Monash Gryphons Amateur Football Club

Here are the results for the 2009 Vote Count.

The seniors was one of the closest results we have ever seen. Congratulations to Nick Rutherford for winning the seniors and Avner Kooperman for taking out the reserves.

Seniors:
36 - N Rutherford
35 - C Mackie
34 - C Jones
33 - L Wells
29 - C Leeton
20 - B Rose
19 - D McConville
18 - T Russell
17 - J Watson
14 - D Baxter
12 - P Rutherford
10 - D Gilliam
9 - J Harrak
9 - M Malloy
5 - L Wilson
5 - V Coffey
4 - B Hilet
4 - G Kent
4 - L Dooley
2 - R Fletcher
1 - G Strain
1 - J Fraser
1 - M Davies
1 - N Booth
1 - R Sharkey
1 - A Kooperman

Reserves:
39 - A Kooperman
29 - R Tuttle
23 - N Booth
23 - W Pocock
17 - G Kent
16 - D Gwynne
16 - R Haughton
15 - H Vasconcelo
15 - J Fraser
12 - V Wijewardane
10 - B Lukav
10 - L Monfries
9 - A Robilliard
8 - B Hilet
8 - B Murphy
8 - V Coffey
7 - M O’Neil
7 - R Fletcher
7 - T Vesey
4 - A Schroth
4 - G Roche
4 - L Wilson
4 - M Healy
4 - P Rutherford
3 - B Fullerton
3 - J Hickey
3 - P Warren
2 - A Clarke
2 - D Healy
2 - G Strain
2 - J Rathjen
2 - K Love
2 - M Davies
1 - A Letts
1 - D Charleson
1 - F Mandrakis
1 - J Ducat

Seniors
19.11-125 MONASH GRYPHONS def
14.19-103 ST JOHNS
Goal Kickers: R. Sharkey 4, C. Leeton 3, J. Harrak 2, P. Rutherford 2, M. O”Neill 2, D. Baxter, V. Coffey, N. Rutherford, J. Watson, C. Mackie, D. McConville.
Best Players: D. Baxter, V. Coffey, C. Mackie, R. Sharkey, C. Leeton, D. McConville.

Reserves
11.11-77 MONASH GRYPHONS def by
14.15-99 ST JOHNS
Goal Kickers: F. Mandrakis 3, D. Gwynne 2, H. Vasconcelo 2, G. Roche, D. Healy, R. Tuttle, A. Kooperman.
Best Players: A. Kooperman, A. Robilliard, F. Mandrakis, J. Fraser, R. Tuttle, D. Gwynne.

Review:
It was one of our great wins. It was textbook Gryphons – relentless pressure on the ball carrier, desperate ‘backs to the wall stuff’… It should have been one of our finest days in the club’s history, alas The Piranhas did not see it that way.

I spotted one of the Powerhouse stalwarts at ECR at half time in the senior game and I immediately approached him for a chat. We both remarked about the unpredictable nature of the current season and that how relegation battles are some of the most passionate and memorable affairs in Amateur Footy. The mood in the crowd was such and resembled the terraces in an English Football match on the last day of the season. Many of us had contacts at other grounds and out cheers turned to bitter sweet emotions as we heard of Bentleigh’s plight in the final quarter. It is a bitter pill we have to swallow. – 6 wins and relegation- but the fact remains we were the weakest side of a very even competition.

We have not entered the uncertain waters of D4 since 1998, but a reduced 10 team comp and a competitive season under our belts in a higher division should hold us in good stead. I think it was former Gryphons coach, Jack McDonald who said “sometimes you’ve got to take a step backwards in order take two steps forward”.

The match itself was won in the first quarter where we outscored St John’s by a goal whilst defending a 6 goal breeze. Nick Rutherford was finding the ball and Chris Leeton dominated in the Ruck, Dan Baxter was rebounding everything down back and Clint Mackie finding the crumbs wherever needed. The second quarter we capitalised on every opportunity and held a match winning lead by half time. Daniel McConville continued to impress with his work ethic as the game progressed and Vaughan Coffey is proving that he is a senior player.

Stay together boys, regroup and have another tilt at glory in 2010, the opposition will be easier and if continue to improve and recruit a key forward we can bring the long overdue silverware to East Caulfield Reserve.

Monash Gryphons AFC Reverse Shuffle/Raffle And Last Game Night

Come down to the East Caulfield Reserve on the 22nd of August at 8pm to celebrate the end of the season with team mates and friends.
Do not need to be part of the Reverse Shuffle to attend the night.

Details:
- 60 Tickets Available
- $100 per Ticket
- Up to 2 names per ticket
- Free beer and wine to ticket holders ($1000 worth)
- $25 at the door will also entitle you to the beer and wine if not on a ticket

Prizes:
- $1200 Last Song
- $600 2nd Last Song
- $300 3rd Last Song
- $100 4th & 5th Last Song
- $100 First Song Played

How the Raffle will work:
- 60 songs will be loaded onto an ipod.
- Each ticket will be delegated a song
- Shuffle will be pressed on the ipod
- If your song is played you are out of the draw!!

To get your tickets now contact Tim Vesey at social@monashgryphonsafc.org.au

Just a reminder that the Vote count is this Sunday at 12.00pm at the East Caulfield Social Rooms. Of which Bacon and Egg Muffins will be available to soak up the alcohol from the previous nights activities (all proceeds going towards the footy trip).

