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2017 Hockey Season – July 29 & 30

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With 4 weeks to go in the 2017 hockey season, there are 9 Newtown teams placed in the top four in their divisions, and likely to participate in the finals. The Under 12 competition is especially interesting, as there are 5 teams within 3 points of each other, vying for a place in the top four.

Kookas

It was a very entertaining and fast paced game this week from the Kookas players. Justine and Lucy worked well together, and Lucy’s speed got her to the ball early, allowing many interceptions and creating forward moves for Team Red. Ebony continues to show great anticipation and movement to space, helping her team to gain possession and open up scoring opportunities for Team Orange. Braydn and Lennie showed good focus, especially in the first half, and got to the ball early to make good passes to Orange team mates. Great running by Tom and great ball control skills saw him win the ball for Team Red and he had numerous opportunities in front of goal.

Under 8

Newtown Spirit vs College White

Newtown Spirit showcased their developing skills when they met College White in Under-8 competition at Lloyd Reserve on Saturday.

While play was fairly congested in the first half, Spirit enjoyed much of the attack. Sisters Summah and Avah worked hard to spread out the field by sticking wide on the wings while sweeper Braydn powered a few lovely square passes to Michael. Spirit created a handful of fast-paced runs in attack and successfully goaled after quality combination play involving a host of team members including Michael and Baxter. Juliette also put in a great solo run towards goal before being tackled at the last moment. There was strong defence on show too, with fullback Drew and right half Pollyanna cutting off College attacks and powering the ball to Avah to carry forward.

At half time Coach Kellie labelled the game “challenging” and praised her players for their good marking and positioning. She urged them to talk to each other more, use the full width of the field and always be ready for the ball. After a position reshuffle, Spirit upped the ante straight away. Michael intercepted the ball from the centre hit-out and sprinted towards goal, with Summah backing him up well.

Baxter, who was in the action all game, retrieved the ball in the centre of the field, directed it to Avah and she sent it towards goal. On another occasion Spirit players spread out in great formation in a run towards goal, with Avah scoring at pace. Coach Kellie told her team she was impressed with their positioning and marking, applauding their ability to always look for their best options. She said their efforts were lovely to watch, and the Spirit spectators watching on the sidelines agreed.

Michael won the Subway Best Team Player award after a stand-out game, characterised by speed, skill, great passing and a never-give-up attitude. Well done Michael.

Rebels vs College Green

Rebels had a fantastic match this week, playing extremely well against College Green who had one extra player on the field. In the first half Rebels got off to a strong start, moving forward well and dominating the opposition. The team kept their positions well and showed amazing persistence, never giving up when trying to get the ball. Whenever Geelong College had possession, Rebels fought back and showed great tenacity.

At half-time Colleen praised the team’s efforts, particularly their excellent team work, enthusiasm and persistence. In the second half Rebels increased their pace and continued to move forward. There were some strong attacks from Geelong College, but Rebels quickly won back possession and counter-attacked. All in all, Rebels displayed excellent team work and are gaining confidence with each game played this hockey season.

Sophie E was awarded Subway Player of the Week for most improved player.

Newtown Strikers vs Kardinia

This week Strikers took on an army of Kardinia players. Sam started off in goals doing his best against the Kardinia players. There was great positioning up forward with Bella seeing a lot of the ball again this week, but Strikers couldn’t overcome the extra players Kardinia had on the field. Will displayed some great stick skills playing in defence.

At half time Darren talked about receiving the ball on your strong side and continuing the great passing. In the second half Kardinia were kind enough to even up the teams running an interchange.

In this half there were many great passes from the centres to the forward players who were running into space, Eliza received some well passed balls and there was some great running by Matilda. Despite the ball being in the Strikers forward line for most of this half, they really had a hard time getting shots on goal. The Kardinia defence was just too strong. However, their centre work was superb with awesome centre clearances, great intercepting and plenty of running and dribbling with the ball. For his excellent stick skills this week, Will received the Subway Encouragement award.

Newtown Raiders vs Kardinia Kangaroos

Raiders put in an excellent game this week, showing the improvement which has been building all through this hockey season. Improved focus also leads to improved confidence and it was great to see Jesse, Chloe and Lily intercept the ball and continue on into attack with great ball control skills. Lily’s excellent marking of her opposition player was also a highlight. Lovely quick free passes by Oscar  found Charlotte, Hannah and Isabelle in space, and able to run the ball forward to the goal scoring area. The standout for the game however was our new player Oliver. Playing his first proper game of hockey, Oliver opted to play full back and mind the goals – and did an absolutely superb job. His focus on the ball was terrific. He met the opposition goal shots early, and made some excellent clearing hits and accurate free passes to team mates. The Subway Best Team Player award was just recognition of his efforts.

Under 10

Newtown Spirit vs Newtown Strikers 2-0

One of the best Under 10 games of this hockey season. This week we had Ryley as our Captain for the day, Scarlett volunteered as goalie and it was Bella’s first game.

The first half saw some great play from everyone, with great efforts from all players. In her first game, Bella was making great position all the time. Fantastic co-operation on the left between Max and Lucy created a number of attacks down that wing. Quick free passes from Max and Surry moved the ball forward well for Spirit, and their second and third goes at the getting the ball eventually resulted in them scoring the goals. Great defence by Spirit with Scarlett in goals making some lovely saves.

Coach Kellie encouraged her players to trap the ball and then pass wide to the wings and run the ball up the sideline. Half time guidance included advice on marking opposition players, getting to the ball first and then making sure that forwards are in front to receive passes from team mates.

At the end of the game, all the spectators agreed with Kellie that the players had put in a fantastic effort, resulting in an excellent and very skilfull game. Spirit players worked well together, looking and using team mates well. Marking and positioning of players was a highlight. All players are improving their skills and it certainly showed this week. Taking some time to look for team mates before passing will be even more beneficial for the team in future.

Subway Encouragement Awards went to:

Lucy – always marking her player, in position and generally played a fantastic game

Surry – played an excellent game and helped out team mates with their positioning during the game

Best Team Player award went to Max – played his best game, looked out for his team mates and always had a second and third go – didn’t give up!

Newtown Strikers vs Newtown Spirit 0-2

What an evenly matched game we had on Saturday with so many close misses on goals. Jai covered some much distance on field and knew exactly where he wanted to place the ball. Eliza was tenacious in defence and never gave up. Emma on the wing has shown a great development in her role with strong passes and tackling. Amber managed to play some clever passes while on her knees. A fantastic effort from Isla who copped a ball to the stomach during a short corner and came back onto the field after half time. Amelia also sustained an injury late in the game after playing a consistent defensive role. Alex and Anna made a great pair for options to pass to through the mid field and able to drop back to help in defence. Isabel was a great goal keeper and saved all the short corner attempts. Thamindu and Elliott continue to develop so much this year as first year players and able to read the play so well. A big thank you to Leo for helping out our team. Players of the day were awarded to Isla, Eliza and Emma.

