You know it isn’t football season when the scoreboard shows the temperature is 36.2° after the game has ended, but despite all appearances it isn’t far away.
And Seymour had its first hitout for the year when it hosted Wangaratta Rovers in a practice game at Kings Park on Saturday.
There was a carnival atmosphere thanks to the preparations for the Military Heritage Weekend, but it wasn’t extended on the field by the visitors.
Rovers brought down about 40 players — Seymour had about half that — and the result was a comfortable 18.9 (117) to 10.5 (65) win to the visitors.
Not too much could be read into the game as Seymour was missing the Colbert brothers, Shane Schottner, Robbie Douglas, Brandyn Grenfell, Marcus Yeo, Jason Cole and Eamonn O’Connor among others from its senior squad, but the youthful squad certainly made a better fist of things as it went on.
Ruckman Will Brock was among them, getting 17 hit outs in his first senior game and up against former Carlton ruckman Karl Norman.
Brock was one of eight players from last year’s under-18 side who turned out.
Saad Saad kicked seven goals for Seymour, with Billy Cox, Nick Clydesdale and Brendan Liddell getting the others.
Apart from Saad, Seymour’s best were Matt O’Keefe, Liddell, Hugh Robertson and Tim O’Keefe.
Seymour will return to Kings Park on Saturday to take on Bendigo league side Gisborne.
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Several Seymour players had their first game in the colours, up from under-16 level or newcomers to the club.
‘‘I was very impressed with their enthusiasm and their professionalism,’’ coach Matt O’Sullivan said.
‘‘Quite a few of our players have done quite a bit of work over the pre-season and it showed in the game. We ran it out pretty well.’’
Among the impressive features were the second and third efforts and attack on the ball, as well as their enthusiasm and team spirit.
