News — footy

With 7 Metro games under our belts our Swans season kicked off on Saturday with 20 of us heading up to the Land of 10,000 Lakes to take on the Freeze, who are the current Division II Premiers. A perfect afternoon for football with the sun shining and what appeared to be a 3-4 goal breeze down the City end.

The Freeze were switched on from the outset and were able to quell any forward movment by the Swans. Given we were aided by the breeze in the first quarter were unable to capitalize, heading into the first break 1 point in arrears. The second quarter saw the mid field for the Freeze gain the ascendency, Pony owned the aerial dual and in the end the Freeze roved his taps very well and gave our backman some real headaches. At this stage in the game the scoreboard was getting away from us, at half time the score 32 to 14.

After some soul searching at half time, the Swans came up and really took the game up to the Freeze and you could feel a momentum shift and all of a sudden the Swans got a sniff. Xavier went into the forward line after half time and made an instant impact, Big ‘soon to be wise’ Al battled all day against what must have seemed to be a wall of opposition. The mid field began to click and guys that had been relatively quiet, Keefy, Alex, Sars, Dougy, Rocky started to find the ball and create some quick movement into the forward, something that had been lacking in the first half.

We had outscored them in the 3rd quarter, and there was a buzz in the huddle about the fact we were still in it. The last quarter began with a real sense of urgency, Pony Boy began to give our mid fielders first use of the ball, this kick started some real genuine chances with quick movement into the forward line and all of a sudden opportunities began to present. Of the four behinds registered in the last quarter, three were from set shots, so to go down in the end by 9 points was a pretty reasonable effort given the first half performance being below par.

There were some really excellent efforts from the boys and to get so close with only 20 blokes gives us some real positives moving into the second half of the year. New Swan recruits and first gamers, Wade Porter, Quin McMillan, Alex Wallach, Andrew Woodman, showed us their value and ability and we look forward to having them be a string part of the group for the rest of the year.

Revolution ruckman, Jason Wilhelm seems to get better and better every time we play and am sure Revo Coach Bishop is excited knowing Pony Boy will be up for the challenge in the upcoming Parallel Cup in Edmonton, Alberta, CA on August 3rd.

A really good start to the year overall! I beleive as a Club and as individuals the programming this year has been beneficial. With the mid season break upon us, it gives a bit of breathing space before we head into the business end of the year.

Chicago’s Jason Holmes obviously got his directions mixed up when he asked where Swans training would be held this week. Instead of making the journey to Waveland field to prepare for the weekends match against Minnesota, Jason jumped on a flight to Australia and is training with the Sydney Swans with hopes on winning his name on Sydney’s international rookie list.

Anthony Hendrie, coach of the Chicago Swans has been running Jason through the motions at training and has been impressed not only with his raw athleticism but with the speed in which he has picked up the game. “At some point someone joins the club and really impresses for a number of reasons; Jason is one of these guys. Once he hones his kicking & handball skills, his height and agility will put him in line to play a number of postions very well in our game. Something to be genuinely excited about!”

Club president Frank Bradley echoed those sentiments, “…after a couple practices and metro games he showed one thing only a few of the new American recruits to the game possessed, a desire to learn and get better every time he played. His enthusiasm for learning the game, paired with his physical abilities, will be what makes him a very appealing recruit for the Swans.”

Holmes is looking to emulate players like Canada’s Mike Pyke, Ireland’s Tadhg Kennelly and USA’s Eric Wallace to make an impact back in Australia. Jason’s 203cm frame has been a welcome sight down at Friday Night Metro games for all but the opposing ruckman. Winning almost every tap playing in the ruck, kicking four goals for the season and showing aggression through the packs to get the ball have shown his skills have come a long way in just three “Aussie Rules” footy matches.

One player who might be glad to see Holmes take an extended trip to Australia is Chicago’s starting ruckman and USA revolution player Jason Wilhelm who has been battling with the 6′ 8″ frame of Holmes in Chicago’s “Friday Night Footy” league this season. Wilhelm spent last season with the Gin Gin Eagles in country Western Australia and has done battle against quality opponents both in Australia and the US over his short 4 year aussie rules career. When asked about Holmes he wished the big man all the best, “… Jason is going to be something special. The kid has hands that just attract the ball, and stuck like glue. His ability to read situations and adapt, while constantly learning and asking what more he can do is inspiring. His size, ability and heart will take him far. I’m excited to see what he brings to the sport internationally and here in the US. Good luck mate!”

On the other side of the tap, Swans midfielder Doug Malcolm had this to say, “Playing against Jason feels like you’re going up against someone who is a foot taller than you. And maybe that’s because he is.” He went on to explain how it has helped improve everyones skills at the club. “…now you don’t have to be perfect with your kicks. Just put it up high and he’ll go get it.”

