1954 SEASON
Leading Goalscorer: Michael Heng (Xiong) - 92 goals
League MVP: Lukasz Bednarek (Chavez)
 
1954 was a year of many firsts and surprises. The fledgling Ruddy Football Club, known to be the doormats of the GFL in their early history, made their first finals appearance. For the first time since 1949, the leading goalscorer was not Hyun Ki-Chang, who finished two goals short of surprise leader Michael Heng, who started the season as a fringe player.
 
Grimm continued to go from strength to strength mainly due to the potency of their forward line. Hyun Ki-Chang continued to perform strongly at 37 years of age, scoring ninety goals to lead the Reapers to top spot yet again. The Reapers ended the season with twelve consecutive wins to snare top spot. They achieved a 17-1-3 record, good enough for the best ever record in a regular season.
 
After a few seasons in the doldrums, Chavez returned to prominence. The acquisition of Bednarek not only improved the defence, the Nationals became a power, securing a 17-4 record. Often fighting with Grimm for top spot, an ultimately decisive game in round 16 resulted in a home loss, subsequently consigning them to second, which they held.
 
Xiong continued their fine form, replicating their record from their premiership season last year. Unfortunately for the Bears, it was not enough to secure the double chance. The Bears went 1-5 against both the Reapers and Nationals, which turned out to cost them. Fortunately for them, a new star in Michael Heng performed at a high level, who ended up the season as the leading goalscorer, placing last year's grand final hero Liam O'Malley to the fringes. Stuart Arlington continued to perform strongly in defence. The Bears only lost one match at home, but didn't perform as well on the road.
 
After three difficult seasons, Ruddy finally saw finals action. The growing maturity of the Ruddy squad enabled them to be more competitive against the better teams. In addition, Ruddy's strong home record enabled them to contend for fourth spot, but their poor away form meant that they still had a long way before title contention. A crucial match against Ulbrich in the last round determined who secured fourth spot to play Xiong in the 1st semi final. Ruddy won by 9 points to reach their inaugural finals series.
 
Angerer had a letdown from their previous few years, missing finals for the first time since 1948. The Bulls, whilst they had a strong midfield, were not as effective, mainly due to injuries to their forward line. The Bulls struggled in their first few matches as they looked more like contending for the wooden spoon. However Angerer recovered and reached fourth spot by the penultimate. To secure a finals spot, they had to defeat Grimm on the road. The Bulls led for most of the game, but fell short by seven points to allow Ruddy to leapfrog them.
 
Ulbrich, after two strong years, went backwards after the loss of Bednarek. Despite starting 6-5, they only managed two more wins to finish off the year. The Pilots looked like a side that were not going to play finals, but the relative weakness of the bottom five meant they were right in contention until the final week.  They travelled to Ruddy to play the Longhorns, where they fell short as they were consigned to sixth.
 
Despite the initial excitement from Joao Quaresma, Day still had plenty of holes to patch, especially their weak midfield. The Knights started 5-4, mainly due to Quaresma's strong form. However he was found out and suddenly the Knights' weakness in the forward line was exposed: a lack of options. Wally Trow's age caught up with him as he struggled to lead his Knights. The Knights had fourth spot as late as round 17, but capitulated in the business end of the season to fall to 7-14.
 
If Richburg's wooden spoon was disappointing last year, 1954 turned out to be a disaster. The Bulldogs managed a shock draw against Grimm on the road in round 4, but highlights were few and far between; the Bulldogs suffering ten consecutive losses. However the Bulldogs' wins proved to be crucial in determining who made finals: wins against Day and Ulbrich meant that it hurt their finals ambitions. The Bulldogs' defence was clearly graded the worst, conceding 100.3 points per game.

