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Aussie Rules UK Southern League Season Opener 2009
Chippenham Redbacks 119 -
Southampton Titans - 87
What
a cracking start to the season for the Chippenham Redbacks on a bright
sunny day in Bournemouth. Against last season’s champion side,
Southampton Titans, the Redbacks upset the holders by producing their
best ever performance.
Man
of the match Johnny Hope-Smith set the tone for the day with some
crunching tackles and shoulder barges, really upsetting the normally
smooth Titans. In the first quarter the Redbacks started strongly in
all the aerial and ground loose ball contests. Influential ruckman Lee
Tarn put the first goal on the board, after a soaring mid flight catch.
This was quickly followed by smartly taken goals from agile half
forwards Tom Ingall and Aaron Gale. Debutants Lee ‘Gloves’ Ellis and
Kent Kauppinen also added to the Redbacks’ physicality, with Kent also
putting in some booming kicks to relieve pressure from the Titans.
Southampton responded through Todd and Warren, but Tarn and Kauppinen
added further goals to stretch the lead.
In the 2nd
quarter Rob Kerr, Rob Fielder and Paul Conway improved their midfield
effectiveness, interlinking with handballs and putting in a few
shepherds to protect each other’s kicking opportunities. This
disciplined work provided goal scoring opportunities which were taken
by Paul Conway, Tom Sobush, Fielder, Gale and Kerr with 2. Every time
the Titans lifted their intensity, the Redbacks responded, frustrating
the champions into conceding penalties.
The
longer half time stoppage gave both teams a chance to regroup, but it
was the Titans making their depth of experience count in the 3rd
quarter. Players were getting free from their taggers on both sides and
more goals were kicked. Krischunas and Milinkovic pulled the Titans
back into the contest with clever pieces of play, either setting up or
scoring the goals themselves. The Redbacks also had to contend with
playing a man down after Chris ‘fireman’ Matthews was sin binned for
retaliation. However, the Redbacks hung on with goals from Ben Denham,
Tarn, Kauppinen and Ingall.
Although concerned to have lost the 3rd
quarter, the Redbacks’ superior fitness enabled them to keep a
comfortable margin in front. Captain Tom Case was as inspirational as
ever in defence, with Eddie Wilks and Joe Beardsmore following his
example. Tarn, Kauppinen and Ingall kicked another goal each to seal
the win on a superb start to the season.
Players at the Redbacks come from all around Wiltshire and further to play.
Winning squad Vs Southampton Titans.
Tom Case
Rob Kerr
Paul Conway
Joe Beardsmore
Tom Sobush
Lee Tarn
Tom Ingall
Lee Ellis
Johnny Hope-Smith
Eddie Wilks
Chris Matthews
Aaron Gale
Kent Kauppinen
Ben Denham
Rob Fielder
Titanic Cup 2009 Photos here! Chippenham Redbacks’ new Aussie Rules season started brightly in the pre-season tournament in Southampton
on Saturday. With 4 pool games to play and under clearing skies and
what turned out to be a scorching day, the Wiltshire outfit started
brightly against the host Titans. With many new players, the Redbacks
have been working hard in the off season and their fitness and
commitment to the ball was evident in the opening exchanges. Goals from
Tom Sobush, Stu McKay, Joe Beardsmore, Lee Tarn and a cracker from Rob
Kerr set up the Redbacks famous win 42-25. Game
2 against the Bournemouth Demons was a physical encounter. The Demons
polished skills put the Redbacks under early pressure. However, the
Redbacks are made of sterner stuff this year and came back strongly
through the tackling efforts of Johnny Hope-Smith, Paul Conway and
Chris Matthews to win 36-28. The 3rd
game versus the new side Portsmouth Pirates allowed the Redbacks to
experiment and Fijians William Frederickson, Ratu and Ben got a real
taste of the action putting some big hits on the unfortunate Pirates. A
clutch of goals from Nick Hardick, Aaron Khan and a star appearance
from Mr Terminator Dan Proctor enabled a comfortable 48-12 score line. In
game 4 the Redbacks started slowly and never recovered against the
experienced and well organised Sussex Swans team. The Swans’ superior
kicking and movement in both defence and attack, along with the 6 goal
loss, gave the coaching team exactly what they were looking for. An
opportunity to highlight areas to work on over the summer season. Still,
the Redbacks had qualified for their first ever semi final against the
Titans. In another slow start though, the Redbacks, despite the
sterling efforts of Tarn and Hope-Smith, never managed
to build momentum. The earlier kicking and shepherding skills were off
target and the Titans claimed the final berth. Nevertheless,
it was a superb day for the team from Wiltshire and a lot of seasoned
observers were impressed by the team’s improvement. Lee Tarn won
tournament best on ground for his rucking and all round quality. Johnny
Hope-Smith was voted team man of the day for his energy around the
pitch. The 1st ARUK Walkabout Southern League game for the Redbacks is against the Southampton Titans on 18th April. For more information on fixtures and training see www.chippenhamredbacksaussierules.co.uk
for details. In an open and welcoming environment, new players (16+)
and supporters are always welcome to join in this high paced, fantastic
sport.
