U16’s Match Report – Round 1

On Sunday our Under 16’s played their opening Round 1 game against Glenelg at Hisense Stadium. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts our opposition was significantly stronger on the day and ran out comfortable winners by 62 points.

Throughout the course of the game our boys clearly showed periods where our skill execution can be damaging and effective, unfortunately we could not sustain these efforts for long periods of time. Much of this can be attributed to the pressure applied by the opposition and somewhat the players still learning to play together and implementing a particular game style. Basic skill errors such as marking, kicking accuracy in front of goal at crucial times, and decision-making under pressure are key focus areas for us moving forward especially comparing this to our Glenelg counterparts on the weekend who were decisive and clinical in their method.

Effective teamwork relies heavily on cohesion and communication among players. While we showcased glimpses of cohesive play, particularly in coordinated passages of movement, there were instances of miscommunication and disjointedness that allowed Glenelg to capitalise and turn these into scoring opportunities.

With a short turnaround to our next match against the Eagles on Good Friday our key focus will be to remain positive, work hard and concentrate to execute the key fundamentals under pressure conditions to ensure a more sustained and polished team performance across four quarters.

The defeat against a stronger side in Glenelg serves as a valuable learning experience for our Under 16 boys. By critically analysing their performance, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing targeted strategies they will bounce back stronger and more competitive in future matches. We must not lose sight despite not being happy with the outcome, this is a junior development squad that provides the club, coaches, and players with invaluable feedback to all stakeholders to continually assess their strengths and identify their areas of growth to improve to be the best version of themselves that contributes effectively for their overall benefit of the team.

Best Players: Annese, J. Millar, J. Woolridge R. McAulay H. Hutton, L. Vogt

Goals: Woolridge (2), N. Dessmann, J. Millar, T. Seagar (1)

U16’s Head Coach – Jeff Sochacki