Monash Gryphons Amateur Football Club

Seniors
13.7-85 SOUTH MORNINGTON def by
17.17-119 MONASH GRYPHONS
Goal Kickers: B. Hilet 5, M. Malloy 3, W. Pocock 2, C. Leeton, D. Baxter, C. Mackie, D. McConville, M. Fletcher, L. Allan, D. Wills.
Best Players: L. Wilson, W. Pocock, D. McConville, M. Malloy, B. Hilet, J. Harrak.

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…

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Seniors
21.17-143 MONASH GRYPHONS def
11.7-73 ELEY PARK
Goal Kickers: L. Allan 7, B. Hilet 4, W. Pocock 3, N. Rutherford 3, D. Wills 2, M. Fletcher, G. Munro.
Best Players: G. Munro, L. Allan, N. Booth, B. Hilet, D. McConville, L. Wilson.

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…
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Yes, It’s that time of year again when you put on your smarty pants, call up those nerds from high school and hope you don’t have to rely on DB’s dance off skills or Charlies pubic hair being burnt to get you extra points in -

DRINK AND THINK TRIVIA

Date: 17th July
Time: 7:30pm (8pm start sharp)
Where: East Caulfield Reserve Club Rooms
Cost: $20 per person
Table size – 10 people
REMEMBER – organise your own table of 10 or you will end up on a table with Mike Davies and believe me, if that happens, you wont win!
BYO: Food and snacks

Drinks at cheap cheap prices!

Great games and prizes available on the night! Including everyone on the winning table to take home a prize each.

Also on the night will be a Sporting Memorabilia Auction…
Football, Cricket, Basketball, Horse Racing pieces for sale and much much more!!!

Tickets on sale now and will sell out! So see Benny Rose…

Seniors
25.16-166 MONASH GRYPHONS def
8.10-58 NORTH BRUNSWICK
Goal Kickers: D. Wills 5, N. Booth 4, J. Nuguid 3, M. Fletcher 3, L. Wells 3, C. Mackie 2, G. Munro 2, D. McConville, L. Allan, N. Rutherford.
Best Players: C. Mackie, N. Booth, J. Nuguid, L. Wells, L. Wilson.

Reserves
11.16-82 MONASH GRYPHONS def
8.11-59 NORTH BRUNSWICK
Goal Kickers: W. Pocock 5, R. Fletcher 2, L. Fisher 2, P. Rutherford, E. Strain.
Best Players: R. Tuttle, K. Love, W. Pocock, V. Wijewardane, R. Fletcher, M. Paolucci.

Review:
Ardent Gryphon supporter, Shane O’Connor, would’ve been in raptures. It was the defining moment of the game and it was embroiled in controversy.

Sometimes in a game of football a tackle or a bump can mean the difference between pleasure and pain and in finals this barometer becomes even more significant. Young Varun Wijewardane’s bone crunching bump on a Nth Brunswick opponent was one such moment. From there on in, The Gryphons held sway and showed they wanted it more in the contested ball stakes. Full credit to all involved, the winning streak is now 12.

Oh yes, there was also a senior game on the weekend as well, but this was over at quarter time as the Gryphons held a two goal lead after kicking into a Cyclonic breeze. Nine goals to nil in the second term reinforced our dominance. Ivan Nuguid was at his best around goal and Clint Mackie had at least 30 touches for the day. Some may suggest we let them off the hook in the second half, but in truth we rested many of our better players to give them a well earned break.

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Seniors
6.8-44 RICHMOND CENTRAL def by
17.14-116 MONASH GRYPHONS
Goal Kickers: N. Booth 3, D. Giliam 2, L. Allan 2, B. Hilet 2, L. Wells 2, G. Munro, M. Fletcher, P. Gomizel, D. Wills, N. Rutherford, J. Nuguid.
Best Players: N. Booth, M. Fletcher, C. Mackie, B. Rose, G. Munro, M. Malloy.

Reserves
4.2-26 RICHMOND CENTRAL def by
13.17-95 MONASH GRYPHONS
Goal Kickers: W. Pocock 6, B. Lukav 2, K. Love, T. Russell, E. Strain, D. Gatsios, H. Vasconcelo.
Best Players: V. Coffey, M. Davies, T. Russell, W. Pocock, H. Vasconcelo, B. Murphy.

Review:
It is a fabulous time to be at the Monash Gryphons. Those who have faithfully travelled far and wide over the past seven seasons have not had much to cheer for; however, season 2010 is far different. Each Thursday night contains great anticipation of the coming Saturday as defeat is not even considered a possibility and there is a spring in the step of all and sundry.

At quarter time on Saturday, it was as if we were about to watch a close contest again as it was clear that Richmond were employing a Lyonesque (as in Ross Lyon) gameplan. They had numbers behind the ball and made us work for each possession in an attempt to mitigate our scoring power. The slow start was rectified in the second term as Nick Booth, Ben Rose and Matt Fletcher began to win the contested ball and give first use to our forwards.

The third term was a mixed bag where we didn’t improve our buffer over the Snakes as their ultra-defensive tactics once again proved frustrating, however, as they tried to win the game in the last, so did the game begin to open up considerably and we went away with it in the end.

What was most pleasing was that Laynton Allen and Daniel Wills were not dominant, yet we still kicked a score on a reasonably heavy track. Also pleasing was the spread of the goalkickers and the form of Brodie Hilet as the ‘extra’ tall in the forward 45.

Special mention must also be made of the reserves who notched up their 10th straight win. You are now rewriting your own history boys as this is the longest winning streak in the history of the club. Let’s continue the sequence against Nth Brunswick next Saturday and it may be a record that stands for many years to come.

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