Tokyo Goannas
  • Home
  • Our Club
    • Membership
  • Calendar
    • A League Fixture
    • Asian Champs
    • Japan Cup
  • News
  • Contact
  • Community
  • Historical Website
    • The History >
      • Goannas Beginning
      • AFL comes to Japan
      • Japan learns Aussie Rules
      • Mid-late 90s
      • The Mitchell Years
    • Blog Archives
    • Gallery >
      • 2011
      • 2010
      • 2009
      • 2008
      • 2007
      • 2006
      • 2005
      • 2004
      • 2003
      • Pre-2003

GOANNAS NEWS

​

The Six Points - JAFL Round 2

19/5/2017

10 Comments

 
Picture

Tokyo Goannas vs. Shonan Poseidons
Minatomirai Sports Park, May 20th, 7:35pm Bounce

1. Return of the Supercoach.
After his unceremonious exit following the Goannas' heartbreaking 2014 Grand Final loss. The Golden Whistle guru himself Tom Bowes returns to the fray for the Goannas to manage the magnets. Will Coach Bowes bring back his most famous gameplan of plonk himself in the forward pocket and kick two cheap goals? Only time will tell.

2. Debutant Double!
The Goannas are looking forward to welcoming two new players to the fold under the lights in Minatomirai tomorrow night. Jared "I'd rather be boarding" Barnes and Bret "Bigger biceps than Trav" O'Connor will both pull on the red and white for their first run. Go well lads!

3. Ins and Outs (Chopes and Changes)
Round 2 sees a plethora of changes to the team that beat the Tokyo Bay Suns in Round 1. The tissue has been placed on the selection table and the Goannas attack will be bolstered by the 3rd fastest man in Asia, Jason Fan, the Irishman Luke Dillon, Mr. Mount Fuji, Leon Appleby, and perennial pest Jarrod Woodward who returns from an apparently life-threatening hand injury. While the outs include big man Al Wyatt (still looking for his shirt in Osaka), captain Dan Last (still celebrating his two cheap goals in a 5 goal loss against Malaysian Warriors) and club president Sam Ghirardello (still talking to his new BFF Ricky Olarenshaw).

4. #Bunlife
Sausage Saloons are no more, the Goannas are a #Bunlife team now! With Chinatown next door to the ground, who will get on the end of a few steaming Buns this weekend? Owen "Boots" Kearney got a taste in Shanghai, while Pete-zza Chalmers was left wondering what could have BUN when ruckman Mitch Stace snaked his shot at goal after a brilliant chase down tackle.

5. No buns in  the Den! 
One thing is for certain there will be no over the top handpasses in the goalsquare to veteran Oceans "The Trip Advisor" Huynh. Many are questioning his commitment to the club after his efforts to infect the Shanghai touring party with legionaries disease by choosing THE WORST Airbnb in all of China last weekend!
 
6. The Old Enemy
The Poseidons don't look to be the easy beats that they were in recent years. The team has been building and their offseason pick up of Japan Goannas captain Kuno Yosuke will mean the easy goals are no more. There is even talk that Goannas' favourite son Luke Eyes will be heading down to the ground in his Eagles jumper to add his regulation seven goals to the Poseidons scoreline. With these two inclusions, the Goannas are going to be in for a real scrap. WE CAN'T WAIT!
10 Comments

Sliding Shoji - Shanghai Edition

12/5/2017

1 Comment

 
The first members of the Goannas Touring Party are already on the ground in China for the return of the Shanghai Cup! We last crossed the Sea of Japan (or East China Sea, depending on where in the world you are reading this from) in 2010. Lots has changed for the club between then and now, but one constant remains the same; Lizards love an away tour. Let's break down some predictions for the weekend with the return of Sliding Shoji. 
IF you're flying the peach fuzz red eye on the day of the tournament... THEN you certainly don't want to be snuggled up under the armpit of ruckman Sam Ghirardello.  Sweet dreams Elite Pete Chalmers.

IF you can talk two of your three-peat WAFL mates into flying to China to play footy for the Goannas...THEN that has to be a ringing Endorsement  about what it's like to me a member of this club. Looking forward to seeing Bretty Whyborn's original Brat Pack in action!