Under 12

Newtown Rebels vs Bellarine Lightning 5-1

Despite the windy conditions, it was a high standard game between Rebels and Bellarine Lightning which saw Rebels run out victors winning 5-1. The first 5 minutes was an arm wrestle between both sides before Rebels took the ascendancy and broke away to a 3-0 lead. At half time the score was 3-1 after a late Lightning goal.  Rebels scored the final 2 goals of the game, but at no stage were they able to relax. The goal scorers for Rebels were Harry (3), Brandon (1) and Patrick (1).  All players worked hard for each other.  Well done to Adele who was our goalie this week.

Newtown Strikers vs Newtown Spirit 1-0

Fantastic game Strikers!

The weather conditions were very treacherous with the wind causing mayhem. The kids enjoyed the game and the parents enjoyed watching, with lots of encouragement and positive feedback being given. There were no goals scored by Strikers in the first half but Chloe scored midway through the last half with some great support by her  teammates. Ruby did a great job again as our goalie. Chloe earned best on field and Archie and Adam also played an outstanding game.

Under 14

Newtown Spirit vs Torquay 3-2

Spirit played against Torquay on Sunday in a battle of first vs second on the ladder. With Charley and Claudia away, and Amelia and Jamie unable to play as they arrived after half time, we called on Angus to field 11 players. Torquay began strongly and Spirit’s defence was tested time and again. There were some hits on goal by Torquay and then a series of Torquay penalty corners which were held off with great defending from Ella and Max.

Spirit went forward on a few occasions through some long hits, but we couldn’t lock the ball in up forward for long. Max had a great diving save on a Torquay hit but they were relentless and ultimately got the ball through for a score. Spirit regrouped and we had a few forward attacks, notably Will tried a tomma which was nearly helped through by Grace. Again Torquay received a penalty corner toward the end of the half and got the ball through on the second effort to go 2-0 at half time.

Coach Carl asked the team for more accountability at half time by ‘knowing your player’ and tagging them well, especially in defence. He wanted the team to get in front, make sure they were first to the ball, and to not just watch the ball, but to watch where they were in the game, in order to make best position. Assistant coach Darren encouraged the team not just to clear the ball, but to direct it to another team mate.

In the second half, we started well with Nick and Harry taking the ball up forward but Torquay defended well. Torquay then received a short corner which Spirit was able to defend, and soon after, Harry took the ball deep into attack to score our first goal, making it 1-2. Torquay then had a few chances through a hit at goal and a short corner, but again Spirit’s defence held strong. With 5 minutes to go, Harry reached the top of the D and with a nice tomahawk, levelled scores at 2-2.

Torquay had one more penalty corner which was defended, and then Spirit got the ball out to Sam who was on his own out front, but his goal past the lone kicking back of Torquay was disallowed and was instead paid as a short corner. With seconds to go, Harry made good on the short corner, giving Spirit plenty to cheer about and wrapping up the game 3-2 for Newtown.

Newtown Strikers vs Geelong Jaguars 1-0

Under 17

Newtown Strikers vs Kardinia 5-2

Another interesting game again this week without a goalie.  However the defence was bolstered with Jonah and Byron, and combined with Ollie the conductor, they created an almost impenetrable defence which only let the ball into the defensive D twice for the whole game.  They didn’t give away any short corners which are always a challenge when you don’t have a goalie.  Great effort to those three, as well as the half backs Rachel S and Angus who marked their players well.

The forward line also played inspiring hockey with a good spread of goals across the forward line, including Sam’s second career goal plus a poster (after scoring his first goal last week he now has a taste for it, like a hunting dog getting its first kill).  Tom created a lot of opportunities, not only for himself but also setting up his team mates, with goals also coming from Erin and Angus.  Callum is also hitting top form again after several weeks of injury and it was great to see him at full flight again.  Unfortunately Tom came off for the last 15 minutes with a rolled ankle when the score was about 3-2 and we thought we could be in trouble (we were down to 10 players with no goalie whilst Kardinia had 3 players on the bench), but our work rate defied logic and somehow we managed to keep scoring!  We almost scored a sixth goal in the dying moments when Corey sent one of his trademark pinpoint long range slaps straight onto Jamie’s stick at the top of the D, only to have the umpire steal the goal from him by blowing the whistle and robbing him of a certain goal.

The second half was an amazing display given the lack of players; coach couldn’t hide his awe at the end of the game.

Newtown Spirit vs Torquay  1-6

Newtown dominated possession in the first half and had numerous shots on goal but Torquay were first to score against the run of play, when they broke through the Newtown defensive line leaving Max to take on the rapidly approaching attacker.   It was a valiant effort by Max diving away to his right and deflecting the ball with his stick, but not quite enough to prevent a goal.

Newtown were buoyant at the half time break given their possession in the first half, however spirits sank somewhat early in the second half as Torquay piled on three quick goals. Newtown had a flurry of counterattacks and eventually pulled back one goal following a deflection off a Torquay player in front of goal. Torquay scored two further goals leaving the final score 1:6.

Despite the score line, there were encouraging signs for Newtown with a majority of ball possession and a passing game that is working well with everyone on the team involved. Some work to do in training around converting some of the opportunities on goal and limiting turnovers, but all within the ‘art of the possible’ as demonstrated in the prior round 9 game. Looking forward to seeing all at training to prepare for the final push to the end of the hockey season and finals.

Division 1 Men

Newtown Strikers vs Torquay 0-16

You would most likely conclude from a 16 – 0 scoreline that the game was a complete thrashing, but it could not be further from the truth.  Regardless of the goals being scored, the Strikers reset after each set back and played a fantastic game of hockey against one of the teams that will most likely contest this years’ premiership.

Big thanks to all of the guys who turned up on the day (it was looking like we’d play the game with 9 players at one stage…), especially Richard who donned the maroon for the first time in a few months, Alex who dropped back from the Falcons and Sean who popped in for a cameo appearance which is always handy.

Newtown Falcons vs Torquay Tornadoes 5-3

The wild and windy weather was a bonus for Falcons last Saturday as it meant some players were unexpectedly available to play – a nice change to have 14 players for a game. With the extra players available, assistance from Niko to run the bench was invaluable, and Falcons were able to run hard and make changes often.

The first goal was scored by Adham after a nice cross from the forward line into the D, and he made no mistake in putting it in the net. The second goal was almost a copy of the first, with Zed being the scorer. Falcons had many passes into the circle from the forward line but could not finish off with goals. Then Torquay got a quick break and put one in. At half time the score was 2-1, but could easily have been 6-1 as Falcons had the majority of the attack.

