The Redbacks Family Welcomes Another
  April 24, 2010
Challenge Cup - Return Leg
  March 25, 2010
We All Love a Good Circus, But...
  March 7, 2010
Footy's On, Footy's Here Again
  March 1, 2010

Well, it almost wasn’t, and you couldn’t have scripted this one if you tried! The Nagoya boys got a call from Osaka just before they were due to leave, telling them that the Osaka boys were working overtime trying to contact venue management to determine if we’d be able to access the reserved ground. Why? A tsunami warning set for thirty minutes prior to first bounce, triggered by the Chile earthquake. So there we have it, the Internationalization of the great game: An Australian football match, to be played in Japan, to be postponed by a wave travelling across the ocean, triggered by a Chilean earthquake. Word came through that the ground would be safe to access, and despite a few, now standard travel hiccups, the game got underway almost as scheduled.

Almost uncharacteristically, the Redbacks flew out of the blocks in the first quarter against a Dingoes outfit missing some experienced personnel. Led out of the middle by Captain, and 2009 League and Club best and fairest Dean Dowey, Jenkins, Gifford, Dillon and debutant Luscombe, and assisted by a strong breeze, the Redbacks goaled at will, going into the quarter-time break with a commanding 8-0 (48) to 1-2 (8) lead.

The second quarter was a tighter affair, with the Dingoes finding a little more rhythm in attack. Their new look squad started to gel a little, including first gamer Morris, who goaled in a promising performance. The Redbacks defense steadied after conceding that early goal, and the teams traded goals late in the quarter leaving the Redbacks with a 6 goal lead going into the main break.

The Dingoes threatened with an early goal into the wind in the third, but some hard work in the middle by Williams and Molloy, some calm play under pressure down at fullback from James, and constant push forward from Klapheke, Dowey and Mullens, kept the pressure on the Dingoes' strong and desperate defense. The highlight of the quarter was a length of the field move via the wing that led to a Gifford goal from a tight angle, as the Dingoes held on to keep the Redbacks' lead at 6 goals at the final change.

The Redbacks threatened to put the game away early in the final quarter, but too often we failed to allow for the tricky wind, often kicking balls straight into the hands of the Dingoes' grateful fullback, Dahdah. His cool head, and more desperate defense, stopped the Redbacks taking full advantage of some superior field position on a number of occasions. The Dingoes mounted a final push to try and win the game with the wind at their backs, but defensive efforts of the Redbacks when pressured didn’t drop off, and the Dingoes were restricted to one goal and a number of behinds. A Jenkins goal steadied the Redbacks under pressure, as they ran out winners 11-4 (70) to 5-12 (42).

It was a tough encounter, characteristic of last year's three meetings between the two clubs. Both teams played good hard football, and have plenty of room for improvement despite some quite promising performances. New players on both sides shone, and with quality players to come back for both sides before the return leg of the challenge cup on March 21 in Nagoya, we’re looking forward to a classic to rival the drama of the round seven clash last season. Hopefully the teams from the west can step up to threaten the big guns from Tokyo when the premiership season gets underway in May.

 

The players shared a few beers post match, during which, thankfully, surfboards weren’t required! The players judged best afield, Mullens and Klapheke for the Redbacks, and Morris and Yannick for the Dingoes, received awards courtesy of Fosters and TAB.

So join us on Sunday March 21 at the rugby field in Tsurumai Park at 1p.m. for the Redbacks' first home game of 2010. Also, join us for some post-game fun at the Outback and the Red Rock to celebrate a great day of football! If you’d like more information about the venue or transport, or to reserve a seat at Outback with us afterward, contact Ash, Dan, or Banger at nagoyaredbacks@hotmail.com

 

Go Redbacks.

