By Tyler Lewis
The goal-kickers list reads: Nathanial Rodda, 1.
But it is the context of the one goal that makes the Catani win on the weekend oh so special.
Former premiership coach and current president Nathanial ‘Tanny’ Rodda kicked his solitary major after the horn to hand his side victory on Saturday.
Rodda was caught high with his side trailing by five points; he went back; collected his thoughts and put it right through the middle, painting a picture that had to be seen to be believed.
The result, 10.4 (64) to 8.15 (63) over Yarragon is just the Blues’ third win for the season, but it will be one that won’t be forgotten for eternity.
It’s every footballers dream, and Rodda was able to live it out.
“It is a bit of a blur to be honest, it just all sort of happened,” he said.
“When I got the free kick I was sort of 60 out, I knew there wasn’t long to go, I was nervous, I thought I would just bang it in long and give our forwards an opportunity, I definitely couldn’t kick that distance.
“As soon as the bloke gave away the 50, I thought ‘oh no, here we go’.
“(I was) pretty excited, bit of nerves.
“He set me up in a good spot… I kicked it from about 25, I could hear the players and the crowd all yelling and screaming.
“I thought back to the junior days of how to hold the footy and how to line it up, sure enough it sailed through, it was all surreal,” Rodda said.
After reaching the ultimate success on two occasions, the man of the moment ranked where this game for the Blues sits in his list of favourites.
“For me, I have won two senior flags, at Stony Creek and then Catani in 2017,” he said.
“Besides those two games, it is probably the third best game I have been a part of, to be able to just come back and you know it’s a game we were hoping to win.
“We’re battling a bit this year, so every win is like five wins, just to come back and then be able to seal it after the siren, it is probably in my top three favourite games I reckon.”
In other matches around the competition, Ellinbank won the top of the table clash over Trafalgar, stretching its undefeated run to nine and handing the Bloods its first loss of the season.
It was a slow start to the match, with either side only kicking one goal in the opening half.
It opened up in the third and fourth term, with the Bankers kicking truly in the final stanza to come away 7.7 (49) to 5.10 (40) winners.
Michael Urie provided another special performance, booting two goals and potentially featuring among the votes.
For the Bloods – the Butler boys – last week’s hero, Klay, and Jace were among the best in a losing cause.
Buln Buln, meanwhile, continues to be the underrated giant in the Ellinbank competition, quietly going about its business at this stage of the season.
The Lyrebirds dismantled Neerim Neerim South in the final term after trailing at the final change.
The 8.11 (59) to 6.6 (42) win keeps the currently third placed side in the hunt for a second chance come September.
Daniel Lewis moved into pole position on the league goal kicking after dining out on Nyora.
Lang Lang, led by Lewis, kicked away after quarter time, keeping the Saints to just one major after the first stanza.
The Tigers injected some life into its percentage with the 15.11 (101) to 2.4 (16) thrashing.
Lewis kicked nine, taking his season tally to 29 – he currently sits equal with exciting forward Jason Wells who had the week off.
Poowong are in an interesting place at this stage of the season, demonstrating it has one of the best midfield groups in the competition, but struggling forward of centre.
The Pies went down 3.12 (30) to 8.4 (52) to Nilma Darnum.
Nick Carrigy turned it on for the Bombers; he kicked three and had the footy on a string.
The Pies definitely aren’t short of talent, quite the opposite in fact, and it would be a mistake to write them off with this much left in the season; perhaps having the bye will give them a week to freshen up and regather their thoughts heading into the remainder of the season.