After a quick chat at half time, it was back to the game. Falcons started where they had finished at half time, with plenty of great passing, calling and switching, but there were still plenty of missed chances in front of goal. All of a sudden, a great pass from the back line to the wing found Adham with possession, and he ran to the circle and crossed the ball to Sean who executed a reverse stick shot high to the right corner and Leo pounced to slap the ball in the goal. What a great goal and the score was 3-2.

Torquay bounced back and scored, levelling the game at 3-3. Falcons increased the pressure and Leo scored again, followed by a nice goal from Hamish in open play.

The game saw a number of misses from short corners and open play, which could have added significantly to the score. But overall, this was a good win, with great work from the defence and the forwards. Well done Falcons!

Division 1 Women

Newtown Falcons vs Geelong 0-8

Geelong began strongly from the first whistle and the Falcons backline was forced to defend a number of shots at goal in the first 15 minutes. However, the defence held firm, with Emma P and Ainsley making good position and great interceptions. Emma H and Deb showed great anticipation and impressive tackling and distribution to send the ball forward where Jacquie, Nicole and Hailey  were running well, picking up the ball and passing to team mates. Hard work saw Falcons earn a number of chances in front of goal but shots went just wide of the post and the Falcons player  moving in. Elese and Jess worked well through the midfield and into attack, and Jess made some great passes through to Tiahna, who was making space in the corner.

Falcons continued to defend staunchly, with Peta and Kate providing strong opposition, and Peta’s hits created forward moves for Falcons. After 25 minutes of scoreless play, Geelong finally got one in the net. Geelong continued to threaten in attack and their forwards were able to slip away from their markers and create a 2 on 1 or 3 on 1 situation to score.

Falcons continued to work hard in the second half, but Geelong’s speed and relentless pressure gave them the advantage. Despite the defence again deflecting many Geelong shots at goal, Geelong scored a few more goals to put the result beyond doubt.

Newtown Strikers vs Saints Black 0-4

An excellent game by Strikers, with the bare 11 players. Saints applied early pressure but were matched by steady defense from Meg and Penny who were well backed up by Deb in goals. Good marking of opposition players by Shannon, Hannah and Kylie limited the effectiveness of Saints’ attacks. Midfield interceptions were passed to the forward zone where Nicole, Julie and Erin used speed and ball control to move past opponents without panic. Jacquie and Bec provided options for team mates to aim for. Strikers produced some good attacks but without a score on the board. Overall, this was a gear game from Strikers, leaving the coach pleased with the efforts.

Division 2 Men

Newtown Spirit vs Geelong Jaguars 4-2

Division 2 Women

Newtown Spirit vs Geelong Jaguars 1-5

Newtown Spirit faced ladder leaders Geelong with a full team of 11 players but with a shortage of keepers available, elected to play with a kicking back. This was a good strategy for the players available but made the task of scoring goals easier for Geelong. Geelong attacked with speed and skill and were able to score an early goal. Spirit defended well with Tracey and Wendy making many great tackles in deep defence. Good clearances from free hits by Tracey provided forward momentum and Georgie, Phoebe and Peta took up the challenge and took the play into attack. Katelyn and Katie both provided avenues to the circle on a number of occasions and we were unlucky not to score more than once. Jacinta, Kellie and Andie stood firm in the midfield, with some great tackles and great persistence. The second half was an even better effort by Spirit, limiting Geelong to 1 goal for the half.

 

 

 

 

2017 Hockey Season – July 22 & 23

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Junior teams were back this week for the last part of the hockey season, and the run to the finals.

Kookas

Justine joined us for Kookas this week, and in her first game of hockey, showed great skills and great understanding of where and when to run and call for the ball. At the request of the boys, it was ‘Girls vs Boys’ when teams were selected. The Girls worked very well, stringing together a number of passes, and switching the play to move forward into attack. Great passing and then running to space by Justine, Ebony and Olivia with Kristy solid in defence saw the Girls put the early scores on the board. Tom, Darren and Yonie ran well and were hard to beat for pace.

The Boys regrouped in the second half, and with Lennie and Braydn making some great position in front of goals, and using team mates with a better angle, they were able to score a number of goals to even up the game.

Joeys

Dribbling skills are improving each week as the hockey season progresses. The players are showing great vision and awareness when moving through the ‘Monster Forest’, using changes of direction to avoid being caught. A game of ‘Keepings Off’ is a fun way to finish, with great passing and scanning for team mates from Alexander and Lachlan. Braxton called well to let his team mates know he was available, and Jasmine and Maia made some excellent passes. George and Harrison were always keen to get the ball and ready when it came their way.

Under 8

Newtown Strikers vs Torquay

This week Strikers took on a strong Torquay. It was a little light on for Newtown players, so the starting team was topped up with a few ‘fill ins’ from the other Newtown U8 teams. In the first half Torquay attacked very strongly with several goals scored. Both teams really struggled to spread out in the first half. Despite this, Stella had plenty of the ball and Alex also did extremely well as goalie defending Torquay’s many shots on goal.

In the second half Newtown started to spread out and pass the ball out wide. Will took the field playing in his favourite position up forward, dribbling and passing well in attack. Chloe and Bella were solid in defence and after her huge effort early Stella rested her legs as goalie. Matilda scored Newtown’s only goal with a fantastic pass from Will on the wing.

The second half was much better hockey by Newtown with everybody calling for the ball and holding their positions to create space and passing opportunities. A well-deserved Subway encouragement award for Stella. Great Job Stella.

Newtown Raiders – Bye

Newtown Spirit vs College Green

Spirit took on College Green with enthusiasm in their first Under-8 game at Lloyd Reserve after the winter holiday break. The young Newtown team had to dig deep in defence on several occasions to keep College at bay in a first half dominated by congested play. Fullback Pollyanna repelled several College runs on goal while sweeper Baxter and halfback Michael were excellent in halting the opposition’s attacking moves.

Right wing Avah positioned herself beautifully out wide, ready to latch onto any free hits sent her way. Juliette provided clever passing options in ‘square’ position while Braydn was ready for action in the centre.

At half time Coach Kellie praised Spirit players for their skills and positioning but urged them to spread out more and keep moving forward. The coach, who reshuffled positions, also asked them to each strongly mark an opposition player for the entire second half.

After half time Spirit put together a series of effective forward attacks, which led to a two-goal haul. The first goal flowed from a fast break by Michael while the second came from a passage of play that stretched the entire field. Sweeper Oscar, filling in while club stablemate Raiders had a bye, sent the ball to Pollyanna in the centre, who then powered it to Michael. And off he went. Michael sprinted from the centre line all the way to the goals.

Baxter, at left wing, was time and again in the perfect spot out wide to get his stick to big-hitting Oscar’s great free hits while Summah performed well in attack on the right side of the field.