ARUK Southern League Semi-Final
Redbacks 10.14.74 Sussex Swans 16.16.112
What
a stunning end to the season against the league leaders. The
Swans started well and showed why they have led the league all season
long. After another slow start, the Redbacks built confidence
throughout the game that they could compete in the ariel and ground
exchanges. From the 3rd quarter Chippenham produced their best footy of
the season. Tom 'Ice Dragon' Case led from the back again, well
supported by Ben 'Don't blame me' Denham and Paul 'Torp' Conway who
both kicked goals.
The
defence spoilt like crazy and supplied plenty of ball back forward. In
midfield Lee 'Toon' Tarn was influential again, with big Joe Mitchell
and Rob 'I kicked another left footer' Fielder being very physical,
until Joe's hammy went. Graham 'Reagles' Howell, Chris 'Fireman Sam'
Matthews and Rob 'Chewy' Kerr all worked their 'proverbials' off to try
and get a scoring position for each other. A superb effort all round
fellas, to round off a highly competitive season from such a novice
squad. Echoed by the comments from all the other club coaches. Next
season cannot come soon enough!
Round 5
Final Score Brighton 23 v Chippenham 100 (Cumulative Scores below)
Brighton Black Swans Q1(2-4) Q2 (3-4) Q3 (3-5) Q4 3-5 Total = 23
Chippenham Redbacks Q1 (2-7) Q2 (7-11) Q3 (12-17) Q4 13-22 Total =100
The long journey was well worth it. Seven goals from Kris Beacham and two from man of the match Gary Plaster helped the Redbacks to gain their first and well deserved victory. Both sides started at a cracking pace, determined to get their first win on the board. There were crunching tackles, thundering goal kicks and leaping catches all afternoon. At the end of a breathless first quarter there was nothing in it between the teams. Luke Cottis and Kris Beacham had kicked a goal a piece to give the Redbacks a 3 point lead. It soon became evident that all the recent work at training and game experience was paying off.
The Redbacks took control from the second quarter. The midfield was controlled well by vice Captain Rob Kerr, whose hard running and physical impact game was a thorn in Brighton all afternoon. Rob Kerr was well supported by Joe Blundell, Lee Tarn (2 goals), Rob Fielder (1 goal) and Joe Mitchell in the hard running combatitive midfield positions. At half time the 53 to 22 scoreline was a direct result of the midfield effort.
In the second half, various players came into their own. Gary Plaster’s great link and support play ensured the forward line had a constant supply of possession. Dean McTaggart, Aaron Gale and Phil Moulton worked hard in the contact areas to ensure the mercurial full forward Kris Beacham had plenty of opportunities.
Captain Tom Case was dynamic again, punching away the ball from danger areas and spoiling many a Brighton attack. Tom was well supported in defence by the hard tackling of Dave Newman, Ben Denham and Luke Cottis who never allowed the Black Swans to settle all afternoon.
