With only three regular season games left of the VAFA men’s and 19’s fixtures and the women’s season finishing just over a week ago, it’s time we check up on how our Trober teams have fared.
Our Women began with a tough start to the season and our Reserve Women team folding, our Senior Women managed a respectable four wins, including three from their last five games.
One of those was a resounding win on Past Players Day, after which the Women’s Inaugural Team of the Decade was announced for 2009 to 2018. Seven current players were included in that side: Steph Castagnini, Emily Turnbull, Antonietta D’Angelo, Samantha Greene, Teresa D’Angelo, Kate Bond and Brittany Bordignon. Current Senior Women’s Coach Jaryd Coghill was named as Assistant Coach of the team.
A couple of milestones for Samantha Greene came in Round 8 when she kicked her 300th La Trobe goal and in Round 14 when she celebrated her 150th game for the Club. “Greeney” has now overtaken club legend David Morgan’s goal record and is the first woman to reach the 150-game mark. Sadly, Greeney’s time with La Trobe has now come to an end, but we thank her for her years of dedication to the Club as a player and wish her all the very best for the future.
With the season now over our attention turns to the Best and Fairest race. This year’s contest is expected to be extremely tight with Kate Bond, Steph Castagnini, Emily Turnbull, Stef Velona, Roslyn Melican and Lilly Molloy all in contention.
Unfortunately, with every season there is player injuries and this year for the women was no exception. Nat Cappelletti broke her ankle/tibia and fibula in the first practice game. This was followed by vice-captain Teresa ‘Swift’ D’Angelo who suffered the same injury in Round 9 and Jess Wright breaking her collarbone in that same game. Kaitlyn Ritchie dislocated her shoulder and was out for four weeks but fortunately made it back in time to play the last couple of games. We wish all these girls the best with their recoveries and look forward to hopefully seeing them back fit and firing next year.
Our Under 19 boys faced a similarly tough start and although they have remained competitive in some games, they are yet to notch their first win of the season. Their case hasn’t been helped by the fact they’ve had to forfeit three games during Uni holidays.
Despite all this, the side has provided the Club with plenty of positives. Since Round five, players Will Holmes, Patrick Howard, Brad Tremellen, Nathan Richardson and Richy Dell have all got a taste of senior footy. In total 11 U19 players have earned senior games this season, which will no doubt hold the Club in good stead going into 2020.
In the last six games the team has played, Will Luhrs has been a standout featuring with three bests and six goals, while Calvin Ross and Darcy Thorn have both impressed with four bests. Will Wilson, Thomas Wight, Ed Fleming, Richy Dell, Kingsley Clarke, Jacob Ellett and Tate Tregea-Copeland have also featured in the best players multiple times.
Hopefully this Saturday provides the Unders with their first win as everyone is back from Uni holidays.
Our Reserve Men in a complete turnaround from last year are absolutely flying, winning six of their past eight games, taking them to second spot on the ladder.
Round 7 saw the introduction of a “Coghill Combo” with Brett Coghill joining Jaryd Coghill to play and defeat their former Club Malasa. Since then, both Jaryd and Brett have become a formidable force. Brett has featured in the best four times and kicked six goals, while Jaryd has kicked 15 goals to bring his season total to 26 from just seven games. This coming weekend looks to see all Coghill brothers finally line up together in a La Trobe jumper.
Round 11 provided a special moment for club stalwart Alain Baillie who played his 100th game for the Club. Al has wound back the clock this year and featured in the best four of his six games.
While scoring was an issue for the side last year, no such problem exists in 2019. The likes of Arron Tomada, Scott “Snags” Pearson, Brendan Plowman, Josh Rogerson, Micheal Burrowes and Ryan Wills have regularly found the scoreboard in the middle part of the season.
With good wins comes some great individual form. Harry Fry, Jake Lasslett, Damien Hamell, Arron Tomada, Josh Rogerson, Tyler Costa, Bas Nelson, Lachie Cooke, Will Lowry & Steven Sutton have all put in multiple good games.
Our Senior Men have also reversed their 2018 fortunes, currently sitting fifth on the ladder, however their middle-season form has been patchy winning five out of their past nine games.
In round 7 the side had a confidence-building win over the then-in-form Masala, with Bailey Zimmerman kicking a “Sam Lloyd-like” goal to win the game after the siren.
Zimmerman has been dominating in the scoring department throughout the middle part of the season kicking 23 goals in the last eight matches. Ricky Nolan with 17 goals and Billy Higgins with nine have also been significant contributors in recent weeks.
During the mid-year period Midfielder Sam Benetti-Baker went on a sensational four-week-streak of featuring in the best, for his domination through the midfield. Skipper Tom Mooney also had a hat-trick of best on ground performances, during which he slotted nine goals.
Vice-Captain Andy Castles is another who has been in electrifying form, featuring in the best in seven of his last nine games. In round 14 “Cas” was forced to step up in the absence of captain Mooney and put in one of the season’s best individual performances, leading the boys to a much-needed win over Box Hill North.
In June Ruckman Matt Ogle was rewarded for his form as one of the competition’s premier ruckman with selection in the Premier B-Div 4 Big V Squad for the second consecutive year. Ogle has had another extremely consistent year, kicking 17 goals to compliment his dominant ruckwork.
The Senior Men now sit fifth on the ladder and one game out of the top four with the challenge set in the last three matches to break into finals contention.
With three rounds to go for our male teams and the potential of having both men’s teams in the finals, we encourage all players and fans to get behind the Trobers for the rest of the season!
