We started our season under 3 main playing philosophies, maximum participation, maximum respect and maximum fun. Our players embraced these philosophies and took great steps forward this season in not only becoming better footballers but also maturing into fine young people.
Our skill level needed to improve if we wanted to move the ball the way we wanted. Consequently, our training focus shifted to improving specific skill areas such as kicking and marking. It was great to see as the season progressed that the skills improved across the board and we were able to play some tidy end to end footy.
One of the most pleasing aspects of our season was our ability to stay very competitive in almost all games. In particular, I was really pleased with our tackling pressure and on more than one occasion the opposition coach remarked that we were the best tackling side they had played against.
Thanks to the players for your commitment during the season.
A footy season wouldn t be possible without the enormous efforts of several people involved in running the team.
To my able assistant coaches Kevin and Fab, a big thank you for your support both at training and on match days.
To our team runner Warren Wild for his passion and energy in motivating the players every week.
Our medic Michael Crouch who has supported us from early days of Auskick through to now.
To Christine who for the past 20 years has supported me in various ways from a footy girlfriend, wife and now mum. Thanks Chris.
Last but not least our team manager Heidi. Like many of you, Heidi has supported us since Pre-Primary of Auskick. Her efforts over the past three seasons as team manager have been truly outstanding. Thanks Heidi.
Finally, to all the parents who waved a flag, cooked a snagger, deep fried some chips or played timekeeper, my sincere thanks to all of you for being part of our season and I look forward to seeing you all back down the club next year.
Leigh Wardell-Johnson (Coach)
Player Snapshot
- Elijah Crouch: Elijah progressed to become one of our most reliable backmen. Elijah has a straight line attack on the football and has developed as one of our most consistent performers this season.
- Ethan Cook: Ethan has it all, great skills, reads the game well, tackles hard and his second and third efforts this season were as good as you will see. If there was a Brownlow medal for the year 6 s Ethan would be right up there.
- Lachlan Ballantine: What I love about Lachy is that he is a fierce competitor and works so hard during a game. I look forward to watching him develop in years to come.
- Lachlan Wild: Lachlan is our best contested ball winner and works hard both offensively and defensively. He is developing into a terrific young footballer and the type of footballer every coach loves to have.
- Jackson Halse: Jacko is very courageous and is constantly in at the contest winning the hard ball, never giving up. As a team, we know that Jacko gives everything he has got.
- Hamish Wardell-Johnson: Hamish has some of the best skills in the team, becoming very versatile as he can play anywhere on the field. Hamish uses the ball very well, consistently hits targets and is a great decision maker.
- Jamie Speechley: Jamie gained more confidence as the year progressed. His ability to read the game improved and by the end he was laying tackles, taking marks and having shots on goal.
- Dian Goh: Dian is a lightning quick player who used his pace to break away from opposition players. He would regularly break the game open, bringing others into the contest.
- Oliver Reed: I was delighted to see Ollie putting himself in and winning hard contested footy and his ability to read the ball off packs in the forward line was a season highlight.
- Oliver Leonard: Big Ollie became a lot stronger over the football allowing his smaller team mates to win the ball at ground level this season. His kicking and marking skills improved and he was able to take many marks and hit the scoreboard regularly.
- Jake Thygesen Jakes attack on the football and his tackling pressure is as good as there is in the year 6 competition. Jakes kicking and marking skills also improved dramatically throughout the season.
- Alex Marchese: Alex greatly improved his fitness and consequently he was able to play consistently in a variety of positions this season. He was able to hit the scoreboard regularly but also set up many goals for his team mates.
- Trent Pagnoni: Trent is an in and under type player and a ferocious tackler. This season his kicking skills improved dramatically and he was regularly able to hit targets and kick some inspirational goals.
- William Goodlet: Will s kicking technique improved out of sight due to his hard work and practice. He also improved his defensive work in the forward line.
- Sam Woolfenden: What was most pleasing was Sam s increasing game involvement and his ability to use his strong frame to create space for his team mates.
- Liam Barnett: Liam took big strides forward this season in his ability to win his own ball. Liam is a great team player who has made an art form of winning the ball at ground level.
- Stacey Collier: Stacey spent a lot of time in the off season working on her skills and exercises to help her keep her feet. This transposed into Stacey winning a lot of her own footy and using her pace and skills to deliver the ball to her team mates.
- Finn O Reilly: Finn is an exceptional talent who has a terrific overhead mark, silky foot skills on both sides and reads the game extremely well. Finn is very clean below his knees and works hard at ground level.