For the new blokes to the club prior to the start of the count we auction off groups of players and the bidder who buys the group with the most total votes wins the cash.

Syndicates can be formed as buying a group on your own may be quite expensive.

Seniors
23.18-156 ST FRANCIS XAVIER def
9.14-68 MONASH GRYPHONS
Goal Kickers: R. Sharkey 3, D. Baxter, V. Coffey, R. Fletcher, P. Rutherford, C. Jones, D. Gwynne.
Best Players: C. Jones, L. Wilson, V. Coffey, R. Sharkey, D. Baxter, D. Giliam.

Reserves
24.19-163 ST FRANCIS XAVIER def
3.7-25 MONASH GRYPHONS
Goal Kickers: N. Booth 2, H. Vasconcelo.
Best Players: B. Fullerton, A. Clarke, R. Haughton, A. Goutnik, H. Vasconcelo, L. Monfries.

Review:
“Where there’s light, there is hope” is a common catchcry used in sporting circles and it has never been more appropriate for the gryphons than this week. Whilst we have the chance to avoid relegation, we must place every effort into doing so. Who knows what 2010 may bring, so looking to next year is pointless unless we take a holistic approach into Saturday’s game.

The weekend past was arguably our worst for the season (the away fixture at St Mary’s some would argue was worse) from an on field perspective. Our reserves side was particularly undermanned and full credit to Jim Gonis for being able to find a team and therefore our seniors was bolstered by players who would not normally be in that side. I am not for one minute questioning the endeavour of the players who represented the club on the weekend, but we were never really in the contest as our skill level was not up to it. Another damming stat is that we have no player who has kicked 20 goals or more this season and this is an area of much concern.

What is not of concern is the continued fine form of Chris Jones (Across half-back) and Daniel McConville. Macca in particular, must be a ‘smokey’ for the Best & Fairest.

The equation is simple, beat St Johns and we are likely to stay up. Hopefully, we can garner plenty of support at ECR on Saturday to make their stay as hostile as possible.

Seniors
11.18-84 MONASH GRYPHONS def by
15.11-101 ELSTERNWICK
Goal Kickers: P. Rutherford 3, D. Baxter, V. Coffey, M. Davies, R. Fletcher, N. Rutherford, R. Sharkey, C. Mackie, D. McConville.
Best Players: C. Jones, D. Baxter, C. Mackie, M. Malloy, D. McConville, B. Hilet.

Reserves
4.9-33 MONASH GRYPHONS def by
13.16-94 ELSTERNWICK
Goal Kickers: A. Clarke, F. Mandrakis, D. Healy, B. Fullerton.
Best Players: R. Tuttle, J. Fraser, V. Wijewardane, B. Murphy, A. Schroth, M. O”Neill.

Review:
Atmosphere at a football ground is not easy to define. “The surrounding or pervading mood” is the classical definition so I believe the common mood was that of passion on the weekend. The Wicks had to win to keep their slim finals hopes alive, the Gryphs (although only a game behind Elsternwick) had to win to move out of the relegation zone, so the feeling in the crowd were intense and bipartisan. Speaking of the crowd, it was much larger than usual as supporters from both clubs flocked to see the much anticipated Murphy Wells Cup. The rivalry that exist between the two clubs now is the sort of thing that is hard to describe, yet makes amateur football the greatest game on earth.

The game itself was a beauty. No quarter given by either side, no contest shirked, no kick easily earned. The Wicks had to play well to beat us and they simply converted their opportunities around goal more effectively in order to win. Chris Jones, Dan Baxter and Daniel McConville all played their hearts out for the home side, but sometimes that is not enough. It was a finals like atmosphere at ECR on Saturday and if we can show the same intensity over the final two rounds, the footballing Gods may be good to us, or at least we will not die wondering. Only time will tell…

Seniors
14.13-97 WEST BRNSWICK def
8.7-55 MONASH GRYPHONS
Goal Kickers: R. Fletcher 3, R. Sharkey, P. Rutherford, C. Mackie, V. Wijewardane, D. McConville.
Best Players: D. Baxter, C. Mackie, R. Fletcher, J. Harrak, T. Russell, C. Leeton.

Reserves
20.7-127 WEST BRUNSWICK def
3.4-22 MONASH GRYPHONS
Goal Kickers: F. Mandrakis 2, N. Booth.
Best Players: T. Vesey, N. Booth, D. Healy, R. Tuttle, B. Murphy, P. Warren.

Review:
Legendary AFL coach John Kennedy once said “…you lose one soldier, you replace him with another soldier”, however this old football adage was severely tested on Saturday.

As soon as Lee Wells injured his hamstring, the Gryphons were placed in the unenviable position of having to replace a Seven time Best & Fairest winner. This may have been a simple task on paper, but all of us knew it was going to be tough to do in practice.

Stalwarts of the club began thinking of apocalyptic metaphors for the injury yet the Gryphons persevered and held on bravely for three quarters. Alas, class gave way in the end and full credit to our opponents for exploiting this. Best players for Monash included Clint Mackie, Jason Harrak and Dan Baxter.

Judging by the weekend’s results, it looks likely that we will need to win two of our last three to avoid relegation due to our poor percentage, which should make for passionate affairs at ECR both this week (for Past Players Day) and in round 18 against St John’s. Whatever the journey may entail you can be assured it will be an exciting three weeks.