Trivia Night
  February 26, 2010

The club kicked off the new season with its second annual trivia night last Sunday. Despite a bit of a delay waiting for some stragglers, the event was very well received by all who attended. I'm never going to forget that the poison-arrow frog's poison is more lethal than that of a taipan or a blue-ringed octopus. I'll also keep in the back of my mind that the real name of the great soccer player, Kaka, is actually Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite. Ah, the questions certainly weren't easy, but when you're as dumb as me, they never are. Anyway congratulations must go out to Joe's team for taking out the first place prize. A special mention must also go to little Benny's team for picking up the wooden spoon. It was a tense battle for last place with Team Average lifting themselves off the cellar floor with a perfect 10/10 on the final topic - Beer.
The Redbacks would like to thank everyone who made it out on the night. You all helped to make it a great success, and you helped us to raise a significant amount to support the Chubu Hiking International Club and their participation in the Oxfam 100km trailwalker event. All money raised from that event will be used to support worldwide Oxfam projects.

About That Time
  February 21, 2010

Having played our first season in the JAFL right on the back of our last in the NAFL, most of the boys had been 'up' for 14 months between September 2008 and November 2009. For that reason, it was great to kick back, relax, go home, travel, visit friends, drink beer, drink more beer, and basically forget about footy for a while. But it's very hard to forget about such a great game and great mates for too long, isn't it?

Well, we've finally kicked off preparations for the 2010 season with a small training session at the unusual time of Saturday afternoon. The boys weren't out to break any records, but it was good to see the development of some of the 'newcomers' to the game over the off-season. With such limited practice (half a training session) it will be very interesting to see how the Redbacks fare against the Osaka Dingoes in the first of our annual preseason friendlies next Sunday. Of course, anyone living in Japan is more than welcome to come out and join us whether you're experienced or a newcomer to the game. Please contact us at nagoyaredbacks@hotmail.com .

We're also kicking off our social calendar tonight with our annual trivia night. Anyone interested can come down to the Red Rock in Sakae and we'll slot you into a team. It's ¥1000 per person, or ¥4000 for your team of four. There are some awesome prizes from our sponsors, and it's shaping up to be a great night. Things will be starting up at around 5:30, so please come out with your friends and help us welcome in another season of Aussie rules in Japan.

Go the mighty Redbacks in 2010.


No Team Glory, But..
  December 3, 2009

Whilst the Redbacks were unfortunately unable to experience team glory this season, we are very proud to announce that the league best and fairest for 2009 was none other than our fearless leader, Dean Dowey. On behalf of all our players and sponsors, we'd like to extend Dean our warmest congratulations for such an excellent season. Let's hope we can put a premiership medal next to the B + F in Dean's trophy cabinet next year!

Close, But No Cigar
(semi final match report)
  November 27, 2009

Arriving in Yokohama with plenty of time before the first bounce, the boys decided to check out the grounds at the Yokohama Country and Athletic Club. Having grown accustomed to playing on grass this season, I was surprised to find that we would be playing on a synthetic field. After checking out the rugby match for a minute or two we headed back to the van. Dean, captain and driver, managed to navigate through the narrow maze of suburban streets and down to Yokohama Port. A Porsche convention had brought droves of locals out to enjoy the Indian summer day. Luckily, we scored a prime parking spot right near the action. After some lunch, and a bit of kick to kick, we decided to head back to the YCAC ground.
 
The last rays of sunshine were soon replaced by the blinding lights of the ground. The Redbacks were about to experience our first game under lights! Quite a good crowd had gathered to watch the game; mostly Goannas and Powers players waiting for their own semi final later in the evening. First bounce was at 4:45pm, and with only one man on the bench compared to the Hawks' five, the Redbacks surprisingly got off to an early lead with quick goals to Dan Jenkins and Benny Dillon. The Hawks then came back hard, kicking three unanswered majors to end the quarter.
 
After the quarter time break, the Redbacks were kept in the game with solid tackling and running in the centre from Dean Dowey and Tim. Dan Jenkins and Chris Gifford also provided strong leads and marks in our forward line which resulted in two more goals. The Hawks, however, had also been running hard and kept peppering the scoreboard with goals and points down their end. The Hawks went into the main break with a significant lead both on the scoreboard and in free kicks. The score stood at 6 goals 9 points for the home team and 4 goals 1 for us.
 
