Game 1
West Island Eagles vs. Old Montreal Dockers
After an opening round in which the two premiership favourites convincingly opened their 2012 accounts, round 2 of the AFL Québec season travelled to John Abbott College in Montréal’s west, the home nest of the high flying West Island Eagles. Game one pitted the undefeated Eagles – 5 consecutive victories including the preseason - against a winless Dockers outfit. Despite some free agent roster alterations to both sides during the week, the Eagles went into the game warm favourites over an Old Montréal team that was struggling to find an avenue to goal.
From the opening bounce there was a sense that the Dockers had come to play. The Old Montréal brigade were full of running, new recruit Manus McDermott providing a spark across half-back sending the visitors into attack time and time again. However, the purple patch would prove to be a wasteful one. McDermott’s stellar play was dampened by three misses on goal, the task of registering the first major for the Dockers falling to Guy Joel Rocher, the midfielder opening his 2012 goal tally with a stylish shot through the big sticks. But the cream always rises to the top, and the Eagles responded with their usual class and precision. Goals to Matthew Payne and Stephane Labelle pinned back the deficit and saw the Eagles slip in front at the quarter time bell to snatch a surprise 3 point lead. Eagles 2.1 (13) to Dockers 1.4 (10).
The second term started with impressive Docker rookie Emily Legault making her mark in the ruck duels. Her deft tap work from the centre gave another rookie duo first use of the ball, Rocher and Phillip Ronci capitalising and using the ball with devastating effect from the centre square. It was all purple as Rocher added his second and Koch began to dominate up forward registering two of his own. By the time small forward Peter Adams had put through his first goal and Ronan Shaughnessy ducked and weaved around three Eagles to post another major, the Eagles were looking into the face of their first ever defeat. The West Island’s Alex Langevin had been working hard all half to keep his team in the hunt; his lone goal would be the only moment of joy for the Eagles as they went in to the half-time huddle a shock 22 points adrift of the Dockers. Eagles 3.3 (21) to Dockers 6.7 (43).
With the aid of a slight breeze in the third term the Eagles needed to find a spark to work their way back in to the match. Kelsey Martin showed glimpses of a star in the making and Mark Morin was looking dangerous up front for the West Islanders but solid work down back for the Dockers from Keir Link kept the Eagle flock at bay. The Eagles were getting their hands on the ball but the real issue was that the Old Montréal squad were still peppering the goals at the other end. Docker Nathan Jacobs’ good work was not translating onto the scoreboard however; registering four behinds for the quarter. When Morin burst from a pack sidestepping his defender and snapped on goal an Eagle comeback still looked possible. The shot missed by the narrowest of margins and registered only one behind, the spark the West Island team needed simply refusing to ignite. Veteran Peter Adams had been threatening to make an impact all game and when the nimble footed Australian registered his second and third goals for the afternoon the Dockers were on the verge of breaking open the match. Langelin’s second for the day was little consolation for the Eagles as the Dockers sailed into three quarter-time with what looked like a match winning five goal lead. Eagles 4.4 (28) to Dockers 8.12 (60).
With Koch in control in the ruck and the continued stellar performances from Rocher and Ronci at ground level the flood gates opened in the final term. Emily Legault capped off a memorable match with her first career goal, Shaughnessy adding his second of the day to put the game out of reach for the Eagles. The onslaught was far from over; McDermott finally registering his first and Jacobs two of his own, the Docker duo lively all day but in dire need of some goal kicking practice scoring 1.5 and 2.7 respectively. Peter Adams fourth of the match completed a five goal to nil final term for the Purple haze, the Dockers finally breaking through by 69 points for the team’s first ever taste of success.
Eagles 4.5 (29) to Dockers 14.14 (98).
Goals:
Eagles - A. Langevin 2, M. Payne, S. Labelle
Dockers - P. Adams 4, GJ. Rocher 2, N. Koch 2, N. Jacobs 2, R. Shaughnessy 2, M. McDermott, E. Legault
Game 2
Laval Bombers v Montreal Demons
With an upset already in the books, eyes turned to game 2 and the battle between the Laval Bombers and Montréal Demons. The Bombers had been ruthless in round 1, easily accounting for the Dockers by 80 points. In the Demons’ first hit out of the year they had taken the challenge up to the Eagles for three quarters before falling away in the final term. The match-up promised to be a much more even contest than the day’s earlier blow-out.
