Category: Boys

Six players make 16s Metro squad

The Calder Cannons Football Club would like to congratulate six of its Under 16 boys players for making the initial Vic Metro squad for 2019.

Noah Candotti (Airport West), Joshua Goater (Sunbury Lions), Jack Hebbard (Aberfeldie), Jack Newitt (Sunbury Lions), Zac Taylor (Pascoe Vale) and Ciaran Wrigglesworth (Pascoe Vale) were all successful in making the squad.

All six players were key contributors in our Under 16s program this year which unfortunately consisted of two losses against the Northern Knights and Oakleigh Chargers – Hebbard named in the best players on both occasions.

The Cannons were beaten at the death in their first contest against the Knights, while Matthew Gook was the only multiple goal scorer in their 48-point loss to the Chargers on Tuesday.

Devils too clinical for Cannons

Written by Jarryd Barca 

Tasmania Devils v Calder Cannons – NAB League Round 4

The Calder Cannons fell 12 points short of recording their second win of the 2019 NAB League season in their Round 4 clash against the Tasmania Devils.

The side lost six players due to Vic Metro commitments for their trip down south to Penguin Reserve meaning the depth mould be tested in the 10.3 (63) to 7.9 (51) result. 

A dour first term – where both sides recorded a single behind each – was marred by an unfortunate, scary concussion that hospitalised ruckman Oscar Sasalu. 

Fortunately Oscar was free to fly back home that night. 

Harrison Minton-Connell was the midfield stand-out with 26 disposals and seven tackles in front of a packed crowd, while counterparts Jacob Martin (24 touches) and Ned Gentile (20 and six tackles) proved their worth.

Usual defenders Cody Brand (three goals) and Mason Fletcher (two) played makeshift roles up forward, while defenders Declan Tully, Fergus O’Neill, Max Simpson, Kyle Baker and Sean Callander can all hold their heads high after standing up tall against a dangerous Devils attack.

While the boys got away with goal-kicking inaccuracy in Round 3, they were this time left to rue their missed opportunities after recording three more scoring shots than their opponents. 

“As a team, between our midfielders and forwards, we need better connection between where those forward entries need to go,” Talent Manager Tom Lonergan said.

“At the moment they’re shallow and it’s allowing teams to rebound quickly from the half-back line, we need to get our entries deeper to give the forwards the best chance of scoring.

“Considering we had six players out due to metro commitments we thought our boys’ effort was really good,” he added.

“A few skill errors cost us on the day, as well as not making the most of our opportunities when going forward.”

Brand broke the deadlock more than nine minutes into the second quarter, but the remainder of the term belonged to the home side who, booting the next five majors, constructed a handy 21-point lead at the main break. 

Brand put through his second less than two minutes into a crucial third quarter.

But Devils forward Jackson Callow took the game by the scruff of the neck to boot three of his four goals in a dominant third quarter display.  

The players’ spirits never wavered despite the 25-point deficit heading into the final term.

The four-goal to two quarter reeled the margin back to 12 points but it was too little too late as the Devils were able to record their second win of the season in three matches.

The boys will now enjoy a week off for Easter but will return to face the Geelong Falcons at Highgate Recreation Reserve in Round 5 the following week.

“It’s been a big six or seven weeks for everyone,” Lonergan said.

“A lot of boys played in a lot of practice matches and haven’t really had a break so it will be good for everyone to have a rest after Tuesday to freshen up and come back ready to go against the Falcons.”

The Calder Cannons are now 1-3 and sit 15th on the ladder early in the season. 

Resilience the key in maiden victory

Calder Cannons flex the resilience muscle in NAB League win

Written by Jarryd Barca

The ability to bounce back from – and overcome – adversity is a crucial life quality, even on the footy field. 

Calder Cannons backline coach Brad Murphy admitted there were some nervous moments in the Under 18 boys’ Round 3 win over the Western Jets last Saturday when inaccuracy seemed to plague the side.

Calder was able to establish a healthy lead when it scored seven of the opening nine goals of the contest at Highgate Recreation Reserve, until seven of the next 10 went the Jets’ way.

The Cannons registered seven behinds in their final 10 scoring shots of the game when the four points were well and truly in the balance. 