IF there is anyone else in Japan more chuffed than Player/Coach/Legend Matty Gale this weekend...THEN, we'll be surprised/shocked/gobsmacked - BIG MG has put a mountain of work into this event and getting our team sorted and he's looking to slot more than a few sausages.

IF you thought 'sausage' was the perfect way to segueway into mentioning Soren 'sozza sausage' Lumins...THEN, you would be right! CULT HERO and best Goanna at last year's Asian Champs THE SOZ MAN himself is back in the Goannas red and white this weekend! 

IF you look close enough...THEN you can see the blood, sweat and tears of Goannas' captain Dan Last in the new Japan Goannas jerseys, but jeez they look good!

IF you were looking for the perfect example of imitation as the highest for of flattery...THEN look no further than Jarrod Woodward returning to the Goannas team after a self imposed ban that rivaled the Bombers Ban in its length of time! 

IF you are a Shanghai local looking for a new shirt... THEN hang around outside the hotel window of the Goannas. Big Al Wyatt is sure to throw you one!

IF you still haven't organized your flight over to Shanghai...THEN have a word with forward Owen 'Boots' Kearney. He's a pilot you know.

IF you're looking for a good way to spend your whole weekend in Shanghai...THEN ask Goannas elder statesman Dave Oges about his career ending injury in his last game for the Goannas.

IF you're and AFL premiership medalist and hanging around Shanghai this weekend, (ahem Gablett). THEN look out, because Oceans Huynh is more than likely to take a courageous contested mark you ala his effort over LIBBA in Vietnam last year.

IF there is a bloke that loves a footy trip more than Goannas veteran Trav Wilson... THEN we'd love to meet him. Pre-season ghost - footy trip GOAT!

IF you are looking for a way to avoid shouting a round at the Camel... THEN make sure you get engaged a fortnight before a footy trip! Crafty maneuver from the original Shinboner Andrew Shinners! 

IF  there are two Goannas and two Goannas alone who are capable of backing up the Shanghai Cup tournament with a full exhibition game as the curtain closer to the Port v Suns match at Jiangwan Stadium... THEN it's Yuji Yamamoto and Kuno Yosuke. Go well in your match for the Asian Lions, all of Japan is behind you!

IF it's even half as hot in Shanghai as sources are reporting... THEN Mitch Stacey would do well to leave his fluro leggings behind.

IF your nickname is Dezzalenko... THEN we welcome you to the Goannas fold with open arms!


Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
1 Comment

A stroke of bad luck for Goannas swimming convert

1/5/2017

2 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
​Jim Stynes, former gaelic player,  is well known for being the poster boy for football converts. A Brownlow medal in 1991 and 264 games with the Melbourne Demons would attest to that. 
Over the years fellow countrymen Tadhg Kennelly has followed suit while on the other side of the spectrum rugby converts like Israel Folau failed to adapt to the chaotic, lung-busting nature of Aussie rules.

Looking back into the archives, there has yet to be a convert hailing from one of Australia's most popular sports and pastimes - swimming. Until, of course, this year.

Takayuki Enomoto started training with the Tokyo Goannas late 2016 and in fact on Grand Final day came to run the water for the team after just hours earlier emerging from the water himself to win his heat in the men's long distance en-route his path to swim for Japan in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
​

Asked about how gained an interest in our great game, he gave a simple answer. "I had been to Australia 4 times. That's when I first knew about AFL. I started to like it because it is so simple and extreme."

And his pick of teams?

"I support West Coast Eagles because the game I saw live the first time was a match where they won".

Despite his unfortunate choice in teams, he proceeded to fall in love with the game the same way we all did, just a bit later in life. So it was that Taka decided he wanted to be an AFL player despite his burgeoning swimming career. He didn't dispatch his swimming commitments altogether, instead tried to make the two schedules fit. Swim training would be on Saturday while Aussie rules took precedence on Sundays.

With plenty of teams to choose from he chose the famous red and white, explaining, "When I found out AFL is also played in Japan, I wanted to play it with Australians".