[img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/0791abe3-9b8d-4311-b88e-e3af67554e94/ddd08ux-a08e8d76-8845-40e1-9dea-6fda204c0248.png/v1/fill/w_913,h_875,strp/1954_ladder_by_tgartworks_ddd08ux-pre.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTIyNyIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzA3OTFhYmUzLTliOGQtNDMxMS1iODhlLWUzYWY2NzU1NGU5NFwvZGRkMDh1eC1hMDhlOGQ3Ni04ODQ1LTQwZTEtOWRlYS02ZmRhMjA0YzAyNDgucG5nIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTEyODAifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.mJPloUTmGKVf80zZBUvPWc6ulafsG2-eVLrLZlCMq64[/img]
 
Major Events

• Grimm's 12 consecutive wins broke their own record for the most consecutive wins in the GFL.
• Ruddy in round 11 against Chavez had a three-quarter time score of 11.0 (66). Their first behind was not until halfway through the final quarter. Chavez prevailed by 2 points: 12.10 (82) to 13.2 (80).
• An after the siren goal in round 20 by Henry Koo of Chavez against Day won the game for the Nationals, and subsequently eliminated the Knights from finals contention.

Last edited by Goran The Man (8/03/2019 10:16 pm)

GRAND FINAL
CHAVEZ VS. GRIMM
AT CHAVEZ CRICKET GROUND
2 OCTOBER 1954 - 2:30PM 

It has been clear Grimm have been close to developing in what is the GFL's first dynasty, though they had to play another Grand Final on the road. This time, they took a trip to the nation's capital, where they awaited a powerful Chavez team, whom they fell to the previous fortnight. Meanwhile in Chavez, spectators packed the Chavez Cricket Ground, with a crowd in excess of 90,000 people. Either way, this was the highest attendance for a sporting match in the whole country of Gorania. Most of the crowd were decked in navy and gold, though some of the fans were decked in red and white due to Grimm's growing fanbase across the nation as a result of their recent successes. 

As the ball bounced, Chavez dominated throughout the first quarter. Unfortunately for the Nationals, they did not take advantage of the opportunities they generated. Whilst Henry Koo was strong up front, he only managed 1.3 for the quarter, with the Nationals managing a return of 3.6. Grimm on the other hand scored the last goal of the quarter after the siren with a long shot from Hyun Ki-Chang to draw the Reapers within 11 points. For all their effort and dominance, Chavez's 11 point lead did not reflect the balance of play.
QT - Chavez 3.6 (24), Grimm 2.1 (13) 

The Nationals continued to surge ahead early in the second stanza, scoring the first three goals. The crowd was up and about, believing that the Nationals would break an eight year title drought. With Chavez being 30 points ahead at this stage, the Reapers desperately needed to respond. Grimm started to find more of the ball, and gradually began their period of dominance. Mitchell Yamada started to utilise his possessions, and generated crucial goal scoring opportunities. Subsequently, the Reapers scored the next four in a row to draw themselves within a goal. Fans suddenly became nervous that the Nationals' lead was evaporating. Chavez kicked a behind and steadied with a late goal to hold a 13 point lead at half-time.
HT - Chavez 7.10 (52), Grimm 6.3 (39) 

Yamada of Grimm started to become the most dominant man in the midfield as the Reapers dominated possession. However, it took them a while to score their first goal of the quarter, mainly through strong defence by Lukasz Bednarek. Bednarek repelled the damage, and brought in a counter attack which gifted the Nationals the first goal of the quarter. However, it was as good as it got for Chavez as Grimm continued to dominate the midfield, and soon scored three consecutive goals coupled with two behinds to ultimately hit the front. Chavez responded with a quick goal from Joseph Norwood, though Grimm had other ideas: Graham Shirley of Chavez fell over in defence, which allowed Jimmy Wagner to be open and subsequently score a goal to restore the one point lead for Grimm, which they held as the three-quarter time siren blew.
3QT - Chavez 9.10 (64), Grimm 10.5 (65) 

One point separated both the sides, and the 1954 Grand Final looked set to be a thriller. A majority of the fans were decked in blue and gold, but the red and whites had most of the Grand Final experience. In spite of this, there was a dogfight. Chavez drew first blood of the quarter to regain the lead. And Grimm took it back a few minutes later. Following the nature of the quarter, it went goal-for-goal, as the Reapers still continued to lead by one heading halfway into the final quarter. The scores read Grimm 13.6 (84) to Chavez 12.11 (83). 

