Tag: Western Jets

Youngsters will be “better for the run”: Gourley

Written by Jarryd Barca

Calder Cannons caretaker coach Brett Gourley believes a key focus going into the side’s Round 12 match against the Western Jets was to expose the club’s youth to a higher level of football.

The Cannons turned to their future by blooding 13 bottom-age players along with four debutants at Highgate Recreation Reserve on Sunday.

The several young players created plenty of spark throughout the match and showed no signs of nerves playing amongst older, draft-eligible talent. 

With a vastly different looking Cannons outfit to previous weeks this season, Gourley was adamant when asked about the focus going into the match against the arch rival.

“To give them an experience of playing at this level of footy,” he said post game. 

“So four first-gamers and three of those were 16 year olds – we were really pleased with the effort from all of them and I think they’re going to be better for the run.”

The Cannons broke away late in a scrappy contest where both sides seemed to have a case of the goal-kicking yips. 

The scores were locked at 1.7 to 0.4 at half time before the home side experienced a drastic change of fortunes, booting five goals straight in the second half to claim bragging rights. 

Gourley said he was pleased with the leadership shown by the more experienced players who led from the front foot. 

“Even though our captain Brodie (Newman) wasn’t here, we had a real emphasis on making sure that we had someone else step up or a lot of those 18 year olds, even Mason (Fletcher) a 19-year-old, just to make sure that they help the younger boys out in terms of how to play the game and just give them a real confidence boost,” he said.

“I thought Rama (Sam Ramsay) was outstanding in the middle today – gave us a bit of pace through there. 

“Ned’s (Gentile) ever-reliable self and Minty (stand-in captain Harrison Minton-Connell) was really good as well.

“Mason moving forward definitely helped us, kicking a couple of goals in a low-scoring game was outstanding.”

But where was the game won?

“The effort and intensity in the last quarter I thought was great,” Gourley explained. 

“We sort of let ourselves down a little bit in the third (quarter) but the way we responded in the last quarter was just outstanding.” 

Young Cannons too good for Jets

Written by Jarryd Barca

The Calder Cannons have retained the Shane Sexton McDonald’s Cup after a hard-fought 22-point win over the Western Jets in Round 12 of the NAB League season.

It was a scrappy affair at Highgate Recreation Reserve as no side registered a goal until the second term, with Calder holding on for a retentive 6.7 (43) to 2.9 (21) triumph. 

Despite the inaccuracy which plagued both teams, the home side booted five goals straight in the second half to run away with their sixth win of the season coming off a two-week break.

The ‘futures’ fixture required clubs to select at least 11 players who are currently in their 16th or 17th year, with team line-ups allowed to consist of up to 24 players. 

The Cannons fielded 13 bottom-age players who all showed signs of things to come. 

Sam Ramsay (31 disposals and eight tackles) was a clear standout through the middle of the ground, while fellow top-agers Curtis Brown (29 disposals) and stand-in captain Harrison Minton-Connell (27) were also prolific. 

Giacomo Thomas, Ben Overman, Cody Brand and Josh Hotchkin were the others to be named in the best players.

The Cannons also fielded brothers Ned and Flynn Gentile – the latter one of four debutants to take the field in the rivalry clash.  

The first quarter proved to be an eyesore with both sides registering a total of just seven behinds in gusty conditions. 

It took until the 19-minute mark of the second term before a goal was registered, with debutant Sam Paea snapping truly from the boundary line to break the deadlock. 

Calder’s nine-point half time advantage was short-lived as the Jets found a reply through Eddie Ford early in the third term.

And as it seemed the Cannons would be counting the cost of their missed opportunities early, back-to-back majors to Nathan Stewart and Mason Fletcher meant the margin was back out to 11 points at the final break.

Saad El-Hawli’s goal in just over a minute into the final stanza drew the Jets to within five points of the lead. 

But the hungry Cannons – in a show of resilience – never backed down or dropped their heads.

The Cannons flexed their muscles in the final stages of the contest with both Jackson Cardillo and Fletcher again capitalising on goal-scoring opportunities.

But the final major to 16-year-old Flynn Gentile – a classy finish on his opposite side – meant it was the sweetest of endings for a young Cannons outfit. 

Calder will look to carry the momentum into this Saturday’s contest against the Dandenong Stingrays at Highgate Recreation Reserve.

Resilience the key in maiden victory

Calder Cannons flex the resilience muscle in NAB League win

Written by Jarryd Barca

The ability to bounce back from – and overcome – adversity is a crucial life quality, even on the footy field. 

Calder Cannons backline coach Brad Murphy admitted there were some nervous moments in the Under 18 boys’ Round 3 win over the Western Jets last Saturday when inaccuracy seemed to plague the side.