The early running was all blue, red and white as Kyle Graham and Aimee Legault led the Demon charge from the centre square. The forward forays would not amount to much as Basel Salameh mopped up on defence for the Bombers, locking down the back half. It would take a deep kick inside the Demon’s attacking zone, a lucky bounce, and an obliging forward in Luke Anderson to open the scoring with an opportunistic first goal. The defensive mindset would set the tone for the quarter as both sides struggled to find a clear avenue to goal. Tim Nixon found just enough space to register the Demon’s second, but goals to Bomber’s stalwart Paul Fairbrother and impressive first gamer Martin Lawless quickly reeled in the deficit. A deep ball to the Demon’s goal square spilled to the back of the pack and with a second stroke of luck Anderson put through number two and the Demons ended a positive first term with a hard earned 9 point lead. Demons 3.4 (22) to Bombers 2.1 (13).
Aimee Legault despite being in sublime form throughout the first quarter lifted again in the second. She ruled the midfield, giving the Demons plenty of opportunity in front of goal. Ryan McNabb who had been busy for the Montréal team also stepped up, scoring two classy goals and giving the Demons the early upper hand. With Kyle Sakaguchi playing an absolutely blinder across half-back and Tim Nixon adding defensive support for the Demons, the Bombers ability to score goals ground to a halt. Goals to Aimee Legault and Nathan Jacobs put the Bombers well and truly on the back foot, a single goal for the quarter to Lindsay Belzie leaving the red and black army desperately trying to cling to the coat tails of the rampaging Demons outfit. The Laval team limped in to half-time 25 points behind. Demons 7.4 (46) to Bombers 3.3 (21).
Despite being tagged for most of the game Fairbrother had been a thorn in the Demon’s side all afternoon. The trend would continue as the Australian broke the shackles of his minder to spark a Bomber comeback. Lachie Trumble and Martin Lawless provided the run through the midfield as the momentum of the game shifted in favour of the Laval squad. Kate Allbon-Sargeant squeezed through her first goal of the game and when Fairbrother added his second the Bombers had the taste of a comeback victory on the tips of their tongues. The Demon’s would suffer a massive blow to their chances as Kyle Graham’s impressive day was cut short going down with a knee injury. The Demon’s weren’t prepared to just roll over yet, the Sakaguchi-McNabb-Legault combination still in fine form and getting the ball forward enough to counter the Bomber charge. Rookie Ben Lirrowicz won a tough contested ball on half forward for the Demons setting up a chain of handballs that would end with Stephane Labelle running in to an open goal. That was followed shortly after by another ball sent skidding into the Demons attacking half, Anderson scooping up the ball and with his back to the goal snapping the ball over his head for his third goal of the afternoon. The Bombers would register another major themselves through Lachie Trumble, winning the quarter and reducing the margin to 21, placing them just close enough for one last attempt at snatching the game. Demons 9.7 (61) to Bombers 6.4 (40).
It was all or nothing for the Bombers in the final term. Robert Gordon and Emmanuel Angiuoli both began to make significant impacts in the game as the Bomber machine switched in to top gear. In the blink of an eye Fairbrother had the game by the scruff of the neck kicking his third, Trumble joining in with his second and the Bombers had reduced the margin to just 8 points. Now dominating the play they surged forward again, Lawless spearing a pass in to Trumble 30 metres out directly in front. Trumble took three steps inside the scoring zone, steadied and kicked, the shot on goal fading at the last moment cutting the margin to 7. The Bombers would come again, this time through Fairbrother who lined up a running shot on goal on a 45 degree angle. Another near miss and the margin was back to just six points. Under immense pressure Sakaguchi would weave his way through traffic to send the ball forward for the Demons. A pack formed around the ball and emerging with the it was Martin Maierhofer who snapped truly, finally giving the Montreal team some breathing space. Nathan Jacobs stepped in to orchestrate another series of forward attacks for the Demons, resulting in goals to Legault and McNabb which wrestled control of the game back to the Demons. Despite closing out the quarter with eight shots on goal to three, time and accuracy would eventually be the Bombers downfall, a series of late behinds not enough as the Demons held on for a hard fought 21 point victory.
Demons defeated the Bombers : 12.7-79 to 8.10-58
Goals:
Demons - R. McNabb 3, L. Anderson 3, A. Legault 2, T. Nixon, M. Maierhofer, N. Jacobs. S. Labelle
Bombers - P. Fairbrother 3, L. Trumble 2, K. Sargeant, L. Belzie, M. Lawless