News — MAAFL

MILWAUKEE, WI – On a beautiful Wisconsin day, where the mercury threatened 90 in the breathless expanses of Brown Deer Park, Chicago United headed to the home of Millers, Brewers, Bucks and a tonne of leftover Germans to take on the might and power of the Bombers. A long history preceded the interlopers from the south and it was with much aplomb that the two teams took the field, marshaled very impressively by Milwaukee legends Gazza and big Plugger. All that was missing was an Al MacGlashan hurling abuse at the two old combatants in white from the sidelines.

Chicago let their intentions be known from the jump. With the magnificently quaffed Jason Wilhelm dominating the air, Chicago onballers Hayse, Brennan, Zukowski and Blundell were getting plenty of the pill and they had plenty of willing participants up forward demanding the ball. Hoyt was again busy, Roofy was being double teamed but still managing to present, Gordon Ambrosino looked like he maybe running into some circa 2006 form and the little Tiger in Nolan McKeegan was being a pain in the butt for the Milwaukee defence…. if only they all could’ve kicked straight! Time and again Chicago peppered the goals for no joy until the flamboyant Ambrosino snapped impressively to bring up the first two finger salute for the visitors. Chicago continued to attack but the Milwaukee defence continued to defy them and as the quarter went on, the Bombers started to show glimpses of the talent they have mustered over the off season. With Chicagos inaccuracy and a more confident Milwaukee team, the teams went into the first break nice and close with the United leading 2.7: 19 to 0.2: 2.

Hendrie swung the moves and the United responded in kind. Drake went into the middle with Hayse, Wilhelm and Brennan and together the foursome combined well winning numerous clearances and continually forcing the ball forward to their hungry forwards who were still being kept under wraps by their Bomber counterparts. Finally the big man in Roofy got free and was able to goal to set the score board ticking. Chicago continued to force their will on Milwaukee and it was all the Bombers could do to hang on and not succumb. The United kept attacking and the ball was rarely out of their forward 50 and with Hoyt, Ambrosino, Dorsett and McKeegan smelling goals like a post game Schlitz, it was the Bombers who had to hold fast. The Chi town boys started pummeling the goals and brought up four majors for the quarter with innacuracy being the main reason this game wasn’t over by the half. The Bombers were able to hit back with one late and at the major change it was United 6.9: 45 to the Bombers who were also getting a case of the Ian Baker Finch yips with 1.4: 10.

The third was a dour struggle broken up by a sneaky Ambrosino goal, the only for the quarter. With the heat rising, the midfielders struggled to run out the quarter with both backlines getting on top. Hayse was a ball magnet as was Blundell whose game was nothing short of sensational out on the wing made famous by Billy Uhlmann who was sadly missing from the United squad. Frank Bradley, along with McHale, Zukowski, Fitzgerald, Drake and legendary figure Al Mac… whoops, I mention legend and instantly think of Al!…. legendary figure big Spider had the backline rolling along like a Canadian on 15 beers to keep the Bombers goalless but at the other end, big Roofy and the dangerous Brian Hoyt were also finding it difficult to break free of the ‘Heater’ in Heath Moore and his band of merry men.

At the orange break, the United had a seemingly insurmountable lead of 42 points, leading 7.13: 55 to 1.7: 13.

The last quarter became a story of how far as the Bomber backs, worn down from repaeted United attacks continued to offer as much resistance as possible against a Chicago midfield that had completely taken over the game and boasting an impeneterable backline.

Goals started to flow as Roofy kicked 2 in succession, Hoyt got another as did the little Paddy in McKeegan to send him to the fine tally of 1.9 for the afternoon and bolster his chances for the golden goose. Seconds later though, deep in the Bomber forward line, an errant handball from Hayse left Drake floundering on the ground like a beached whale and his efforts to tap the ball through the Bomber goals saw him wincing in pain, anguish and embarassment as the ball, mercilessly, stopped right on the bloody line allowing a Bomber to swoop in and soccer their second through and return to pat the Pakenham boy on the head and thank him for his kind gesture and then to congratulate him on wresting the goose from McKeegans hands.

With it all over bar the shouting, Roofy took the last grab of the game on the boundary and Brain Hoyt like, kicked a magnificent banana to put the icing on the cake for the United as they set up what will be one of the biggest games in MAAFL history in August when they head south to take on Nemeth, Vsetka and the Roo Boys in what will be a cracker of a game.
For Chicago, a wins a win and they dominated this game for the whole 90 odd minutes but bad kicking and a stout Milwaukee defence kept this one a tad closer than the scoreline shall suggest. With Gambaro, Uhlmann and a host of others to return, training must be emphasized by all to ensure your spot in this team. Wilhelm was sensational in the ruck and his duel with the Bomber ruckman was fantastic all day. Hayse picked up at least 40 possessions and was instrumental in the win. Dougie Fresh, Betty Palmer, Zukowski, McHale and Ambrosino were others who stood out for the United. McKeegan had the ball on a (crooked) string and will be invaluable in Nashville (look for him to put his hand up for the runaway train that night too just quietly!). Old timers Spider, Bradley, Drake and Hoyt all played well in the challenging conditions and in the end it was a gutsy, if unpolished win for United. The Bombers were stoic and threw all they had at their highly fancied opponents. Heater was excellent in defence, Siegel ran himself into the ground in the middle and their ruckman was fantastic (as was # 1, sorry don’t have a name). The Bombers have some good young kids coming though and with some positive recruiting, they will quickly return to the top of the MAAFL heap.

