BROULEE/MORUYA 2017 REVIEW
BROULEE/MORUYA GIANTS FC
It was another year of growth for the Broulee/Moruya Giants going from 3 sides in 2016 to 5 in 2017. The club is going about things the right way, building the club from the base up and the club is now starting to see consistent results with three teams making finals in 2017 whilst their teams are getting more competitive every week.
Development
2017 Prediction: 5th
2017 Finish: 4th
Review: Just two wins saw the Giants make finals in 2017. With a mix of youth and experience the Giants couldn’t find a consistency within their line-up throughout the season with the Giants utilising 33 different players throughout the season. Broulee/Moruya showed that a consistent quality line-up could have matched the top three as they pushed Tathra in their minor semi-final. The club will be looking to build on that performance in 2018 and push up the ladder.
Key Player: Julian Nimmo, the former Breaker and Lion showed his experience and class throughout the 2017 season. Looked to have the ball on a string at times throughout the season as he looked to pass on his knowledge to the Giants young and new players to the game.
Women’s
2017 Prediction: 6th
2017 Finish: 6th
Review: The season started slowly for the Giants women’s team, with the team coming together the week before the start to the season thanks to late arriving coach Simon Hay putting in the hard yards for the club. Due to this slow start the Giants put themselves in a hole to make the finals winning only 1 of their first 8 games of the season. The club finished with 4 wins from 6 and were competitive against finalists Pambula and Tathra in losses. The Giants played a fast, youthful brand of football once they got going with the likes of Crystal Staunton, Claudia Alves, Kristelle Westbrook, Zoe Vandenbergh and Topaz Eaton showing great skill and knowledge of the game with only Westbrook having played competitively previously.
If the Giants can keep this side together in 2018, look for the team to challenge for a finals spot come the end of the season.
Key Player: Luxmi Selvakumaran, Selvakumaran was one of the key drivers to get the Giants women’s team up, being at the club from day one of the season. Used her height and athleticism to cause the opposition some troubles in 2017.
Under 16’s
2017 Prediction: 5th
2017 Finish: 3rd
Review: The Giants under 16’s was one of the surprise packets of the 2017 season. Coming into the season with a lot of inexperienced players, it looked like the Giants were set to battle the Lions and Breakers for the final two finals places although Broulee/Moruya made that third place their own and by the end of the season the Giants were battling the Panthers for second place and were premiership contenders. The Giants were beneficiaries of the Bay’s inability to get an under 17’s side with key players Buster Ware, Will Aiken and Jade Eaton whilst also gaining local Moruya boy Lachlan Brennan from the Lions. After a comfortable win in the minor semi-final against the Lions the Giants left their fourth quarter run in the prelim a little too late to fall to Pambula in what was a successful season for the side.
Key Player: Will Aiken, finished second in the league best and fairest in what was an outstanding season for the 16-year-old. Was pivotal in the team’s success racking up possessions on a weekly basis whilst showing the poise to utilise the ball to a high efficiency rate.
Under 13’s
2017 Prediction: 4th
2017 Finish: 5th
Review: We had the Giants under 13’s finishing in the top four this season, although the side finished outside of the top 4 as they were unable to close out close games in 2017. The Giants lost three games by 6 points or less with two of those losses against Narooma where Broulee/Moruya looked the better of the two teams for the majority of the four quarters. The young Giants have plenty to look forward to in season 2018 with the core group of Sam Seath, Tye Passlow, Morris Absolon, Sam Wise and Elijah Turner-Collins to remain in the under 13’s in 2018 whilst also adding one of the best young players in Tasman Simons for 2018.
If the Giants under 16’s were one of the big risers in 2017 look for the Giants under 13’s to be premiership contenders in September 2018.
Key Player: Morris Absolon, it was hard to pick a pick a player for the Giants under 13’s with a number of players in the conversation although Absolon showed his class throughout the season from full back in 2017. Absolon can do it all man on man or floating free to cut off opposition attacks.
Under 11’s
2017 Prediction: Runners/up
2017 Finish: 4th
Review: We might have been a bit premature on the prediction for the Giants under 11’s side with several players moving up into the under 13’s after playing in the under 11’s finals the two years prior. Although this may have been the case, the Giants still put together another solid season in the under 11’s although will be disappointed with their semi-final loss to Bermagui where they led by 3 goals at three quarter time. The Giants took care of business against the teams that they needed to whilst also fighting valiantly in their defeats never being blown out in any one contest. It would have been a nervy season if you were a Giants parent with several close contests and entertaining football. The addition of Luke and Bailey Perryman were vital in the Giants late season and finals form and although only playing 5 games, the duo will be better in 2018.
Key Player: Tasman Simons, it’s hard to go past the league best and fairest runner up. Simons has had a great season for the Giants and school football making the South Coast PSSA side. One of the best young juniors on the coast has the opportunity of making the NSW PSSA team in 2018.
