Tag: Geelong Falcons

Oscar’s emphatic return

Oscar Sasalu makes impressive comeback following scary concussion

Written by Jarryd Barca

Oscar Sasalu’s Round 5 NAB League performance turned plenty of heads; not only was it an influential output from the Calder ruckman but he was involved in a sickening concussion just one round earlier. 

It was five minutes into the Cannons’ away match against Tasmania in Round 4 when the 192cm utility was knocked out in a friendly-fire marking contest, resulting in a seizure and leaving the squeamish distressed. 

The Easter bye week separated the two rounds with doctors giving him the green light to compete against the Geelong Falcons. 

Sasalu’s availability proved critical and his return to the field was admirable, being named in the best players. 

“I don’t really remember anything from the concussion, so I thought I’d try not to let it bother me when I played today,” Sasalu said following the Cannons’ drought-breaking win on the weekend.

“I just didn’t think about it at all because there’s nothing you can do to stop yourself getting concussed, it’s an accident so just play how you usually play. 

“The recovery was alright, I just had a headache for a couple of days.”

Sasalu recorded 13 touches, 17 hit-outs, two tackles and kicked a crucial final-quarter goal when it was just a one-point ball game. 

“That’s the best game I’ve seen him play by a long way,” midfield coach Brett Gourley said. 

“To come back from what happened to Oscar down in Tassie is tough in itself but to come back and play the way that he did today I thought was just exceptional.

“He was influential in the ruck, went forward and made an impact as well and got to a lot of marking contests as well so we were really pleased with the comeback from Oscar.”

It was the first time in five years the Cannons defeated the Falcons in the Under 18 boys competition.

Geelong’s winning streak against Calder looked to be continuing when they booted the only two goals of the first term.

But the breakthrough victory came in the form of a hard-fought see-sawing contest at a windy Highgate Recreation Reserve, with the home team scraping through with a 8.11 to 8.4 win – the fourth time in five matches the Cannons have registered more behinds than goals.

“Inaccuracy has come back to haunt us a few times this year but we were lucky enough to have a few opportunities going forward and I guess it didn’t impact the result in the end,” Gourley said.

“We were off to a pretty slow start once again and I thought we let ourselves down just after half time as well. 

“It was nice to get the win but we just need to start putting together four quarters of consistent football a bit more.” 

Steering things back on track for their second win of the season was a big highlight from the weekend according to Gourley, but no matter the result it’s the connection between the current group of players that stands out the most.

“It’s really good to see them always sane and always positive – they work really hard,” he said. 

“I think the close wins always bond the group and if you can manage a few of those you can sort of see how tight it does make the group, so the boys were ecstatic with the win today and you could see it on their faces when they came off. We’re really pleased.” 

Calder’s four unanswered goals in the second quarter was responded by Geelong who all but levelled the contest to 40-39 at three-quarter time. 

Gourley said the coaches’ message at the break was to keep things simple and go back to the basics. 

“If we continued to apply enough pressure then the opportunities would come going forward so it was nothing different, but it was just continue to be consistent with our application and effort.”

Cannons break Falcons hoodoo 

Calder Cannons defeat Geelong Falcons for first time since 2014

Written by Jarryd Barca 

The Calder Cannons Under 18 boys snapped a five-year losing streak on the weekend after surviving a seven-point thriller against the Geelong Falcons at Highgate Recreation Reserve.

A win was crucial for Calder in the Round 5 NAB League contest who had lost three of its first four matches of the season and was coming off a dour loss against Tasmania before the Easter bye weekend.

The last time the Cannons were victorious against the Falcons was the 36-point win in Round 7, 2014 in the then-called TAC Cup.  

But the tables have now turned with Calder edging past its opponent and recording an 8.11 (59) to 8.4 (52) win on home soil. 

Calder was inspirationally led by captain Brodie Newman, whose 36-possession, 17-mark and seven-rebound 50 game steered the side to its second 2019 victory. 

Daniel Mott (29 touches) and Sam Ramsay (27) were the best of the midfielders and thrived on the output of ruckmen Oscar Sasalu and first-gamer Josh Hotchkin. 