Finally, cheers must go out to the fantastic job done by Gaz and Plugger in the middle….. and both did actually get out of the middle… though never happy about it!! Well done lads.

The Chicago United will make the lovely trip up 94 north to the green pastures of Brown Deer Park which plays home to the Milwaukee Bombers. A recent change in game time tip off this Saturday at 11am will allow both teams to support the US Soccer Team in their face off against Ghana at 1PM. AJ Bombers, the Milwaukee Bombers sponsor pub, will play host to the rowdy and battered bunch.

The Milwaukee Bombers and Chicago United matchup is one of USAFL’s longest and most heated rivalries. The expectations for both parties are high with the men of the United looking to keep the MAAFL crown and the ‘Bomb-Squad’ looking to regain their former glory of years before.

After trips to Columbus and Denver have stretch the United roster thin, Coach Hendrie is extremely confident in the full cast of characters he plans to put on the pitch come tomorrow morning. Many of the lads have made their way back from South Africa and perhaps even sobered up. Oscar Meyer has been seen leaving Heathrow Airport with a Carlsberg in hand. Not to worry, his last Metro match proved his stench can often play to full forward’s advantage.

Many of the new rookies have moved beyond the first year jitters and bring a new level of fitness and speed to the club. Jason “Buddy Holly” Wilhelm will be back in the ruck which should allow new boys Pedro and Jayson to run wild right from the whistle. Brandon Harper has proven to make people miss and will provide ample support in midfield and forward lines. Newbie Patrick McHale will hold ground in the back and possesses great tackling abilities and vision to move the ball quickly out of the back.

Let’s not forget the vets. Eons of experience will be making the trip and Chicago will have a full squad running like crazy. Matty L, Toby, and IrishAmerican Graham Cracker will patrol the midfield with support from the outside gazelles in Billy The Nut and Hazey. Getting the ball outside and down the flanks using these speedy midfielders will prove to be asset at the big Brown Deer Park pitch.

Big Rohan Ward will be launching the aerial assault on the Bomber squad. And with Big Roofs proud parents making the trip from Oz, he’ll be itching for a bag-o-goals. Needless to say Roofy often gets doubled-up so support from Oscar Meyer will be crucial. Still unknown is one Brian Hoyt. United last match up against Cincy saw the leader of the epic “Sweet Package” band with two left hands – more like stumps or nubbins’. It was even seen post-game when Hoyty let several cold beers slip through his fingers. However, the always extroverted and confident Brian will be sure to make a needed impact against a staunched Milwaukee defense.

Milwaukee has their gunners too. Aussie Nathan Coad has bagged his share of goals for the Bombers. Corey Malchow has effectively controlled the midfield for Milwaukee this year showing skill and athleticism resulting in several BOGs. Rookie Ferrari has also shown footy is the game for him utilizing a big leg and great vision.

However, they will all have to come through the MAAFL’s most feared defense captained by President Frank Bradley. Even though Frank is well past his prime and lacks any real game with the ladies off the field, he continues to be a force and the anchor in the United defense. In support will be the confident BJ Gambaro who is not to be underestimated. His skill and poise in the back is often the catalyst behind many great United runs. Fitzgerald will look to get the ball outside and up to the big lads up top, while Betty Palmer will lurk in the shadows hoping to plant a big hit on any Bombers crossing his path.

Ball up at 11AM. Hope to see many United Fans in support of this great game and great team.

CHICAGO, IL – This was certainly a home game that concerned us with OHV fielding almost a full strength outfit. Chicago missing a few players from their victory in Columbus a few weeks earlier looked to their veterans on Saturday. played in 70 degree heat and in between showers the home side stepped out from the first bounce full of running and never looked back. Winning the toss and kicking with what looked like a 4-5 goal breeze the United lads took full advantage kicking 5 goals to a solitary behind in the first.

The second quarter saw the Dockers remain solid and hold their own outscoring a United side that was at times wasteful coming into the forward line in a flukey breeze. The Dockers went into the main break 33 points in arrears. With their back line playing well under constant pressure the oppostion coach called for reinforcements and flooded the United forward line, this got the desired result with the United team only able to register 2 goals for the quarter.

The breeze seemed to die in the last and the United side were able to hold a gallant and spirited visiting side and run out comfortable victors in the end 91 to 19.

Big thanks once again go to Paul Drake who donned the orange and black and took on the officiating duties with aplomb. The United boys head out to Denver on 19th June to take on one of the powerhouses of the USAFL, a big challenge awaits.

