The Round Ball senior squad
The Round Ball under 17 squad
Mount Gambier's Community Football Project The Round Ball concluded its summer training program with a stunning result in their final hit out for the summer against the under 17 Geelong Champions The Breakwater Eagles at Whitehorse Park, Geelong on Sunday. The emphatic result has set tongues wagging in Geelong with talk that the Mount Gambier outfit was so exceptional it could be competitive in the metropolitan Melbourne under 18 competition.
CEO of the Round Ball, Scott Dickson was impressed with the result however he was not surprised by their performance. "This is an exceptional squad, and without a doubt one of the strongest I have worked with" said Dickson. "This group of players is exceptional and the great thing about them is they still have so much to learn." Dickson added.
"It was a great win on Sunday morning but I was more impressed with our 2 1 loss at the hands of North Geelong Warriors under 18 squad on Saturday."
The Round Ball led for the majority of the game against a very strong North Geelong outfit after taking the lead through a Alex Bissell header from a corner take by Alex Sims. the game played over three, thirty minute thirds saw The Round Ball hold their own against one of the strongest teams in the Melbourne competition and take the lead at the 35 minute mark when Bissell nodded home from just outside the six yard box. the Round Ball went close to extending their lead minutes later when Mark Judd's free kick from 30 yards out grazed the roof of the net. With ten minutes to go The Round Ball conceded a goal from a corner and minutes later fell behind when Matthew Pilven conceded a penalty with a rash challenge just inside the box.
In the final minutes both Tom Lloyd and Tom Weedon both had chances however it was not to be. "The boys were fantastic and deserved at least a draw." Dickson added. North Geelong Warriors under 18 coach Ante Didiluca was full of praise for The Round Ball and how far they have progressed in such a short time, "They really shocked us, I expected scott's boys to be good but never that good, they were exceptional. I havn't worked with The Round Ball for over 12 months and i cannot believe what scott has done with them. The last time I saw them they were okay and as a result of that game we signed Callum Ferguson, Tom Weedon was only 12 and Bissell was just developing. Now they know how to play the game, they pass and move, hold and press and dictate the tempo like metropolitan teams which is a huge testament to Scott's ability as a coach." Didiluca added.
"I was very pleased with the boys, North Geelong were physical and know how to play the game. They are well drilled and have great coaches that we can learn from, for me though the most important thing about this result as it is the first time that we have really been competitive with a strong metropolitan side of the same age cohort. For years when we have played the same age group we have not been able to compete, in fact several years ago I can remember teams playing against local sides and over age players being required, this squad has shown we can compete at the highest level."
The result on Sunday goes even further to stress Dickson's point. "On Sunday we played the current Geelong Champions and led 2 nil at half time. We gave 13 year old Jake Blackwell and 12 year old Sam Shoemark the opportunity to have a run in our under 16's and they showed they were more than capable of playing at that level. Jake scored a cracker in the first half from outside the 18 yard box and Sam scored two in second half. The score is not important", Dickson added, "we pushed the ball around very well and tore them apart in the second half. Alex Sim's was outstanding as was Dylan Murray and Cody Chapman from Portland and Josh Kourmouzis was an absolute rock at the back"
The Round Ball will now break for the winter and the players involved in the project will return to their local clubs. "i am looking forward to seeing the mark they make on the competition, it has been along summer which has included triumphs at the South West Games and a recent win over Gambier Centrals senior squad. I am very excited about next summer and can't wait to see what this squad can achieve in the future." Dickson concluded.
CEO of the Round Ball, Scott Dickson was impressed with the result however he was not surprised by their performance. "This is an exceptional squad, and without a doubt one of the strongest I have worked with" said Dickson. "This group of players is exceptional and the great thing about them is they still have so much to learn." Dickson added.
"It was a great win on Sunday morning but I was more impressed with our 2 1 loss at the hands of North Geelong Warriors under 18 squad on Saturday."
The Round Ball led for the majority of the game against a very strong North Geelong outfit after taking the lead through a Alex Bissell header from a corner take by Alex Sims. the game played over three, thirty minute thirds saw The Round Ball hold their own against one of the strongest teams in the Melbourne competition and take the lead at the 35 minute mark when Bissell nodded home from just outside the six yard box. the Round Ball went close to extending their lead minutes later when Mark Judd's free kick from 30 yards out grazed the roof of the net. With ten minutes to go The Round Ball conceded a goal from a corner and minutes later fell behind when Matthew Pilven conceded a penalty with a rash challenge just inside the box.
In the final minutes both Tom Lloyd and Tom Weedon both had chances however it was not to be. "The boys were fantastic and deserved at least a draw." Dickson added. North Geelong Warriors under 18 coach Ante Didiluca was full of praise for The Round Ball and how far they have progressed in such a short time, "They really shocked us, I expected scott's boys to be good but never that good, they were exceptional. I havn't worked with The Round Ball for over 12 months and i cannot believe what scott has done with them. The last time I saw them they were okay and as a result of that game we signed Callum Ferguson, Tom Weedon was only 12 and Bissell was just developing. Now they know how to play the game, they pass and move, hold and press and dictate the tempo like metropolitan teams which is a huge testament to Scott's ability as a coach." Didiluca added.
"I was very pleased with the boys, North Geelong were physical and know how to play the game. They are well drilled and have great coaches that we can learn from, for me though the most important thing about this result as it is the first time that we have really been competitive with a strong metropolitan side of the same age cohort. For years when we have played the same age group we have not been able to compete, in fact several years ago I can remember teams playing against local sides and over age players being required, this squad has shown we can compete at the highest level."
The result on Sunday goes even further to stress Dickson's point. "On Sunday we played the current Geelong Champions and led 2 nil at half time. We gave 13 year old Jake Blackwell and 12 year old Sam Shoemark the opportunity to have a run in our under 16's and they showed they were more than capable of playing at that level. Jake scored a cracker in the first half from outside the 18 yard box and Sam scored two in second half. The score is not important", Dickson added, "we pushed the ball around very well and tore them apart in the second half. Alex Sim's was outstanding as was Dylan Murray and Cody Chapman from Portland and Josh Kourmouzis was an absolute rock at the back"
The Round Ball will now break for the winter and the players involved in the project will return to their local clubs. "i am looking forward to seeing the mark they make on the competition, it has been along summer which has included triumphs at the South West Games and a recent win over Gambier Centrals senior squad. I am very excited about next summer and can't wait to see what this squad can achieve in the future." Dickson concluded.