Coach Kellie applauded the youngsters for their efforts at the end of play, praising their ball movement, goals, positioning and marking. She awarded the Subway Best Team Player award to Juliette for her “sheer listening-to-me-ness” in strongly marking her opposition player and clever positioning, especially her ability to provide a square-pass option for teammates. Well done Juliette!

Newtown Rebels vs Kardinia

Rebels had a good solid match this week and performed well against Kardinia who played with one extra player due to the cold weather. In the first half both sides played well with strong attacks from both teams. Rebels kept their positions well, particularly as Kardinia tended to crowd in the centre of the field. Rebels showed amazing persistence, never giving up when trying to get the ball.

At half-time Colleen praised the team’s efforts and stressed the importance of passing out wide and finding space to move forward. In the second half Rebels again worked hard, defending well in the face of strong attacks from Kardinia. All in all, Rebels displayed fantastic team work and are continuing to improve their skills with each game played.

Genevieve was awarded Subway Player of the Week for most improved player.

Under 10

Newtown Spirit vs Torquay 0-3

What a great start back to the hockey season! Torquay beat us by a huge margin last match and we were able to keep their score to just 3 goals this game!!  Kellie was very impressed with the players getting to the ball with their sticks down, which then gave them the ability to pick up the ball and run with it straight away. She was also praising the players for going around and pushing the ball strongly down the side of the field, which was away from the traffic of the other team. We have a new phrase  “Keep out of Jakarta”, meaning ‘Keep out of the middle’. There was alot of forward running by the whole team. Kellie reinforced the need to hold onto the ball for a couple more seconds, look where your team mates are, call out where you are and continue our good positioning for the next half.

Heaps of team work saw us keep the goals to 1 in the second half. Kellie praised all the players for stopping, trapping, controlling the ball. Player of match went to Scarlett for a great game. Other awards went to Hamish for his brilliant work in the goals!!! And Ryley. Thanks to Avah for playing and congratulations to Nate on his 50th game.

Newtown Strikers vs Torquay Tornadoes 0-1

Strikers were back in action after the holiday break and played a fantastic game on the weekend. Thamindu and Amelia made great position in defence and supported Eliza in goals. Elliott, Emma and Eliza May made great passes from the wing and playing the ball along the line. Alex held her position well and used some great calling to provide options for keeping the ball moving.

Jai and Isla kept at the ball throughout the midfield and looking for options for attacking the goals. Amber and Anna kept in their positions creating options throughout the game and followed the play to minimise turnovers. Ruby stood her ground and made great choices when taking penalty shots. Isabel never gave up and worked hard throughout the entire game. The team only conceded one goal for the match. It was great to see the team taking penalty shots quickly before the opposition had time to get into place. The team have been great at staying in their positions but still need to focus on getting in front of the opposition for penalties to prevent easy turnovers. Players of the match Amelia, Eliza May and Elliott.

Congratulations to Ruby who played her 25th game on Saturday.

Under 12

Newtown Spirit vs Bellarine 1-6

After a short break over the holidays the Spirit team were ready and raring to go for round 9 of the hockey season. We had a full team including a bench which was great. The team came out of the gates really well and for the first 15 minutes we were attacking really quite well down the right side. However the defence from Bellarine was proving a little tricky and we were unable to break through. As the minutes ticked on, the frustration started to show in the team and we started to lose our positional play. There was a lot of reverse stick work which Peter was not overly happy with as it created mistakes. As a result Bellarine caught the team off guard and poor Mia was left to fend for herself resulting in a couple of goals. Despite this happening Mia saved some other great shots and did really well in the goals. Matilda was always sitting high ready for the ball but it was just too hard to get it through despite some big hits from Gus. Archer seemed to be everywhere and was tackling and playing really well. Oliver seemed to spend a lot of time on his knees but this was due to trying very hard to stop Bellarine. Maggie was also like a dog at a bone and never gave up on pressuring the opposition.

At half time Peter asked the team to not use their reverse stick tomahawk. The team listened although Archer briefly forgot the instructions and scored a beautifully well deserved goal through a tomahawk…….we forgave him! The second half was a mixed effort. India was well placed to score but it was not to be. Mitchell played well through the center and Liam found his fast gear to defend like there was no tomorrow. Unfortunately we just couldn’t get the ball where it needed to be and once again frustration set in and Bellarine converted too many times to mention.

Despite the score line it was not reflective of the game. Spirit were so unlucky not to convert at least once more. There were some wonderful passages of play from all the players. Lachie was moved from forward to back and transitioned really well to his role, Harry supported his team mates brilliantly. Edie had one of her best games to date and never gave up. Well done Spirit.

Newtown Strikers vs Kardinia 1-3

Great game Strikers!

The weather conditions were fairly good with the rain threatening only slightly in the first half. The kids enjoyed the game and the parents enjoyed watching with lots of encouragement and positive feedback being given. There were no goals scored by Strikers in the first half but Jack scored midway through the last half with some great support by his teammates. Ruby was our goalie for the first time and did an amazing job which earned her best on field. Cameron and Thomas also had a great game showing lots of skills in defence.

Newtown Rebels vs Torquay 0-1

Rebels took on Torquay on Saturday for our Round 9 clash.

With a number of players away ill or on holidays, we were still able to field a team of 10 players thanks to our fill-ins Alice, Jack and Olivia. It was a very even game, with both teams trying to force the ball through the centre. Torquay had more goal chances than Rebels and fortunately for them, one ball trickled past goalkeeper Sam’s feet to give Torquay a 1-nil lead early in the second half.

Our passing improved in the second half and we had a few shots at goal through Jack and Pat, but they were just wide.  Torquay found it easier to get through our defence towards the end of the game, with a few more shots on goal. Rebels defenders did well to deflect them away. Final score was 1-nil to Torquay.

We’ll be hoping all of our regular players are available for the next round, as the competition is extremely close for the top few positions on the ladder heading into the finals of this hockey season.

Under 14

Newtown Strikers vs Torquay 3-1

Newtown Spirit vs Golden Plains 3-4

Ladder leader for this hockey season, Newtown Spirit played 3rd placed Golden Plains on Saturday for their Round 9 match.

Spirit knew this was going to be a tough match and the team’s intensity level was high from the start. Golden Plains also came out firing with their fast runners streaming into attack and they scored early. This was followed up soon after by a Golden Plains short corner. Some nice skills were on display with good 1-2 passing between Riley and Harry, and Ella dribbling past opponents with nice ball skills.

Spirit then drew a short corner and Oscar was perfectly placed to chip in a goal on post to level scores 1-all. Soon after, Will had a nice strike in the circle which was defended by Golden Plains’ goalie. Spirit took the lead 2-1 after Harry’s hit into goal was defended but followed up by Oscar who was there again to put the ball in. Golden Plains ocntinued to make good use of their short corners and levelled scores again, making it 2-all at half time.