CHICAGO, IL- The Cincinnati Dockers, the nations oldest Australian Football team, head up the I65 this weekend to take on one of the nations best in the Chicago United who are running hot after a tough opener against the Jackaroos of Columbus two weeks ago. In what was the perfect preparation for the long MAAFL season, the United stormed to victory in the last quarter against a vastly improved and energetic Jacks team bragging big guns in Chet Ridenour, Evan Gardiner, John Fisher and the little pop gun in Scoota Matheson who all took it up to their highly fancied opponents.

The Dockers on the other hand are still picking leather out of their behinds after Luke Nemeth and co treated them like a red headed step child when Nashville visited for the John Harrell Memorial cup but the boys in the pretty red, white, purple and green strips held their own against little Scoota and co so this game can not be taken lightly by Hendrie and his Chicago charges who look to dominate the competition and serve notice to their old foes in the music city.

The purple people eaters are the reigning Divvy 4 champions and are looking to build on that success with a good showing against the United who have become the measuring stick in the MAAFL. Past games have been spirited to say the least and this one should be no exception though there hasn’t been a team in a bloody long time come in and beat Chicago in Chicago (New York I think??? Or was it the Gambaro/ Carroll led Blues of St Louis in 2004?) so it’s hard to see how the Docks can win this one but footy is a funny game indeed. A run through the Chicago line up presents Hendrie, Hayse and the other selectors with a wonderful problem that other teams in the US would love to have, an abundance of players that have stepped up in terms of personal commitment and fitness. Hendrie has not skipped a beat after taking over the United reins and the Chicago engine is revving like Ponchos vesper as it zooms up and down Halsted. Hendrie will, however, have the unenviable task of telling stalwarts and new guns alike that they’ve missed the opportunity to play in front of what will be a huge crowd this Saturday. On the small expanse of Waveland Fields, Hendrie will look for plenty of pace from the likes of Hayse, Uhlmann, Dhoory and Brennan who have all been on fire thus far. Dhoory, Brennan and Uhlmann in particular are all class and make up one of the best midfields this side of Punt Rd. The flying peanut, in this scribes opinion, maybe more valuable to this team than the big man in Roofy and his play around the ground will present the Dockers with a huge challenge in stopping him. The backline is just brutal with Gambaro and co ready to have their way with the Docker forwards. Key to this game will be the amount of room Hendrie and Chicago can generate for Roofy to operate in and how good the delivery is to the great man. With his stunning bride in attendance, Roofy will be looking for a bag to go with the 20 odd grabs Hendrie is hoping for from the Matty Richardson like champion.

This should be a great game for a half but the as Hendrie points out, the big men don’t get any smaller and the Chicago skyscrapers will be too big and strong for the Dockers big men who look to have their work cut out for them. Look for another massive game from Jason Wilhelm who has been a sensation this season. The boys love his effort and raw ability, the girls love everything else about him and those roving him are licking their lips at the prospect of ball on tit all day. Oscar, Hoyt, McKeegan and the faltering Chicago forwards should have a break out day on their own dung heap as goals and lots of them become the order of the day.

Chicago to run away with this after half time by a lazy 8 goals. Post match function will be at Brownstone Tavern and all are expected to attend. Bring as many people as you can to both the game and after party as this game will demonstrate the best Chicago footy has to offer. Should be a great day weather wise so if an umpire seems slightly intoxicated, that may very well be the case!

The Chicago United Football Club ventured into unchartered waters yesterday with a hard fought away win yesterday against the Columbus Jackaroos in Columbus, OH. A game played in the true spirit of the game and what was also pleasing from a coaches point of view was the overall umpiring effort, well done to the umps.

A relatively new look United team had 10 guys making their debut. Jason W., Pedro, Brandon, Tyler H, Tank, Simon, Ben, Jack and the twins Jason & Nolan played like rockstars in their first game. Pedro added a lot of bite in the forward line and applied fantastic defensive pressure, he also managed a great snap for goal and helped create others.

We knew that we were going to come up against a home side that has improved and will be a tough side to beat come Nationals time in October. They really held sway for the first three quarters and if it only had been a pinch of luck going their way the deficit at three quarter time might have been more than 2 points.

Effectively this enabled United a sniff. And in the end the talls don’t get any smaller in tough battles and it was the likes of Roofy, Crackers and the irrepressible Haysey who continued to marshall the troops and get us over the line by 20 points.
The mug award went to Big Jason, a revelation this year in the ruck. I have no doubt in my mind that in the next year or so that you will see him in a Revo jumper. All in all, everyone had their job to do and one that resulted in a very satisfying win. One that was savored throughout the night!

Our focus now turns to Milwaukee in a couple of weeks at home. Let’s get out on the track and get ready to take it up to the Milwaukee team that has not beaten us for a couple of years. Remember lads this is only the first win for the year there is a long road ahead of us.