Contrary to the trend, after Grimm's last goal, they moved forward again. Unfortunately, the Reapers managed a couple of behinds, which meant given the nature of the quarter, Chavez would be expected to retake the lead. True to form, Chavez surged forward and found James Spargo 40 metres (44 yards) out on a slight angle. Spargo took his shot and it went out of bounds on the full. Grimm immediately took advantage of the miscue, as Hyun Ki-Chang scored his fourth goal to give the Reapers breathing space with four minutes remaining. 

Down, but not out, Chavez desperately attacked, placing most of their players in front of centre. It seemed to work, but the Grimm defence held strong. And when there was an opportunity for the Nationals, they failed to utilise them, as two crucial shots went out of bounds on the full. This came to bite Chavez, as Ibrahim Salaam ran down the field to score the sealer with one minute remaining. Grimm added a late behind, though did not make any difference to the result as they have been crowned premiers for the third time in four years!
FT - Chavez 12.11 (83), Grimm 15.9 (99) [img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/0791abe3-9b8d-4311-b88e-e3af67554e94/dddl6rk-74271e64-f81d-4b30-92e5-6d2673377c93.png/v1/fill/w_812,h_984,strp/1954_gf_by_tgartworks_dddl6rk-pre.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTU1MSIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzA3OTFhYmUzLTliOGQtNDMxMS1iODhlLWUzYWY2NzU1NGU5NFwvZGRkbDZyay03NDI3MWU2NC1mODFkLTRiMzAtOTJlNS02ZDI2NzMzNzdjOTMucG5nIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTEyODAifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.YIF5VInIIF7Ru-T-jA9yGfmQnBi-S0mWNYn-v-ZVWdc[/img]
 Feedback, comments and criticism are welcome on the presentation!

Last edited by Goran The Man (8/08/2019 8:24 am)

1955 SEASON
Leading Goalscorer: Paul Christodoulou (Ulbrich) - 85 goals
League MVP: Samuel Wheaton (Angerer)

The Gorania Football League have celebrated their decennial season, and this was the first season without Hyun Ki-Chang. This season turned out to be the lowest scoring season ever as an eight team league, with only 160.83 points scored per match by both sides. Round 1 had a grand final rematch, with Grimm prevailing against Chavez by 10 points. Angerer comfortably accounted for Ruddy by 40 points despite having five fewer scoring shots. The rest of the round 1 results had Ulbrich prevailing against Xiong by 39 points and Day defeating Richburg by 37.

After a disappointing 1954, Angerer returned to prominence. Buoyed by a five game unbeaten start and a 10 game winning streak, the Bulls were top of the class in 1955. The Angerer midfield was powerful and managed the highest scoring output of the league, as well as the best defensive output. New recruit Gabriele Segreto was handy for the Bulls, scoring 69 goals in what was already a potent forward line. Theodore Wang played strongly in defence, as the former Knight shone for his new side.

Many expected Ulbrich to finish in the lower half of the table. In spite of this, the Pilots had a strong season, securing second spot. Helped by Paul Christodoulou winning the leading goalscorer award, the Pilots finished the season strongly, only losing one of their last nine matches. Despite the lack of changes to the defensive starting lineup, the Pilots flourished. Ulbrich won many crucial games to secure the double chance, defeating Grimm by 111 points in round 16 en route to their largest victory.

Chavez performed strongly, finishing in third spot, but lacked the extra gear needed to secure a top two spot. Shigeru Ueda managed the highest number of possessions in what was another finals appearance for Chavez. The Nationals, whilst they managed to topple the good teams in many occasions, often dropped crucial matches against teams that missed out on finals to consign them to a sudden death final.

Given Hyun Ki-Chang retired, Grimm was expected to decline. They declined, but not to the extent of missing finals. Mitchell Yamada at 34 years of age played well, and Jimmy Wagner continued to shine, as he was able to get more of the ball. The Reapers managed six wins from their first seven matches, though suffered a mid-season slump. However, the Reapers made a full recovery to book a finals spot with two rounds to spare, where they will meet Chavez in a grand final rematch.

Disappointment for Xiong ensured after the Bears had a rotten start. Whilst Stuart Arlington continued to lead the defence to another strong season, the Bears struggled up front en route to having the second worst attack. Losing their first four games did not help, and Xiong was unable to recover from this, not being in the top four at any point in the season.