In the second half, Grace scored her first goal of the season for Spirit with great positioning on the post, and nearly followed up a minute later when again near goals, she received a great pass from Harry. Spirit earned a short corner the but shot went a little wide.

Golden Plains sensed the game slipping away but they managed to lift, and scored 2 goals in the remainder of the second half, giving them the game 4-3. Max did a fantastic job in goals. There were many strong hits which he deflected well, and it was great to have him return to the side this week.

Coach Carl was really happy with the team’s intensity but thought that the team held on to the ball in the centre a little too long. We’ll be looking forward to the action if these two teams play again in the finals.

Under 17

Newtown Strikers vs Newtown Spirit 5-6

Intraclub matches are often the hardest games and this proved to be correct on Saturday morning.  Once again, we looked like we were going to struggle for numbers but fortunately Will and Rachel V offered their services and suddenly we had the luxury of a player on the bench.  We were a bit disorganised at the start of the game since we were missing our usual defenders (including our goalie) and Spirit sneaked a goal in the first 30 seconds.  Coach was a bit frightened by this start and was about to rejig all positions on the field when Ollie walked in to save the day; special commendation goes to Ollie for taking control of the defence like an orchestra conductor – suddenly everyone in defence was playing in unison like a finely tuned symphony orchestra.  In fact the efforts of the defence (Ollie, Rachel V, Rachael S, Callum, Will and Angus) during the remainder of the first half were so impressive that we held Spirit goalless for the rest of the first half.  In the meantime we managed to score 3 goals in the first half, including a career first goal to Sam (one of many to come, we are certain) and two goals from Tom including a skilled goal from the baseline.

We thought about playing a kicking back in the second half but since we had opened up a gap in the score line we decided we wouldn’t bother (this proved to be a bad decision).  Unfortunately early in the second half Callum had a fall and was kept off the field as a precautionary measure (second bad thing).  He had made a significant contribution to the defence and we really started to lose some structure once he came off the field.  Added to that, Tom also had a fall and although he fought on it was obvious that his injuries had taken away some of his X-factor in the second half (3rd thing to go wrong!).  With the smell of fresh blood in the air, Spirit came roaring back like a pack of wolves, resulting in a 5-6 loss.  Despite the loss we still played well.  Commendation goes to the Spirit players who played a great team effort, especially in the second half.  We will be looking forward to the rematch.

Newtown Spirit vs Newtown Strikers 6-5

Numbers were not looking good for either team as game time approached, however a few miraculous appearances at the 11th hour resulted in full squads, but Strikers were playing without a goal keeper. The game started with promise for Spirit with a goal to Tom in the first few minutes, but Strikers were quick to respond with two goals due to some complacent defence by Spirit. A third goal to Spirit late in the first half left the score at 3:1 at the half time break.

Niko’s words of wisdom at half time had a profound effect on the Spirit team as they pulled back two goals early in the second half to equalise at 3:3. The second goal to Oscar came from a great series of team passing and a final feed of the ball to the top of the D by Emily on the left wing.  The third goal came from a fantastic individual effort by Hudson, who was also involved in the 4th Spirit goal, when he seemingly pulled from the sky a high ball from Tom and fed it to Miles who was at full pace on the opposition 25. In between Spirit goals, Max was being kept busy defending goal with great support from the full backs, but Strikers were eventually able to equalise at 4:4 after sustained pressure on goal.

Spirit were still full of running and scored two further goals to Miles and Tom, both coming from long range counterattacks. With one minute remaining the Strikers scored again from a short corner but the Spirit cleared the ball long up the field from the restart leaving Strikers no opportunity to equalise, with the final score 6:5 to Spirit.

In summary, a great contest played in good spirit and the best all round team performance by Spirit for this hockey season, with every player on field having significant contributions in both attack and defence. Also great to see Spirit come from behind at half time to win.

Division 1 Men

Newtown Falcons vs Torquay 0-4

On a cold wet winter’s day, we all came out to play, moving around the field well trying to keep warm. Falcons created attacks from strong play by the defence, running the ball carrier down to gain possession and create a turnover. Positioning was great, with good calling and switching the play from one side of the field to the other. Falcons had plenty of play in the attacking zone but could not put the ball between those white posts. Score at half time was 0-2.

The half time talk focused on strategies to put that little white ball in the net. Falcons started well as they began, with plenty of calling, switching, controlling the ball to maintain possession, with 95% of the attack in Falcons favour. But again, despite the great play by the team, and many chances in front of goal, Falcons weren’t able to score. Final score was 0-4.

Newtown Strikers vs Torquay Tornadoes

Division 1 Women

Newtown Strikers vs Geelong 3-10

A great game by Strikers against strong and speedy opposition, helped out by having a full team. Geelong began strongly but the Strikers deep defence of Penny and Meg held their own and repelled a number of Geelong attacks before there was a score. Geelong continued to make things difficult for Strikers with their speed in attack and great ball control. Despite great marking and positioning by Emma A, Teeah, Kylie and Emma P, Geelong were able to move the ball around quickly and slot the ball neatly into goal.

Grace was proving dangerous on the forward line, and with Georgie and Elese in support, Strikers created a number of attacks and scored a well earned goal. Score at half time was 1-6.

The second half proved to be more of the same from Geelong, with fast paced attacks finding space in front of the goal. But Strikers were returning the pressure with some great attacking plays, and Julie and Erin provided valuable runs and great ball control skills to give Strikers hope. Final score was 3-10 – a great effort by all the Strikers players.

Fantastic to see Emma A back in her first game after injury, making some great clearances and denying Geelong chances in attack.

Newtown Falcons – Bye

Division 2 Men

Newtown Spirit vs Saints Red 2-5

Division 2 Women

Newtown Spirit – Bye

2017 Hockey Season – July 15 & 16

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Round 11 of the Senior hockey season saw some great efforts, despite some teams being severely disadvantaged by lack of players.

Division 1 Men

Newtown Strikers vs Geelong Jaguars 1-6

In a game that in no way reflected the score line, both teams had multiple opportunities to score. Unfortunately for the Strikers, Geelong did a better job of slipping past our defences.

 That being said, the last few games I’ve been really impressed with the work rate of the whole team and feel that as a group we are definitely improving and are very close to changing these types of losses around.  Next week we are up against Torquay’s second Division 1 side so it will give us another chance to test ourselves and hopefully come away with a win.

