After months of sweat and plenty more sweat along with a little pain, the time had finally arrived for Coach Kent and his merry band of support staff to put the 2009 Under 18 Suncoast Power group of men to the sword. Game one of the Australia Post Queensland State under 18 Championships took place on a balmy Brisbane evening of Tuesday 3rd March against the Western Taipans.
Prior to the Power v Taipans 7.30pm hit out, the Northern Raiders accounted for the South East Bushrangers 10.7.67 to 8.5.53. Some 10 days earlier the Power had a practice match against the Raiders, winning by a similar 2 ½ goal margin, instilling a belief that the Power would put on a solid show in 2009.
The Power lost little dynamo Declan Magill from a bone jarring hit in that Raiders match, but the team vowed to cover Magill’s loss.
Last year the Power experienced the positive inclusion of four Papua New Guinea boys and returning in 09 are Peter Labi, Johnny Vogae and Emmanuel Tupia, whilst new boy on the block is Gary “Andrew McLeod” Kiele. The boys have been fantastic and very enthused to the cultural experience – and have become not bad footballers along the way.
In 2009, we have experienced another change with the inclusion of Rookie Search players, with four young men joining the charge who were recognised within our open school boys competitions in 2008 Alistair Baker, Zac McKean, Lachlan Miller and Jed Turner are all big fella’s and although a greater game knowledge is required, experience will deliver this to what are fine athletes in their own right.
So game on; with a pumped Power unit ready to defuse those western ones, venom?
The first quarter was very tight early with plenty of hard footy to be won as neither team gave an inch. Power placed the first major on the board with a quality snap from Parkesy who was presenting and loud in his normal manner, spotted with a few minors. Peter Labi also kicked truly whilst the Taipans got one the other way. At quarter time the Power with 6 scores on the board for the limited success of 2.4.16 held a nine point lead.
The second quarter started well with a big mark close to the behind post by Mitch Scholard, who swung around and by all reports nailed the major but a restricted sight on the pill by the goal umpire only rewarded the minor. Parkesy again was lively and kicked his second, whilst Trent Manzone was finding the ball and using it to great effect.
But from this point, the Taipans took control of the second half of quarter two placing three unanswered goals on the board – the Power had had a black out – find the switch Kent was the need at the ensuing major break. Half time had a scoreboard reading 4.6 to 4.2, a Power lead but the venom was back with the Taipans.
The third quarter started not the way the faithful Power crowd would have liked with the Taipans snaring two majors and very much looking the goods. Some grunt was finally found as players like Lanze Magin and Todd Panoho fought hard around the ball whilst the PNG Emmanuel was resolute across half back and PNG Johnny also inspired - throwing himself about.
As the team rose late in the third, goals were found as the Power zapped back into contention – Manzone was again steady, thinking through his game, delivering the first of the teams two goals to round out the quarter. Between these two much needed goals the ball became as red hot as it had all night as both centre lines punched it around the half back to half back lines for a very rugged four minutes of grunt. Finally the deadlock was broken as Parkesy finally kicked truly – he was always lively but the boot not always true.
Finally the Power had returned, heading to the last break with the same four point margin as twenty minutes back. Coach Kent brought the playing group in extra tight; some armpits thus tested the huddle, the conversation centered on the journey to this point and the need for all to dig deep and getting the carnival off to a positive start.
As happens a little too often, the opposition comes out swinging at quarters start and the jagged a goal against the run of play which was certainly not a result wisher for in the Power box. But good signs were showing that this Power unit wouldn’t die off.
The team whittled away at the lead as a snap on the northern goals looked the goods from the goal square via a solid Josh Denniss piece of play, but the sneaky cross breeze pushed the ball into the left hand goal post. But sufficient was done by this effort to lift the teams resolve.
‘Lanky’ aka Nick Lancaster was alive across half forward, moving like a buddy possessed and four good tall grabs was the focal point to many Power attacks. These big agile fellas don’t get shorter as a match wears on and his presentation to the midfield was excellent. The tough nuts of Panoho, Magin and the dash of H – yep that’s Harry Wilson were really giving Lanky every advantage.
Manzone also with his ears back was giving his all, he was on the end of some well thought through play by rookie player McKean who initially had a smothered shot on goal, and then cleverly toe poked the ball to Manzone’s advantage in the goal square. This on the back of a Parkesy gift in the goal square, resulting from a down field free and fifty as Lanky was dumped post kick. During this carnage youngster Jackson Ryan kicked a very telling goal that gave the Power the game although the final siren hadn’t yet sung. But by this time the fat lady had tuned up, and before games end she burst into some Bob Marley tune, as PNG product Kiele snared a loose ground ball deep in a forward pocket, baulked opposition and kicked truly from 25 on a tight angle.
So a fantastic last quarter from the Power was brought down as the siren belted out its game over tune. The Power boys a little reserved at this point, did the match over stuff – opposition handshakes, on ground coaches word and warm downs before hitting the change rooms and belting out one of the best Suncoast Power “Out we come to play” renditions as all joined loudly in the chorus.
Suncoast Power Development Manager Mark Kennedy reported post game, “that a solid team performance, eventuated in a great result for our playing group, however we know we need to raise the bar as we look to take on our nemesis Gold Coast Stingrays come Saturday afternoon at Coorparoo, but we very much look forward to the challenge.”
Final score: Suncoast Power 10.12.72 defeated Western Taipans 7.4.36
Goals:
Power – Jack Parkes 3, Trent Manzone 3, Jackson Ryan 1, Peter Labi 1, Gary Kieli 1, Shaun Maxfield 1
Taipans – James Pennycuick 3, Mitchell Kosch 2, Zaine Pringle 1, Daniel Wayne 1
Best:
Power – Todd Panoho, Trent Manzone, Lanze Magin, Emmanuel Tupia, Jack Parkes, Harry Wilson, Lanky’s last for a special mention and the whole team when it was their turn to go.
Taipans – Zaine Pringle, Dominic Beer, Scott Clarke, Chris McClennan, Tom Baldwin
Last Modified on 23/03/2009 18:32