The bitter rivalry that has developed between the Hawks and the Redbacks was further fueled by some complaints against Dan's leggings during the main break. Not since 'Cowboy' Bob Orton wrestled with a plaster cast on his arm has an item of apparel caused such a stir. The home team also had their girlfriends perform a cheerleading show, which literally added insult to injury for some of our players as we watched the show from the far corner of the ground.
 
Far from home, undermanned, and riddled with injuries, the Redbacks tried hard to get back in front. The 'engine room', led by Dean in the Ruck, along with Tim, Benny and Mark Klapheke busted their guts and tackled hard, but the Hawks still managed to kick away to a 25 point lead at the final break.
 
In order to make the Grand Final, the Redbacks would not only have to keep the Hawks goalless in the final term, but would also have to add at least 4 majors of our own. Having beaten the Hawks in Takayama earlier in the season, plus a come from behind win against them in the Narita Cup, the Redbacks had a strong belief that we could get over the line. After a brilliant 4 goal last quarter effort against the Dingoes in Osaka, anything seemed possible.
 
We managed to keep the Hawks from kicking a goal through the strong defensive pressure of Ash James, Yukio Usui, Andrew Lau and Jack Molloy. Dan kicked another goal, bringing his tally to 5 for the game, while Tim chipped in and snapped a beauty. Even with the tireless running from Dean, Tim and the rest of the team, time ran out. The home team had snuck over the line by a mere 13 points.
 
Congratulations must go to the Hawks for a great victory. Thanks must go out to the JAFL for inviting the Redbacks to participate in the top league this season. Thanks also to Dean and Dan who put in a massive effort on the field, as well as doing all the driving up and back from Yokohama. Finally, a big thanks to our prez, Ash, for a lot of of hard work behind the scenes.

Although we ended up losing in the semi final against the Hawks, its been a much more competitive and rewarding season than in previous years. Looking forward to a big 2010!

Never Say Die
  October 27, 2009

The latest Redbacks road trip got underway with Captain Dean Dowey again taking the wheel, perhaps appropriate given the influence he would have on the game later in the day. It was more of the usual good times, Marks questionable humour, and questionable 1990s flashback DJing providing a little spark (cattle prod?) for minds and bodies not used to being dragged out of bed at the morbidly early hour of 10am on a Sunday.

The results came in from the mornings games in Tokyo, The Powers had won by three goals over the Redbacks most recent nemesis, the Magpies, meaning only a draw in the Redbacks Dingoes match could deny them a finals berth. In other action, the Goannas had pipped the Hawks, securing first spot on the ladder, and relegating the Hawks, table toppers all year, to second place at the end of the home and away season. the Powers' superior percentage meant that the winner of the one remaining game in the home and away season would win the right to play the Hawks, while the loser would be planning for 2010. The stage was set for a classic game between two evenly matched sides.

It was the Redbacks who took control early, led well in the middle by Captain Dowey, new recruit Dan Mullens, and second star Tim Wilmott. Constant push forward and solid work down back from the two Peters, saw the Redbacks taking a two goal lead to the first break.

The second quarter saw the Dingoes come back into the game firing. They scored four goals to two for the quarter, taking a two point lead into the long break.

The third quarter was another hard fought tussle, ebbing and flowing. Tim snapped a great goal to keep the Redbacks within striking distance as the Dingoes threatened to kick clear, eventually taking a 9 point lead into the final change.

The teams traded goals early in the fourth quarter, before the Dingoes goaled to take a 15 point lead with five minutes to play. The season on the line, the Redbacks refused to lie down and took advantage of some inspired drive out of the middle as the Dingoes players pushed forward to try and put the game beyond reach. A Dean Dowey goal put the Redbacks back in striking distance. Fast forward another minute and playing coach Dan Jenkins somehow found the speed his injured legs haven't granted him in some time to get to the drop of the ball for a telling mark. Even though the angle left him with plenty of work to do, he kicked truly, and the men in red and black pulled within a straight kick of the Dingoes. Another minute later and Redbacks wing Yukio Usui marked within range on an angle, but played on quickly to Ben Dillon, lurking on his own 20 meters out right in front of goal. Ben took the mark around his knees, went back, set himself, and put his team in front with little time left.