Newtown Falcons vs Torquay 4-4

With 1 win and 1 loss against Torquay this hockey season, this game promised to be another exciting display of great hockey between the 1st and 2nd placed teams. The game began with a close contest, and scores relatively even early in the game. Torquay took the advantage and edged away to a 4-2 scoreline by half time. However, Falcons regrouped and began to play a fast team game, with accurate passing and great switching, and began to wear Torquay down. Falcons almost stole the game in the last few minutes, but had to be content with a 4-4 draw.

Division 1 Women

Newtown Falcons vs Saints Black 7-1

Newtown Falcons began well and put Saints on the back foot from the first whistle.  Emma H controlled the midfield with ease, cutting off many Saints attacks and distributing the ball to running forwards, Georgie, Hailey, Elese and Nicole. Amanda, Jess and Shannon made great space for passes from team mates, receiving the ball well and making effective passes to allow Newtown to move into attack.  Emma P, Bec, Ainsley and Kate were calm and controlled in deep defence, rarely letting anything through to the keeper, and working well with team mates to move the ball to Newtown’s advantage. Score at half time was 5-1. Newtown continued to maintain control of the match in the second half, finishing well with the score at 7-1.

Newtown Strikers vs Torquay 0-15

Playing against Torquay, the top team in this hockey season, was always going to be a tough ask. But it was made even tougher by some late withdrawals from the team, which left Strikers with only 8 players and no prospect of reinforcement. A fantastic attitude from all the Strikers players saw them go out and give absolutely everything they had.

Shannon continues to show her value as a defender, cutting off many Torquay attacks, and was well backed up by Meg, Penny and Kylie. Deb’s versatility impressed the onlookers, with another fantastic game as keeper, stopping many more shots by Torquay and making some great diving saves. Julie featured, especially in the second half, with some great runs down the right wing, keeping control of the ball to bypass her Torquay opponent right near the side line. Dom and Beth ran hard to make space in the forward line and despite being so outnumbered, Strikers managed to create some forward moves and enter the attacking 25 yards area on a number of occasions. A++ for effort Striekrs.

Division 2 Men

Newtown Spirit vs Bellarine 3-2

Division 2 Women

Newtown Spirit vs Saints Purple 0-0

An excellent game by Spirit with only 10 players, but that didn’t stop the team from putting together some great passages of play. Solid defence by Jacinta, Andie and Penny who met the Saints attacks early to intercept and turn the ball back to Newtown’s advantage. Quick and accurate passes to space by Peta were well picked up by Katie and Kirsty who carried on to attack the goal and put pressure on Saints defenders. There were a number of opportunities and a couple of near misses in front of the goal. Great persistence and 1-2 passing by Kellie, Penny and Katie, with Wendy and Kylie always in the right spot to deny Saints a clear shot. Saints had lots of opportunities in front of goal but accuracy was a problem.

 

2017 Hockey Season – June 24 & 25

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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.

 

2017 Hockey Season – June 17 & 18

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2017 Hockey Season – June 17 & 18

 The 2017 hockey season is heading into the home stretch, and teams are showing how well they have learnt to play together.

Kookas

The 2017 hockey season has shown that Team Orange vs Team Red is always a closely contested game, with some great skills on display. A fantastic reverse stick trap by Emily was a highlight this week, and her positioning and support for her team mates helped Team Orange to move the ball into attack well.  Charlie’s speed and focus on the ball sees him gain possession often, passing to advantage and in the right position to score. Excellent running by Ebony, with the ‘give and go’ game sitting well in her arsenal. Tom and Lenny made some great passes and used the space created by team mates well.

Under 8

Newtown Spirit v Torquay Tornadoes

Spirit had to dig deep in defence when it came up against a rampaging Torquay Tornadoes in Under 8 competition at Lloyd Reserve on Saturday. The Newtown side had a tough match on its hands right from the starting whistle as the orange army pushed forward relentlessly towards their goal. Full back Summah worked hard in front of goals, while half backs Michael and Avah showed great skills in intercepting many Tornadoes passes and clearing the ball from the danger zone. The half backs combined well, firing off clean, square passes to each other and directing the ball up the sidelines on several occasions.

Centre forward Pollyanna and wings Braydn and Drew provided their defenders with effective passing options, with the wings both staying wide to help open up the play. Coach Kellie praised Spirit for their first-half effort at the break, saying they were quick to get into position and were using the “out wide” option effectively. She also applauded their marking of the opposition but asked them to call more and “try to be ready an extra second early” to get to the ball first.

While Spirit enjoyed more attack in the second half, Tornadoes didn’t let up for an instant. Pollyanna, who switched to full back, stopped a couple of great opposition runs at goal, clearing the ball away swiftly. Michael, who never gave up and never stopped running, made the most of every opportunity and, on one occasion, got around opposition players in a sprint towards the goals. Drew, at half back, powered some great free hits to waiting forwards to help drive Spirit into attack against a talented opposition. Drew was also effective in consistently marking Torquay players.

After the game Coach Kellie said it was good to see the team staying wide, marking strongly and moving to the ball quickly. She urged Spirit to get into position a bit quicker after winning a free. Pollyanna won the Subway Best Team Player award for the game for her effective use of the ball, looking before making passes and getting back in position quickly. Well done Pollyanna.

Newtown Strikers vs Torquay

A great game by Strikers, with all the players working hard to gain possession and play as a team.

Newtown Raiders vs Newtown Rebels

What a fantastic game by Raiders this week, with great focus on the ball and on keeping sticks on the ground.  Chloe did an excellent job at full back, minding the goals well and saving a number of shots by Rebels. Chloe adjusted her position well when Rebels passed the ball around and her forward moves toward the ball saw Rebels make mistakes in front of goals.

Great work by Isabelle in covering her opponent denied Rebels possession and created forward moves for Raiders, with quick free passes. Lily’s ball control was excellent, and she was able to maintain possession with some lovely spins. Jesse, Oscar and Hannah were all watching the ball very well, and ready to intercept whenever Rebels moved forward. Good running and support for team mates from Oscar and Hannah got the ball into Raiders attacking area on a number of occasions.

Subway Best Team Player awards to Chloe and Isabelle.

Newtown Rebels vs Newtown Raiders

Rebels had a fantastic match this week against Newtown Raiders and are continuing to show great improvement. In the first half there was an early attack from Rebels, with some close chances on goal from Tommy. He was backed up by Audrey along with Annabelle who made some accurate free hits. Rebels showed great tenacity, passing well and continually keeping up the pressure on Raiders.

At half-time Colleen praised the team’s strong performance and stressed the importance of Rebels keeping their sticks down and calling to one another.

In the second half Rebels again moved forward well and kept up the attack. Genevieve and Aiden worked well together and constantly chased the ball. Neve, Paddy and Sophie also showed great improvement moving forward and contributing to the team. All in all, Rebels displayed great team work and had an amazing match!

Audrey was awarded Subway Player of the Week for most improved player.

