An end to all that and a moral victory!

Taroona won a moral victory today in the final match of the season - the Knockout Cup final at KGV. South Hobart won the game 4 - 1 but Taroona played their best football in the second half for the whole season.

South Hobart are undefeated this season, are coached by a professional coach, train three nights a week, approach the game like a machine and generally don't look to have much fun. Taroona have a Super Coach, train one night a week, approach the game with a healthy attitude and have great fun.

Taroona scored the last goal of the season - a Jack O'Sullivan classic which brought the vocal Taroona fans to their feet. All played very well - Man Manager Geoff brought the best out of his team with a number playing their best games for the season - Angus, Tom and Joseph all played their best. Will Hunt - contemplating life on the road - refused to let the South boys have it their way -stealing the ball from the South attackers on numerous occasions . The out ball was back - Mat Etherington sending it back towards the Derwent and the Showgrounds on numerous occasions - and he didnt muck around. The game was interrupted on a number of occasions for the ball to be retrieved, or a new ball sought.

Ben Wisby was very unlucky not to have scored - the ball hitting the post and deflecting the wrong way in the first half. Joey went on a run that went wrong - unlike his run against Kingborough yesterday that ended level with the penalty box. This time Joey didnt get as far and had to scamper back to the box. South had a shot and missed - such is Joey's force! He didn't even have to be there to make them miss!

Joe Atkinson, James Doyle, James - I'll deal with that injury later - Cherry, Aaron all played well. Liam Own Boots O'Donovan made the wings his own - enjoying the space that KGV provided. Liam showed no signs that he was about to wing away to Paris today - his determination would see him get there on foot if he wanted. Sam James was superb - showing the South Hobart boys on numerous occasions that if you want the ball you can often have it no matter who had it before you.

Jack's goal was a real beauty!

The game was well refereed - well done to the tallest ref I've seen.

After the game Match Manager Tim the urbane O'Sullivan addressed the players and parents - highlighting the quality of the character of the team, the injuries suffered, the parents who put in and of course Super Coach Geoff Atkinson. Why he was not in the running to take over from Pym is a mystery to me. I admit I am flummoxed. Yes he has a real job, yes he would turn Frank and Ben Buckley down, yes he would have to move but he is the man to take us to the World Cup in 2014.

Taroona started the season in Division 2, were promoted mid way, held their own in Div 1, won two nail biting penalty shootouts, made it to the Cup final, played to instructions and will have a superb summer. South Hobart will be training.

John Wisby started this team on the road to success. Geoff stepped in and made it happen.

Before I watched this team I didn't understand the game.

Thank you linesmen, thank you ball boys!

Nil all draws

Returned to the pitch on Saturday - outside the Goulburn St Polling booth first of all, then at Prince of Wales Bay for the latest joust with the Knights. After a midweek downpour the pitch was a paddling pool, adding something to the game with a Pinball-like slow down, no-roll area.

A late inclusion for the Pirates - from the Premier League - was Sam James. In the first two minutes he had twenty touches! Taroona had much of the play but when the Knights went forward they looked more dangerous! However, in their way was Joey The Imposing Taylor - who played a blinder.

After some nail biting - not from Joey who strode imperiously from the box to repel the attackers - the game ended as did the previous encounter - nil all. After Supercoach Geoff addressed his charges at the end of the game, the Knights Quartermaster approached the Taroona Camp in peace and praised the Taroona boys for their efforts, their spirit and their approach - predicting that at some point one of the teams would score.

Meanwhile in Canberra the result is the same - Nill all.

Time for a rematch?

Soccer update

Been quiet on the pitch lately - three weeks ago - son was sick and didnt play. (The team lost 1 Nil - the mercurial Zac suffered a hideous injury) The next week son and Aeorspace engineer Joe went to Melbourne - apparently now named Melbz! (The team lost 4 - 1 at Ranelagh). This weekend much of the team went to New Zealand for a band tour - or was it a squad training camp? (The team forfeited).

Season over: Junk Time

The commentators are often heard calling the last few minutes of a game - once the result is clear - "junk time". I think that is the stage we are at with the AFL season - it's over and we may as well start the finals. What do you think?

We're off to Wembley! - Penalty shoot out Mark 2

Last time the Taroona juggernaut went to Prince of Wales Bay the game was a scrappy, aerial rebound match - which was lost 2-3. This time the game was scrappy, aerial rebound match but the result was much sweeter. Master Coach Geoff called for his charges to include more or the key ingredient - mental toughness under pressure. He called on his team to ignore their opponent's pushing and shoving - and to focus on the ball.