Cannons small Ned Gentile also wore the number 27 VCMG guernsey with pride in a 21-disposal, three-goal outing. 

In a game full of momentum swings, a case of ‘same old’ was looming after again being slow out of the blocks and coughing up the first two goals of the match. 

But Geelong’s 12-point quarter-time margin was short-lived as the home side began to turn up the heat.

The Cannons’ efforts to dominate the territory battle in the second quarter went off without a hitch, but errant kicking at the goal face meant the home side put through five behinds before registering a goal.

Jacob Martin broke the dam wall after converting a set shot 14 minutes into the second term, before three majors in the next five minutes of the game saw the Cannons establish a handy 17-point half-time margin. 

The Cannons appeared to be well on the way to recording their second win of the season and shutting the curtains on a five-year losing streak against the Falcons, but the away team burst out of the blocks in the premiership quarter to ensure the fans a nail-biting finish.

Geelong rattled on the opening four goals of the windy third term and sent the challenge back on the home side after taking a one-goal lead.

Gentile put the home side’s nose in front with a goal against the run of play and with scores locked at 40-39 at the change of ends a tug-of-war contest was awaiting.

The 17-year-old Gentile emerged as the potential match-winner when he snapped his third goal of the game to kick off proceedings 40 seconds into the final stanza, taking the game by the scruff of the neck. 

From there it was goal for goal in an enthralling quarter, with Martin and Sasalu both saluting to add to the drought-breaking result.  

The boys will now regroup and look to win its first back-to-back game of the season when they host the Bendigo Pioneers in another double-header this Saturday. 

Girls show grit in costly loss

Written by Jarryd Barca

The Calder Cannons Under 18 girls have taken a tumble in the 2019 NAB League finals race after falling to the Geelong Falcons by 14 points in Round 7. 

The Calder Cannons Under 18 girls have taken a tumble in the 2019 NAB League finals race after falling to the Geelong Falcons by 14 points in Round 7. 

The undefeated Falcons took a 20-point lead into half time and cemented themselves top spot with two matches remaining.

The 3.2 (20) to 1.0 (6) result at Highgate Recreation Reserve was Calder’s second loss in as many matches after a 4-1 start and puts a dint in their finals hunt, now sitting fifth on the ladder. 

Bu the season isn’t over for the now 4-3 Cannons. 

“We’re good enough, we’ve lost by a total aggregate of 28 points this season and I believe that we are capable of playing finals,” female talent coordinator Russell Humphrey said. 

“We knew it was going to be a tough game against an undefeated side and they outplayed us in the first half. 

“We fell down at half forward all day – just didn’t compete very well. 

“The ball was being rebounded back a lot and we didn’t get it deep enough inside 50, when we did we just couldn’t capitalise.

“Our intensity and endeavour was there all day.” 

Humphrey said the ability to defend the ground all over in the second half was a major positive from the contest, keeping the highly-rated Falcons scoreless in the second half. 

“It was a great defensive effort,” he said. 

“It shows that we’re not far off it. The lessons learned from the game is we need to be a little bit smarter in possession of the footy and have a little bit of composure, because when we did it showed we’re not far off the best team in the competition.” 

Captain Georgia Patrikios was a standout for the home side collecting 31 touches and kicking the sole goal in the final term playing a midfield-forward role.   

“If we win our last two games we’ll give ourselves the best chance of making the finals which is something we’ve been striving towards all season.”

Georgie Prespakis (32) and Alana Barba (22) were the other major ball winners on the day.  

“The players that Paul (coach Paul Tilley) asked to do a job really held their own and stood up tall,” Humphrey said. 

“Girls like Kasey Lennox, Pepper Poultney and Flick (Felicity) Theodore were outstanding in defence.” 

The girls will be leaving no stone unturned heading into the final two rounds of the NAB League season, with the Eastern Ranges and Oakleigh Chargers four and two points ahead of them respectively on the ladder. 

Humphrey said they won’t be relying on other results to go the Cannons’ way.

“We want to finish the year off strongly because of the hard work they’ve all done since November,” he said.

“If we win our last two games we’ll give ourselves the best chance of making the finals which is something we’ve been striving towards all season.”