Last Saturday we played our final home and away game for the year. Our hopes of playing finals relied on a win. Playing against an extremely tall Sacred Heart side in perfect conditions, we knew that we would have to play quick and attacking football, with a focus on tackle pressure and speed from turnovers.
We started the game extremely well. The midfield worked hard to win clearances and ran hard to help out in defence, while our forwards made the most of their opportunities. We lead by 3 goals at quarter time and were looking the goods.

The game changed quickly from there as Sacred Heart adjusted. They lifted their intensity to get on top in stoppages. They slowed down our ball movement forcing us to kick long down the line too often, which allowed their abundance of tall marking players to intercept the ball, switch it and move quickly into their open forward line. This pattern continued for the rest of the game. With PHOS players forced into attempting risker kicks up the middle, when turned over, often resulted in a goal against.

With our finals hopes dashed and the season ultimately coming to the end, it was disappointing that we didn’t play the game out. End result being an 84 point loss, our biggest loss for the year. Sam Inglis, Nick Ramsey and Josh Teakle were our better players on the day, while Justin Whitford and Hamish Gordon were our only multiple goal kickers with 2 each. Congratulations to Hamish Gordon who finished this year as the league’s leading goal kicker.

It was a very disappointing way to end, in what was a positive season. As a club we were able to see improvement in our group and we have a number of exciting young players who have learned a lot this year and I hope, will be motivated to go better again next year.

I will thank everyone individually and in a more formal manner at the presentation night *, however I just want to say a quick thank you to all the players, coaches, trainers, supporters, officials, sponsors, committee members, volunteers and everyone else who assists in making the PHOS community so great to be a part of. I’ve really appreciated all the support I received throughout this interrupted and shortened season.