Under 10 South

Newtown Strikers vs Geelong College 2-0

Firstly thank you to Ollie for helping out the team with filling in. Congratulations to Emma on your 25 game milestone.

Strikers had a great game with everyone knowing their role and never giving up. Amelia, Anna and Thamindu made up the defensive back line and stopped some very close shots on goal. Welcome back Jai, playing his first game back from a broken arm and was straight back into the action. Emma, Elliott, Eliza May, Charlie and Eliza kept the ball moving through out the field and looked for the best options to pass to. Ruby and Alex worked on pushing the ball forward. There was a great momentum after the first goal was scored and everyone lifted and we were rewarded with another goal being scored.

Newtown Spirit vs Golden Plains 0-0

Another great game by Spirit this week and what a match to watch too, both sides remained scoreless, with both attacking and defensive plays seen all game. Kellie talked about the surface we were playing on and how it was a difficult one to play on but gave the team some strategies to help. The longer grass does hinder longer passes so the team had to position its self better (be at least 5 steps away from our own players – avoiding the crowding), hold/carry the ball for 3 seconds before trying to pass it off and pass through the legs of the opposition therefore increasing the chances of it being touched by the opposition.

There were times when we needed the players to be ahead of the ball so that passes could be made, the second half saw this happen a lot better. Kellie continued to encourage the side plays rather than the centre, to trust in ourselves and our team mates. Congratulations to Hana as goalie this week, she helped defend a number of goals. Players of the week were Hamish, Meyah and Seb – Well done guys.

Under 12

Newtown Rebels vs Kardinia 2-1

Newtown Rebels had one of their strongest performances of the hockey season this weekend, beating top of the ladder Kardinia 2-1. The ball spent most of the first half in the mid-field, with neither team able to break through the strong defence of their opposition.  Kardinia scored the only goal through a corner penalty.

The second half saw Rebels play one of their best halves for the hockey season.  An early goal to Rory equalled the scores 1-1.  The passing from defence through the mid-field to the forwards was outstanding.  The fast transitions made it difficult for Kardinia to defend and when the Kardinia defence had the ball, Rebels worked extremely hard to keep the ball in their offensive half.  Late into the game, the outcome seemed destined to be a draw until a late goal by Basyl gave Rebels the win.

Well done to all players, it was a great team effort.  A big thank you to Eliza, Archer and Rory for filling in this week, and Isobel who did a great job in the goals.

hockey season

U12 – Newtown Rebels vs Kardinia

Newtown Spirit vs Bellarine Lightning 1-0

It was a was an early start for the Spirit team on Saturday but the sun was shining which always makes Stead Park more appealing!  With an almost full team Spirit took to the field ready to warm up. Archer put the goalie gear on which I think he was happy about but of course was wanting to run a little more than he got to! The first half was not the best hockey that has been played by the team in this hockey season with a lot of crowding and not so much position play. The team looked a little rattled for some reason. There was a lot of putting the ball back to the exact place it had originally come from and it appeared that the team had the blinkers on.

Towards the end of the first half things settled down a bit but not before Lightning gave the back line a fright and had Archer stretching for a great save. We were lucky to not have had a goal against us at the end of the half.

The second half saw the return of the Spirit team we have come to know with much better passing and not so much play in the center. Wide passes were better and positions were held. Matilda seemed to spend a little time on the ground as result of determined defence and Liam also bit the turf literally but was ok. As the team settled they were able to move the ball forward and apply a lot more pressure on the opposition. A goal through Angus saw us 1-0 up. However the next few minutes caused stress to those watching with Lightning coming off the Center pass like ‘lightning’. They were quick and once again Archer was called on to make a great save. Spirit were very luck to get away with a win.

Newtown Strikers vs Geelong College 3-0

What a stunning game on display on Saturday against Geelong College. It was such an enjoyable spectacle from start to finish. Strikers dominated the first half by keeping possession of the ball, clever passing and, as always, our amazingly strong defence stopping that ball from reaching our goalie. This was the first week that Jamie was kitted out as goalie and it was great to see he didn’t touch the ball all game! We did have a few missed opportunities in the first half with great attempts by Adam and Alice that were saved by the goalie. We were eventually treated to a fantastic Tomahawk goal by Jack to finally score. Late in the half Chloe also came very close to sneaking one in, always being in that perfect position.

Strikers appeared even more confident in the second half sensing how well they were playing and communicating with one another. It was great to see them switching play and going out wide when needed. Alice had a couple more attempts at goal finally creating a short corner which resulted in a beautiful goal by Archie. Chloe had another great attempt which only narrowly missed and Kenna did some great work in her wing position creating another short corner. Adam scored a great goal with strong support by his teammates and Archie scored another late in the final term to seal the win.

It was another one of those weeks where it is almost impossible to choose best on field as they all played exceptional but this weeks standouts were Jack, Adam and Kenna.      Well done Strikers! You all deserve a pat on the back for a very entertaining and skillful game.

Under 14

Newtown Spirit vs Geelong Jaguars 10-2

Newtown Spirit hosted Geelong Jaguars on Sunday morning for their Round 7 clash. The first half was a fairly even contest, with Spirit making a few attacks early and Jaguars also applying good attacking pressure. Charley was able to draw a short corner through some good work in the circle, but Jaguars defended really well and held Spirit out. Another short corner at the 17th minute was too wide. Harry gave some good passes to Riley and Charley but both were defended by Jaguars

Soon after, Jamie navigated the heavy traffic to get through a goal and take Spirit to 1-nil. Soon after, Nick passed the ball through to Jamie who slotted through a goal for 2-nil. Will moved around attackers nicely and he and Harley worked well together in the last line of defence, while Angus’ powerful hits out of defence were a little easier to trap after getting the message from the coach to keep the ball flat.

Coach Carl praised the team’s passing and asked for quicker ball use in defence, and to pass out wide to avoid crowding the circle. Assistant coach Darren asked the team to push the Jaguars attackers out wide and channel them over the sidelines.

The floodgates opened after half-time, with Harry scoring 4 goals, Will moving into attack and getting 2 goals, Jamie scoring another goal to take his tally to 3. Nick had a few hits defended by the keeper, then ultimately scored his first goal of the season by making great position on the post to receive a cross from Jamie. There was some really nice work from Amelia, Olivia and Charley, with passes which set the team up well near the circle to provide scoring opportunities.

Coach Carl was really happy with how the team made good position throughout the game, and how we pressed the Jaguars attacks in on the lines to take possession. We need to be careful of fast breaks by the opposition when we have most of the team attacking up forward. Assistant coach Darren wants to see the forwards ‘pull the trigger’ for a shot at goal as soon as we reach the circle.

