Round seven of the 17/18 season saw the club travel to Mt Druitt for nine competitive matches against the Town Rangers. Round seven sees the halfway point of the season, and ladder positions after this round will be a reasonable indication of what will be required for a top four finish for each of the nine competitive Boomerangs teams. Mt Druitt has had a fairly poor season so far by their own standards and they were looking for some redemption before the first half of the season was over.
To check out the photos of this round head to the Boomerangs photo site.
Development Squad Matches
Mt Druitt could not offer matches for the Boomerangs development squads, so matches were organised for the 10 boys and 11 boys at Morris Iemma Sports Centre and at Valentine Park. The 11/12 girls did not have an away match this weekend, but several of them contributed to the great performance of the 13 girls.
12 Boys: Boomerangs 1 – 4 Mt Druitt (ht 0-2)
On paper, the 12 boys had the toughest assignment of the day. The Mt Druitt 12s have had a fairly decent season so far, having accrued four wins from the first six rounds resulting in them being placed third on the competition ladder. The travelling Boomers though were up for the challenge and took it to their fancied opponents in the first half, conceding two goals – one early in the half – and one just before the halftime whistle. They worked hard in the second half and brought it back to a single goal deficit with a goal to Hayden Mortimer. However, the home team held off the Boomerangs momentum and scored two of their own to run out victors.
Goal to Hayden Mortimer
Ladder Position: 6th
13 Girls: Boomerangs 2 – 0 Mt Druitt (ht 1-0)
After their exciting last-gasp win last weekend against Hakoah, the girls were full of confidence and energy going into this match against Mt Druitt. And despite their poor season record (yet to record a win), the Mt Druitt girls put up a spirited fight. A goal in each half for the youngest Boomerangs competitive girls team saw them take the match reasonably comfortably – but it was their renewed energy, enthusiasm and desire to win that was noticeable. This will hold them in good stead going into the back half of the season where they will need more wins than losses to challenge for a top-four finish.
Goal to Tayla Hampson, Ella Palframan
Ladder Position: 5th
14 Boys: Boomerangs 2 – 2 Mt Druitt (ht 1-1)
The 14s were involved in a scrappy affair with their Mt Druitt counterparts where neither team could take the ascendancy. The see-sawing affair had the players running hard and putting in significant effort, but too many turnovers meant few goals were converted. A single goal to each team in the first period was mirrored in the second seeing the match finish as a 2-2 draw. The Boomers though did have the opportunity to grab a late victory, with a ten-metre penalty in the dying seconds, but alas this was not converted. Sitting in fourth place on the competition ladder means the lads will need to work hard to win an additional couple of matches in the second half of the season to see themselves in a comfortable finals spot.
Goal to Noah Dowling, Odhran Traynor
Ladder Position: 4th
15 Girls: Boomerangs 5 – 2 Mt Druitt (ht 2-1)
The 15 girls continue to put the sword to all challengers and have now completed the first half of the season with seven wins from seven matches played. The team is playing some terrific futsal and whilst regularly challenged by their opposition, they have been able to execute their game plans to secure victories. Against Mt Druitt, they took a comfortable 3-0 lead into halftime, but the home team came out of the break with renewed enthusiasm and brought themselves back into the game. The travelling Boomerangs responded to this challenge knocking home a couple more to comfortably take out the match. Whilst on top of the table at the halfway point, there are two teams – Raiders and Hakoah – that are breathing down their necks with terrific records themselves. The 15s ladies cannot afford a slip up if they want to take out the prized Premiership this season.
Goals to Alex McKenzie (2), Lily Martens, Ellen Brown, Grace Burns
Ladder Position: 1st
16 Boys: Boomerangs 3 – 3 Mt Druitt (ht 1-1)
The 16 boys match was between two teams propping up the bottom of the ladder. And whilst the Boomers 16s have had a win and a draw prior to this match, the home team had yet to secure a competition point. In many ways, this match mirrored the 14s in that it was locked at a single goal apiece at the break, with both matches featuring far too many turnovers. The second half saw the intensity lift a gear or two and the effort noticeably greater from both teams. However, despite the effort, intensity, and at times exciting play (with some cracking goals), the teams could not be separated. Both teams needing to be satisfied with the single competition point for a draw.