A 15-point half-time lead to the home side faded to just three points at the last change of ends and it took nearly 17 minutes for the dominant fourth-quarter Cannons to put through a major, courtesy of Campbell Edwardes. 

But luckily they weren’t left to rue their missed chances. 

“I’m very proud,” Murphy said post-game.

“It’s very hard when you get a spray like that from the coach (at three-quarter time).

“I was a little bit concerned at three quarter time when scores were only a few points the difference and they had a bit of a wind in the last quarter. 

“He (coach Ross Smith) challenged them all at three-quarter time to step up and some players can go introverted, or they can come out of their shell a little bit and I think the boys really came out of their shell (in the final quarter).

“We’re absolutely thrilled with the efforts of the players. 

“We had a couple of injuries down so we couldn’t get some rotations happening. Sometimes you just have to play the last quarter on adrenaline and we certainly did, there was a lot of cramping going on but for them to push through and get the result is fantastic.

“I’m very proud and obviously more so going forward, I think it will give them amazing confidence and belief that we can do it no matter the situation in a game.”

It was the team’s first victory in the newly-named NAB League for season 2019 after losing by 109 and 23 points against the Sandringham Dragons and Oakleigh Charges in Rounds 1 and 2 respectively. 

“I think we had to keep it in reality in the first two weeks, we played two of the best sides and we took a lot of confidence probably out of last week more against Oakleigh – we were in front at half time and two points down at three-quarter time against one of the best so we knew our best was going to be good enough,” Murphy said.

“I thought the buy-in and the endeavour from the whole group today was pleasing and the result looked after itself, although we could have kicked a bit straighter, but we had a win.”

Murphy said he was impressed with the entire midfield group against the Jets, as well as youngster Jack Keeping who channeled his inner Jeremy Howe in the final term. 

“To see the emergence of young Jack Keeping who’s had seven or eight touches in the last quarter, taking two big hangers – when the game had to be won for a 17-year-old kid to step up in his first year of Under 18 footy that was really impressive as well, but I just thought the whole group were really good on the day,” he said.

The Cannons will look to make it two wins in a row when they fly south to take on the Tasmanian devils on Sunday. 

“It’ll be good to get away, I think the bonding you get off an interstate trip is fantastic,” Murphy said. 

“If you get a win they’re really great interstate because it doesn’t happen much, so it will be really good for the boys.” 

Cannons outclass Jets for first win of season

Written by Jarryd Barca

The Calder Cannons have finally kicked off their season after overcoming the Western Jets by 12 points in Round 3 of the NAB League Boys season.

There were just three points separating the two sides at three-quarter time of the clash at highgate Recreation Reserve, with Calder peppering away at the goals – although inaccurately – to break away 10.14 (74) to 9.8 (62).

Calder was lead by midfielders Harrison Minton-Connell (26 disposals and one goal), Daniel Mott (24 and two) and Flynn Lakey (20 and one), who were well-served by a combative Oscar Sasalu in the ruck.

Sixteen-year-old Jackson Cardillo and key forward Harrison Jones were key targets up forward, while small Ned Gentile was a live-wire and caused headaches for the Jets defence. 

The Cannons got off to an absolute flyer booting the first three goals of the contest within seven minutes courtesy of Mott, Cardillo and Jack Keeping.

Jets forward Aaron Clarke converted his side’s first major just before the 10-minute mark, before an eight-minute dry patch was expelled by a characteristic Sam Ramsay goal on the run – his third in three matches. 

Things were looking rosy for the Cannons who held a 19-point lead going into the second quarter and the momentum continued as Minton-Connell and Gentile handed the side a 32-point lead.

But the Jets lifted and drew the margin back to 15 points at half time after kicking three goals in succession to end the term.

When Cardillo stepped up to the plate to convert the first goal of the second half it seemed the Cannons would once again establish dominance, but an audacious Western side booted the final three goals of the quarter to put the challenge back onto the home side. 

With Calder’s three-point lead under fire, coach Ross Smith ensured a few of the boys were hot under the collar heading into the final term.

And those that were challenged responded.

In the first 16 minutes of the last quarter just three behinds were registered by the Cannons who dominated the territory battle but to no avail, until youngster Campbell Edwardes broke the deadlock with an easy set shot.

