Not again!

Eyes wide shut: Army couldn’t hold on in the last quarter. Photo by AB Neil Richards

By Barry Rollings
Volume 11, No. 40, April 6, 2006

SO NEAR and yet so far was the thought Army was left to contemplate as it failed to wrest back supremacy from the Navy in an exciting and hard-fought Australian Services Australian Football Association Championship at Manuka Oval on April 11.

When Army clawed its way back to within three points of Navy in the final term, it clung to some hope of salvaging some silverware from the day’s finals.

Earlier in the day, the more fancied Army women’s team lost a tight Geoff Ledger Cup final 2.2 (14) to 3.3 (21) to Navy.

But the Navy men showed steel to retain a narrow lead before powering away with three good goals in the last five minutes to win 13.11 (89) to 8.15 (63).

The Army team had chalked up 18 successive wins before losing the crown to Navy last year.
It went into the carnival with the benefit of a good hit-out in the Kapooka 12s carnival and had been training since early April.

Army began well in the first quarter before Navy rallied from the 14-minute mark to rattle on four goals as they began to find targets in front of goal for a 4.6 (30) to 2.5 (17) first-change lead.

Navy remained solid at both ends of the field in a tight second term in which Army kicked 2.2 to 2.1 but still trailled 4.7 (31) to 6.7 (43) at the long break.

Army continued to probe a stubborn Navy defence in the third quarter and just shaded Navy 2.5 to 1.4 to be within striking distance at 6.12 (48) to Navy’s 7.11 (53) at the last change.

Army mounted a strong challenge in the early stages of the final term, captain WO2 Terry Whitwam prominent with two goals before two more golden opportunities from close range went begging for Army.

Behind on the scoreboard and subjected to strong pressure from their opponents, the Army players took a few wrong options at vital stages and were harassed into fumbles and mistakes from a swarming Navy team that was not to be denied.

After Army edged ahead with three points, thanks largely to WO2 Whitwam’s brace of goals, the effort appeared to tell and Navy raced on three goals in the final five minutes for a 16-point win.

Army coach WO2 Adrian Wilson said his men had given their all.

“It was a great game and we lost it only in the last couple of minutes. It was a case of whoever gained the momentum was going to win, and they got it,” he said.

Army captain WO2 Terry Whitwam said Navy took their chances and, “Blew us away in the last five minutes”.

“At the end of the day it is all about decision-making and ours was not the best on the paddock,” he said.

“They made space and used it to very good effect. We also had a few walking wounded.”

He said the support that Navy had at the ground and behind the scenes was telling.

“We and the RAAF have a lot of catching up to do,” he said.