Goals to Leon Michl (2), Ollie McCarthy
Ladder Position: 7th
18 Girls: Boomerangs 2 – 2 Mt Druitt (ht 2-1)
After a terrific start to the season (with four wins in a row), the 18 girls have become somewhat inconsistent with their performances at the back end of the first half of the season with two losses and now this draw. The girls have been right in all the (most recent three) matches and could have secured more wins, and the loss of competition points over the past three weeks will hurt them as they look to secure a strong finish and top two finals position. In this match, the girls dominated the majority of the first half scoring two but conceding in the final moments of the first half. The second half had the momentum swing back to the home club as they knocked home a second and defended well to stop the Boomerangs 18s from taking back the lead.
Goals to Grace Basser-Silk, Ellen Brown
Ladder Position: 2nd
Youth Men: Boomerangs 4 – 3 Mt Druitt (ht 1-2)
The Boomerangs youth men continue to entertain and importantly, secure competition points to maintain their position atop the ladder. The bottom-placed home team were full of energy and running throughout the match and started strongly securing two early first-half goals. The Boomers youth grabbed one back in the dying moments of the first half to wrest back the momentum going into the break. The fitness and skill levels of the Boomers youth came to the fore in an exciting second half that saw terrific performances from all that hit the court. With the lead changing several times and the home side putting in a huge effort, the Boomers lads had to draw on everything they had to grab the winning goal not long before the final whistle. Three important competition points secured as they look to maintain their lead going into the second half of the season – with several teams breathing down their neck.
Goals to Dylan Aitolu (2), Jayde James-Ward, Elie Darwich
Ladder Position: 1st
Open Women: Boomerangs 6 – 2 Mt Druitt (ht 3-1)
The open age women were never required to hit top gear throughout this match that saw them put together two halves of dominant futsal. A terrific effort by the ladies with the goal scoring evenly shared across the team. The women’s team sit just one point behind the Hakoah ladies and with a strong second half to the season will challenge for the Premiership.
Goals to Alex Martens, Nicole Jalocha, Liv Gurney, Rachael Corbett and Michaela Day
Ladder Position: 2nd
Open Men: Boomerangs 9 – 1 Mt Druitt (ht 3-0)
Like the women, the men’s team were never really bothered by the home team that has yet to secure a win across the seven matches this season to date. The home side worked hard in the first half to limit the visitors to just three goals, but the defence of the Boomers was too tight for the Town Rangers to penetrate – with very few clear shots on goal available to them. A goal very early in the second half took the wind out of the home team’s sails and the final 15 minutes was a one-sided affair with Boomers men lining up for shots on goal – with the final goal coming from ‘keeper Nick van Aalst; his first of the season.
The men’s ladder is incredibly congested from one to five with just three competition points separating the five finals hopefuls. The Boomerangs men will need to continue their winning ways to maintain a top-four position, and hopefully the top spot by season’s end.
Goals to Daniel Giovinazzo (2), Ben Basser-Silk (2), Daniel Fulton, Ryan Quarmby, Jono Ciminelli, Nick Rathjen, Nick van Aalst
Ladder Position: 2nd
A reasonable day out for the club with just one defeat across the nine competitive matches, but with the three draws hurting the Club Championship aspirations and the top four aspirations of the 14 boys, 16 boys and 18 girls. The second half of the season will need some more consistency and perhaps a stronger desire to take out matches to secure three competition points.
Check out the Club Championship after seven weeks into the 17/18 competition. A terrific round played by Hakoah and strong performance by Raiders, see the Boomers slide a little further down from top spot on the Club Championship for season 17/18.
To check out the photos of this round head to the Boomerangs photo site.