R11 2025 | Dev Squad at Wattle Park

The clash we had all been waiting for had finally arrived. Round 11 against Wattle Park had been circled on the calendar since the fixture dropped, and it was our moment to prove ourselves as genuine premiership contenders. We were boosted by the return of 2023 RJFC premiership player Nik Buchanan, as well as fan favourites Jai Raptis and Jem Duncan.

Unfortunately, the early 9.20 AM start once again took a toll. A sluggish beginning saw Wattle Park strike first with the opening goal. If not for skipper Lachlan O’Halloran’s outstanding work down back, the margin could have blown out early. Noah Peterson, elevated into the midfield, responded with intensity, linking up with Kavish Tailor and Asher Claney to lift our energy in what was a depleted JnrCorns outfit. Wattle Park added a second before Aaron Shipperlee sparked us into gear with a strong finish. Michael Van Benten followed soon after, bringing the quarter to a close with us holding a narrow 3-point lead.

The second quarter mirrored the first, but this time Wattle Park took full control. Their ball movement was sharp, and they hit contests harder. Their ruckman dominated the taps, giving their midfielders first use and leaving our smaller group chasing. Ill discipline in defence gave away easy scores, and our forward connection faded with frequent turnovers inside 50. By half time, Wattle Park had the upper hand, leading 33 to 22.

After a stern message from Coach Kevin and a few tactical tweaks, the group returned with renewed energy. The midfield clicked into place, led by Lachlan Sharrock, and suddenly we looked dangerous again. Michael Van Benten capitalised up forward, and a long-range bomb from Kavish Tailor put us in front by a single point with a minute to go. But tired legs cost us. Wattle Park responded almost instantly to snatch the lead again before the three-quarter time siren, with the scoreboard reading 46 to 41.

The final term kicked off, and Wattle Park once again struck early. Their size and strength began to wear us down, and with ten minutes to go, the margin had stretched to 15 points. It looked like the game had slipped from our grasp. Then the fightback began. Aaron Shipperlee stepped up with a steady finish before Noah Peterson snapped a brilliant goal around the body to close the gap to just 3 points. With five minutes to go, and deep into red time, Aaron Shipperlee took a big contested mark and dished it off to Lachlan Sharrock, who drilled a clutch running shot from the boundary at 45 metres. We were back in front with three minutes to play.

We locked it down as best we could. Repeat inside 50s from Wattle Park tested our structure, but we held firm. That was until a miskick opened up space, allowing them to mark inside 50 and slot the match-winner with 45 seconds remaining. The final siren sounded. A heartbreaking 3-point loss in a game that could have gone either way.

To make matters worse, we also lost one of our brightest sparks of the year Mohammed Elfaki to a suspected serious ankle injury. Our thoughts are with him as he begins his recovery. Looking ahead, we return to Woodfull-Miller this Sunday to take on AJAX. With our strong percentage, this match presents an opportunity to secure the top spot and reassert ourselves as contenders. The challenge is set, and we are ready to defend our home turf.

Final Score: MHSOBFC Dev Squad 9.5-58 defeated by Wattle Park 9.8-62.

Goalkickers: A.Shipperlee 3, M.Van Benten 2, K.Tailor 2, L.Sharrock, N.Peterson.

Best Players: Michael Van Benten, Asher Claney, Kavish Tailor, Lachlan Sharrock, Lachlan O’Halloran, Jonty Chandler.