Tag: NAB League Boys

Back-to-back wins “reward for effort”

Calder Cannons finding form

Written by Jarryd Barca

While the Calder Cannons Under 18 boys recorded back-to-back NAB League wins for the first time this season when they downed the Bendigo Pioneers in a dour Round 6 battle, assistant coach Brad Murphy believes it was only a matter of time.

“You could argue a case that we should be 5-1, (we were) in front of Oakleigh at three-quarter time and they’re the best side in it apparently and we had our chances against Tasmania as well,” he said. 

“It is reward for effort. We only made one change as well this week which was a forced change, if Sammy Graham wasn’t playing tomorrow there probably wouldn’t have been a change made and that’s a sign of stability and a sign of faith from the coach as well to put the faith in the guys.

“I wouldn’t imagine that there will be too many changes again next week so it was great to get back-to-back wins.

“It was a good, ugly win.” 

Calder prospectively faced a tough start to the season with matches against the highly-fancied Sandringham Dragons and Oakleigh Chargers to kick off its 2019 NAB League campaign. 

But they’re 3-1 since that point and playing with a confidence that Murphy thinks can drive them forward for the remainder of the season. 

“We’re 3-3 which is reality and are stuck in the ruck, with games coming up against sides that are against us on the ladder,” he explained. 

“If we can win those then I don’t see why we can’t be in the top four.” 

Murphy puts the Round 6 win down to what has proven to be an uncharacteristic fast start to the game.

The Cannons kicked the opening four goals of the contest to kick off proceedings – the first time in three matches they registered a major in the first term.

“It was a real focus coming in, obviously winning the toss and kicking with a decent wind in the first quarter probably helped.

“And efficiency as well I think we kicked four or five goals straight and then maybe kicked a point after that so all those things added up to starting well.

“The main focus for us as well was tackling. I think we had 20 tackles in the first quarter and plus we were in front in possession in the first quarter so I think all those things added up to a really good start and probably won us the game in the end.”


Cannons too slick for Pioneers

Boys go back-to-back

Written by Jarryd Barca

The Calder Cannons have recorded back-to-back wins for the first time this season following a monotonous 16-point win over the Bendigo Pioneers on the weekend. 

The 7.10 (52) to 5.6 (36) victory at Highgate Recreation Reserve was the side’s third in four matches after losing their opening two games in 2019, squaring the win-loss ledger to 3-3 after six NAB League rounds. 

Inclement skies above meant the contest at times turned into an eyesore.

Midfielders Jacob Martin and Daniel Mott – who played the second half as a defender – both collected 36 disposals and had the ball on a string throughout the entire day.

Second-gamer Josh Hotchkin’s 14-disposal and 31 hit-out performance was also compromising, while captain Brodie Newman – particularly influential in the first half – backed up his 36 touches and 17 marks from the previous week with a 21-touch and 12-mark outing. 

Calder’s tackle count – a high-focus element heading into the contest – of 76 was also its highest tally of the season. 

After two consecutive weeks of a goalless opening term, Calder was able to dominate play from the get-go to register the first four goals in the opening 10 minutes of the match. 

The slight breeze advantage aided the Cannons to a 21-point lead at quarter-time before the rain began to plummet.

The second term was a regressive scrap with Bendigo’s Caleb Fisher steering through the away side’s first goal 13 minutes into the quarter, before back-to-back majors to Cannons Mason Fletcher and Matthew Allison saw a match-winning 28-point lead open up at the main break.

With Calder coach Ross Smith shuffling the magnets around in the second half it was a less stabilised and clinical side that saw out the rest of the match.

Coupled with sluggish conditions under foot, the home side registered 1.5 in the remaining two quarters but held on to register their third win of the season. 

“We’ve found some good form, which is nice. We changed a few things in the way we move the ball and that’s paid dividends,” Smith told heraldsun.com.au.

“We’re trying to get some versatility into our side and show recruiters our players can play in a number of positions.”

Smith lauded inside mid Martin for a break-out performance in Cannons colours. 

“We’ve been waiting for Jacob to give us a little bit, we sat him out for a couple of weeks because his form didn’t warrant selection,” he said.

“He’s gone back and worked on a few things and he was our best player on the day, which was really pleasing.”

The win puts the Cannons ninth on the NAB League ladder with the side looking forward to a trip to Morwell this Mother’s Day to take on the sixth-placed Gippsland Power. 

Gentile joins path of bravery and sacrifice

Still a privilege six years on

Written by Jarryd Barca 

They say when you’re on the footy field it’s like going to war.

