The Queensland Blaze have finished a meritorious fourth at the Australian Primary Schools Championships in Perth.
Monday, 2 August, 2010
The Queensland Blaze finished a meritorious fourth at the Australian Primary School Championships in Perth, with a 3-3 win/loss record that identified them as clearly the best of the non-traditional football states.
Queensland closed out the six-match carnival with a 51-point loss to South Australia in game five last Friday, and an emphatic 69-point win over the ACT in game six on Sunday.
It was enough for coach Darren Baldwin to declare he and his support crew were “very proud” of the team’s overall efforts against outstanding opposition.
“The standard of this year’s football was well above previous years, and the Victoria v South Australian final, won by Victoria, will be long remembered as the best 12 years and under game played at a combined national championships,” Baldwin reported.
“We wish all the Blaze players all the best no matter what sporting pursuits they pursue and we congratulate them on being extremely well behaved and respectful young men who are a credit to their parents/caregivers.”
Queensland finished with wins over NSW, NT and ACT to balance losses to Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia.
They took on a very impressive SA team at the home of the East Fremantle Sharks on Friday.
Baldwin reported that after four consecutive games against quality competition the Blaze started on the back foot and never really recovered, although they did outscore the Croweaters in the final term.
They were simply outplayed in the first half. The South Australians were a well drilled unit who moved the ball efficiently through the centre of the ground.
“Full credit to the Queensland players who continued to work hard throughout against a quality team who came off the bye the previous day,” said Baldwin.
In the end, SA won 11-8 (74) to Queensland’s 3-5 (23).
Campbell Walker was named the Blaze’s best player from James Barnes, Tom King and Fraser Labrom, while Jack Bowes, Ben Presser and Dane Watmuff were the Blaze goal-kickers.
On Sunday, after a welcome day off, the Queenslanders travelled east of Perth to Guildford Grammar School to meet ACT.
According to Baldwin, the Blaze were slow out of the blocks as the game began under an early morning fog.
A miscommunication from the skipper caused a bit of a mix up about which way the team was kicking, but by the end of the term the Blaze had kicked straight to lead by two goals.
Some determined defence from the ACT boys stifled many an attacking raid by the Blaze midfield, lead by Tommy King.
However the flood gates opened in the third term as the likes of Joel Perry-Warren and Jack Bowes started to find more space and kick long range goals.
Matt Perjmibida (two goals) was also becoming dangerous goal sneak at the feet of tall forwards James Barnes and Tom Fullarton as the Queenslanders ran out convincing winners 11-5 (71) to 0-2 (2).
Baldwin said special mention also must go to our tireless defence who kept the ACT goalless, listing Charlie Howard, Luca Mason and Fraser Labrom as especially reliable contributors down back.
King was judged Queensland’s best from Howard, Sam Clark, Ryan Dadds and Fullarton.
Joel Perry-Warren, Jack Bowes, Matt Perjmibida and Declan Watson kicked two goals apiece for the Queenslanders, while Oscar Junker, Jack Barnes and Tom Fullarton kicked one apiece.
