By Tara Murray
Romsey spoiled the Brendan Fevola party on Sunday, with the Redbacks a class above Woodend-Hesket in their Riddell and District Football League clash.
While many in the crowd would have been disappointed with a lack of opportunities for the former AFL star, they would have been impressed by the football played by the Redbacks.
Romsey controlled the game from the opening bounce to recorded an easy win, 18.13 (121) to 4.7 (21).
One of the biggest crowds at Gilbert Gordon Oval in 20 years – an estimated 1500 fans – didn’t have to wait long for the first glimpse of Fevola.
After the Redbacks kicked the first goal of the game in the opening minutes, the Hawks pushed forward, only to kick a point.
An errant kick into play from full-back allowed Fevola to take an easy mark within scoring range. He kicked it out of bounds on the full. He was soon back in the action, with a free kick directly in front allowing him to kick his first goal.
While Fevola was centre stage, it was the Redbacks who were in control of the game, taking the ball forward with ease.
Romsey took things up a notch in the second term, preventing the Hawks from getting the ball into their forward line while hitting the scoreboard themselves.
Whenever the Hawks did manage to venture forward, Fevola was the target.
The Redbacks continued to dominate play in the second half, with Chris Petroro having the ball on a string.
Fevola should have had another goal from a free kick in the third term, but his teammates played on and converted anyway.
He kicked a second goal in the final term.
Fevola said he was happy to pull on the boots for the Hawks, despite the cold weather.
“The ball didn’t come down much to the forward line and the team we played is a top-two side,” he said.
“They [his teammates] battled hard and were great to be around. I can see what they are trying to do with the team.
“It was disappointing not to convert as well as I could have, but that’s football.”
Redbacks coach Dean Helmers said his players had looked forward to playing against Fevola.
“It was a bit of an unknown as to how many goals he would kick and we were taking it seriously. We started with an extra man back and changed it at quarter-time to man-on-man and backed in Leigh Erwin to do the job.”
Helmers said it was pleasing to play that sort of game in trying conditions.
“We worked hard with in-close stuff and it worked in the wettest conditions. Once we get it right, we will be hard to stop.”
Woodend-Hesket coach Glenn Hopkins
said it was great to see so many people attend the game. “[Romsey] were much more experienced and have a broader skills base. We still have a long way to go to start playing good football.”
