Australian Football

Match Report

ESSENDON'S EXPERIENCE

DEFEATING A FAST SIDE

The match between Essendon and the University was one of the off games, but there was a fair attendance of the followers on both sides, hoping that their teams would encourage loyalty by promise of excellence during the game. A good many changes were made, and some of them to the advantage of Essendon at any rate. They gave two of their old champions—Bowe (the half-back) and Paddy Shea (their famous forward)—the chance of picking up form before next Saturday. Gove, who has been away riding winners in amateur races at the famous Riverina picnic meeting, was also playing, and a trial was given to young Hall, a nephew of the old time champion, and now Essendon coach, Jack Worrall.

It may be said at the outset that the young fellow played a cool, skilful game, and showed much of that capacity for football which distinguished his uncle in the old Fitzroy days, when he, with Con Hickey and Tom Banks, were giants at the game. Although both sides had pace, and that was conspicuously the feature of the University play, it was not an artistic game. Now and again there were really brilliant patches, and the University fellows were generally a little faster than their opponents; but Essendon had still enough of the old leaven to make their knowledge counterbalance speed, dash, and youthful ardour. This, too, in spite of the fact that Belcher and Hanley, who took a distinguished part in their great game at Geelong, were not nearly up to their form of the opening match. A good joke was played upon one of the Essendon's new men during the day. Several conspirators on the side came to him one after another and said. "You ought to be able to get ahead of that man against you. He is as slow as a funeral." The astonished Essendon man could only gasp. "Why, he's Kelly!" It was quite a long time before the victim dropped to the fact that his leg was being pulled.

1st Quarter

Essendon got a winning lead in the first quarter with 4 goals 4 behinds to University's 1 behind. Young Hall's coolness was noticeable, for he got two goals, while Walker and Shea also scored. The University played a better game than their scores indicated. There was a great deal of dash on both sides. The marking, kicking, and pace were admirable, but throughout Essendon's system rather overbalanced any advantage which the other side held in speed. Once Essendon had gained the lead they looked a winning side all through.

2nd Quarter

In the second quarter the students make a pretty good recovery, for they got 4 goals to Essendon's 2, although they were still in arrears in points, the board showing 6-5 for Essendon, 4-3 for University.

3rd Quarter

Although the dash and pace of the University was at times something exceptional, they always failed a bit in organisation. They gave one the impression, indeed, of a side which looked strong fast, and capable but with a constantly recurring weakness somewhere, though it was not easy to put one's finger upon that "somewhere." The best of the University men are as good as any in the game, yet they were a losing side, with both sides playing a fast, dashing game, and with not the slightest sign of personal animosity anywhere. It was a serious mistake on Lane's part to have insisted on the strictest observance of the rules. They was no roughness to repress, consequently his interference only checked a dashing and interesting match. In this the University were the chief sufferers, because they were continually disappointed just when it appeared likely that they would forge to the front. At three-quarter time Essendon had more than doubled their opening score, with 10-13 to 5-3.

4th Quarter

The last quarter was fairly even though University never had a hope of overtaking their opponents, and the final results were

Essendon, 12 goals 14 behinds (86 points)
University, 7 goals 8 behinds (50 points)

Before the season closes it will be found that Essendon have a side capable of testing any other in the competition. Amongst the new men Walker, who played a game or two last season, opened the match in very good form forward by getting the first point and their opening goal. As a player he seems to have improved wonderfully. Little Gove, on the wing, was really first rate, and it is a gain to have him in the team again, while of Hall's play I have already spoken. There is no fuss about him but he is cool and quick, and those are two good qualifications for a start. Bert Armstrong, who played forwards for them a couple of years ago, but who was kept out of the game first by an ailment of the knee and afterwards by rheumatism, has sufficiently recovered to return. They played him back, and, although it was his first try for a long time, he did well. Dinsmore was a clever forward, and Laing at times played beautiful football, both as defender and rover. White was absent through illness, and amongst the older division Ogden and Baring were in splendid form.

For the University Carl Willis played a dashing game in the centre, where he was altogether too good for Neate, another of Essendon's new division. Doubleday was another who shone amongst the forward ranks, where his dash was always conspicuous. West was distinguished in very much the same way. Marks, a big fellow, formerly of the Grammar School, was a valuable help to them. In the tried division Brake played hard and thoroughly, the kicking in of Woods was one of the finest features of the match; Kelly and Martin also did remarkably well, but Park, though as cool as usual was scarcely so prominent as usual forward. He got three goals, however, while Heron contributed two. On the Essendon side two goals each were scored by Shea, Hall, Rahilly, and Baring. The one thing apparent to everybody was that both sides were thoroughly tired at the finish.