Home of the Central Blues Australian Football Club

The Central Blues enjoyed yet another successful trip to Ottawa - remaining undefeated against the Ottawa Swans in all their OAFL encounters. In what has become one of the many highlights of the OAFL season, the Ottawa roadtrip game once again saw the Blues travel with a busload of players and members for a weekend of footy and partying in the nation's Capital. But the players also knew that they had to get the job done first on the field before they were released to enjoy the night life. The Swans have struggled so far in 2010 after some good wins in 2009 - so the Blues knew they knew they could not underestimate the well-organized home team. A Div 2 game against the Quebec Saints prior to the Div 1s match up against the Swans would also make the job a little tougher as some Div 1 players were required to help make up the numbers in the Blues 2s.

The first quarter started well for the Blues as Blues vice-captain Kien La (filling in for absent Skipper Jacob Sone) won the toss and elected to have his side kicking with the aid of a 2-3 goal breeze. Blues big-men D2 and Chaps were given the task of combining for ruck contests against Northwind ruckman Ryan Gregory with both Blues players doing superbly to keep Gregory's effectivenesss down. The Blues mid-field lead brilliantly by Leon "Tex" McConville-Brain, Kenny Wong, Sean "Shorty" Goedheer and Ivan "Milat" Ouellette were getting the ball forward and into the dangerous hands of Matt Dunne who banged on 3 goals in the first 10 minutes of the game. Kyle "Human Microwave" Pinto lurked dangerously around the goals all day as well finishing the day with 5 goals next to his name. On the other end, the Swans were having trouble getting the ball past Bruce Parker at CHB who was standing tall while leading the Blues wall. If it managed to get anywhere further towards their goal and near "The Fist" of Jason "Chief" Caissie - it was immediately spanked away. The Blues finishing at the 1st break up 32-0.

As the second quarter got underway with the Blues enjoying the handy lead, 17 year old Neil McNeill High School product Matt Keane got some quality experience in the ruck and competed extremely well with Gregory and got some ball down to his school-mate Keven "Shaft" Callendar; who was throwing his body into everything and his 5 tackles for the mach proved the kid has what it takes to take the next step in this league. The Chief, Oscar "Missile" Alvarez and Derek "George" MacDonald all stepped up to not just hold down- but win their match-ups through-out the quarter in the Blues defensive half; while Parker and rookie Steve "Snorkel" Rutledge kept running the ball out of our backline as the Swans peppered the goals.

Andrew "Boota" Booth was also having a great day and really setting up the play from the back half of the field with some brilliant delivery to his teammates further up the field. Rob "Chaps" Chapman took a great mark in the goal-square and converted truly to put the Blues up by 7 goals at half-time for his first goal of the season. In his defense, Chaps has played more up the ground this season as a ruckman compared to the stay at home forward role that he is more accustomed to playing. The first half completed with the Blues up 45-3.

Dunney was taken off after a cracking opening half and slipped into his first beer of the day. With Dunne off this allowed the Blues to slip the Dan "D-Train" Zimmerman into full-forward in his come back from his knee injury. The Blues then really got their run and gun game going in the third quarter with the forward line taking full advantage of the Blues defenses solid work and accurate ball-movement piling on 5 goals, 6 behinds for the 3rd quarter. While the Blues defense managed to hold the Swans scoreless for the second quarter of the day to see the Blues up 81-3 heading into the final quarter.

In the last quarter the coach got a chance to throw some guys into unfamiliar positions- with Snorkel heading to Centre-Half forward and D2 and Nails getting some time in unfamiliar on field territory.
KP kicked his fifth goal of the game in the opening minute of the last quarter and was immediately dragged by his coach and instructed to join the company of Dunney. D-Train made some great leads and took a brilliant one handed grab which he then converted and this was followed by the play of the day provided by George who took a towering mark over his Swans opponenet on the wing and then bombed the ball in long where Shorty kicked his first for the day. The heat and the full-game in Div. 2 before the Div. 1 game started to take its toll on several of the Blues and a few guys had to go off and get some treatment for cramp in the last quarter leaving the Blues with 17 men and a groggy Nails after a late hit from a Swans player (who was red-carded). Late in the final quarter, Shorty confused himself for a ruckman, and took up challenge against the Swans ruckman, this error of judgement lead to the Blues conceding one of the two goals of the game to the Swans - both in the space of 30 seconds. Shorty was immediately sent back to the forward line for his failure to jump over the top of Razer twice at centre bounces which resulted in those Swans goals. But by then the damage had already been done with the Blues running out 82 point victors.

Blues coach Jaye Macumber had this to say about his sides third win in a row: "As per usual the one per-centers were the things that the Blues did well all day- with this weeks leading tackler being Shaft with 5- followed by Kenny with 4 and Milat with 3. all showed how each and every player can contribute to a Blues win"

The Blues were simply too strong for the Swans in this game, but it was obvious that the Swans are not far from their first win for 2010 - their endeavour and skill is there, now it's just a matter of waiting for a little luck and the ball to bounce their way before the enjoy a win. As usual the game was impeccably well organized by the hosting Swans team of volunteers.  Next up, will see the Blues take on the Etobicoke Kangaroos. The Roos of course ended the Blues 2009 season with their win in the preliminary final. So aside from the fact that the Blues have never beaten the Roos, there's plenty of motivation for the players to get up for this game. The Blues will need to play to their full potential in order to take the 4 points as the Roos (after a sluggish start to the season) have been one of the form sides of the competition having won their last 4 games.