Ruddy continued to improve their win-loss tally. Unfortunately for the Longhorns, it was only good enough for sixth place. The Longhorns were in a top four spot as late as round 16 before a late season collapse resulted in them falling to 9-12. A positive for Ruddy was that they were able to improve their defensive output, though still needed work if the Longhorns were to be a title contender.

Despite adding Vidmar to boost their weak forward stocks, and a large overhaul of their starting roster, Richburg struggled again. The Bulldogs looked promising in the first half of the season, often within range of a finals berth. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, they struggled on the road, including a loss to lowly Day. 

Losing key players hurt Day. For the Knights, 1955 was a disaster as they only managed to win two games. The Knights had to resort to playing inexperienced players, in which they were uncompetitive in many games. Day failed to win a match on the road, with their closest loss being four points. In spite of this, many of their young players showed promise on the field, showing flashes of brilliance, but these were few and far between. The Knights' scoring output was pathetically low, only managing 63.19 points per game.

[img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/0791abe3-9b8d-4311-b88e-e3af67554e94/dddvylf-ea2bfa40-41ad-4208-b628-701129a12c0f.png/v1/fill/w_913,h_875,strp/1955_ladder_by_tgartworks_dddvylf-pre.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTIyNyIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzA3OTFhYmUzLTliOGQtNDMxMS1iODhlLWUzYWY2NzU1NGU5NFwvZGRkdnlsZi1lYTJiZmE0MC00MWFkLTQyMDgtYjYyOC03MDExMjlhMTJjMGYucG5nIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTEyODAifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.N0aILKrik7HlTXos7YFshPOmoCi_pCn0btbvQhrSXOs[/img]

Major Events
- Day's failure to win an away game was the first time in seven years this occurred in the GFL, with Angerer achieving this ignominy in 1948.
- Angerer managed a club record 10 game winning streak between rounds 8-17.
- Day managed their lowest ever score of 2.9 (21), in a 73 point loss to Ulbrich at home in round 11.

Feedback, comments and criticism are welcome on the presentation!
 

Last edited by Goran The Man (8/12/2019 7:11 pm)

1955 FINALS MATCHES/POSTSEASON

1ST SEMI FINAL
CHAVEZ VS. GRIMM
AT CHAVEZ CRICKET GROUND
10 SEPTEMBER 1955 - 2:10PM

Chavez entered the match as slight favourites, but finals appearances for Grimm were the norm that the Reapers typically played their best footy in that period. People packed the Chavez Cricket Ground to full capacity, with many more people around the country watching it on television. It was a grand final rematch, and there was a lot at stake if both sides wanted to keep their premiership ambitions alive.

The first quarter was relatively high scoring, with the Nationals scoring the first four goals. Henry Koo of Chavez had a field day, as he scored three goals in the first quarter. Despite this, Grimm clawed back, gradually getting closer, as they scored four of the next five goals to be within striking distance of the Nationals at quarter-time, only down by five points.
QT - Chavez 5.2 (32), Grimm 4.3 (27)

The momentum continued with the Reapers in the second quarter as they hit the front for the first time. Grimm scored the first three goals of the quarter, and threatened to pull away, though Chavez always kept within touch. Mitchell Yamada dominated through the middle as his impact helped the Reapers to a handy eight point lead at half time.
HT - Chavez 7.3 (45), Grimm 8.5 (53)

Chavez came out firing in the third quarter; the Nationals scored four of the first five goals in the quarter, building up a ten point lead. In spite of this, Grimm answered back with the next two goals to recapture the lead. However, Henry Koo continued to dominate up front for Chavez, and he was found by Shigeru Ueda, where Koo marked beautifully over 40 metres straight in front. Koo took the set shot after the siren and duly converted to restore the lead back to Chavez.
3QT - Chavez 12.4 (76), Grimm 11.6 (72)

In stark contrast to the rest of the match, the fatigued players started to miss set shots, and both sides had periods of dominance throughout the quarter but were never really able to capitalise. The quarter was goal for goal, with the Reapers scoring first to restore the lead, then Chavez immediately regained it soon after. Both sides scored multiple behinds, which kept the match close. It was really a matter of who kicked the last goal.

