IN one act of bravery, Keilor youngster Jayden Manning encapsulated what it took for underdogs Keilor to overcome Maribyrnong Park by 15 points in an Essendon District Football League premier division shock at Keilor Recreation Reserve on Saturday.
Manning, a home-grown teenager who was touted a player to watch after winning an under-18 best-and-fairest, had the whatever-it-takes mentality that each of his Blues teammates took into a game few gave them a chance to win.
Click on the image below for our gallery of the big game.
In an inspirational team-lifting decision, Manning backed into a pack without fear for the harm that would inevitably come to his body and halted a Lions attacking move that could have resulted in a momentum-turning goal.
“He got smashed,” Blues president Craig Teal told the Weekly.
“You could hear the whole crowd go ‘whoa’.
“To see a youngster go back into the pack like that was fantastic.”
Manning was sent to the bench by the umpire under the blood rule.
He did not return – but he had set the tone for the remainder of the clash.
The Blues went on to produce one of their more famous victories.
Teal said it was a different kind of win to the ones that they were used to in their premiership era, but it was no less exhilarating.
“It’s probably one of the best wins we’ve had in a long time,” he said.
“Yesteryear, you’d turn up and expect to win all the time. Now we go in and it’s a fight.”
The baby Blues went in with eight players 18 or under.
They are raw and inexperienced when lined up alongside the Lions, but made up for that with belief and an insatiable thirst for the contest from start to finish.
Click on the image below for our gallery of the Taylors Lakes v Airport West clash.
“Not for one minute did they look like they were going to throw the towel in,” Teal said.
For all the talk about generation next at Old Calder Highway on Saturday night, the four points would not have been secure without some wise old heads in captain Ricky Marcy and Rodney Van Riet.
Marcy is an out-and-out legend of the club and has featured too many marvellous performances to name.
This one was up there with the best of them.
“His effort today was unbelievable,” Teal said.
“He was awesome when the chips were down.”
Van Riet returned to form with a bang. The Reynolds Medallist has come under intense scrutiny for his output on occasions this year and answered his critics in the best possible way.
“He literally had the ball on a string,” Teal said.
“He’s been heavily criticised and he turned around and showed just how good he is.”
The Blues join a logjam of teams with a 2-4 win-loss record.
They are still two games and percentage outside the top four.
EDFL SCOREBOARD
Premier division: Keilor 12.13 (85) d Maribyrnong Park 10.10 (70).
Division 1: Northern Saints 30.20 (200) d Keilor Park 9.8 (62), Taylors Lakes 3.9 (27) lt Airport West 31.11 (197), Tullamarine 23.13 (151) d Hillside 6.7 (43).
