Long bomb: Mitchell Edwards clears the ball from defence under the watchful eye of Rockets assistant coach Ben Trevena
Photo by
Alexander Dabb
The Echuca Moama Rockets played host to Mazenod Panthers All Abilities Football Club at the weekend, welcoming the Melbourne-based team to the twin towns.
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A large crowd remained at Moama Recreation Reserve following the Murray Football League clash between Moama and Deniliquin, with both sides forming a guard of honour as the Rockets and Panthers ran on to the ground.
Rockets coach Graeme Glanville said the exhibition game, followed by an evening of activities with both clubs, had been a roaring success.
“It was a ripper day for everyone that was there — the afternoon and evening went off fantastically,” he said.
“It was a really good game by everyone, full of spirit for the game and comradeship for even the opposition players that none of us had ever met before running out on the field.”
The Panthers, who compete in the Football Integration Development Association in Melbourne, initiated the idea, and after some conversation around logistics, the day was able to materialise.
Over there: Kellie McIntosh kicks the ball downfield while Zack Edwards points out a teammate.
Photo by
Alexander Dabb
“It came about by the Mazenod Panthers contacting us to see if they could play a friendly game with us. (Mazenod’s) Brendan Neil and I liaised together to make it all happen,” Glanville said.
“After the game, we went and had a dinner with each other, the whole group, at the Moama Bowling Club and did a bit of a presentation and then played some barefoot bowls.”
The game — and the dinner and bowls — was such a hit among both camps that there are already plans in place to ensure the friendship will be ongoing.
“We discussed that, and we’re hoping to be able to make it happen so that we’ll go down their way next year,” Glanville said.
“From the way it’s looking we’ll probably be doing it on an annual basis once a year. The way the night fared, it was a huge success.”
Nice pass: James Whelan hits up a teammate by foot.
Photo by
Alexander Dabb
While the game was played in a friendly manner with no real emphasis on the score, Glanville said everyone involved came away feeling like they had won.
“Everyone was a winner because it was a huge success, they all played the game absolutely fantastically and in the spirit of football and comradeship, which was really good,” he said.
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