Top-ager Tye Browning, whose 17 disposals and seven inside 50s were crucial on the day, kicked his first and only goal of the game two minutes later and from there the Cannons held on for their first victory of the season. 

Calder will look to continue its winning form into this weekend’s clash against the Tasmanian Devils at Penguin Stadium. 

“Mercurial” Kemp praised

 Written by Jarryd Barca

Calder Cannons Under 18 boys assistant coach Chris Nolan named forward-mid Joshua Kemp as one of his stand out performers in the team’s Round 2 loss against the Oakleigh Chargers.

Kemp was a live-wire for the Cannons up forward booting three of the team’s seven goals of the contest, two of which coming in a five-goal second quarter blitz by the home side.

The 19-year-old collected nine disposals for the game and took three marks in an effective performance in tough conditions. 

“I thought Josh Kemp was really dangerous – he looked like the ‘Kempy’ of last year at times today,” Nolan said post-game.

“You really don’t want to give him five yards as an opponent when he’s on because he can be quite mercurial.”

Two quick-succession goals on each side of Kemp’s last quarter snap in the ninth minute saw the Chargers steer clear by 23 points when the final siren sounded at a wet and windy Highgate Recreation Reserve. 

Nolan also sung the praises of midfielders Harrison Minton-Connell and Sam Ramsay, as well as defenders Mason Fletcher and Brodie Newman. 

The Cannons gave up a four-goal head start and were held scoreless at quarter time to trail by 28 points. 

But the table completely flipped, with the Cannons returning serve to hold the fancied Chargers scoreless in a second quarter that saw the home side pile on five unanswered goals. 

“It was the most animated I’ve heard Ross (coach Ross Smith) since he joined the club,” Nolan said of his quarter-time address.

Calder was also held goalless in the first half of its Round 1 match against the Sandringham Dragons, while they gave up a five-goal head start to the Eastern Ranges in a practice match a week earlier. 

“It was three weeks in a row we haven’t got out of the blocks so he had every right to give the boys a rocket, he challenged a few of them and a couple of the challenged actually stood up,” Nolan said. 

“The effort after quarter time was pretty good, not good enough at the end of the day but a big improvement on last week.”

The one-goal lead at half time was short lived and despite the brave effort, the Cannons recorded their second loss in as many weeks to start the NAB League season. 

But it’s not all doom and gloom according to Nolan who, proud of the boys’ fightback, noticed their “desire for the contest” was a lot stronger than Round 1. 

“I thought we hunted the ball a lot better,” he said.

“We found ways to stay involved, and guys that weren’t getting clean disposals found ways to get involved.

“In the end we gave up 28 points, nosed in front, five minutes to go we have the ball at the top of the forward 50 and if you penetrate deep there you just don’t know what happens. 

“Instead we gave the whole length of the field and they scored, it just comes down to moments sometimes. You can get so close, but they kicked another one and it gets out to three (goals) and a bit instead of one.”

The question back to the group post-game was whether they need to revamp their pre-game preparations, after again being slow out of the blocks.

“We don’t want to be where we were today at quarter time next week,” Nolan said.

“We’ve got to, for confidence sake and reward for effort, get out of the blocks and hopefully really work towards a win next week against the Jets.”


Chargers hold off brave Cannons

Calder Cannons vs Oakleigh Chargers – Round 2

Written by Jarryd Barca

The Oakleigh Chargers overcame a half time deficit to record a 23-point win against the Calder Cannons under inclement skies on Sunday.

The overcast conditions – which turned the Round 2 contest at times into a regressive slog – meant champagne football was a far cry to what was required on the day. 

Joshua Kemp looked a match winner up forward kicking three of the team’s seven goals in the 10.9 (69) to 7.4 (46) result at Highgate Recreation Reserve.

Harrison Minton-Connell’s 22 touches was the most for the Cannons on the day, with captain Brodie Newman again impressing for the second successive week in defence. 

The home team will again be left lamenting a slow start after being held scoreless at quarter time.

The Chargers looked a superior outfit and it was their clinical ball use going forward that saw them make the most of their opportunities to head into quarter time with a 28-point buffer.  

But the tide suddenly turned.

Nineteen-year-old Tye Browning converted his set shot in the nine-minute mark to put through the Cannons’ first major, before Kemp asserted himself on the contest to convert two more goals in a three-and-a-half minute span. 

