For the first time in the Clubs history the Seniors and Reserves have made the Grand Final in the same season.

BE THERE TO WITNESS HISTORY.

When: Saturday 11th September 2010
Seniors vs TBC 2pm
Reserves vs TBC 11.40am.
Where: Vermont Recreation Reserve, corner of Canterbury & Terrara Rds, Vermont.

Wear the club colours and give all the support they deserve for this fantastic achievement!

Reserves
11.14-80 MONASH GRYPHONS def
10.11-71 NORTH BRUNSWICK
Goal Kickers: R. Mundy 3, E. Mitchell 2, P. Rutherford , R. Fletcher, D. Gatsios, L. Fisher, E. Strain, B. Fullerton.
Best Players: R. Mundy, B. Fullerton, B. Rose, V. Coffey, B. Murphy, R. Fletcher.

Review:
“Venimus, Vidimus, Vicimus” was the message from coach Osborne in the immediate aftermath of Saturday’s demolition of Mt Lilydale. A victory that sees the Gryphons enter the Grand Final with our best chance of victory in the club’s history. Although we never knew Ozzie was au fait with Latin Classics, the inspiration of Caesar’s victory cry of 47 BC resonated with the Gryphons faithful who (with the exception of Mark Graydon) are supremely confident on winning the premiership cup.

It was a great day for the club, first we had the character building win from the reserves, who seemingly had lost the momentum entering extra time, but miraculously lifted through the likes of Darren Gwynne and Adrian Schroth (players who had done little up until that point). It was great to see one our best ever seconds players in Vaughan Coffey, coming off the ground with blood pouring from his mouth, after putting his body on the line in the dying seconds. That is an example of the type of sacrifices needed in order to win a premiership. I know Vaughan will be making every effort to make sure he is right for the big dance and we wish him all the best.

The Seniors, spurred on by the heroics of the ‘ressies’, began smartly and it was evident from early on that we were winning in every facet of the game. Lee Wells and Luke Wilson were slaughtering anything loose down back, Leets was winning the Ruck, Daniel McConville was relentless in the guts and Mick Malloy was having a day out across half forward. Add to the mix, experienced heads like Flowerday and Rutherford and much of what we touched turned to gold.

It is only one more match gentleman. If we remain focused and go through all the correct processes for the next two weeks football Nirvana can be achieved..

Photos:

Photos by Jake Zhivov. More photos can be found on the Gryphons Facebook page.

Details:
When: Saturday 28th August 2010
Seniors V Mt Lilydale 2pm
Reserves v Nth Brunswick 11.40am.
Where: Vermont Recreation Reserve, corner of Canterbury & Terrara Rds, Vermont.

Reserves
3.3-21 CHADSTONE def by
28.17-185 MONASH GRYPHONS
Goal Kickers: M. Malone 5, R. Mundy 3, A. Kooperman 3, M. Paolucci 3, D. Gwynne 2, T. Russell 2, G. Strain 2, P. Rutherford 2, T. Vesey 2, H. Vasconcelo, V. Coffey, B. Fullerton, E. Strain.
Best Players: M. Paolucci, P. Gomizel, D. Gwynne, M. Malone, P. Rutherford, E. Strain.

Review:
Van Halen’s Sammy Hagar took over lead vocals from David Lee Roth in 1986 and quickly exclaimed “only time will tell if we stand the test of time”. A highly corny lyric at the best of times, but alas I can think of none better to describe the Gryphons immediate future. We have conquered all and rightfully hold top spot but it will amount to nothing if we let this chance slip in the finals.

Saturday’s game was anything but ideal in regards to a serious contest before finals, yet there were some pleasing signs. Our ball movement and delivery inside 50 was first rate even if our conversion rate was lacking. Great games to Lee Wells across half back and Chuck Munro on the wing ensured we won easily.

It is now up all club members to make sure they are on the track and pushing hard for selection on each training night as attitude and application of those who are likely to miss selection is just as important as those who are selected. This may sound lame, but all club members are part of the journey and we have all contributed to the success so far, we must not lose faith even with the disappointment of non-selection.

Photos:

Photos by Jake Zhivov. More photos can be found on the Gryphons Facebook page.

More information can be found on the Vafa site.

Vermont Recreation Reserve, cnr Canterbury & Terrara Rds
Home of the Vermont Eagles in first division EFL.

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Reserves
14.14-98 MONASH GRYPHONS def
6.6-42 MT LILYDALE
Goal Kickers: M. Malone 4, A. Schroth 3, M. Ramadan 2, L. Fisher 2, B. Lukav, K. Love, B. Fullerton, T. Russell, R. Tuttle, D. Gatsios, R. Mundy.
Best Players: M. Malone, V. Coffey, K. Love, R. Mundy, T. Russell, A. Schroth.

Review:
Frank Sinatra has the most well known version of Erwin Drake’s composition “It was a very good year”, and 2010 is looking more and more like a good year each week.