Confusion reigned after the final siren as the scorers differed, but the result was eventually confirmed in the Redbacks favor after the Captains consulted with the field umpire and the two goal umpires. The Redbacks finished 68-65 winners in a magnificent match of many twists and turns, both sides displaying such courage and commitment that neither side deserved to lose.

In keeping with the spirit of recent meetings between the two clubs, and the recent uniting to play as the "Dingbacks" at the Japan Cup, many beers were enjoyed along with some fine local food post match between the players from both sides after the game.

Of course, in true Redbacks style, the van ride home to Nagoya was another epic for us and the whisky brewers of Japan. Good times.

Thanks again to the Dingoes, we've had three great games with you this year, and we look forward to playing against you and perhaps alongside you again in 2010.  

This Is It
  October 23, 2009

The Redbacks' chances of making the top league finals all come down to this weekend. Win and we're in, lose and it's all in the hands of the Powers. So all the best to the boys for the big game Sunday.

Japan Cup and Top League Round 6
  October 20, 2009

On the weekend of October 3 and 4, the Redbacks traveled over to Tokyo for the Japan Cup and for the top league round 6 game. The results were mixed, but a great time was had by all. Full reports to follow.

Summer's Over and Football's Back
  September 1, 2009
Good-Bye and Good Luck
  July 15, 2009

Congratulations to Rob Vick, who was presented with a life membership of the club at the post-match party. Rob was an original Redback in 2006, displayed extraordinary commitment to the club at training and on the field when it truly mattered. It was testament to Rob’s esteem within the club that he was chosen as our Captain when our club's founder Shane Hardy left in 2008. He led us to a third consecutive undefeated season in the NAFL, finishing off his time with us with a 60 point Grand Final Victory before his return to Australia. He wasn’t only a well respected player at this club throughout his three seasons, he was our friend. It was a great pleasure to play and win with Rob one more time in a fantastic game of football last Sunday after having done so many times before. As always he was instrumental in the Redbacks midfield performance. Rob, you truly deserve this life membership, and we are sad that your time with us has come to an end. Thanks for the memories.

Also with Rob, sadly, goes Megumi. Meg has been a fixture at this club behind the scenes from very early on, and provided us with great support countless times from the sidelines. She has taken photos and game videos, booked grounds, and been a great  support to all our efforts as a club behind the scenes for a long time. Our wives and girlfriends at the Redbacks seldom get a mention in these match reports, but we sincerely appreciate their support, and Meg, you are no different. You will be missed.

Lastly, and most happily, Rob and Meg announced their engagement to us at the after party. All of us at the Redbacks wish you both all the best for your future and hope that things go well for you as you start your new life together in Australia.  That said, we will of course welcome you back with open arms if you ever do decide to settle back in Japan. Take good care of yourselves.

Also leaving the Redbacks are Sam Ghirardello, Brett Lucas, Noriaki Yamauchi, and Brad Manson. Sam, Brett, and Nori joined the Redbacks at the start of our third season. Nori was a newcomer to the game back in September last year, but he picked up the game quickly, becoming an integral part of the Redbacks' defense. Sam and Brett were instrumental players for us, dominating in the ruck, and across the ground. They finished in the top two positions of our Best and Fairest last season, and they were in our top three goalkickers. Nori, Sam, and Brett's skill, humour, and friendship will be sadly missed. We wish you all the best for the future, and hope to see you back in the Redbacks colors someday.

Another sad departure is that of Brad Manson. Brad joined us early in our first season as a fairly inexperienced player. He came to training from Toyohashi every week, however, and those skills soon improved. Brad developed into a spearhead up forward. He'll be remembered for his great hands, unorthodox kicking style, and fiery play on the field. Brad will also be remembered as a member of the first Redbacks committee, as the man who brought us a great sponsor, and as the man who penned and performed the Nagoya Redbacks Anthem Song.

Brad is heading back to Australia, and with him goes his wonderful fiance, Risa. Like Meg, Risa has been a regular at Redbacks games and social events. She's been a wonderful supporter and helper. They will both be truly missed.

For all of you, thanks for being part of the club, and thanks for all the good times. And don't forget to be back here for the Japan Cup!       