With 6 minutes remaining, Rudolph Haggert, the replacement of Hyun Ki-Chang, scored a goal to place the Reapers one point ahead, with the scores 93-92 in Grimm's favour. Chavez attacked desperately to regain the lead, and scored two behinds to regain the lead. However, the Reapers scored a behind with 2 minutes remaining to tie the scores. There was a possibility of a replay. It was a matter of who scored next. Grimm moved forward, and John Flores kicked a torpedo punt to place the ball close to goal. The ball bounced through for a behind to break the deadlock. Grimm managed to hold on to advance to the preliminary final, keeping their hopes of a sixth consecutive grand final alive. For Chavez, despite Henry Koo's eight goal effort, it was an unfortunate finish.
FT - Chavez 14.10 (94), Grimm 14.11 (95)
[img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/0791abe3-9b8d-4311-b88e-e3af67554e94/dde6l7i-11fc68a0-2d24-429c-94b8-6ee57ac5bca6.png/v1/fill/w_812,h_984,strp/1955_1sf_by_tgartworks_dde6l7i-pre.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTU1MSIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzA3OTFhYmUzLTliOGQtNDMxMS1iODhlLWUzYWY2NzU1NGU5NFwvZGRlNmw3aS0xMWZjNjhhMC0yZDI0LTQyOWMtOTRiOC02ZWU1N2FjNWJjYTYucG5nIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTEyODAifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.KV5S-aVWanrw3uXe8syQl3hPO44gIaqYe2t9T3qT1U0[/img]

2ND SEMI FINAL
ANGERER VS. ULBRICH
AT PRASAD PARK
17 SEPTEMBER 1955 - 2:10PM

Again, these two fierce rivals from the north of the country faced off in an important game. And this game was crucial to determine who hosted the grand final. Whilst a vast majority of the crowd were decked in green and white to cheer on their Bulls, many fans of Ulbrich came down to witness the rivalry, fuelled by geographical proximity.

Both sides had an even spread of possession throughout the first quarter, but the Bulls were much more efficient in front of goal. Gabriele Segreto managed two goals, one of which was a spectacular goal from the boundary, as the Bulls led the way to hold a 25 point buffer at the first change.
QT - Angerer 5.0 (30), Ulbrich 0.5 (5)

Angerer scored the first two goals of the second quarter, and with the scores reading 42-6, it looked like it was a cakewalk for the Bulls. However, Ulbrich started to find their feet midway through the second quarter, with leading goalscorer Paul Christodoulou finally finding space. He managed two of the Pilots' three goals to bring them within four goals of the Bulls. The Pilots were also helped by the Bulls' inaccuracy in front of goal late in the quarter. 
HT - Angerer 7.6 (48), Ulbrich 3.6 (24)

Angerer dominated the early stages of the third quarter, but did not necessarily reflect the extent they extended their lead. Unfortunately for the Bulls, the kicking woes from the second quarter continued, only managing 1.5. Ulbrich came back, and their straighter kicking kept them in range to snatch a victory. The Bulls should have entered the final change with a larger lead given their relative dominance.
3QT - Angerer 8.11 (59), Ulbrich 6.6 (42)

The rain in Prasad Park started to get heavier, and both sides struggled with the handling of the ball. Ulbrich managed two goals in the first half of the quarter, with the Bulls adding two behinds. The Bulls were 7 points up with ten minutes remaining. The momentum was with the Pilots as they gradually inched closer to Angerer. Then the rain started to pour heavily, with both sides struggling to control the ball. Worse, both sides struggled to generate significant scoring opportunities, with the only addition to the score being a solitary behind to Angerer. The Bulls held on in the wet to advance to the grand final, while Ulbrich had to face off against Grimm.
FT - Angerer 8.14 (62), Ulbrich 8.6 (54)