Saturday was a fitting finale to football at East Caulfield Reserve for 2010. Great game, good crowd support and two strong wins that all but guarantee top spot for both seniors and reserves. The amount of past players that turned up to lend their support was particularly pleasing.

The game itself was a beauty. Full credit to the Rams as they gave there all and booted a more than respectable 16 goals (a figure that would win you most games) but the current coaching administration at Monash has a firm view that scoring goals rather than saving them is the way win big games and this proved to be crucial. At three quarter time we lead by 37 points and many would’ve played one or two behind the ball in order to mitigate and retain the lead. This is not the Osborne philosophy of football though as he clearly believes games are won by scoreboard pressure. Even when Lilydale scored two quick goals at the start of the final term to edge within four goals, no one panicked and subsequent key goals to Daniel McConville and Laynton Allen proved crucial.

It was evident that out more seasoned players had fine games at the weekend. Chris Leeton was great in the Ruck, Nick Rutherford excellent in the middle and Lee Wells superb down back. Add to that, Mick Malloy’s best game for the season and Luke Wilson across half-back and we had winners all over the ground.

We have earned the rest and can now focus on Chadstone in the final game of the home and away season. From there it is only two more wins…

Photos:

Photos by Jake Zhivov. More photos can be found on the Gryphons Facebook page.

Reserves
4.5-29 SOUTH MORNINGTON def by
10.16-76 MONASH GRYPHONS
Goal Kickers: M. Malone 4, E. Strain 2, R. Tuttle, V. Coffey, P. Gomizel, M. Paolucci.
Best Players: B. Fullerton, K. Love, A. Schroth, P. Gomizel, M. Malone.

Review:
Alan Sutherland coached the Gryphons in times that would make the Dark Ages of Medieval Europe feel like paradise. We won fewer than a half dozen games (both seniors and reserves) in 1994/95 and spirits were often lacking at our fledgling club. When we did win, it was like we had won a premiership as “La Marseillaise” was belted out with great gusto. ‘Sudsy’ is now the coach of another young club in Sth Mornington, who’s parallel’s to the Gryphons are quite substantial in chronology. I had a good chat to him after Saturday’s game and asked whether he remembered the words of the song. He remarked that he thought it was sung with more gusto in his day and I smugly quipped that “…we are sick of singing it”. This remark was in jest of course, but it does beg the question about motivation and seizing the day. We must play as if we are playing a final each weekend and whether we are playing Chadstone or Mt Lilydale our preparation and approach should be uniform.

Full credit to our opponents on Saturday. They made us earn the victory and played the type of hard football that the Gryphons like to think we are renowned for. We are a very good side however, and on two defining occasions we found another gear. Half way through the third term the Tigers got within 7 points and looked set to make a serious challenge. Enter Wal Pocock who won three or four vital contested balls across half forward that all resulted in scores and suddenly the gryphons held sway by four goals again. Similarly, early in the final quarter where the lead was just two goals, Greg Munro and Brodie Hilet decided they were going to step up and we piled on four unanswered goals to lead by 37. Game over.

That overdrive must be evident for 120 minutes next weekend as we fight for top spot…

Photos:

Photos by Jake Zhivov. More photos can be found on the Gryphons Facebook page.

Reserves
14.14-98 MONASH GRYPHONS def
6.6-42 ELEY PARK
Goal Kickers: M. Malone 4, E. Strain 2, D. Giliam 2, R. Mundy 2, V. Coffey, P. Rutherford, R. Fletcher, D. Gwynne.
Best Players: V. Coffey, R. Fletcher, R. Mundy, R. Tuttle, M. Malone, D. Giliam.

Review:
19th Century, American author Frederick Douglass once stated “If there is no struggle, there is no progress” and I think it time to reflect on this as a club. Those who have been at the Monash gryphons for many years are well aware of the humble beginnings we had as a bunch of disorganised and diverse mates who got together for a kick on a Saturday. Nowadays we have facilities that are the envy of any club in D Section and we are in arguably the best position to challenge for a flag in the club’s history. 14 weeks into the season and we have only had two losses of a collective 6 points. What is more definitive is that we are now the hunted and we are passing each test with flying colours. To that end, Eley Park truly came out to play on Saturday. I recall stating to another supporter that (midway through the second term) I don’t think we’d been made more accountable for each possession by any opponent all year. Full credit to Eley Park in both grades because for much of the game they wanted the pill far more than we did and we had to work extra hard to break them.

The senior game was still in the balance at three quarter time, but by this stage the Sharks had run out of puff and we went to another level altogether. Great games by Daniel McConville in the guts and Laynton Allen up forward ensured the victory, but I’m not sure we can afford such a slow start against South at Mt Martha next weekend.

12 wins and counting for the twos. Keep the record going, it will perhaps stand for decades to come…
Photos:

Photos by Jake Zhivov. More photos can be found on the Gryphons Facebook page.