Jason will be in Australia for a two-week try out with the Sydney Swans and then will have a chance to visit with other AFL clubs. The Chicago Swans wish Jason all the best and hope he makes it back to the states in time for the USAFL Nationals in October.

Related links: AFL.com.au – US trio to train with Swans

Welcome back, Footy Fans, for yet another addition of Friday Night Footy at the Wavo. The storms that rolled through in the afternoon left the pitch a bit soggy, but that didn’t frighten the Lincoln Park Piranhas and Lincoln Square Tigers from lining up against one another in a fight for the top of the ladder. 1556 spectators looked on as the teams took their positions and got ready for the opening bounce.

The Piranhas got the scoring under way with Wade “Gun” Porter who slotted one through almost immediately, but also pulled his hammy as he kicked, leaving the Piranhas with one less on the bench for the entire game. After Porter went down, the Piranhas seemed out of sorts. Though there was solid opposition from Dan “Ginger” Khastilan the Tigers were relentless, and pumped the pill into the forward line. Al “Snaps” MacGlashan was on fire, with two goals. Little Nolan Schmelzer was up and about as well with one goal. A bright spot for the Piranhas was Doug “Boots” Malcolm who continues to have a strong season across half forward. Frank “Ponch” Bradley was his usual active self in the backline for Lincoln Park. His great work at ground level continues to defy logic for a tall backman. By the end of the first quarter, the Tigers were up 4.4.28 to the Piranhas 1.0.6

In the second quarter, Tiger Pedro “Corrigan” Jimenez had a beautiful center clearance… for the oppostion. A chorus of “GOOSE” followed. Ryan “Skullet” Daudelin was a force to be reckoned with in the forward line. He roved a beautiful tap by Jason “Ink” Wilhelm and put a goal on the board, and 2 for the quarter. Fellow Fish, Tim “Munster” Hermann was once again active in the middle of the ground, and had another great game kicking one goal on the evening. The Tigers answered through Alex “Wazza” Wallach who continued his good form, kicking one goal for the quarter. Brian “Package” Hoyt had another good game in defense for Lincoln Park, while Matt “Not Quite Webster” Webb seemed to have a nose for the footy. Tyler “Goose” Dorsett was his usual self, making great leads and putting on strong shepherds, some against the opposition and one in particular against an unexpecting teammate. At one point, the players realized that umpire Anthony “Razor” Hendrie had forgotten to check his watch for at least fifteen minutes resulting in the longest quarter in AFL history. At the end of it, the Tigers led the Piranhas 8.5.53 to 3.3.21.

After the long break, the players from both teams decided to pump up the volume. It was a battle of defenses as there was little scoring. Jason “Pippy” Schmelzer, Andrew “Sainty” St James, and Dan “Tiger Balm” Sarbacker really started to connect beautifully in the Piranha’s midfield. Russ “Rusty” Adams wasn’t his usual dominant self, but still provided plenty of ball to his teammates. Coming out of defense, Joe “Chuck Norris” Swierupski decided it was a great idea to clear the ball but instead kicked Piranha forward Joel “Nugget” Bennett’s shin causing him to leave the game. Quinton “Barbie-Q” McMillen consistenly found space on the wing. The goals didn’t see much action, but Umpire Biggsy felt the brunt of everyone’s aggression. Particularly Tiger Eric “Not So EZ” Zukowski who kicked straight from a set shot late in the quarter. Xavier “Big” Burton continued his excellent form collecting 32 posessions and most of those were contested. At the end of the third quarter it was the Tigers still leading the Piranhas: 8.6.54 to 4.6.30.

In the fourth quarter, the Piranhas really needed to come up with some magic while the Tigers simply needed to keep the Fish underwater. Tiger backman, Mike “Disco” Panek found himself lost in the forward line while Tiger Forward Paul “Gloves” Enzinger found himself lost in the back line. No one quite understood what happened, but it worked out for the better. Oscar “I finally got a vote” Meyer kicked a beautiful banana from the boundary for a goal. Keith “Charger” Campion was a monster at ground level, constantly winning the contested ball along with Mark Appel “IIe” who continues to impress in his first season. Andrew “No, I don’t look like Brian Lake” Woodman is starting to find his feet as the season progresses. All in all, it was a hotly contested game, but in the end it was the Tigers who ran away the victors. At the final siren it was Lincoln Square 9.7.61 to Lincoln Park 5.8.38.

Blue Jacket (BOG): Ryan Daudelin
Oxford Landing Wine: Xavier Burton / Jason Wilhelm
Golden Goose: Tyler Dorsett

G’Day, Ladies and Gentlemen, and welcome back to another addition of Friday Night Footy at the Wavo! The weather is smiling as are the faces of the crowd here on the Lake Front. The fight for the second/third on the ladder is shaping up to be an interesting one. Tonight, the Wrigleyville Rhinos take on the Lincoln Square Tigers in what should be one heck of a match.