Calder was able to establish a healthy lead when it scored seven of the opening nine goals of the contest at Highgate Recreation Reserve, until seven of the next 10 went the Jets’ way.

The Cannons registered seven behinds in their final 10 scoring shots of the game when the four points were well and truly in the balance. 

A 15-point half-time lead to the home side faded to just three points at the last change of ends and it took nearly 17 minutes for the dominant fourth-quarter Cannons to put through a major, courtesy of Campbell Edwardes. 

But luckily they weren’t left to rue their missed chances. 

“I’m very proud,” Murphy said post-game.

“It’s very hard when you get a spray like that from the coach (at three-quarter time).

“I was a little bit concerned at three quarter time when scores were only a few points the difference and they had a bit of a wind in the last quarter. 

“He (coach Ross Smith) challenged them all at three-quarter time to step up and some players can go introverted, or they can come out of their shell a little bit and I think the boys really came out of their shell (in the final quarter).

“We’re absolutely thrilled with the efforts of the players. 

“We had a couple of injuries down so we couldn’t get some rotations happening. Sometimes you just have to play the last quarter on adrenaline and we certainly did, there was a lot of cramping going on but for them to push through and get the result is fantastic.

“I’m very proud and obviously more so going forward, I think it will give them amazing confidence and belief that we can do it no matter the situation in a game.”

It was the team’s first victory in the newly-named NAB League for season 2019 after losing by 109 and 23 points against the Sandringham Dragons and Oakleigh Charges in Rounds 1 and 2 respectively. 

“I think we had to keep it in reality in the first two weeks, we played two of the best sides and we took a lot of confidence probably out of last week more against Oakleigh – we were in front at half time and two points down at three-quarter time against one of the best so we knew our best was going to be good enough,” Murphy said.

“I thought the buy-in and the endeavour from the whole group today was pleasing and the result looked after itself, although we could have kicked a bit straighter, but we had a win.”

Murphy said he was impressed with the entire midfield group against the Jets, as well as youngster Jack Keeping who channeled his inner Jeremy Howe in the final term. 

“To see the emergence of young Jack Keeping who’s had seven or eight touches in the last quarter, taking two big hangers – when the game had to be won for a 17-year-old kid to step up in his first year of Under 18 footy that was really impressive as well, but I just thought the whole group were really good on the day,” he said.

The Cannons will look to make it two wins in a row when they fly south to take on the Tasmanian devils on Sunday. 

“It’ll be good to get away, I think the bonding you get off an interstate trip is fantastic,” Murphy said. 

“If you get a win they’re really great interstate because it doesn’t happen much, so it will be really good for the boys.” 

Cannons outclass Jets for first win of season

Written by Jarryd Barca

The Calder Cannons have finally kicked off their season after overcoming the Western Jets by 12 points in Round 3 of the NAB League Boys season.

There were just three points separating the two sides at three-quarter time of the clash at highgate Recreation Reserve, with Calder peppering away at the goals – although inaccurately – to break away 10.14 (74) to 9.8 (62).

Calder was lead by midfielders Harrison Minton-Connell (26 disposals and one goal), Daniel Mott (24 and two) and Flynn Lakey (20 and one), who were well-served by a combative Oscar Sasalu in the ruck.

Sixteen-year-old Jackson Cardillo and key forward Harrison Jones were key targets up forward, while small Ned Gentile was a live-wire and caused headaches for the Jets defence. 

The Cannons got off to an absolute flyer booting the first three goals of the contest within seven minutes courtesy of Mott, Cardillo and Jack Keeping.

Jets forward Aaron Clarke converted his side’s first major just before the 10-minute mark, before an eight-minute dry patch was expelled by a characteristic Sam Ramsay goal on the run – his third in three matches. 

Things were looking rosy for the Cannons who held a 19-point lead going into the second quarter and the momentum continued as Minton-Connell and Gentile handed the side a 32-point lead.

But the Jets lifted and drew the margin back to 15 points at half time after kicking three goals in succession to end the term.

When Cardillo stepped up to the plate to convert the first goal of the second half it seemed the Cannons would once again establish dominance, but an audacious Western side booted the final three goals of the quarter to put the challenge back onto the home side. 

With Calder’s three-point lead under fire, coach Ross Smith ensured a few of the boys were hot under the collar heading into the final term.

And those that were challenged responded.

In the first 16 minutes of the last quarter just three behinds were registered by the Cannons who dominated the territory battle but to no avail, until youngster Campbell Edwardes broke the deadlock with an easy set shot.

Top-ager Tye Browning, whose 17 disposals and seven inside 50s were crucial on the day, kicked his first and only goal of the game two minutes later and from there the Cannons held on for their first victory of the season. 

Calder will look to continue its winning form into this weekend’s clash against the Tasmanian Devils at Penguin Stadium.