As the hockey season progresses, it is pleasing to see the effort which players are putting in for their teams every week.
Kookas
Team Orange started the game well,with Tom making good position and Lennie seizing possession of the ball before Team Red could reach it. Great passing by Lennie to team mates running into space. A great double back by Tom saw Team Orange move the ball into the scoring zone and pressure the Red defence, finishing off well with 3 goals resulting.
The second half saw Team Red working hard and good passing by Braydn and Ebony created attacking opportunities, and found players in front of the goal. However the shot went just wide on a number of occasions before they found the target. Great defence and ball control by all players with excellent switching and running in support of team mates.
There will be no Kookas hockey game this week, due to the start of the school holidays. The Kookas program will continue for the remainder of the winter hockey season, beginning again in Term 3.
Under 6 Joeys
The Under 6 players are showing great dribbling skills and working on learning to pass accurately and firmly. Thanks to our ‘targets’ who joined in at the risk of their ankles, the players enjoyed being able to pass the ball through the target.
Both of these skills were on display in our game of keepings off this week. Zeph, Alexander and Lachlan showed some excellent dribbling skills and great passes to team mates. Harrison, Jasmine and Maia concentrated very well on the ball with sticks on the ground to trap well. Amelia, Cate and George found some great spaces away from the opposition for team mates to pass to them, and Braxton was fantastic in calling to let his players know that he was ready.
The Under 6 Joeys program is a great precursor to the next hockey season, when we anticipate that many of these players will move up to the Under 8 teams, having learnt both skills and strategies in a fun environment.
Under 8
Newtown Spirit v Kardinia
Spirit tried a ‘clock face’ approach to get around their talented Kardinia opposition in an exciting Under-8 game at Lloyd Reserve on Saturday.
After Coach Kellie asked them to position themselves “like a little clock” when they won free hits, they spread out across the field to open up play and work the ball around Kardinia. With wings Braydn and Pollyanna hanging wide at `3’ and ‘9’ on the clock and centre Summah up high at the `12’, defenders had clearer options to successfully pass the ball forward.
Half backs Michael, Avah and Juliette put in a big effort to shut down the fast-moving Kardinia outfit, which made the most of its attacking runs. Spirit’s defenders produced some clever square passes to avoid their opposition and used the width of the field when they could, firing the ball up the sidelines and into attack. There were some clever skills on show as well as great marking, with Summah and Juliette getting in front time and again to block the ball from Kardinia.
Drew, at full back, put in a pearler of a game. He combined well with Spirit’s hard-working half backs and stopped several certain goals by blocking the ball calmly and sending it out of the danger zone. He also did a great job of coming out and meeting the attack when in a one-on-one battle to protect the goals.
Drew won the Subway Best Team Player award for the game after listening carefully to Coach Kellie’s instructions, putting them into play and making good decisions under pressure. Well done Drew.
Newtown Rebels v Torquay Tornadoes
Rebels had another great match this week and are continuing to improve their skills with each game played.
In the first half both sides started well with strong attacks from both teams. Rebels kept their positions well and there were lots of opportunities for them to move forward and score. Aiden and Tommy played tirelessly, always chasing the ball and tackling well. Annabelle also took some excellent free hits. At half-time Colleen praised the team’s strong performance and stressed the importance of Rebels keeping their sticks down, calling to one another and finding space.
In the second half Rebels again moved forward well and kept up the attack. Both Sophies and Audrey worked well together, constantly chasing the ball. Neve worked well in goal, helped by Paddy who defended brilliantly. All in all, Rebels again displayed fantastic team work and had an amazing match!
Sophie B was awarded Subway Player of the Week for most improved player and never giving up.
Newtown Raiders vs Newtown Strikers
Another excellent game this week by Raiders, with concentration on the play and covering the opposition both highlighted – things we have been working on during this hockey season. Excellent defence by Lily in front of the goals stopped a number of Strikers attempts to score. Keeping sticks on the ground saw Raiders gain possession and with excellent ball control, Charlotte was able to spearhead attacks and move the ball forward. Chloe and Isabelle found some good position on the wings and Oscar made himself available in the centre. Jesse made some nice interceptions and good passes to team mates, denying Strikers the opportunity to move to the goals.
Subway Best Team Players this week went to Lily and Charlotte.
Under 10
Newtown Strikers vs Torquay 0-11
What a fantastic effort from everyone this week as it was a completely different game compared to last time we met Torquay Tornadoes. We never gave up throughout the game.
Isla did a fantastic job in goals with some fancy foot work. Anna put into practice what we have been focusing on in training with making great passes and her trapping. Jai and Charlie had great calling to each other and worked well together passing along the side line. Amelia and Thamindu never gave up and continued to support Isla. Isabel, Eliza May and Elliott worked together brilliantly with Brandon with great tackles and passes. Amber and Ruby made a great pair through the centre field creating turnovers for Torquay. Alex had great strong passes of the ball. We caught the opposition off guard with how quickly we took our penalties.