With the final sides decided, Umpire Anthony “Razor” Hendrie said, “Let’s get this underway, boys,” and sent a beautiful bounce skyward. As with every ball up on the day, it was immediatly followed by an intense Ruck competition. It was the Battle of Jasons, pitting Jason “Pony-atta-Boy” Wilhelm against first year giant, Jason “Sandilands” Holmes (3 Goals). These two lads were at each other all night and it was a beauty to watch. Holmes is sailing away to train with the Sydney Swans for a month so, “Good onya, mate” and learn everything you can. The opening bounce led directly to a goal through some beautiful work by Tiger’s Vet, Paul “Oscar” Meyer who was active all day on the wing. Garrath “Sneaky” Carragher was lively in the forward line for Lincoln Square, kicking one goal for the night. The Tigers controlled the footy for much of the first quarter seeing them kick 3 goals 2 against a Rhino defense that seemed out of sorts. Will “Well” Hyung went down early with an ankle while Josh “Goose” Stenger tried to lead by example with some extraordinary efforts in the back pocket but unfortunately only aquired the Golden Goose as his prize. After a massive effort by Jayson “Long-Stocking” Schmelzer, the Rhino Defense found its feet. The second half of the first quarter saw Wrigleyville come alive and they ended the quarter with 2 goals 2 making the score at the end of one, the Lincoln Square Tigers leading the Wrigleyville Rhinos 3.2.20 to 2.2.14.

The Rhinos decided to make things very interesting when they opened the 2nd Quarter with a goal. Xavier “Rated X” Burton was like a war torn battleship out there, tossing blokes aside and kicking a beautiful goal off of Half Back, showing that you can never keep a big man down. Tyler “not Hattery” Dorsett was providing some great forward pressure while Aussie recruit Wade “Stewy” Porter was simply exhilarating in the mid field and across half back. His beautiful delivery was inspiring his teammates left and right. There’s only so much one man can do, however, as the defense of the Tigers were like plumbers out there: patching up all the leaks. Tiger Captain, Brian “Red Shorts” Hoyt made life tough for Rhino forwards, Joel “Dammit” Bennett and Mark “Macintosh” Appel who were the victims of bad bounces and a lack of support all evening long. Tiger Eric “Tricky” Conway was stingy in defense, but took a hard knock that hopefully proves to be nothing more than a corked thigh. Finally, Doug “Flash” Malcolm, was able to find space for the Rhinos and kicked a nice goal, 30 out on the run. At the long break, it was the Tigers 7.5.47 to the Rhinos 3.6.24.

The third quarter simply belonged to the reigning Premiers, Lincoln Square. Alex “Yep, I’ve only been playing for a few months” Wallach was on fire, taking a snapshot at goal on the left and starting an onslaught that would last nearly the entire quarter. The Tigers piled on 7.7 in a third period that left the Rhinos a bit punch-drunk. Russ “Not so Rusty after all” Adams had a great game coming off injury and kicked 2 goals for good measure. Al “Tatonka” McGlashan seemed likely to mark anything that came his way and proved too elusive for the Rhino defense, kicking 3 goals for the night. Joining in the fun was Paul “They Really Work” Enzinger who came from nowhere, putting up a bag of 3 as well. Henry “Thank God I don’t have to Ruck” Knoop was outstanding at Center Half Back where he was able to rebound the few oppurtunities that Wrigleyville had. At the end of three, the Tigers had a comfortable lead over the Rhinos who only managed one behind: LIncoln Square 14.14.98 to Wrigleyville 3.7.25.

The Rhinos had little but pride to fight for in the fourth quarter. And this came in droves as Nolan “Torpy” Mckeegan hoisted a magnificent Torpedo through the uprights from 60 out. He, David “Dewy” Fitzgerald and Woody “Brian Lake” did all they could to get on the board by kicking 3 goals between them, but alas it was not to be. The Tigers again, surged as Joe “Parking Ticket” Swierupski roved a pack and found Nolan “Blinded by Puppies” Schmelzer in space which led to the 2nd of 6 fourth quarter goals for Lincoln Square. the final score: the Lincoln Square Tigers 20.19.139 to the Wrigleyville Rhinos 6.6.45.

It was an absolute thrashing by the Tigers, but the Rhinos can hold their heads high. Anything, it seems, can happen this season. One thing is for sure, the Chicago Australian Football Association has a lot to look forward to in the coming years. The youngsters are making a difference and the future looks bright heading into a big away game in the coming weeks against the Division II Premiers, the Minnesota Freeze. This is a great rivalry and should prove to be an exciting contest.

BOG (Blue Jacket): Alex Wallach
Oxford Landing Wine: Jason “PonyBoy” Wilhelm / Pedro Jiminez
Golden Goose: Josh Stenger (for taking the kick out from outside the goal square)

Blue Jacket (BOG): Tim Hermann
Oxford Landing Wine: Not Awarded
Golden Goose: Anthony Hendrie