The momentum had shifted the Cannons’ way and the match took an unexpected but deserved turn, Ned Gentile and Sam Ramsay adding themselves to the goal-kickers list and handing their side a one-goal half time advantage.

There was a noticeable increase in intensity in the third quarter as the first half rain soaked the oval, with the four points truly up for grabs.

Finlay Macrae’s goal for the Chargers was cancelled out just seconds later by Cannons forward Jake Sutton, who was awarded a down-the-field free kick from close range. 

Chargers ball-winner Noah Anderson stepped up to the plate and converted from a free kick to wrestle back his side’s two-point lead, before a 12-minute dry patch to end the term meant the scores remained 40-42 heading into the last quarter.

Kemp converted the Cannons’ only goal and scoring shot of a final term that could have gone either way, with his nine-minute snap on the counter-attack sandwiched by two Chargers goals before and after. 

The result puts the Cannons on the bottom of the ladder after two matches, with their chance of kick-starting their season coming this Saturday at Highgate Recreation Reserve against the Western Jets.

Goal kickers: J. Kemp 3, S. Ramsay, N. Gentile, T. Browning, J. Sutton

Best players: H. Minton-Connell, B. Newman, J. Kemp, S. Ramsay, J. Sutton, D. Mott

Stats leaders: H. Minton-Connell (22 disposals), C. Brown (five marks), D. Mott (four tackles), M. Fletcher (five rebound 50s)J

Tough start for Cannons

U18 Boys Match Report – Round 1

Written by Jarryd Barca

The Calder Cannons Under 18 Boys went down to a strong Sandringham Dragons side in Round 1 of the NAB League season. 

The Dragons looked a superior outfit from the get-go at RSEA Park, booting the first nine and final 10 goals of the game and flexing their muscles to record a 19.13 (127) to 1.12 (18) victory. 

Cannons gun Sam Ramsay showed his class in the defeat, converting the first and only goal for the away side in the third term among his 19 disposals. 

The hard-running wingman also laid four tackles in the side’s lowly tackle count of 27 for the match. 

Key defender Brodie Newman showed resilience in defence and displayed the very attributes that made him this season’s captain, topping the team for disposals (24), marks (nine) and rebound 50s (six). 

Tye Browning and Daniel Mott can also both hold their heads high collecting 19 disposals each and showing glimpses of footy that will excite Cannons fans over the course of the season, while the left-footed Curtis Brown showed plenty of promise across half-back. 

Cannons midfield coach Brett Gourley said it’s important for the players to remain positive despite the heavy loss. 

“Obviously (it’s) a really disappointing result but we have to take it with a grain of salt,” he said post game.

“It’s Round 1, we know that Sandy is going to be a really good team this year so although it’s disappointing there are going to be some positives for us to take out of the game.”

Sandringham collected 57 more disposals and 18 more inside 50s than Calder in the commanding result, but spirits never wavered.  

“During the game you’ve got to continue to reinforce what we’re all about as a team, as a club and as individuals as well, we’ve got to make sure that we keep them positive otherwise these results keep happening,” Gourley said.  

“I think it’s important to focus on what we’re about as a team, the things that we’ve been talking about as a group and focussed on over the course of the pre-season, not so much the result.

“We know that this competition is not necessarily all about the results so what we want to do is try and focus on the things that we know are going to hold us in good stead come next week.” 

Trailing by 33 points at quarter time, the Cannons defence tightened up in the second term to allow the Dragons just three majors. 

The Cannons weren’t without their chances either recording three behinds for the quarter in an inaccurate display. 

“I thought there were some really good individual performances down back, obviously there was a lot of ball down there so Brodie Newman did some really good work I thought,” Gourley said.

“At times we moved the ball really well, I don’t feel like we ever gave up, obviously goal-scoring accuracy has got to be something that we improve on a little bit but we had opportunities to move it forward, their pressure was just too good around the footy.

“I don’t see too much changing in training, we’ll lift the intensity probably and just make sure that we come with the right attitude and be really positive this week heading into the Oakleigh game.”

The result puts the Cannons momentarily on the bottom of the ladder, but they’ll gear up and look to bounce back this Sunday against the Oakleigh Chargers at Highgate Recreation Reserve. J