This victory shows that the Chippenham Redbacks are learning well. The perceptive intelligence, improved skills and contact physicality were the keys to victory. The support staff also make a difference, with club secretary Donna Fielder and runner Mike Denham ensuring the team were well supplied with fluid and simple carbohydrates all afternoon.
The Winning squad
Tom Case Rob Kerr Dean McTaggart Luke Cottis Rob Fielder Lee Tarn Ben Denham Aaron Gale Gary Plaster Joe Mitchell Joe Blundell Kris Beacham Dave Newman Phil Moulton Runner Mike Denham See facebook site for photos and video Home Friendly v Welsh Barbarians
Redbacks (3-1) (6-4) (9-10) 10-13 = 73 BaaBaas (3-5) (5-13) (8-13) 12-20 = 92
An exciting afternoon of aussie rules footy mania, ended up with players kicking goals for both sides and mates, knocking over mates all day.
The goal scorers for Wales were David James 2, Sean O'Sullivan 3, Rich McCoy 1, Glyn Smith 1 , Aaron Gale, 2, Lee Tarn 4 and Birthday Boy Chris Matthews 1.
For the Redbacks the goal scorers were Aaron Gale 3, Lee Tarn 2, Rob Kerr 2, Tom Case 1, Kris Beacham 1 and Lewis Surry 1.
The three debutants Mike Hall, Lee Tarn and Lewis Surry showed that power, kicking ability and speed make a great combination in this game. Kris Beacham kicked possibly the goal of the season from way out on the left flank. Lee Tarn worked dynamically in the ruck all afternoon. Tom Case was his usual composed self and even kicked a rare goal. Rob Kerr continued his route back to good form with some class touches. Dave Newman and Tom Spence shouldered people hard all afternoon, often each other, being on opposing sides!
Aaron Gale was lively and took his goals well. Dean McTaggart, Joe Blundell and Luke Cottis produced some early quality, before injuries forced them off. James Russell, Gary Plaster and Phil Moulton gave their all and learnt a lot. Gary nearly got a couple of goals, but for the wind.
For Wales Glyn Smith was solid in defence, Sean O'Sullivan was handy cutting through the middle. Mike Davidson had some clever touches. Dave James and MOM Joe were new to the fold but performed well all afternoon. Welshman Richie McCoy got an unfortunate injury. Get better soon Rich!
Game 3 home to Southampton
The first ever home game for the Chippenham Redbacks was played before an expectant crowd. Thankfully the rain held off and a feast of aussie rules footy ensued. The league favourites Southampton Titans started at a cracking pace, which the Redbacks struggled to cope with. Good spoiling work in the air and on the ground in defence by Tom Case, Luke Findlay, Remi Nitka and Luke Cottis kept out many an attack. The Titans however did get a few scores on the board, whilst the Redbacks young inexperienced squad were struggling to keep the ball up front. Lash Burford, Chris Matthews and Phil Moulter kept pushing and shoulder bumping their opponents all afternoon trying to get an edge up front. Dan Proctor and Daryl Major gave their best efforts so far in the now famous shirt.
Gary Plaster and Dean McTaggart had their most competitive games so far for Chippenham, working hard all around the midfield and picking up plenty of loose ball. Plaster was rewarded with a goal scoring opportunity in the 2nd quarter, which he took gleefully. The Redbacks put up a much stronger effort in the 3rd quarter, scoring a few behinds and restricting the Titans. Redbacks best player of the day Rob Kerr kept popping up in the right place to support his team mates, supported by Rob Fielder and McTaggart. Tiredness overcame the side in the 4th quarter and the Titans kicked a number of goals. Both teams cheered each other off the pitch and had a long chat in the clubhouse afterwards, which is the nature of aussie rules. Play hard against the opposition on the pitch, have a laugh with them afterwards. Friendly match home to Cardiff this Saturday 12pm Kick Off.
Many Thanks to -->
Anne-Marie Liggins and Becky Usher for their excellent goal umpiring. Gloria Major for superb preparation of the food.
Bill Hadlow our official Timekeeper on the day. Donna Fielder chief organiser behind the scenes. Chippenham RFC and Peter Livesey for hosting the event. And Brian Clarke for field umpiring.
