Little Leagues Winter Report – Round 8

Once again, the weather gods reminded us that winter sports are in full swing by bestowing us with another rainy Saturday. Despite the damp conditions, many of our games proceeded as planned, and our students displayed extra invigoration and tenacity after a three-week break.

I enjoyed watching the spirit with which our Year 4 Football teams played at the wet and blustery Christison Park, where we faced our friendly rivals, Scots.

With only two rounds left in the winter season, let’s keep the momentum going! Continue training hard and stay focused so we can finish the season on a high note.

Yours in Sport

James Roughan
Head of Sport

Rugby

It wouldn’t be a Saturday without rain but thankfully all games went ahead, and the students had some much-needed game time. We had a great week connecting as teams after the holidays and spent most of our training revisiting the skills and simulating game-like situations.

Year 6 A – Won 49-10 vs St Pius.
The Cranbrook 6As on a wet and windy morning at Woollahra Oval took on a strong St Pius side. Starting the game superbly the boys got off to a flyer scoring two tries in the first 10 minutes of the game. Dominant carries from Hughie and Jack led the way with some skilful passing from Xavier helping to get width in our play. The students continued to dominate, shifting the ball from side to side in what was a very impressive performance. Well done.

Year 6 B – Game 1 Lost 7-2 vs St Aloysius.
Game 2 Lost 8-1 vs St Andrews. With five eager players arriving at Koola Park, we played our first game 5 v 5. The game had plenty of space and several possessions where we spread the ball and created some great opportunities. In our next game, St. Andrews provided 2 players so we could play 7 v 7. The game was hard-fought, with the St. Andrews players being much bigger, but the students worked hard to tackle and take opportunities on attack. Our tackling was a common area for improvement from both games, and we will be focusing on this during the week leading up to next Saturday.

Year 5 A – Game Won 56-17 vs The Kings School.
The 5A’s had a wet start to their Saturday morning as they braved the wind and rain to face The King’s School. Several students were making their first ever A’s appearance and they most certainly rose to the occasion. Gus T, Charlie D, Jonathan H and Lachlan B all demonstrated the improvements they have made this year and should be proud of their performances. Despite the conditions, Cranbrook were still able to put width on the ball, causing the King’s defence a number of problems. Some tough tackling and counter rucking showed that the Cranbrook boys are just as comfortable defending, frustrating the opposition attack. In the end, Cranbrook were far too strong, running in a number of tries to run out 56-17 winners.

Year 5 B – Game 1 Win 8-0 vs Scots College. Game 2 Win 7-2 vs St Aloysius. 
Year 5B’s started the day off with an 8-0 win against Scots. The wet conditions didn’t stop them moving the ball around with multiple tries from Jerry W and Oliver S, as well as Tom S getting his first for the year.

They then moved on to Aloys and again continued their undefeated streak with a 7-2 win, again not afraid to move the ball around. The defence was another stand out of the day with Barnaby W making some big tackles.

Year 4 White – Game 1 Win vs Knox 5-2. Game 2 Draw 2-2 vs Grammar.

Amid deteriorating conditions on Saturday morning, Cranbrook Yr4 White 7s produced two gutsy performances.

In the first game against Knox, Cranbrook jumped out to an early lead, recycling with regularity and finding successful hand-offs despite the slippery ball. This led to several overlaps with assured finishes in the corners. Knox rallied well, but Cranbrook remained in control to win out 5-2.

The second game against Grammar was a much tighter affair. Strong rucking for Grammar meant they controlled possession and caused turnovers. A speedy winger capitalised on space and scored in both halves for Grammar, but high effort tackling from Cranbrook kept the score low. Trailing 2-1 as the hooter sounded, Cranbrook strung together a succession of phases, driving into the left corner to equalise with a buzzer-beating score. They ended the day unbeaten, and with significant amounts of Koola Park mud going home on each player.

Year 4 Red –  Game 1 Win 14-1 vs Barker. Game 2 Loss 4-5 vs Grammar. The Year 4 red’s had a strong start to the day against barker. The boys produced strong carries to break through the defensive line and score multiple tries in the first half. In the second half the focus shifted to moving the ball around the park and trying to involve all players in an expansive style. This was effective and led to multiple tries in the corner. A comprehensive 14-1 victory for Cranbrook.

The second game saw the boys face up against a strong Grammar outfit. This game was hotly contested with Grammar winning the contest in the ruck and making headway with their quicker players on the outside. Cranbrook fought back with some courageous defence and barnstorming runs from the likes of Wills O and Jack P. At half time the score was level. Beginning the second half with some runaway try’s from Grammar had the boys chasing a deficit. With greater focus on ball security and rucking, Cranbrook ran in some excellent tries especially Wolf T’s at the death. Despite their best efforts the boys ended up one try short (4-5) in a tight game.

Year 3 Red – Game 1 Loss 8-6 vs Scots. Games 2 Draw 3-3 vs Aloys. Game 1 of the Saturday fixtures had Cranbrook Red take on long-time rivals Scot’s in a wet and physical battle. Through the likes of Flynn S making countless tackles and beating defenders left and right as well as Harrison Bs strong ball running, the Red team managed to stay in the fight until a few late tries from Scot’s saw them fall 8-6.

