Mum and I went down to the boundary as the Carlton players were doing their warm-ups. I always like watching the Blues have some shots at goal before the game. We noticed Fev, Hampson, Simpson, Gibbs and Joseph all had really short haircuts like Juddy and Murph - we're not sure why that is! Fev had lots of shots at goal, and just about kicked them all. We hoped that would be a sign of things to come!
As the players left the ground to get themselves ready for the match, Captain Carlton came past us on the boundary, so he stopped to have a photo with me. I like Captain Carlton. I had brought my Captain Carlton flashing badge and my Captain Carlton toy with me to the footy, but I forgot to tell him about them.
Almost as soon as the game began, Fisher got a goal. We hadn't even had time to unwrap our big flags yet! Thornton was playing really well early, and so was Houlihan, hitting the target every time out of pressure packs with calm precision handballs and kicks. South Australian Hartlett was back into the side for the first time this year, in defence rather than up forward. He was doing a good job back there. The Tigers got a goal but then Eddie Betts replied with a ripper set shot from his wrong foot, hard up against the boundary, deep in the forward pocket. The Tigers replied to that one with a goal of their own - close game! Kreuzer was great, so too Hoops who handballed to Betts who was running into goals......but he missed. Thornton did some clever spoiling, out on the boundary Murphy kept the ball in and got it to Houlihan who made another great handpass over the head to advantage Gibbs who was running away from him towards our goals and - goal!! The Tigers then got another goal and at quarter time scores were very close, Carlton 3-3 (21) to Richmond 3-4 (22).
Not long into the second quarter the goalless Fev came to life. First, he marked over his opponent's head - goal!! Hampson laid some good tackles, Juddy flew up high for a mark, didn't get it but the Blues did - Murphy went running in to an open goal, bounced the ball, looked behind him to see if he was being chased, had all the time in the world - goal!! Then with the ball in our forward half, Tigers muck it up and Eddie lays a tackle in our goal square, slips the ball out the back to Fev who in a split second drops it on his boot across his body - goal! Thornton stops it again in our defence, soon after Bentley kicks a - you guessed it - goal! The Tigers get a couple of goals, before Armfield takes a good mark in the back half, to Fev for a set shot and goal! After a while, Garlett the speedster booted the ball out to Fev who had to chase it with his opponent Thurston to the boundary, the race was on. I don't know how, but Fevola was amazing, putting on the brakes and using all his strength, managing to duck under the arms of Thurston, turn around, and from hard on the boundary, he kicked a bouncing, bouncing, bouncing goal!! 4 goals to Fev in this quarter! Half time had Carlton on 9-8 (62) to 6-6 (42). Could we win this game?? I was pretty sure we could, and told Dad it was lucky he had tipped the Blues, even though he was wearing some Richmond clothes that day.
In the third quarter Gibbs kicked the ball to Fev, who took a fancy mark that I reckon would be super hard to do - a one-hander, with that one hand over his own shoulder behind his head, taking the mark against the back of his neck. He kicked a big 55m goal from that mark, and Mum & I went berserk waving our flags in excitement. After a Richmond goal, Houlihan broke out of a pack with another pinpoint pass to Hampson, but Hampson missed the goal. But wait! Eddie got the ball to Carrots who got a goal! Then Fev took another beauty one-handed mark, this time with his arm stretched out way up high in the air - and he got a goal too! Next the ball's in our forward line, Fev in the goal square has both his arms pinned, sticks out his boot way up high for a you-beaut soccer style snap - goal! SEVEN goals to Fev!! The siren sounds and Mum and I are pumped, with the scores at 13-9 (87) to 7-14 (56). That quarter was bad kicking by Richmond, getting one goal and seven points. Usually that's what Carlton does!
Kreuzer took a mark near our goal square soon after the last quarter began, but near him Fev was paid the free for a push - ANOTHER goal to Fev! That makes 8. He's kicked 8 goals eight times before - could today be the day he breaks his own record? We hope so. Grigg comes running in towards the goals. "Kick it to Fev!" we yell, but he decides to have a shot for himself. He misses. The Tigers get a couple of quick goals. Come on Blues! Don't undo all the hard work you've done. The Tiges score again. We seem to have stopped. Fev gives away a couple of frees and a 50m penalty. Pressure football by both teams, with the wind making things look scrappy. T-Bird takes a strong mark on the last line, the ball goes down to our end for Kreuzer to kick a goal! Phew. The Tigers get one back and are only 15 points down at the 25 minute mark. Can the Blues hang on?? The ball comes down our end - Eddie Betts gets it - Fev's on his own in the goal square! Eddie handballs over to him, Fev looks around behind him, no one's there, he walks in almost to the goal line and boots a huge goal way up into the third level of the grandstand. That's NINE GOALS to Fevola - he's never done that before and we were there to see it!! The ball comes down our end again, and Fev's there - can he kick 10? No, it's too hard and the siren sounds. BUT WE WON! 16-13 (109) to 12-17 (89).
I sang the theme song really loudly after this game. Oh, how I love footy. I can see why my Mum loves it so much too! Now I can look forward to going to training on Monday and hopefully seeing some of my heroes and getting some autographs, and also to going to Etihad Stadium next Saturday to see the Blues take on the Swans!
Go you Bluebaggers.
From Jesse.
