You beauty! The Gryphs travelled to Packer Park for the local derby with Glen Eira and achieved a much needed win. After nine long weeks, we finally got some rewards for all of the team’s hard work.

The team got off to good start with key players getting their hands on the footy, taking the game on and hitting the score board. Mitch Ryan was an absolute colossus in the ruck and around the ground. Poundy was winning the ball at half back, breaking the lines and sending the Gryphs into attack. Rob Fletcher was crumbing everything and was back on the score sheet with multiple goals.

When Mitch Ryan went down early in the third quarter (please heal quickly!), the side lacked drive and went through a period of winning the footy at half back to just give it back to Glen Eira’s spare player on the wing. Glen Eira threw everything at us as expected from a side having an equally lean year. The way the Gryphs weathered the storm and responded to close out the victory was heartening and provided plenty of confidence for the rest of the year. After a tough run of heavy losses, it proved that the team still knows how to win.

The way the side responded when Glen Eira was full of running and back to within 1 point late in the last quarter showed a lot of character. We were able to arrest the common trend of recent weeks with Glen Eira only kicking 2 goals late in quarters. The fact that we were able to respond with 4 goals of our own during this time showed great resilience.

Highlights:

Ash Carey: Welcome back! Given a job on their best rebounding defender, smashed him and kicked 3 goals. Great performance.

Poundy: Ran himself into the ground and lifted to another level when the game was in the balance.

Freako: Revelation at half back over the last month. Won more of the footy and polished skills were instrumental in commencing many Gryphon attacks

Polly: Great leadership from this young gun. Future club captain in the making.

Squid: Continues to put his imprint on games by winning the hard ball.

Flowers: Provided the team with a spark when needed bursting out of the centre. Inspirational.

A Rob: Another tireless effort taking down the opposition’s best player. Kicked the sealer.

Stevcat: Answered the call in the last quarter to ruck superbly.

Honourable mentions to Andrew Barrett, DB, Sav and Murph for terrific 4 quarter efforts. Virtually every Gryphons player beat their man on the day.

Training this week is very important. We cannot afford to rest on or laurels and think that the job is done after 1 win. We need as many Senior players as possible to training as this weeks game against Elsternwick could mean the difference between relegation and staying in Division 2.