AN under strength Ocean Grove heads into the mid-season break with a 6-6 record after losing to BFL ladder leaders Geelong Amateur on a rain sodden Queens Park on Saturday by 36 points, writes Mark Heenan. The Ammos showed their class in the driving rain despite the Grubbers being without seven of their best 22 players including captain James Dalton (fractured skull) and utility Dave Gray (broken ribs).
Ocean Grove coach Cameron McGregor has not given up hope on making BFL finals, although the sixth-placed Grubbers need to make up two games on nearest rival Anglesea (8-4) with six rounds remaining.
The loss compounded by the striking reports of Travis Gavin and youngster Kane Reardon after both were involved in a heated stoush with the opposing team during the third quarter.
McGregor appeared frustrated with his team’s lack of discipline and the prospect of possibly losing two players through suspension in light of the Grubbers higher than expected injury toll.
“We can’t afford to lose players through undisciplined play, we spoke about it at three-quarter time and the Ammos were starting to get a bit frustrated because we played them the way we wanted to play,” McGregor said after the match.
The Ammos may have dominated the majority of the early play in the first half, but the brave young Grubbers fought back late in the second quarter only to trail by 14 points at the half time break.
The silky skilled James McTaggart had a sublime game in the wet gathering 30 plus disposals.
Youngster Harrison Foott played one of his most important matches to date, holding dangerous Amateur forward Jason Tom to one goal.
McGregor was impressed with the emergence of youngster Patrick Maloney, who kicked three goals on debut for the Grubbers.
Saturday was a significant day for the Maloney family, as Patrick, 18, joined his older brothers Daniel, 19, and Shaun, 26.
“Patrick Maloney gives us forward pressure, a bit of enthusiasm and he deserves his spot in the team,” said McGregor.
The second half saw the home side draw on its more experienced bigger bodies, Amateur gun Tim Clark, who kicked two crucial late goals, Ben Boseley and Anthony Fagan all made serviceable contributions.
Geelong Amateur coach Travis Robertson was pleased with his side’s gutsy six-goal win.
“We were banking on the fact it was going to be a bit of bash and crash game of footy – and our more experienced bigger bodies were able to wear Ocean Grove down,” said Robertson, who kicked two goals in only his second match of the season.
Robertson was wary of Ocean Grove’s youthful exuberance after the Grubbers pushed his team all the way in Round three only to lose by 13 points against the highly-fancied Ammos.
“I stand firm on my thoughts on Ocean Grove – what they are doing down there is fantastic,” he said. “They are in a really good position with some great juniors, as they are young it is hard to keep them up consistently all year.”
Now the Grubbers face the much improved Newcomb Power in what is a crucial Round 13 clash.
The Power are in search of their first BFL win in 2010, came anxiously close to a victory against Torquay in Round 12 only to lose by six points.
“It won’t be an easy game - Newcomb have recruited fairly well over the last month and they have really got a big drive to win a game of footy or two games of footy this season,” McGregor said.
“They would love to knock off someone like an Ocean Grove and keep them out of the finals.
“We have got to play good footy to beat them.”
Fast flowing defender Ryan Baker, Tom McManus and Sam Van Deuren are likely to return from injury for the Power clash.
The game starts at 2:10pm at Ocean Grove Memorial Recreation Reserve on Saturday July 10.
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