JAFL Round 4 - Redbacks vs Eastern Hawks
  July 5, 2009

Three weeks on from our hard fought victory over the Power in Takayama, we were on our way up the Kousoku again to take on an even more formidable opponent, the mighty Eastern Hawks.  The drive up was pleasantly uneventful for the group leaving from Nagoya and we arrived at the ground well before kickoff.  The other half of the team took a slight scenic detour into Toyama but still managed to arrive at the ground before game time. Thankfully the weather wasn’t overbearingly hot, and when the game got underway both teams were full of run and enthusiasm. 

The Redbacks team was slightly changed from our previous outing. We knew we were going to feel the loss of guys like Sam Ghirardello and Brad Manson who'd both played their last games for the club, and Chris Gifford and Andrew Lau who were unavailable. Luckily, we were somewhat buoyed by the temporary return of our former Premiership Captain Rob Vick. The Hawks were also missing some crucial players, but had been in red hot form so we weren’t about to cut them any slack. So, out we ran for the first quarter, feeling wary, but quietly confident we could get the job done. 

Continuing our recent run of improved competitiveness in the early stages of the game, the Redbacks boys jumped out of the blocks in the first quarter. The onballers were applying pressure all over the ground, and Dan Jenkins and Pete Osboldstone were doing a great job holding up the back line. We were again inspired by the efforts of a couple of guys who are fairly new to the game, with big Jack Molloy bustling hard in the middle to win possession for the Redbacks, and Mark Klapheke providing us with a reliable target up forward. We were firing on all cylinders and were rewarded for our combined efforts with a 2 goal lead at quarter time. 

We certainly weren’t content with one good quarter of footy, and continued to attack the ball with the same vigor in the second quarter. However, owing to a bit of poor discipline from our boys, and a redoubled effort by the Hawks, our scoring dried up, and the Hawks managed to narrow the margin by the half time break.  Even so, with some good form being shown by Rob, Benny Dillon and an inspired goal on the run by Yukio Usui, we went into the long break feeling in control, and confident we would take the game away in the second half.

The Hawks however had other ideas. The center clearances, which had been more or less evenly shared in the first half, were dominated by the Hawks in the third quarter.  They ran hard all over the ground and wiped out our lead in a matter of minutes.  Benny got one back for the Redbacks, but the Hawks continued to surge, and by the three quarter time the momentum and the lead were theirs.

For the first time in the match the prospect of us losing became a very real possibility.  Mark and Dan were both carrying injuries and our lazy gaijin legs were surely feeling heavier than those of our younger, fitter opponents. We could feel the match slipping away and knew we needed to find something special to turn it around. And find something we did.

We started off the fourth quarter like men possessed. The center clearances began to turn in our favor as the Aussie players in the Redbacks team drew on their wealth of experience to outmaneuver their Hawks opponents.  Rob and Dan on the ball, Pete down back, and Benny up forward all worked overtime to erase the Hawks lead and then continued to work hard to put some distance between the two teams. Yukio, Bruno Castagnetto and Jack lifted another notch, with Yukio in particular showing skills more appropriate for a man who had been playing the game for many years, not just the one that he has. Benny kicked some great goals and Dean Dowey also bagged a couple. Dan added a goal and before we knew it we had built an unbeatable lead, which we were able to maintain until the final whistle. 

So in the end we recorded a win by a fairly comfortable margin, but I’m sure most Redbacks boys walked off the ground feeling that this had been one of the more hard-fought and satisfying victories they had been involved in. Hawks veteran Shiba was nominated their best player, while for the Redbacks, Yukio was a deserved Man of the Match.

Special mention should be made of the Hawks’ effort on this day, battling manfully all match despite being outnumbered by one player for the entire game.  Also deserving of a special mention were the efforts of Marcos, who came out for his first and last game (he’s going back to Brazil tomorrow) so that the Redbacks could field a full side.  Thanks mate, and best of luck back in Brazil.