But when former Cannon and Australian soldier Corporal Cameron Baird became the 40th Aussie soldier to die in the Afghan conflict in June, 2013, many Australians – including the Calder Cannons family – suddenly realised what it truly means to be intrepid and courageous. 

Corporal Baird’s devotion to being selfless was an attribute that came naturally to the son of former Carlton footballer Doug Baird. 

The Gladstone Park local was a talented footballer and was given the chance to represent the Calder Cannons in the then TAC Cup – where he was dubbed by many as the next Wayne Carey. 

Baird played alongside AFL champions Paul Chapman, Ryan O’Keefe, Jude Bolton and David Johnson during his time at Calder but was a shock non-selection in the 1999 AFL Draft. 

Instead he joined the army in 2000 where self-sacrifice was an expectation – something he had in spades. 

“I just hope that I can live up to what people wearing the jumper are expected to do.” 

In 2007 he was awarded the Medal for Gallantry for his actions in a search and clearance operation of a Taliban stronghold, while he was also awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia in 2014 – the first ever posthumous recipient. 

The Calder Cannons Football Club has since awarded one player each season with the number 27 VCMG jumper – the number worn by Corporal Baird. 

The player who wears this jumper displays strong acts of selflessness, discipline, teamwork and a willingness to work above and beyond. 

This year Ned Gentile has been given the opportunity to represent the guernsey in all NAB League games this season – presented the jumper by last year’s worthy recipient and 2019 top-ager Tye Browning.  

Corporal Baird passed in defence of his country. His courage knew no bounds.

Neither does Ned’s.

“It’s pretty significant to a lot of people and to the club as a whole. To be presented that on jumper presentation night was pretty special and it’s a privilege to be given the opportunity that I have,” a humble Gentile said.

“I just hope that I can live up to what people wearing the jumper are expected to do.” 

The 17-year-old is enjoying his second year in the Cannons program and has played a crucial role in the opening four rounds of the season, carrying his head-turning form into their recent Round 4 loss against the Tasmania Devils where he collected 20 disposals, took eight marks and laid six tackles. 

Gentile simply plays with a resilient and determined attitude that instills confidence into his teammates and makes them walk taller.

“Wing is my preferred position,” he said.

“This season I’ve played mostly on a wing, (I’ve) gone through the mid a little bit as well and I like to go forward to try and impact on the scoreboard.” 

Ned Gentile (left) presented the number 27 VCMG guernsey by teammate and former recipient Tye Browning at this season’s jumper presentation.

Standing at just 175cm, Gentile said while he doesn’t tune in to watch one specific AFL player, he takes note of multiple when watching the footy who play with similar attributes – “one that is smaller and has to use things other than their size to get an upper hand on their opponent”. 

The Airport West junior has also played a lot of cricket, “but it was always going to be footy”, and now he’s trying to prove his worth in the newly-formed NAB League competition. 

And the end goal?

“Obviously everyone down here wants to get drafted, that’s our main goal. I’ll work as hard as I can to get my name called out at the end of the year,” Gentile said.

“But if it doesn’t happen, (I’ll) keep working at it and go to the next step, but hopefully we can have some success as a team and at the end of the year maybe some individual success as well.”

The young wingman admitted noticing the pressure of performing in Australia’s premier Under 18 competition.

But it doesn’t phase him. 

“I think it’s actually really good, it’s really healthy competition,” Gentile said of every player in the competition striving to be drafted.

“There’s blokes that want to play for each other as well as try to impress scouts for themselves, blokes going out there and you know they’re giving one hundred per cent every week because they want to show what they can do. 

“There is pressure but you just deal with it, you just go along and play the best footy that you can.” 

Gentile said he’s been impressed with the camaraderie between he and his 2019 Cannons teammates, kick-started by a mentally and physically gruelling pre-season camp in Queenscliff. 

“It really brought everyone close together,” he said. “There’s a few less blokes on the list than there were last year and it’s really brought us closer and closer.”

Forget about pre-game rituals, Gentile tends to head into the trainer’s room roughly 10 minutes before the opening bounce of a game, “but that’s just because I get a little bit hyped up sometimes”.

His energetic persona makes him popular amongst the playing group, but it’s Gentile’s desperation and never-say-die on-field attitude that saw him earn one of the greatest honours within the four Calder Cannons walls. 

Listen to Ned’s full interview in our Episode 1 of our podcast below.

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.”