Playing with Australians also means you get awarded a nickname. Nothing has stuck permanently as yet but 'Grant Takatt' probably takes the cake at the moment. If you're wondering, that is after Grant Hackett, Australia's legendary long-distance swimmer of yesteryear. Feel free to make other suggestions in the comments section!

As this years pre-season kick-started the Goannas 2017 premiership defence, Taka took it on with intensity, determined to overcome the hurdles picking up a new sport presents. "I think controlling the kicking was the most difficult part to master". 

Whilst kicking is still a work in progress (like many other players in the team mind!), his marking has proved a feature clunking the pill at its highest point with those sticky mitts. He also counts fellow Goannas and Samurai star Yuji Yamamoto for helping him the most during training although seems to have forgotten his name, referring to him as "Japanese national team reinforcement player".

As round 1 approached, Taka was named in the starting line-up after an impressive pre-season training Futako Tamagawa down. He was given the No 9 jumper with his teammates confident he'll showing fellow number-sake Ben Cousins' prowess on-field but just without the white-line fever.

It was a tough first game as well against the experienced Tokyo Bay Suns. Taka made a solid start tackling and harassing every chance he got, showing some toughness in the contest as well. He certainly didn't look like a first-gamer out there, quickly earning many pats on the bums from his team mate (especially Owen 'Boots' Kearney who is a serial bum patter).

In the last quarter, Taka received a handball and streaked into the forward line before spearing a perfect drop punt through the big sticks for his first ever Aussie rules goal. Pandemonium momentarily broke out as teammates mobbed him from all angles. It was the biggest celebration of a goal since Doug Bonham almost scored one from the boundary last year.
Picture
Then disaster struck. With 5 minutes left in the match, Taka went in to pick up a ball in a contest and was tackled awkwardly from behind. The ball bobbled out and play ensued for a while before a stoppage gave everyone a chance to catch a breath. That's when everyone noticed Taka hadn't moved, body on the astroturf with his face showing anguish. As the players rushed up to him, a dread spread over the team when they realized he was clutching his knee.

Carried off the field to applause, the rest of the game was played out to a silent procession as concern for Taka's Olympic dream took front and centre of everyone's mind. Iced up and hobbling around afterwards, Taka reassured everybody that he would be ok.

Heartbreakingly, MRI scans later that night did not back up his positivity, informing the team that it was torn ligaments and months of rehab in front of him.

Speaking to Taka afterwards, he was resiliently upbeat which did not surprise anyone who got to know him the past few months. Asked if his parents were upset at him for putting his swimming career in jeopardy by playing a contact sport like Aussie rules, he shook his head. "Actually, my father thinks it is very good that I'm playing AFL. He laughed at my incident and said that it cannot be helped".

So would that be his first and last AFL game?

"Of course not! In my debut game I felt I became a real member of the team so I want to play again with everyone. I want to join the Samurais if possible as well".

That is music to every Goannas ears, and again reaffirms how important camaraderie is to our game. It also certainly bodes well knowing like every elite athlete (except for Pete Chalmers), Taka has himself a long-term goal to join the national team. It will however be a long road to recovery, and Taka himself acknowledges it.

"It will be 3 months before I will be cured and able to start training again so I will not be able to play for a while. I'm excited though to try to get down and support everyone from the sidelines. I want to play with the Goannas more as I like the team and love the members!"

With his no-frills toughness and passion for the game, Aussie Taka is certainly one of our own! We wish him well for his rehab and recovery and look forward to him getting back on the field sooner rather than later to kick a few more of those running sausages!
Picture
2 Comments

    Goannas News

    Keep up to date with all the goings on of the Goannas!

    Archives

    April 2019
    June 2018
    May 2018
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Our Club
    • Membership
  • Calendar
    • A League Fixture
    • Asian Champs
    • Japan Cup
  • News
  • Contact
  • Community
  • Historical Website
    • The History >
      • Goannas Beginning
      • AFL comes to Japan
      • Japan learns Aussie Rules
      • Mid-late 90s
      • The Mitchell Years
    • Blog Archives
    • Gallery >
      • 2011
      • 2010
      • 2009
      • 2008
      • 2007
      • 2006
      • 2005
      • 2004
      • 2003
      • Pre-2003