Reserves Match Report – Round 1 vs North Adelaide

After a long preseason, our young group were really excited to get to get into round 1.

With 13 players having there first senior game for our football club and 9 of them coming from our U18 program last season, there was a real energy around the group, and this showed by the way we played in the first qtr.

Our team focus for the day was “RELENTLESSNESS” which is part of our Creed this season and is based around giving 100% effort, 100% of the time. We also had a strong focus on defending North’s ball movement and not allowing them to kick through us, as well as matching them in contested possession.

We started the game well and executed our focus areas which helped us jump out to an early lead, then we had bit of a drop in work rate which allowed North to get back into the game and saw us behind by 14 points at half time.

We revisited our focus areas at half time and I could tell that the boys were not happy with the how we played during the second quarter and were keen to make amends. I could not have been prouder of how the boys responded in the second half, we were relentless in our attack on the ball and player for the remainder of the game and to hold North to 2 goals and kick 6 ourselves was reward for effort.

Ned Stevens was the most dominant big man on the ground and showed why we are so excited to have him and the club finishing with 5 goals. Jesse Thackeray got us going in the midfield in the second half with his clean hands and skills. And I thought our captain for the day, Harvey Bock led from the front all day and provided our young group with some really strong leadership.

We have some really exciting young talent in this team, and I am looking forward to seeing how they grow as a group as the season goes on.

Reserves Coach, Daimon Head

Best Players: Ned Stevens, Jesse Thackeray, Owen Mulady

Goal Kickers: Ned Stevens (5), Nicholas Steele (2), Tyson Coe, Jamie Kovacic, Kye Roberts (1)