Thanks to Oscar who defended well in goals all game, to Olivia from U14 Strikers for giving us some good options on the post and up the wings, and to Angus for topping up the team in defence.

hockey season

U14 – Newtown Spirit vs Geelong Jaguars

Newtown Strikers vs Kardinia 2-1

A great team game saw a win to Newtown Strikers over Kardinia. Newtown kept Kardinia scoreless until the last 5 minutes of the match. Great defensive play from Ben and Oliver did not allow Kardinia to gain any dominance. Harry scored 2 great goals.

Under 17

Newtown Spirit vs Golden Plains 3-2

The round 7 match against Golden Plains proved to be far more of a challenge than the first encounter in Round 2.  Golden Plains were first on the scoreboard when a long ball found an unmarked player on the post. Newtown was awarded successive short corners towards the end of the half and Oscar was able to flick one past the goal keeper to equalise.

Newtown had the lion’s share of possession in the 2nd half and eventually went ahead following a well executed short corner with Oscar getting the final touch again. The Newtown defence was somewhat complacent after taking the lead and Golden Plains were quick to equalise. Much of the remaining time was a stalemate between the 25’s and with the clock counting down, Hudson took matters into his own hands and carved his way through the field at pace and straight into the D for a 3rd goal to end the game 3:2.

Notable stand outs in what was otherwise a scrappy affair were the wings Brianna and Emily who stuck to their positions and created options to get the ball forward and into the D. Both were unlucky not score. Thanks to Max from U14 for keeping goal.

Newtown Strikers Bye

Division 1 Women

Newtown Strikers vs Saints Black 0-8

The Strikers started the game with 11, including two players doubling up from the preceding Falcons game (thanks Georgia and Hailey) and Deb moving from the Falcons’ field to the Strikers’ goals, so running out the game against the Saints (and their enviable bench) was always going to be tough.

After a fairly even start to the game, Em A. was very unlucky to find her nose on the receiving end of a deflected ball inside the circle; fortunately Noel Russell was on hand to provide some much-needed expert medical attention and we’re all wishing Em well for a speedy recovery.  The game soon resumed with the Strikers reduced to 10 on the field.  The defence was, however, terrific this week with Kylie and Meg on the backline making it tough for Saints to get through and, when they did, Deb produced some terrific diving saves.

The second half saw great passing from Kylie and Meg on the backline through to Shannon on the wing to set up some great forward plays – with some particularly impressive runs from Erin, Dom and Hailey – which resulted in a several shots on goal; unfortunately none quite accurate enough to get past the goalie!  Despite the scoreline, it was an impressive team game and one of the Strikers’ best for the season.  Nice job ladies!

Newtown Falcons vs Geelong 0-3

A great game by Falcons against the strong Geelong team. Great running by Georgia O who maintained possession well, remaining calm and with the ball tight to the stick. Nicole in her first game back since injury in Round 1 may not have run quite as hard as usual but was very effective, gaining possession and passing well to team mates. The defence stood firm against many Geelong attacks and Deb, Bec and Emma were well supported by Jess and Georgia who provided avenues out of defence and into the forward line. Falcons mounted a number of attacks but were not able to score despite the pressure applied by Amanda and Hailey. The second half saw Falcons reduce Geelong’s chances in the circle, with Ainsley and Kellie making great position to intercept and support team mates. A great effort by the team, playing without an interchange after Kate went off with an early injury.

Division 1 Men

Newtown Falcons vs Torquay Tornadoes 7-6

A difficult start to the game for Falcons, with only 7 players arriving. Thanks to Alex and Daniel for filling in, making a team of 9 – a great effort by them.

Falcons looked outmatched and outplayed and were down 0-1 within a matter of minutes. The score spurred the Falcons players on however, and they replied with a nice forward play which started from the half way line, down the left, then switched to the right into the 25 yards area, and finished with a switch into the goal by Gus. But Torquay came back to score and it was 1-2.

This was going to be a case of who can win first. Then another open play goal from Jimmy brought the score to 2-2. Torquay scored again and it was 2-3, and another before the break to make it 2-4.

A quick chat at half time told the players what they needed to do, but Torquay still were pushing hard and the score was 2-5.  Great efforts and perseverance by Falcons brought the score back to 4-5 with Gus scoring the double. Another goal to Torquay and it was 4-6. Then from a passage of open play, Jimmy crossed the ball to the middle for Hamish to score. It was 5-6 but time was running out! More great work in open play saw Hamish cross the ball nicely and Sean chipped the ball over the goalkeeper to make it 6-6. With seconds left in the game, Falcons finished off with another goal to steal the win 7-6. A very great game, and a great effort by the team of 9 players, who gave 100% despite the pressure put on them.

Newtown Strikers vs Torquay 1-13

Division 2 Women

Newtown Spirit vs Saints Red 1-2

One of the best games for Spirit for this hockey season and it was so nearly a draw.

The availability of an interchange player gave the team a positive outlook from the start, and despite some changes to the recent team makeup, there were some very positive signs immediately. We welcomed Katelyn back from an extended illness break; Kirsty A played her first game for 18 years, and Tracey played her first game since the birth of her baby. Great defence by Tracey and Kirsty, with effective free passes and cool, calm play by both – always in the right position. Wendy moved out to half back and continued her impressive form, covering her opponent well and hassling whenever Saints gained possession. If the ball did get through, Eichelle was resolute in her attempts to deny any score, stopping many shots at goal.

Kellie and Andie as always worked hard and made many second and third effort tackles to make Saints earn the right to have the ball. Peta’s determination to hold the ball and strong hits to Katelyn, Katie, De and Kirsty running into space on the forward line saw Spirit make progress and put pressure on the Saints goalkeeper and defenders. A number of opportunities were created in front of goal, and Katelyn capitalised on one of them, pushing the ball under the keeper to score.

A short corner on the full time whistle had to be played out, and unfortunately, a deflection saw Saints score to claim the win.

An excellent game by all players with some great teamwork and thoughtful passing to team mates showcases the improvement in the team in this second half of the season.

Division 2 Men

Newtown Spirit vs Geelong Jaguars 3-1

Refreshed after the bye, Newtown Spirit were keen to consolidate a place in the top four. Joe and Nathan returned after extended time off. Darren “Daggles” M played his first game, dazzling the younger guys with his intercepts and skill. Age may have slowed him a touch but his skills and attacking style were clearly evident. Geelong scored the first goal from a drag flick from their first corner. Spirit replied with a Fitzy overhead to winger Joe in space who passed to Ian for an impressive finish.

In the second half, strong mid field play by Beau, Adam and Gordo created many opportunities. A low drag flick corner goal by Beau broke the deadlock and was followed soon after by a clever field goal by Daggles. Geelong never gave up but strong rebound defence by Gwyn and Marty linked up well with Alex and Luke.

Spirit are at times playing very good hockey. Some areas still to improve are team communications and defensive positioning.