Great game from everyone, enjoy your break and stay safe.
Newtown Spirit vs Geelong College 1-0
Will (in his first game for Spirit) with great persistence and a great pass from Nate saw the only goal of the match scored on the whistle in the first half of the game. Another great game watched from the sidelines by the parents. It was a really fabulous first half with great 2nd and 3rd efforts, fabulous positioning, picking up and controlling the ball.
There were some great improvements in marking our players and Kellie spoke about working on this in the second half. We needed to ensure that we could see our players, making sure they were in front of us so we knew where they were and then when the get the ball and turn we are right there to defend the ball.
The second half saw us hit the ball out wide, a technique we have talked about for weeks. Moving our bodies to ensure we were able to clear the ball out to the sides then allowed us to be in control of the ball with the defence in front of us. She wanted us to continue to work on holding the ball for 2-3 seconds longer before having a shot. Great game Spirit, enjoy the break.
Under 12
Newtown Spirit vs Kardinia 0-1
This week Spirit came up against Kardinia who were very competitive, and it was a game that proved more difficult than the team anticipated. The first half saw Kardinia crowding which meant we also crowded and did not play our positions. We were a little frazzled to say the least and as a result Kardinia scored but not before some desperate defence from our backs and Angus who was goalie this week. Despite being frazzled our team never gave up and were persistent.
The second half was much better and the team came out raring to go. Right from the start spirit played their positions well and took a couple of seconds to look up before passing off which was lacking in the first half. The panic had disappeared and there was much more thoughtful play by everyone.
Angus had some great saves and Mia, Maggie, Edie and India were very unlucky not to convert at least twice! The perseverance from the entire Spirit team was just wonderful to watch and despite being 1-0 down they never ever gave up. Mitchell and Lachie were solid in the back line, Daniel tackled really well in the Center, Matilda playing her 25th game ran her heart out and held onto her player really well. Oliver was solid in defence and in attack. Harry was always in a great position and ready to receive the ball. Liam received a ball to his head (off his own stick) but continued to be strong in his play. Well done everyone.
Newtown Strikers vs Newtown Rebels 0-5
The first half started out well for Strikers with some great play shown on both sides in the first 5 minutes. After that the ball constantly seemed to be in the Rebels half of the field testing our defensive players. Jamie, our goalie, did very well, saving 3 attempts at goal, however Rebels finally broke through with a goal later in the first half.
In the second half Rebels seemed even more confident with their dominance on the field and although Jamie saved another 3 attempts at goal, Rebels eventually found the gap another 4 times. Despite the odds, and to their credit, Strikers did not give up and finished strongly in the last 5 minutes. We were all very proud of their good attitude and positive body language.
The things we learnt in this game was to trap the ball first and take a second to find a teammate before passing. We also learnt that we need to go wide and in some cases even wider to find that perfectly positioned player and we learnt that we need to put pressure on and tackle the opposition for that ball.
A big thank you to Oliver from Spirit for helping us out as we were a bit short of players this week. He played a great game and put in a lot of effort. For our best on field we couldn’t go past our amazing defence of Thomas, Tom and Jamie. They were really pushed to the limit, but didn’t give up and kept on trying. Their hard work saved many more goals.
We are all looking forward to a nice break over the holidays and look forward to coming back with more determination and a full team once again.
Under 14
Newtown Spirit vs Kardinia 7-0
Newtown Spirit hosted Kardinia in their Round 8 clash at Stead Park on Saturday. Max was unavailable to play, so Spirit had one player back as a kicking defender. Coach Carl in his pre-match address asked the team for possession hockey, to practice transitioning the ball around the back, and to take some time to look up and see who’s available.
Spirit had plenty of possession and a few short corners early, with some good work from Riley, Harry, Ella, Charley and Jamie keeping the Kardinia defenders really busy. Our first goal came from a short corner, with Jamie receiving the ball and then passing back to Ella on post for the goal. This was followed by 2 goals to Harry, one from the top of the circle and another after dribbling from the mid-field right in close to goal.
Kardinia had some attacking opportunities too, but were repelled by Spirit with some good defending by Bailey and some clearing hits to the side from Ella. Harry also did some great defending at full back, then took the ball up forward to give Amelia a chance which went just wide of the goal. Amelia then got a score on the board with a nice pass from Nick, taking us to 4-0, and Jamie followed up with a pass from Ella to make it 5-0.
At half time, Carl called for quicker passes to catch the defenders off guard because we were holding the ball a little too long, and to work on the transitions from the backs. The team responded with excellent ball movement and running with numbers into attack up the wings. 2 more goals were scored, with Will hitting in to goal and Harry in great position for a deflection past the goalkeeper, and Riley scoring his first goal of the hockey season with a great strike. Final score was Newtown 7-0.