Game 2 was hotly contested in muddy conditions against St Aloysius (Alo’s) with great off-loading and tackling from the Red team. Despite an early lead from Alo’s at the half, the Cranbrook team managed to fight back through incredible tries from Edward G and Hugo DS who flew past defenders along the sideline to give Cranbrook a 3-2 lead a minute left to play. However, a last second try from Alo’s saw a final score of 3-3

Year 3 White – Game 1 Win 8-3 vs Newington. Game 2 Win 7-4 vs Scots College. Cranbrook’s Year 3 White 7’s team took on a wet Koola park and were very keen to play some wet weather footy. Freddy P led the charge within the first game against Newington with game changing chop tackles and was unmovable on top of the ball. This, paired with Sandy D’s dynamic running game, meant Cranbrook was able to convincingly win against Newington 8-3.

Coming off that win, Cranbrook had to back it up and play a strong Scot’s team. David B and Hugo B showed noticeable signs of improvement during the game making their mark with strong runs. Freddie P continued to convince that he is a flanker and it showed with him once again leading the defence with dominant chop tackles and a traditional flanker performance in the rucks. This led to a win for Cranbrook 7-4.

Year 3 Rugby

Drop-in sessions

On Monday morning we had 20 keen players at the drop in junior school training session that ran from 7am-8am. We worked on our draw and pass as well as one-on-one tackling. We would love to see more boys come along next week!

All our coaches will keep working hard on our fundamental skills for the remaining weeks. Tackling is our top priority, and we’re ensuring ample time is dedicated to technical and game situations for player development.

Peter Dumbleton
Head of Rugby

Football

The first weekend of Term 3 brought an exciting start to the Cranbrook Junior School football program, despite some early weather interruptions. The matches that did go ahead were action-packed, with plenty of goals and some significant victories.

6A – 1-3 loss vs Sydney Grammar
The 6A team faced a challenging start in their match, with a chaotic opening few minutes that set the tone. The opposition scored two quick goals within the first five minutes, the first coming just a minute into the game. Despite the early setback, we dominated much of the rest of the match. However, we found it difficult to break through the opposition’s high defensive line. The students were attempted different ways to find space, such as playing balls over the top or using backward passes to create space in midfield. We did this with mixed success, and will continue to work on this into future weeks.

6B – 2-1 win vs Sydney Grammar
The 6B team kicked off Term 3 with a solid performance, securing a comfortable 2-1 victory. From the outset, Cranbrook looked composed and organized, quickly establishing control of the midfield. The team’s efforts paid off midway through the first half when they broke through the opposition’s defence with a well-worked passing move, culminating in a precise finish to take the lead. It was an impressive start to the term, with the team showing a solid balance between attacking intent and defensive solidity.

6C – 2-2 draw vs Sydney Grammar
In the 6C game, players focused on maintaining a structured shape rather than chasing the ball, and the team showed some promising signs of progress. They have been working on holding their positions, passing, and moving into space. We saw this work with good width in attack and space creation in the middle, however, the opposition’s defensive tactics proved challenging.

Despite dominating possession and creating many chances, we found ourselves 2-0 down early in the second half. The students showed great resilience, though and fought back to draw the match.

4A – 8-1 win vs Scots
The 4A team kicked off Term 3 with an impressive display, securing a commanding victory. It was an attacking masterclass that set the tone for a promising start to the season.

From the first whistle, the 4A’s asserted their dominance, demonstrating excellent teamwork and fluid passing. The forwards were relentless, constantly pressuring the Scots defence and creating numerous scoring opportunities. The midfield controlled the pace of the game, linking up play and providing the attacking line with precise through balls.

4B – 1-4 Loss vs Scots
4B played well and put in a strong effort, but ultimately, they were defeated by a formidable Scots side. Despite the loss, the 4B team showed resilience and will look to bounce back in their next match.

4C – 4-1 win. vs Scots
The 4C team put on a stellar display, winning 9-1. The scoreline reflects the team’s complete dominance in the game. They were effective in all areas of the pitch, showcasing great passing, movement, and finishing. It was a comprehensive performance that left little doubt about their quality.

4D – 11-1 win vs Scots
The 4D team delivered an exceptional performance, winning 11-0. The team was relentless in their attack and solid defensively, leaving the opposition with no chance to get into the game. It was a great all-around performance that highlighted the team’s potential.

4E – 5-2 win vs Scots
The 4E team played a strong game, showing dominance throughout. However, a few minor errors when playing out from the back led to some unnecessary goals conceded. Despite these hiccups, the students controlled the match and secured a well-deserved victory.

Year 3
The Year 3 A’s and C’s started strongly, with both teams demonstrating great teamwork early on. Unfortunately, the matches were shortly stopped due to a sudden lightning warning, putting an early end to their spirited performances. Similarly, the B’s and D’s were also affected, resulting in the cancellation of their matches.

3E – 1-1 draw vs Sydney Grammar
The E’s managed to play despite continued rain. It was a highly contested, end-to-end match, with both teams giving their all. The game ended in a thrilling 1-1 draw, showcasing the competitive spirit of both teams. The E’s displayed excellent effort and resilience, after conceding first but later pulling it back level.

Overall, it was a weekend of impressive victories for our football teams. The students can be proud of their efforts, and we look forward to building on these performances in the upcoming fixtures.

Ben Rollison
Head of Football

Tennis

Unfortunately, all games were cancelled after 15 minutes of game time due to rain. We look forward to the remaining two rounds of winter tennis.

Ben Higgins
Head of Tennis

Multi-Sport

Multi-sport kicked term 3 Saturday sport off in style with strong performance in indoor soccer. The students’ skill focus was on kicking and catching and it was pleasing to see excellent focus and progression throughout the session. The award winner this week were Jack L and Alastair B for their impressive demonstration of teamwork and sportsmanship.

Josh Cohen
Assistant Head of Sport