxon Cormack popped up and marked his ball in the forward line and kicked the first goal. The team kept working hard with onballers kept busy. Liam Smith, Andy Friday, Astin Browning and Hayden Desmond were working well together and pushing it forward. James Benton kept getting his hands on it, Oscar Guppy and Cruz Purday kept finding their hands to the ball and pushing deeper into the forward line And Jaxon McCormack found himself with another goal. Second quarter saw the boys manage one goal. Oscar Guppy took a strong mark out on the wing and kicked to James Benton who whipped around and kicked the ball towards goal. It came off the boot and cooperatively rolled the right way through for his first goal. The boys were getting into it. Eddy and James Leenen were working hard down the back. While Max Payne was harassing and holding the opposition up for his team mates Judd Turner, Charlie Dobson and Noah Whittall to come in and send it back into centre half forward. Chris Caminos was busy getting his hands on it around the forward pockets along with Ben Baklis. They fed well into the goal square, Sam Kynnersley was getting hand to ball and feeding out to James Benton. They were snapping them through however one goal was all they managed and at half time they were eight points up. Half time chat they knew they had their hands on it more and had more of in the forward half so it was a matter of using it well. Third quarter saw the boys working hard. The back line kept Dobbo marking at centre half back along with Cruz Purday keeping it from going over the back. Eddy Morphett, Sam Kynnersley and James Leenen kept it in front of them and protecting it from centrals forwards. Our onballers were working hard. Andy Friday and Liam Smith popping up everywhere along with Astin Browning, continually sending it down to the forward half. First goal was a Centrals' one but the boys kept their heads up. James Benton kicked one on the run. Not long after Jaxon holding a tackle, tapping to Dobbo in the back half. He gave it to Andy Friday who kicked it down forward, however it headed back into the centre but that was as far as it went. Alistair Daniels got hands on it and kicked to Liam Smith to Henry Banks who had continually got his hands to it around the pack. He quickly gave it back to Liam who sent it to James Benton and off he went for another goal. The last quarter saw Darcy Leenen and Henry Banks do what the pocket rockets do. They harassed and held the ball up, hand balled out and worked hard to keep it in the forward line. Eddy was let loose around the ball and and did what he does best. The boys pegged a few through, however they went the wrong side of the goal posts but they kept their heads. The next goal came through ruck work of Sam Kain and Oscar Guppy getting his hands on the ball. He kicked to the forward line. Hayden marked and kicked it towards goals. Distance was not the thing. It was the accuracy that mattered being that far out but he managed it and put another goal was on the board. James Benton kicked another goal for the quarter and it was all over. Well done boys Mansfield 8.12.60 def Centrals 6.6.42 Awards: Corcoran & Parker: James Benton and Jaxon McCormack; Reece Plumbing : Charlie Dobson; Mansfield Workwear: Henry Banks and Darcy Leenen; Notable Mention: Oscar Guppy.
