WSL2 / WSL3 / MSL4  (Editor)

This week both our senior women's teams and our top tier senior men's team had a scheduled bye. The SL2 girls will face Monash next week, whilst the SL3 will come up against Old Ivanhoe. Our SL4 men will come up against Footscray.

OSL5   Report by Andrew Cover

The water polo clash between Essendon and Richmond started evenly with Tom scoring both of Essendon’s goals in the first quarter to level the scores at 2–2. Unfortunately Richmond took control in the second adding five goals while Essendon struggled to respond.

The third and fourth quarters brought further challenges with Richmond scoring another four and then three goals to finish with a convincing 2–14 victory.The score could have been much worse if not for Andrew in goals, who made numerous excellent saves. However too many 2-on-1 or 3-on-1 situations left him exposed with the team not swimming back quickly enough on turnovers to help defend. 

Kick-outs were plentiful for both sides and Tim even got rolled in the final quarter! Richmond’s young-gun strength was clear featuring a State League 3 player and several former Olympians, (even if some were approaching 70!).

It was a tough night in the pool for Essendon but plenty of lessons to take away.

Essendon were defeated by the Richmond Tigers : 2 - 14   Goals : Tom 2

12&U Mixed  Report by Jamie Kirby

This was week 2 of our 3 week "skills sessions", and we found ourselves paired up with Geelong and Melbourne Collegians. Parents were swept away for an information session with Regan and Perri from WPV whilst the kids were kept busy in the pool. We were back in time to watch the practice matches - some of these kids have talent! Seems like everyone had a great time, lots of smiling faces.

14&U Boys  Report by Sheridan Mom

The boys put up a fierce fight in their second game of the season, showing incredible effort as a brand-new squad that is still building chemistry and integrating new players, especially while running with a bare seven players again with Harvey stepping up to fill in. MC's bottom-age squad got away to a flying start early on, but our boys dug deep for a much stronger second half, showing incredible grit to completely shut them down and outscore them 3 goals to 0 in the final quarter. While the team created some excellent scoring opportunities, a few missed shots kept them from putting extra pressure on the scoreboard. Defensively, the boys found it a tough challenge against a strong opposition centre forward, highlighting a clear area to focus on and tighten up in the weeks ahead. It was another gritty performance with no bench that gives the team plenty of positive building blocks to work on at training as they continue to gel.

Essendon-NYP-Footscray were defeated by MC Yellow : 5 - 11   Goals : Xavier 3, Craig 1, Harvey 1 

Below : our boys 14&U team this week with coach Hayden Woods (photo courtesy of Sheridan Mom)

14&U Girls   Report by Ilona Elmore

A Promising Start to the Summer Season

Essendon's Lucy and Rose have joined forces with Northcote for the summer season, and Sunday marked their first game together in what promises to be a great learning experience.

Rose managed to attend Thursday night’s training to meet her new teammates and coach, but with limited preparation, the girls headed into Round 1 still getting to know each other and the team’s style of play. While Lucy had some experience under her belt, this was Rose’s first in-season game, and the nerves were understandably there!

Their first opponents were Footscray — a familiar team, having joined forces with them for the Ballarat tournament. Under a glorious Sunday sun, the girls jumped into the pool and got to work. The opening quarter was a little unsettled as they worked out their positions, the play and each other, finding themselves down 5–1 at the break.

But that first quarter helped blow away the cobwebs, and the improvement from there was fantastic. The girls kept Footscray scoreless in the second quarter while adding three goals of their own, and you could see their confidence growing with every minute.

The second half brought plenty of heat, both in and out of the pool. Lucy swam her heart out, winning swim-ups and finding the back of the net twice, narrowly missing a third after a shot-clock reset issue. Learning the referees’ calls and adjusting to the pace of the game were all part of the experience for the girls. By halfway through the fourth quarter, they had fought their way back to level the score! Unfortunately, tired bodies and a little inexperience allowed Footscray to score three quick goals and regain control, eventually taking the game by three goals.

While the scoreboard didn’t fall their way, the girls showed plenty of determination and improvement throughout the match. If they continue to learn and improve minute by minute like they did on Sunday, it’s going to be a fantastic season.

A big thank you to Northcote for making Lucy and Rose feel so welcome and included. We look forward to seeing what this combined team can achieve over the summer

Northcote-Essendon were defeated by Footscray-DVE : 7 - 10   Goals : TBC

Below : Essendon's Lucy and Rosie at the Hawthorn pool this weekend for their match (photo courtesy of Ilona Elmore)

16&U Boys  Report by Jamie Kirby

Our boys played their first match of the season against a stacked Richmond Black team. Our lads were a little overwhelmed early, conceding 2 goals within 2 minutes! We settled into the game from there, 1-3 down at quarter time. 

Our boys improved as the game went, getting more connection in attack and slowing down Richmond when we were defending. It was 1-5 at half time (with a missed penalty) and 2-7 at three quarter time, which wasn't reflective of the state of play, with a similar number of shots on goal. 

The boys continued to fight tenaciously to the end. Promising signs for their first game together as a team! 

DVE-Essendon-Footscray were defeated by Richmond Black : 2 - 10   Goals : Lucas 2

16&U Girls  (Editor)

The girls had a scheduled bye this week, but will be back in action on Sunday up against Melbourne Collegians.

18&U Boys  Report by Ilona Elmore

DVE Bounce Back!

With just four teams in the U18 Boys competition — two from MC, one from Richmond and DVE — there were never going to be any easy games. We knew MC Yellow would bring a mix of mostly U16 players gaining valuable experience, alongside several representative and pathway players. The boys would need to be switched on every week.

Sunday brought a glorious spring morning at Hawthorn, with the pool looking its absolute best. However, DVE was facing a challenge before the first whistle, with injuries, clashes and a last-minute hand injury to our goalkeeper leaving us with just seven available players. In a great show of team spirit, our goalie decided to jump into the field to ensure the boys had at least one player on the bench.

And what a response it was!

After the Round 1 loss, the boys bounced back with a convincing 12–6 win over MC Yellow, showing great composure despite being short on numbers and playing players out of position.

The ball movement was sharp and disciplined, and the finishing was far more clinical. Jack ended the game with three excellent goals, but it was the collective effort that really stood out.

I say it every week, but teamwork is this group’s biggest asset. When these boys move the ball well, trust each other and play as a team, they can compete with anyone.

A fantastic turnaround and a well-earned win. Bring on Round 3!

DVE (Ess) defeated Melbourne Collegian's Yellow : 12 - 6   Goals : TBC

Below : Essendon's Jack Elmore with his DVE team mates this week at Hawthorn (photo courtesy of Ilona Elmore)