Eastern Eyre Football
A Grade
q by Daryl ‘Scratch’ Lovegrove
CLEVE v RUDALL…Cleve completed their second round EEFL draw with a 3-1 win loss record following a comfortable 64 point win over Rudall at Cleve on Saturday.
Spurred on by a long-standing, healthy rivalry the combatants were ‘at it’ from the opening bounce.
Dylan Jenner continued his recent good form with the opening goal of the game and Daniel ‘Bruce’ Lee came up with his own version of the Natinui Sidestep as a prelude to a great checksider that posted the opening goal for the Rams.
Most of the first half was played at a frenetic pace and much of the night-before carb intake and pre-game sugar/energy top-up would have been well and truly expended by the long break.
The Bombers’ eight first half goals were all attributable to individual goalkickers while Grant Roberts led the way for Rams with two of their four, the others going to Bruce Lee and Joel Nield.
At quarter time the score was Cleve 8-8 to Rudall 4-6.
The red-hot pace was replaced by a more sedate skilled game in the premiership quarter and this is where the Bombers gained the ascendancy kicking six goals to two.
As was the case last week the young guns of Kenny, Perkins, Leonard, George and Claxton and Claxton were too quick on the draw for the old time gunslingers of Craig ‘Smith & Wesson’, ‘William F’ Cody Mason (who didn’t actually play) and ‘Butch Cassidy’-Crosby and Steven ‘Sundance’ Roberts.
When the Rams did attack they were continually frustrated by the Bomber defence led in tandem by Ned Saunders and ‘Swervyn Mervyn’ Schubert and it was not until the contest was beyond dispute in the last quarter that the Rams put any more than two sausage rolls on the board in a quarter.
Grant Roberts added another two to take his tally for the day to four and Hayden Norris, Jared Siviour and Michael Noble all added singles.
Best for the Bombers were the aforementioned young guns;
Trav George was poles apart from his opponent and I suppose that is to be expected of a ball magnet.
‘Burger’ Claxton was rock solid in defence and rarely wasted a disposal, Rick Leonard continued his resurgence and again knocked up gathering possessions.
While both Jason Perkins and Jess Kenny - who are rarely out of the game - should have their names called another couple of times on the first Sunday in September.
Anderson Claxton (two goals) was dangerous when drifting forward and his height and strength overhead stretched the Rudall defence, Daniel Hornhardt (two goals) similarly got under the defenders radar and they will do well to pay him more attention next time round.
For the vanquished - Joel Nield and Bruce Lee were their leading possession winners but in the absence of Daniel Hutchins they only really had Ted Roberts who led well and kicked accurately for his four goals to aim for up forward.
Rhett Morrow and Tony Evans were also lively and Bones Dollings no frills attack on the ball won him enough of it to frustrate a few promising forward movements by the home side.
After that consistent contributors were hard to find.
The Rams will be a much better side in coming weeks with the inclusion of centre square players Cody Mason and Greg Parkes so I wouldn’t sell them short just yet.
Cleve 21-14 (140) d Rudall 11-10 (76)
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