 JAFL Round 3 - Redbacks vs Senshu Powers
  June 15, 2009

This match really started on the Saturday night, with about half the team participating in a sleepover/bonding session at Freebell.  Predictably, a fairly late night ensued, and with an early start the next morning (5am) it appeared as though our strategy may have back-fired.  Our problems were compounded by a ‘slight  detour’ through the mountains on the way to the ground that left a number of people feeling a bit green around the gills by the time we arrived (sorry Jeff).  Fortunately the Gifu boys were all looking quite genki, and after a good, long warm-up and a bit of fresh mountain air the rest of us perked up, and we were all raring to go by game time.
The game itself was, as usual, a tale of two halves, though having said that our first half effort in this game was certainly an improvement on the previous game.  Dan in particular was lively in the early stages with a few quick goals. The boys in the middle were working well, and Pete was doing a great job down back.  Still, the Power were a fit, tenacious bunch and with their fast rebounding from turnovers in defense, they were able to pretty much counter everything we threw at them.  The scores at half time reflected this evenness, with just 2 points in it.  But we were starting to find some rhythm, and went into the huddle quietly confident that we could break the game open in the second half.  
In the first half numbers 10 and 12 for the Power had been particularly damaging, but you can’t win a game with just two players, and after half time our depth really started to show.  Ben Dillon, Chris Gifford, Andrew (out for his first game), and Sammy (out for his last) started to get a bit more of the ball and we were able to convert this dominance into a few goals. Brad, who was also out for his last game, toiled manfully as usual, but it was some inspired play by Mark Klapheke, a new recruit from the US of A that really turned the game. The big fella beat off three opponents then set up a teammate for a crucial goal, which really spurred our boys and pretty much turned off the Power.
The last quarter was a bit of a toing a froing affair, but with the damage already done in the third quarter we were able to just weather the storm and cruise to a comfortable but hard fought victory. The best player for the Redbacks was clearly Benny Dillon, with about a million touches and a bag full of goals.  Also worthy of an honourable mention were the efforts of Chris, Sammy, Dan and Pete.  But really, it was a just great team performance overall, with valuable contributions from everyone who stepped on the ground.  

I think it is worth mentioning the great spirit in which this game was played.  Both teams played hard but fair footy and there was very little back chatting the umpire, who in his first game did a very good job of officiating (thanks Jeff).

After the game, we were reminded of our unique situation, playing Aussie rules football in the mountains of Japan, with hitting the showers being replaced by hitting the onsen (an onsen with a super hot bath might I add), and heading off to the bar for beers becoming heading to a small Japanese-style restaurant for some soba, rice balls and buckwheat pudding.  We were able to wash it all down with Aussie beers though (Thank you to Fosters for providing us with delicious Pure Blonde low carb beers. Ah Fosters, it’s Australian for beer).   

So now our thoughts move to the next match against the Hawks.  It’s going to be a massive challenge, but if we can pick up from where we left off I think we are a real chance to bring home the bacon.

I would like to take this opportunity to make special mention of Ash, our new club president, and his big effort to head up to Takayama by himself the night before and make sure everything was in order for when the rest of the team arrived.  His effort is all the more commendable considering the tough time he is going through at the moment in his personal life, so thanks Ash.

The final word however, must go to two guys who have been a big part of the Redbacks for a long time now, Sammy and Brad.  Thanks for everything boys.  You’ve been great players on the field and good blokes off it.  You will be sorely missed.  Best of luck for the future and hope to see you in a Redbacks jumper again someday.

  JAFL Round 2 - Redbacks vs Leopards

May 28, 2009

Round 2 of the JAFL season kicked off on May 24 at Shinshiro Park near Toyohashi.

After a convincing drubbing in round one, we were hoping to get some points on the board against the Leopards. They had exactly the same idea, and in the first quarter a switched-on Leopards outfit played all over the Redbacks. As the Leopards continued to bag majors, the Redbacks didn't do anything but get more and more frustrated. Tempers boiled over, and a huge spray was delivered to the boys at the first break.

A more focused group took to the ground in the second term as the Redbacks pegged their way back into the contest. Ben Dillon, Sam Ghirardello, Adrian English, and Dan Jenkins were standouts in the fightback. However, at the main break, the Leopards still held a two goal advantage.

