Highlights of the week:
- Fantastic game from U10 Strikers with 16 goals total scored by both teams
- Amazing game from U16 Strikers to draw with the second team. Go Strikers!!
- And the D2 Men are on the path to the finals with 4 wins in a row!
Under 10 Stead Park
Newtown Strikers vs Geelong Jaguars 8-8
With Harry and Will unavailable, the U10 Strikers were kept busy on the pitch this week, fielding 6 players to the Jags’ 7. Despite this, the Strikers were soon on the scoreboard thanks to a goal from Ryder off a short corner. Lily and Austin had a lot of the ball early, creating more opportunities that led to another goal for Ryder and then one each for Lily and Austin as well.
Four goals up and things were looking great! Geelong soon responded with a goal, which was quickly answered by Lily running the ball into our D before passing to Ryder, who scored his third for the morning. This was the beginning of back-and-forth goal scoring, with Geelong getting the ball back and scoring their second right before halftime. Going into the break, the score was 5-2 Newtown’s way.
The second half started with two quick goals… to Geelong! Suddenly things were heating up, with the score now 5-4. A Strikers’ short corner went begging, but Lily and Ryder were soon teaming up again. A nice pass from Lily led to a much-needed goal from Ryder.
For the remainder of the half, it was back-and-forth goal scoring. Geelong scored, followed by a goal from Georgia for the Strikers. Another Geelong goal and a near-miss from Lily’s shot on goal were soon followed up with a Strikers’ goal from Austin in a short corner. Geelong got lucky with another goal which just slid over the line despite Elspeth’s best efforts, taking the score to 8-7 with the Strikers just in front and minutes to go.
Geelong attacked hard in the final minutes, and what surely should have been another Geelong goal was saved by Lily. In the final seconds, Geelong found a short corner, and despite the Strikers’ best efforts, the Jags found the back of the net, tying the game at 8-8!
Newtown Spirit vs Saints 7-3
In their final game of the season, Newtown Spirit faced off against Saints in an action-packed and high-scoring match that showcased the team’s progress and determination. Saints came out of the blocks quickly, scoring the opening goal and putting Spirit under early pressure. Spirit responded brilliantly, with Charlie making a blistering run the full length of the pitch to slot home the equaliser. Toby and Rupert were pivotal in the centre, moving the ball effectively and linking play between defence and attack. Soon after, Eliza and Miriam combined beautifully in attack, both getting shots on goal from strong team build-up. Harrison, supported by Albert, launched another promising attack down the right wing, before Nadia swept a strong ball across the face of goal to set up two short corners in quick succession. Despite Spirit’s pressure, Saints found the net again. But just before half-time, Charlie surged down the left wing and fired a shot that ricocheted off the post, with Nadia perfectly placed to finish it off and level the scores. Albert’s solid defensive work helped Spirit hold firm until the break.
The second half began with Miriam driving forward on a long run, creating space and setting up Harrison to score from just inside the D. Toby continued to dominate the centre, distributing the ball and keeping the team in control, while Eliza kept the pressure on with a powerful run upfield. Charlie launched another attack from deep in defence, with Harrison adding the final touch for his second goal. From the restart, Miriam burst out of the contest and drove toward goal, her shot blocked by a defender, but Harrison pounced to convert again. The momentum stayed with Spirit, with Harrison making a determined run down the right wing, beating the last defender and finishing off his hat-trick. Saints replied with a goal of their own, but Spirit weren’t done yet. The final goal of the match came from a perfect forward pass and movement from Albert, finding Harrison in space to slot home his fifth goal of the day.
This game capped off a fantastic season for Spirit—one that has seen every player grow in skill, confidence, and understanding of the game. The teamwork, energy, and resilience shown across the field is a credit to the entire group.
Under 10 Lloyd Reserve
Newtown Rockets vs Newtown Dynamos 1-9
Rockets began the game with plenty of enthusiasm and determination. Some great deep defence again in front of goal by Alex, and his strong and accurate passes kept the play out of danger and limited the early scoring opportunities for Dynamos. David and Nora demonstrated great passing and good back up support for team mates when the play did head to our defence area.
Great position by Tully and good ball control skills saw him run the ball into attack and put the ball in the goal! Great celebrations!! But alas we then realised that the ball had been hit from outside the circle and did not count as a goal. Thanks to Tully for his honesty in clarifying the situation.
Dynamos continued to push forward and despite good short corner defence from Alex, David, Nora, Tully and Zita, Dynamos were able to claim a goal after a penalty stroke was awarded – which then becomes an automatic goal.
Rockets continued to work well together with Zita, Tully and Hadley looking for each other and making great position. A goal to Tully, this one from inside the circle, was a good reward for effort. Marking of opposition players has greatly improved this season, and it’s very pleasing to see the improving strategic awareness of the Rockets players. Good tackling and great passing with strength in order to reach team mates has been a feature, especially in the latter half of the season.