[img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/0791abe3-9b8d-4311-b88e-e3af67554e94/dde6l7p-392cc0f2-7d7c-4b0d-975c-153d6f6a0e39.png/v1/fill/w_812,h_984,strp/1955_2sf_by_tgartworks_dde6l7p-pre.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTU1MSIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzA3OTFhYmUzLTliOGQtNDMxMS1iODhlLWUzYWY2NzU1NGU5NFwvZGRlNmw3cC0zOTJjYzBmMi03ZDdjLTRiMGQtOTc1Yy0xNTNkNmY2YTBlMzkucG5nIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTEyODAifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.HKS2pW6pwnEzq_QYxBSNEzU90U4CTp-MGjROYDTxL8s[/img]
PRELIMINARY FINAL
ULBRICH VS. GRIMM
AT BADGER PARK
24 SEPTEMBER 1955

The Ulbrich and Grimm clubs continued their fierce rivalry, and the Pilots' dominance in the head-to-head matches this year put them as favourites. However, playing Grimm in the finals series meant it was always going to be a difficult encounter. The Reapers had the opportunity to reach their sixth consecutive grand final, while the Pilots were hoping to return there for the first time in three years.

The first quarter was goal-for-goal, with the Pilots scoring first. Paul Christodoulou dominated up front early, scoring two goals in the first five minutes. In spite of this, every time Ulbrich scored a goal, Grimm answered back immediately. Ruud Van Dijk of Grimm managed two goals in the quarter in what it was a see-sawing contest. At the first change, Ulbrich held a paltry one point lead.
QT - Ulbrich 4.6 (30), Grimm 4.5 (29)

Heavily reliant on Paul Christodoulou, the Ulbrich forward line struggled after Christodoulou injured his leg in a marking contest after landing awkwardly. Effectively, the Grimm defence was able to shut down the Pilots, with the Reapers scoring the quarter's three goals to build a sixteen point lead. The midfield battle was relatively even, but with Christodoulou down, the Pilots struggled to generate scoring opportunities.
HT - Ulbrich 4.7 (31), Grimm 7.5 (47)

Ulbrich found a bit of life early in the third, scoring the first two goals to place themselves within a goal. Grimm answered back with two in a row before Ulbrich scored another goal. With the scores 59-50, the game was clearly in the balance. Ulbrich full-forward Carl King, who appeared to have been pushed in a marking contest, did not receive a free kick, which subsequently resulted in lots of boos from the Ulbrich faithful. Disgusted by this, the Pilots fell in the latter stages of the third quarter, allowing Grimm three more goals, in what appeared to have the Reapers in a match-winning position, ahead by 29 points at the final change.
3QT - Ulbrich 7.8 (50), Grimm 12.7 (79)

Ulbrich dominated possession of the last quarter, but their inefficiency in delivering the ball to their forwards meant they were unable to capitalise on it. Worse, the Pilots failed to score a goal, leaving the Reapers comfortable victors. Clyde Kreuger scored the quarter's sole goal with one minute remaining. It was a totally disappointing finish for Ulbrich, who looked promising through out the year, but let their efforts go to waste against a hungry Grimm team.
FT - Ulbrich 7.12 (54), Grimm 13.10 (88)
[img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/0791abe3-9b8d-4311-b88e-e3af67554e94/dde6l7x-c0f85bc8-fe02-4e7b-bdb1-04c1ebcc654b.png/v1/fill/w_812,h_984,strp/1955_pf_by_tgartworks_dde6l7x-pre.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTU1MSIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzA3OTFhYmUzLTliOGQtNDMxMS1iODhlLWUzYWY2NzU1NGU5NFwvZGRlNmw3eC1jMGY4NWJjOC1mZTAyLTRlN2ItYmRiMS0wNGMxZWJjYzY1NGIucG5nIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTEyODAifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.yWUB7826WAfMkzUTolNTDF5vuAOS9hn2KOjl0laFkSI[/img]

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Last edited by Goran The Man (8/16/2019 10:00 am)

1955 GRAND FINAL

GRAND FINAL
ANGERER VS. GRIMM
AT PRASAD PARK
1 OCTOBER 1955

Yet again, Grimm was in the Grand Final. And they were facing a determined Angerer outfit, who only dropped four games for the entire year. Bookmakers placed the Bulls comfortable favourites, given Grimm had to play in the preliminary final and the Bulls had an extra week of rest and preparation. Prasad Park was sold out, with Angerer fans hoping to see their beloved Bulls win the flag for the first time in five years. However, the conditions at the ground were wet, with many spectators trying to protect themselves against the elements.