Newtown Strikers vs Golden Plains 1-4
Under 17
Newtown Strikers vs Torquay 3-0
With Torquay the only team to have defeated us so far in this hockey season, this was always going to be an interesting game. The aim at the start of the game was to focus on our defence and not let them score any cheap early goals, particularly since Torquay have a handful of fast strikers. As it turned out, they needed to be wary of us as Tom M scored a goal in the first couple of minutes. Our defence stuck to their objectives, with Byron, Angus, Rachel, Ella and Tom C guarding the Torquay forwards and not giving them any easy opportunities to score. We went into half time with a handy 2-0 lead after some good short passing around the D resulting in a goal for Erin.
We expected Torquay to come out hard in the second half and we had to make sure that we didn’t become complacent with a 2-0 lead. The second half was tightly fought with both teams holding tight defences. With few opportunities to score, Corey and Jamie combined to create an opportunity out of nowhere when Corey saw Jamie alone up in the D and sent a long ball through heavy traffic which Jamie used to drag the Torquay goalie out of the goals and set up another goal. Great effort by the Strikers – we worked hard, helped our team mates and won the game.
Newtown Spirit Bye
Division 1 Men
Newtown Falcons vs Geelong Jaguars 2-7
Lack of players again saw Falcons grateful to Tom M, Beau and Alex who were willing to fill in. Falcons could not find their mojo for this game and Geelong began strongly. Falcons gained possession of the ball but were unable to get the game flowing and Geelong took advantage with 3 goals in the first 5 minutes. A great cross from Adham to Gus resulted in a goal and Falcons were 1-3 at half time and hoping for a reversal of fortunes.
Half-time discussions focused on positive actions to improve the game, with more calling and switching of play required. Geelong continued to attack and pressure the defence, finding spaces to pass to team mates and Falcons were unable to counteract the forward moves. There were some good passages of play but not enough to take control of the game. With a few minutes to go, and the score at 1-7, another great cross saw Adham finish off with a goal, making the final score 2-7.
Division 1 Women
Newtown Falcons vs Newtown Strikers 2-0
An excellent game by both teams. Falcons began well with fast running, quick free passes and excellent use of space. Great overlapping by Tiahna created space down the right side, and with Tiahna, Jess and Nicole working as a well-oiled team, Falcons had much of the play in their attacking circle early in the game. Some great crosses to the left narrowly missed their targets with Georgie and Hailey both honing in on the ball with determination.
The second half in particular saw some great defence for Strikers by goalkeeper Eichelle, keeping out many 2nd, 3rd and even 4th shots by Falcons. Great positioning and strong clearances from defence by Peta and Kylie saw Strikers gain some forward momentum, and composed play by Erin and Elese made the Falcons defence work hard. Lead by Deb with calm, controlled play and great stickwork, the Falcons defence team of Ainsley, Emma, Bec and Kellie responded to the Strikers pressure and held their positions, working well together to clear the ball from danger. Great work for Strikers by Rachael in her first Division 1 game, showing she wasn’t fazed by the opposition and making some great interceptions and passes to team mates.
Division 2 Men
Newtown Spirit vs Golden Plains 3-2
With 20 minutes before game time a slightly anxious Coach Fitzy was waiting for balls, face masks and some late comers (who for now will remain nameless). Add to this the news that Marty was resting at home after a big week of hockey and that there was some doubt about a Goalie turning up. So who do you call? Don was mentioned but he was also resting. Brodie Birse was also mentioned but unable due to double up rules.
Gwyn had been asked but due to some technical glitches his phone wasn’t able to pick up Gordo’s smoke signal the night before. In a dire situation it takes a special person to step up when needed. Enter James Wood. But where was the goalie gear? Gordo was dispatched forthwith back to the cage. Stu was dispatched forthwith to get the balls from the cage.
Rodan made a welcome return to the team and was very polite and only displayed mild bemusement at the shenanigans going on. With help from sympathetic spectators Woody was fitted out with his armour and looked somewhat like Ned Kelly as he tottered out onto the ground to face a hail of shots from the Golden Plainsmen. As the game progressed our new GK warmed to the task with a couple of great moves that amazed all involved. Many sincere thanks to Woody. He made a significant contribution to the team winning a tight game.
Goal scorers: Joe, Beau and Ian
Next week. EVERYBODY be there by 1.30 for a 2pm start.
Division 2 Women
Newtown Spirit vs Golden Plains 0-2
With Jacinta, Katelyn and Tracey returning to the team in recent weeks, Spirit are showing some great play and good teamwork. Strong defence at full back by Rachel and Tracey stopped many Golden Plains forward moves, and great marking and positioning in the midfield by Wendy and Andie saw Newtown gain possession. A first goal by Golden Plains did not dampen the enthusiasm and the effort of the Newtown defence line up who matched the speed of the opposition well.
With some improved trapping and ball control, Spirit were able to launch a number of attacks. Tireless running by Phoebe and Katie was well supported by De and Katelyn running to space to receive the ball. Peta and Kellie worked hard to contain the opposition forwards and made great passes to team mates in space, with determined play and second efforts to gain possession.