Rockets kept up the effort but as the game progressed Dynamos continued to put the pressure on and earned their goals. Well done Rockets! A great game and a great season!
Newtown Dynamos vs Newtown Rockets 9-1
In the final official round of the winter junior season at Lloyd Reserve, the U10 clash between the Dynamos and the Rockets delivered a spirited contest that showcased the growth and grit of both teams. The first half was tightly contested, with impressive passing sequences and determined defensive efforts keeping the game balanced. Both sides demonstrated strong positional awareness and teamwork, forcing defenders to dig deep and respond to fast-paced transitions. The Rockets held their ground admirably, matching the Dynamos in intensity and resilience, making for an exciting and competitive opening half.
The second half saw the Dynamos pull away on the scoreboard, ultimately securing a 9–1 victory, but the match remained a testament to the effort and sportsmanship of both teams. The Rockets continued to press forward with courage, and their lone goal was a well-earned reward for their persistence. The Dynamos’ attacking combinations stepped up but the scoreline didn’t fully reflect the hard-fought nature of the game from both sides . A huge thank you to the coaches, whose guidance not only sharpened the players’ skills but also helped parents better understand the rules and spirit of junior hockey. It’s been an amazing season filled with learning, camaraderie, and fun on the field
Newtown Jets vs Newtown Rebels 1-0
Under 12
Newtown Spirit vs Geelong Thunderstrike 1-2
On a very foggy morning at Stead Park, Spirit ran on to the field with a spring in their step. This was pitch 1, the pitch on which they are unbeaten. It was the last round of the season and they had already qualified for finals.
The game started and as expected the ball was controlled by Spirit. The Thunderstrike goalie stood tall against the numerous attempts at goal. It was 10 minutes into the game that Thunderstrike ran the ball down the pitch, into their D and scored. The scoreboard didn’t stay that way for long as Spirit pushed the ball back into their forward line and Lily pushed one into the net. Every time Thunderstrike pushed the ball out of Spirit’s forward line the ball was met by Sam who sent it straight back down the pitch. Spirit had control for the majority of the game and had countless short corners but just couldn’t capitalise with a goal. Thunderstrike took a rare chance and pushed another one into goal; that’s how the game finished.
That’s a wrap for the regular season – a win rate of 60%. Good luck Spirit in your finals campaign!
Newtown Strikers vs Geelong Roar 2-5
The U/12 Newtown Strikers played a spirited game against Geelong Roar, with the first half proving to be super competitive and evenly matched. Mitch opened the scoring early with a sharp strike off a short corner, and some slick passing between Casper–Felix–Harry and Dot–Miriam–Henry created exciting attacking chances. One standout moment saw Miriam and Harry exchanging passes right in front of goal, only to be denied by the narrowest of misses! At the back, Edward and Fraser were rock solid, keeping the Roar to just one goal, sending us into halftime locked at 1–1.
The second half saw our defence tested again, with the Edward–Fraser–Casper triangle working overtime. Out wide, Miriam and Isla found great positions, helping set up more attacks. Felix made a strong run forward, supported by Henry, and Harry finished it off with a well-placed goal. Dot and Miriam combined again to fire off another shot.
Despite Fraser’s continued heroics in defence, Geelong found ways to break through in the final stages, scoring four second-half goals. The game ended 5–2 in Geelong’s favour, but the Strikers showed determination, teamwork, and plenty of moments to be proud of.
Under 14
Newtown Strikers vs Corio White 0-11
Credit and congratulations must be given to Corio, who played a better tactical game compared to the Strikers. We knew that Corio had fast and skillful forwards and we tried to counter this by having multiple defensive layers. On hindsight, this was not a good idea because we were not familiar enough with the new format to execute it well and were a bit lost in positional play and marking the opponent. We started to tire in the second half and Corio took advantage of this.
We started the game well in defence with Lucas making several good tackles and Lilly, playing sweeper at the back, picking up loose balls. We had Felix and Edward (from U12) playing in the centreback position to cut out the play coming through the centre. Emily S also played in a defensive role. Albie was strong in goal and made many good saves but even he could not stop Corio from scoring.
Our half line was made up of Eliza B, Chelsea O and Eva H. These 3 were kept very busy by Corio attackers and half line. These 3 young ladies held on well for most of the game but tired in the last 10 minutes of the game due to all the running they did in the first half.
Our forward line struggled a bit in this game as they were not able to launch effective attacks. Alex H made several good runs down the left but our forwards were often outnumbered by the Corio defence. Jack P tried hard but could not connect with team mates to receive their passes. Mitchell B was well marked and could not make his usual penetrating runs down the right wing.
