Blues Finish Off The Way They Started

Blues v Bombers

By Rick Latimer
September 16 2002

This review is 2 weeks late and is written under protest. Partly because it symbolises a terrible end to a terrible season and writing about 19 losses has taken its toll and also because there was a certain amount of satisfaction in leaving the Round 21 victory over the Dogs for as long as possible.

Suffice to say the Blues were caned by the Bombers in the final round. With barely 22 fit players to choose from, we were still hoping the boys had enough pride to serve it right up to their arch rivals. What followed was the stuff of a team just wanting to get on the bus and go home. I know how they feel!

The first half was a training session for the Dons kicking 9 goals to 2 including five majors to Lloyd who was causing headaches for Luke Livingston. The Blues two goals were from a free kick to Mansfield which Hotton duly converted and a wonderful running goal to Corey McKernan. Lowlights involved many turnovers and a chip kick inside 50 by Eccles that did not even go the required distance.

Simon Beaumont had taken over on Lloyd in the second quarter after he bagged his fifth and keeped him goalless thereafter. In fact Carlton finally showed some resolve to hold the Bombers goalless in the final quarter.

Best players for the Blues were Beaumont who was probably best on ground, Christou, Hickmott, Doering with reasonable efforts from Murphy, Fletcher and Hotton.

Officially the shortest review in ODN history, let's hope the offseason is much the same so we can seek some redemption.

Onward and upward.