It was Sir Doug Nicholls Round in the AFL so all teams conducted an Acknowledgement to Country before each game, to show support and solidarity with our Indigenous community.
Olinda Women’s team played their first day game in seven weeks in glorious sunshine at home, fighting out a strong 14 point victory against a tough Pakenham side.
Olinda struggled to handle the ball cleanly in the first quarter, being held to their only scoreless quarter for the year. Pakenham was much cleaner with the ball, regularly picking up the ball where Olinda could not. An exception was 15 year-old Grace Belloni who took a number of clean overhead marks, repelling many Pakenham’s attacks at half-back.
The game was played with 14 a side due to withdrawals from Pakenham’s team which challenged the coaches with their structure, which at times in the second quarter was unrecognisable. Isla (“Pipes”) Bradbury released the pressure with a great running goal, followed by a crumbing goal in the square to Ella Smith and a steadying set shot to Grace Belloni. Olinda walked into the half time break three points up.
Captain Everywhere Maddie Collins played the perfect Captain’s game and flew the flag for Olinda at every opportunity. The same could be said for Alex Gunn who fired for the second week in a row, going head to head with Pakenham’s best player. It was the way Alex tackled at every opportunity and threw herself head first into every pack that really frustrated the Pakenham girls and their coaching staff.
The game continued to throw up some anomalies, with key forwards Phoebe Dixon and Ness Bateman’s only goals coming from crumbing ground balls, rather than their usual strong marks and set shots. That said, both led and marked well all game, it’s just that the changed structure frequently found them too far from goal to capitalize. The sight of Olinda’s Claire Hyett clunking a big pack mark at centre half forward was in equal parts inspiring and amusing.
One constant in every Olinda game this year is the performance of key backs Casey Seymour and Leah Cody. Leah’s hard tackling all game was a highlight, and both players strong marking and long kicking repelled Pakenham’s forward entries again and again. Ruck Amilja Kostich acquitted herself well all game in the absence of regular ruck General Chelsea Wilson. Another member of Olinda’s courageous mosquito fleet Lily Carlin unfortunately got crunched in a pack and came from the ground late in the game with a broken nose.
Special mention to Sophie Caldwell, Ruby Gilson and Maddie McCheyne who played their best games for the year in what was a huge positive.
Overall, Olinda was happy to get the win in a bruising contest against a strong Pakenham, and look forward to the top-of-the-ladder challenge against Healesville at home next week.
The U15 Boys played Emerald in what would give them a taste for the top division as Emerald have recently come down. Rio Neish and Will Belnkiron, not content with their efforts in the U13s, came up and suffered a bit of leather poisoning in the 15s, each kicking goals. Charlie Hooper is proving recruit of the year with another bag of four. His strong marking and follow up contested work proving too tough for the Emerald defensive unit. Aden Bates’ class through the midfield meant Olinda had repeated quality forward entries, whilst Case Hine, in defence, was as solid as a rock with repeated contested marks in a best on ground performance.
The U16 Girls came up against ladder leaders Mt Evelyn and showed that they are not far off the pace with the best teams when they have a full team. It was a good game with some fast ball movement, but neither side was able to fully capitalise on the scoresheet. The difference between the two sides was Mt Evelyns’s attack on the contest, being first at the footy. When Olinda cleared into space, their link up footy was outstanding and would match it with anyone in the comp. Standout games from Grace Belloni and Kyah Barry generated play across the ground with her ferocious tackling winning free kick after free kick. Kaesha Christie and Elsa Leonard’s run across the middle offered some great link up options. Full forward Nikaylaa Seamer kicked a nice goal and provided a great option up forward, while Anja Hulston, in only her 3rd game, proved that she is going to be a great footballer. Paige Robinson continued to be a rock in defence and Tilly Oleskowski’s intercept marking across half back also saw off many Mt Ev attacks. In the end, Mt Ev got the points, but the Olinda girls can hold their heads up high that they can mix it with the best in the comp.
Finally, the U17s played their home game at Monbulk for the Monbulk players who would have reached 100 game milestones (but unfortunately missed due to illness). It was a tough and bruising encounter with tempers flaring in the third after Olinda had to fight their way back into the game being eight points down at half time. Coach Paddy wanted to see his players control their aggression towards the contest after wayward kicking left the door ajar going into the last quarter. The last quarter really saw Wandin challenge the boys. Christian TeBoekhorst kicked two goals in his usual aerial display, as did Rylan Kay. Lachie Bates and Ned Ford generated movement through the middle with highly skilled ball movement in what was an entertaining, if frustrating game. In the end, it boiled down to the last kick after the siren as Wandin had a set-shot from 50. Thankfully, for Olinda and the Monbulk crowd, the kick fell short and Olinda scraped home by two points. It was a tough win, but that’s four on the trot and the side are going pretty well.