All in all, the team gave their best and produced some good moments. Special thanks to Felix and Edward from U12 who stepped in to allow us to have a bench. We hope the experience was valuable to them.
Under 16
Newtown Strikers vs Corio White 6-6
Newtown got off to their best start of the season this week with an early goal to Sofia, who had positioned themselves perfectly on the post to receive the pass from Oliver. This was quickly followed up by a nice goal from Jess, off a hit in the D that put the ball high in the back of the net. Corio tried hard to respond, but despite them drawing three penalty 1-on-1s, Kayden had all three covered in spectacular style. Sidak was also strong in defense, and at quarter time, the Strikers were up two goals to a goalless Corio!
With some spring in their step, the Strikers started the second quarter just as strong as the first. Both Oliver and Cormac handled some tough pressure from Corio, and some handy passes from Jess to Oliver, then to Sidak in the D, resulted in a great goal for Sidak. Corio gathered their thoughts and stepped things up, responding with three goals, although it could have been two more had it not been for more saves from Kayden. Just before halftime, Jess brought out the big hits again to score our fourth goal, giving the Strikers a 1-goal lead going into the break.
Quarter three was tough hockey, with neither side having many chances. Cormac did a great job clearing the ball out of the Corio D when it went in, and Sidak had a huge save in there as well to stop a Corio goal. Oliver and Jess worked hard to create opportunities for a goal, but it was Corio who won out, scoring the only goal for the quarter. The score was level at three-quarter time, 4-4!
The final quarter saw the Strikers going out with everything to play for, hoping this might be their first win on the field. Kayden had some great saves, while Parker and Oliver teamed up to pile some pressure on Corio, resulting in numerous frees our way from their mistakes. Corio looked to have sealed the result with the next two goals—one off a penalty 1-on-1 and the second coming after a minor collision on the field (Newtown’s good sportsmanship and care for the opposition player leaving our defense open for an easy goal). The Strikers were not done, though. Parker put his body (well, mostly his injured thumb!) on the line to get the ball into the D, where Jess was able to score a goal. And with seconds to go, Jess found the back of the net again, leveling the score at 6-6, right before the final whistle!
A huge effort for the Strikers this week, and it shows just how far the team has come this season. These words were also echoed by the umpires and the Corio coach and team manager, who were impressed with how much the team has improved over the year. Great momentum to take into next week’s semi-final!
Division 1 Women
Newtown Falcons Bye
Division 2 Men
Newtown Falcons vs Geelong Blue 1-0
As a perfect example of teamwork overcoming talent, Newtown turned on a performance befitting the milestone match for Dave Wyld’s 450th. An early goal for the Falcons had the top-of-the-ladder Geelong Jaguars relying heavily on a select few to do all the work. Although our opponents were implementing 3D skills and aerial play that would be expected at much higher grades, the unity of the mighty maroons prevailed. Parker H has had a remarkable debut season with a striker’s instinct for scoring once again.
Dave W played like Benjamin Button, turning back the clock and holding the midfield together. Our defensive unit of Adam K, Andrew B, Tom McD, Mick B and PR has gelled beautifully throughout the season. They held off repeated penalty corners, clearing Madden’s pads with discipline and composure. The three-pronged attack of our left side, Gavin, Lochie, and AJ, looked dangerous all game and were unlucky not to score. Perhaps some practice is needed on our attacking penalty corners, as several opportunities were squandered. A late second card to our Centre Half put the pressure on our reduced numbers, but the on-field communication was brilliant, marshalling the squad to adjust and adapt.
In a close and tightly fought match, it was fantastic to hold on for another win and make it four in a row.
Division 2 Women
Newtown Strikers vs Torquay 2-2
Previous games this year against Torquay have resulted in a 1-1 draw and a 0-1 loss so we were expecting another close game. This proved to be another come from behind (twice) draw and a great game.
Despite missing a couple of key players for this game the team worked hard all over the field to deny Torquay any easy access to goal. Great marking by Andie, Ricki, Hannah, Sarah and Benno cut off many of Torquay’s attempts to reach their scoring circle. Well timed interceptions and strong play-on ball control by Ricki saw the play move forward to our advantage on many occasions. Proactive play by Tash and Kayla did not allow Torquay an easy path and their positioning and intercepts saw the ball out of danger.
Excellent running to position on the wings by Kristy and Lara saw them create opportunities and advantages for our forwards. Ivy, Jess, Gemma and Peta were always ready to confront the opposition and steal the ball or delay the play. Great use of the back pass by Ivy and Jess then allowed them to create further space for themselves. Goals scored by Jess and Lara, in the right place at the right time!
We have one more game this week, and have already qualified for the Semi-Final! Yay!!