The first quarter was played in a misery mire, with rain pouring all over the ground. Both sides struggled to penetrate for goal, with only one goal scored for the entire quarter. Rudolph Haggert scored the only goal early in the quarter for Grimm, and along with many dropped marks, the Reapers headed into the first break 4 points up.
QT - Angerer 0.3 (3), Grimm 1.1 (7)

Whilst the higher elevation was expected to cover longer distances, Angerer continued to struggle. In contrast, mainly due to their experience in playing in the big game for six years running, Grimm thrived in the miserable conditions, as the Reapers were much more cleaner with their ball movement. As a result, they dominated through the second quarter, as nerves got the better of the Angerer players. Grimm piled on five goals to one in the quarter, an unusually high score given these terrible conditions. Jimmy Wagner scored two goals for the Reapers to assist the Reapers in gaining a comfortable 28 point lead at half-time.
HT - Angerer 1.7 (13), Grimm 6.5 (41)

If Angerer were to have any chance of winning, the Bulls desperately needed the next goal. And they got it at the earliest possible moment. Then the Bulls continued to go bang with two more from new recruit Gabriele Segreto, and suddenly the margin was down to ten points. Grimm steadied and produced some opportunities, but only added one goal, before Angerer scored the last goal of the quarter to place themselves within striking distance at three-quarter time.
3QT - Angerer 5.7 (37), Grimm 7.8 (50)

Given Grimm's slightly comfortable lead in the terrible conditions, the rain stopped, though the ground was still wet. In spite of this, ball movement increased in efficiency from both sides as they started to dominate through the air in drier conditions. Angerer drew first blood to claw themselves closer with a goal by veteran Morten Hansen, who played in Angerer's 1950 premiership win.

Angerer continued to attack, though managed a couple of behinds. In spite of this, with the margin less than a goal, Bulls fans were on their feet. They sensed that a comeback was on the cards. However, Grimm had other ideas. Mitchell Yamada's midfield experience in Grand Finals meant he had the mental edge over his Angerer opponents, and played some of his best football, setting up two consecutive goals for the Reapers plus a few behinds. With the scores reading 9.11 (65) to 6.9 (45), Angerer fans suddenly fell silent.

But the Bulls were not done yet. Angerer found their period of dominance, and managed three consecutive scores, all resulting in goals. Bulls fans were again back on their feet, again believing that they could snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat. Grimm's lead evaporated to just two points, and they were in dire trouble. Fortunately for the Reapers, they generated a strong opportunity for Jimmy Wagner with two and a half minutes remaining, as John Flores passed beautifully to him. Wagner somehow hit the post from 25 metres out on a slight angle, which Angerer fans cheered.

Down three points, Angerer desperately needed to make their move. The Bulls surged forward and aided by strong play from midfielder Andoni Vallejo, found themselves a grand opportunity to seize the lead. Never in front at any stage of the game, many believed it was Angerer's chance. A ball up was done 15 metres from goal in the Angerer forward line, and Luca Di Maggio had his hands on the ball. He got a boot to it, which appeared to sail through the goals. Unfortunately for Angerer, it was touched by Ian Manning of Grimm, resulting in a behind. Grimm chewed down the clock and moved forward, where they scored a behind after the siren.
FT - Angerer 9.10 (64), Grimm 9.13 (67)
[img]https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/0791abe3-9b8d-4311-b88e-e3af67554e94/ddefib5-4471143b-c768-42f3-a95f-ca23dd5646a4.png/v1/fill/w_812,h_984,strp/1955_gf_by_tgartworks_ddefib5-pre.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTU1MSIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzA3OTFhYmUzLTliOGQtNDMxMS1iODhlLWUzYWY2NzU1NGU5NFwvZGRlZmliNS00NDcxMTQzYi1jNzY4LTQyZjMtYTk1Zi1jYTIzZGQ1NjQ2YTQucG5nIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTEyODAifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.e6HrB3kFAZWlcRyoIBg5bwXfH4sf3fzzhNT8AD3pUgc[/img]

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