Week 2 at Bournemouth The Redbacks had a much better day in round 2 against current premiers Bournemouth Demons. Though the squad was lessened by 3 freak work injuries the day before, the lads ran their guts out to push the Dees until severe tiredness took over in the 4th quarter. Dean McTaggart, Luke Cottis and Chris Matthews were the pick of the new young guns. Jon Wright also picked up a brace of goals. Gary Plaster and Mark Williams played through different types of pain. Dan 'Arnie' Proctor produced the moment of the day, beating off 3 defenders to square the ball for Chris Matthews to slot home his 2nd goal. The runner Daryl Major did an excellent job in trying circumstances! Tom Case, Rob Kerr and Rob Fielder gave their all, but a small bench ensured the pressure couldn't be sustained. However, the whole squad should be raring to go for the home game and the rest of the season. Just look out for blisters and netball posts!
Player's player of the match votes Tom Case 12
Rob Fielder 12
Luke Cottis 8
Dean McTaggart 8
Chris Matthews 5
Rob Kerr 5
Dan Proctor 2
Gary Plaster 1
Mark Williams 1 League Season Opener
Chippenham Redbacks Squad v Sussex Swans in London was
Tom Case (c)
Rob Kerr (vc)
Chris Hughes
Dean McTaggart
Luke Cottis
Remi Nitka
Ben Denham
Gary Plaster
Chris Matthews
Dan Proctor
Sam Chambers
Jonathan Wright
Rob Fielder
Many Thanks to -->
Alan Denham our Runner,
Nicola Denham our Goal Umpire and Andrea Lau our Timekeeper
http://www.anzacsportschallenge.com/
Match Notes: A hard opening game for the Redbacks against the league favourites. Good midfield pressure by Rob Kerr led to the game opening goal for Rob Fielder, which lifted spirits. This stirred Sussex into life, putting the Redbacks defence under the pump. Tom Case led by example, followed by Remi Nitka, Gary Plaster, Luke Cottis and Sam Chambers who all kept learning new tricks of the trade. Chris Hughes and Ben Denham kept battling in the ruck during intense midday heat. Chris Matthews, Dean McTaggart, Jon Wright and Dan Proctor kept trying to hold more ball up front against experienced opposition. Well done lads, lets have a good go at Bournemouth this week! Player's player of the match votes Tom Case 18
Rob Fielder 11
Remi Nitka 9
Chris Hughes 6
Ben Denham 6
Luke Cottis 5
Jon Wright 2
Sam Chambers 1
Gary Plaster 1
Chris Matthews 1
CARDIFF
The Redbacks followed up their successful trip with a journey to the Welsh Capital. Rob Kerr (c) Chris Hughes (vc) Luke Findlay Gary Plaster Lashuan Burford Dan Proctor Chris Matthews Kris Beacham Dave Newman Joe Blundell Tom Wilshire Rob Fielder Match notes: At a tough tournament the lads had a real go at experienced teams Manchester, Bristol and Wales. With many players unavailable it was pleasing to see new guys come in and perform. It shows the potential of Chippenham. Player of the day was Joe Blundell for his workrate and distribution. Kris Beacham scored a couple of cracking goals. The lads from Calne, Luke Findlay and Gary Plaster continued to develop well at the half back positions.
THE PIONEERS
The Chippenham Redbacks
first ever outing was at the Southampton Carnival on the 29th March 2008.
The Pioneers on this
famous day were
Tom Case (c)
Rob Kerr (vc)
Chris Hughes
Jason Shepherd
Luke Cottis
Dean McTaggart
Luke Findlay
Gary Plaster
Des Green
Lashuan Burford
Daryl Major
Dan Proctor
Remi Nitka
Rob Fielder
Match notes: All the new lads settled in well pushing Reading close and beating Bournemouth. Player of the day was Lash Burford for his energy, tackling and goal kicking. Des Green and Jason Shepherd were a menace to the opposing defences. Remi Nitka had a storming day in defence. Corsham lads Luke Cottis and Dean McTaggart performed well in their first outings.
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