In the third quarter, the Redbacks found rhythm, and players started contributing all over the ground. Takashi Itofuji continued to show the poise and strong hands that saw him named the Redbacks' most improved player last season. He was ably assisted in defense by Jack Molloy, Noriaki Yamauchi, and Mark Klapheke. First gamer, Bruno Castagnetto, was involving himself in contests all over the ground, and Brad Manson popped up with a very important goal. Dean Dowey and Ashley James were showing off their superior fitness, covering a lot of ground to launch attacks and get back to help in defense. And although Dan Jenkins was having trouble running, he was marking everything that came in his direction, slamming on a very valuable nine goals. The great team effort saw the Redbacks turn a 14 point deficit into a 17 point lead at the last change.

In the final quarter, the Leopards threw everything at the Redbacks, but the boys weren't going to let this one go. The Redbacks ran out eventual 23 point winners.

Nagoya Redbacks        14 . 7 - 91   (Jenkins 9, Dillon 2, Manson 1, Ghirardello 1, English 1)

Tokyo Leopards             9. 14 - 68   (Kamagata 4, Yamamoto 1, Fujisaki 1, Young 1)

JAFL Round 1 - Redbacks vs Goannas
April 28, 2009

Well, if the man upstairs likes NAFL grand finals, what does he think about the JAFL round 1? I don’t know, but he certainly made us work for it with some horrendous conditions. The weather had been great all week, but as Saturday approached, the forecast got worse and worse. Early Saturday morning, the heavens opened and it continued to rain heavily right through until the end of the game.

In typical Redbacks fashion, we had some problems at the start of the day with a few ‘lost in translation’ moments with the GPS in the rental van. That left a big group of players waiting at Isoyama station to be shuttled out to Suzuka Sports Garden. After we finally got all the players to the ground, we located our playing field, had a good laugh about how far underwater it was, and then got busy preparing for the game.

The small lakes that were located around the ground were going to make things interesting, especially the huge one just next to the goal square at one end. The message from the coach was pretty clear at the start of the game - In conditions like this, get the ball moving forward any way you can.

Unfortunately, the Goannas were much better at that than us. In the first quarter, their half back line repelled most of our attacking passages, and their runners on the break proved far too skillful. By quarter time, they had blown the game open with a huge 35 point lead.
 
After regrouping at the first break, the Redbacks began to find a way forward in the second term. Dowey, Ghirardello, Dillon, and Duggan all picked up the slack and found a way through the quagmire. Bodey Baker was using his pace and soccer skills to create a few headaches for the Goannas defense, and newcomer Mark Klapheke popped up to score a goal with his first kick of a footy (he had never even been out to training and his first touch of a footy was in the warm-up). Pete Osboldstone was also offering a lot on the last line of defense. Despite the improved effort, the Goannas were still able to outscore us for the term, setting up a huge 46 point lead at the main break.

The second half was a much more even affair as there were a lot of tired bodies slugging it out in the mud. The defense of Osboldstone, Stein, James, Abraham, Manson, and Duggan all worked tirelessly to reduce the impact of the Goannas full forward, Sullivan, but the big man kept finding a way to score majors. Manson played a brilliant patch at full back, but the lure of a goal didn’t keep him back there for too long. Yukio Usui who joined the team only 6 months ago continued to show improvement across the wing.

The second half played out as an old fashioned wet weather slugfest, with both teams registering three majors. No matter how hard we tried, however, the Goannas seemed to have an answer for whatever we threw at them.

In the end, the Goannas ran out deserving 51 point winners. It was great to play in such a competitive game, and it was great for us to see how far we’ve got to go. We’d really like to thank the 18 Goannas who traveled over for the weekend, and we’d also like to thank Appsy for coming over and manning the goals so professionally.

The final scores were:

Nagoya Redbacks       5. 6 - 36
Tokyo Goannas         13. 9 - 87

Goal kickers:

Redbacks:      Dillon 2, Abraham 1, Klapheke 1, Manson 1

Goannas:       Sullivan 6, Ritchie 3, Mitchell 2, Wilson 1, Utting 1