The game started promisingly - Taroona attacked and attacked - Geoff had identified the Knight's Goalkeeper's propensity to grasp the ball on the second grab and instructed his charges to be near the fall of the ball. Then the game descended to the scrappy, kick for kick dish we saw last time we were there. In the shadows of half time the Knights snuck behind the Taroona wall to go one up.

Master Coach Geoff plotted revenge and not long into the second half Mat Etherington headed the equaliser. This being the Knock Out Cup semi final a penalty shoot-out loomed.

When the whistle blew it was one-all. On the last visit the refereeing was nothing to write home about. This time the refereeing was spot on - even a yellow card was shown to a Knight who would have been free kicked on the MCG for his well executed push in the back.

Here the planning from Master Coach Geoff to concentrate today on mental toughness was rewarded. Taroona had the first penalty. It was like a scene from one of those sporting movies - the crowd was silent, the picture became black and white and the motion was slow. The aerospace engineer Joe Atkinson struck - but his parry was defended by the Knight's keeper. Joe considered his calculations and saw no reason why he hadn't scored. But the Ref did - he saw the keeper move before the kick was taken. He called for the penalty to be taken again and after some quick recalculations in it went.

Joey is known to this column as Joey the Imposing - crouching legs and arms astride he makes a formidable stopper. The first Glenorchy kick went high - and Joey had defended without needing to touch the ball. Up stepped James the artist Cherry - it hadnt been a great day. Forgetting his shorts led to some wardrobe machinations on the sideline as the Taroona boys shared those available. When he was brought on mid way through the first half, still ill from the day before, he added some strength to the mid field - weakened though he was. At the penalty spot James struck but missed his mark. The next Glenorchy shot went wide of the goal. Joey the Imposing then imposed himself even more notably on the result by putting the next Taroona shot in. Then he stopped a rocket from Glenorchy. All the pressure then fell on Liam Own Boots O'Donovan - he calmly put the next in and it was all over. Taroona won the shoot out, the semi final and the honours.

The Cup final is scheduled for August 29 - the day after the last roster match. The opponent - South Hobart - who again put 6 goals in yesterday in the other semi.

What will Master Coach Geoff pull from the larder this time?

Taroona get 3 more points, Julia calls election

In a curious interplay of politics and the personal, just after half time at Gormley (is there a worse name) Park, Julia announced that we will go to the polls on August 21 - a great relief to many attending a function on August 28, with an essay due on August 27 etc.

Similarly there was great relief that Joey the Imposing plays for Taroona. Another blinder. Time after time Joey was in the right spot - judging his runs and his leaps to perfection when the wall that is the Etheringtons, James Cherry, Joe Haddin and others was punctured. Solid defence was called for and solid defence was delivered.

At half time Supercoach Geoff Atkinson ignored the politcal uncertainty and held his nerve - urging his team on.

Taroona went to half time 1 up after a cross to Joe Atkinson, from Ben Wisbey was intercepted by the Kingborough goalie who in an English team like second, dropped the ball and retrieved it from inside the net. A classic lob from Ben - playing the team game - became the winner if Taroona could hang on.

The second half saw the Lions practice their passing and their shooting. Joey was having none of it though.

Supercoach Geoff has moved this team forward - from Division 3 under 14s to Division 1 under 16s, Super PM Julia is now moving her team forward.

Make a mistake and have your name broadcast!

Returning to Kelvedon for the first Div 1 game against Glenorchy Knights yesterday. Without a Vuvuzela soundtrack the Taroona boys were solid in defence from the start - welcoming back Mat Etherington after a week out. Joey put all that practice from last week to great use - but nowhere near as often as at the Wellesley earth station.

Glenorchy had their own special negative comments broadcaster - who helpfully named all those who made a mistake soon after they committed their error - presaging a week of torture coming up. This made all the difference to his team - not only did they make a blue but they felt bad too! Mitchell probably didnt mean to give the ball away!

It soon became clear that the knights were not all that impressed with the Taroona responses to their jousting.

In the Taroona box Coach Geoff Atkinson (who provides a complete contrast to his opposite number) maximised his side's effectiveness by cleverly throwing his charges on at crucial points - his use of Aaron was particularly effective. On the other line sidelined Liam ran the line - back next week I understand.

So another point to the Taroona boys - a solid result.

Next week to Gormley park where the Kingborough boys are plotting their revenge for their penalty shoot out disappointment.