Hard-nosed Rochester ball magnet Joe Atley will be ineligible for the Goulburn Valley League’s 2023 Morrison Medal after club officials chose not to contest a striking charge from the previous weekend’s match with Shepparton.
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Atley sat out the weekend’s 10-point loss to Tatura, the first time this season he has missed pulling on the yellow-and-black of his home-town club this season.
He made a pre-season commitment to the club after playing four games alongside his two brothers, Shaun and Jacob, last year while winning the Essendon VFL side’s best-and-fairest.
Atley turned his back on the captaincy duties of Essendon’s VFL team to return to Rochester and has been listed among the Tigers’ best in all but one of the 13 games this year.
He received a two-match suspension, but with an early plea was only required to sit out last weekend’s home-and-away match against Tatura.
Rochester beat the Bulldogs by 11 points in round five when Atley was a key to its success, picking up 26 disposals, sending the ball inside forward 50 on 10 occasions and getting five clearances.
His 138 ranking points was the highest of any player involved in the match.
At the weekend, the low-scoring match saw the Tigers lead by one point at half-time, but when Tatura kicked half of its six goals in the third term it shot away to a 13-point lead at the final break.
Rochester had three more inside-50 entries in that final term, but was rewarded with only one goal and five behinds — four from inaccuracy and the last a rushed behind — and suffered a third narrow defeat.
In round four, the Tigers kicked five final-term behinds against Shepparton and lost by 11 points and then lost by two points to Benalla in round eight when it kicked 1.7 in the final term.
In its worst goal-kicking display of the season, the team kicked 5.20, including 0.6 in the third quarter, in a 13-point loss to Shepparton United.
Close followers suggest all three games were in the Tigers’ keeping if not for an inability to finish in front of goal.
Rochester kicked 4.10 (34) at the weekend and despite having the same shots on goal as Tatura, lost by 10 points, with the Bulldogs finishing with 6.8 (44).
Atley’s absence meant the Tigers’ statistical output was significantly down on previous weeks. They had 78 less disposals than Tatura, despite winning the contested possession count by 18.
They had 12 less marks and eight less inside-50 entries, also suffering at the hand of the umpires as they lost the free kick count 11-16.
Rochester’s slow start to the match — it scored just one behind in the opening term — was followed by a Hamish Hooppell and Reid Gordon-led recovery.
Hooppell attempted to pick up the slack in Atley’s absence and finished with a 122 ranking point game on the back of 10 clearances, 24 disposals and five tackles.
His work at both ends of the ground was evidenced by the fact he had seven rebound 50s and four inside-50s.
Gordon, who started his time at Rochester as a key forward, also worked hard in the midfield and was rewarded with 23 disposals, 11 clearances and four tackles.
Sean Williams was again the focus of Rochester’s limited avenues to goal, kicking three of the team’s four goals and taking his season tally to 34.
Dylan Cuttriss was Rochester’s only other goal-kicker.
Rucking recruit Lachlan Watson dominated the hit-outs and allowed the Tigers to win the clearance count by 13. He finished with 58 hit-outs as the Tigers almost doubled Tatura’s tally.
Grant Fuller’s defensive work in the midfield was another highlight of the match. He was credited with 12 tackles and 20 disposals, along with eight clearances.
In a high tackle count, Tatura was credited with 104 tackles for the match, 24 more than the Tigers. A telling statistic was the 20 forward 50 tackles the Bulldogs made, compared to the Tigers’ five.
Atley was reported for striking midway through the round 13 match in which he was a clear best-on-ground in a thrilling one-point win which was a highlight of club stalwart Mitch Bright’s 200th game.
The striking report came after he had received late attention from an opponent while handballing from a pack, in typical fashion, on his knees.
While Rochester club officials were disappointed with the outcome of the treatment of Atley by his Shepparton opposition during the team’s third win of the season, they did suggest that retaliation was not a defence.
Despite missing the weekend, Atley remains on top of the contested possession category in the GVL.
He is also the second-ranked player for clearances and has been involved in more free kick decisions than any other player in the competition (39 in his favour, 32 against).
Before the weekend, Atley led the competition for hard ball gets, was top five for loose ball gets and second for overall disposals behind the favourite to win the league best-and-fairest, Euroa’s Will Hayes.
Rochester president Justin Cleary said after viewing the vision and in consultation with Atley, the club had decided not to challenge the charge and accept the one-match suspension.
He said the subject of the Morrison Medal had been raised, but was not a major factor in the decision.
“We’re always very proud of individual honours, but if Joe was to have the most votes it would not be the first time this has happened in recent history,” Cleary said.
“Nathan Marrone missed the medal due to ineligibility.
“If he was to win it would be a moral victory, but it is called the best and fairest.”
The report last week didn’t affect Atley’s final quarter heroics, when he kicked two goals and dominated clearances for the Tigers.
Despite the Tigers not challenging for a spot in the finals, Atley has been the focus of close checking tactics from opposition teams due to his ball-winning ability.
His report came as a direct result of him retaliating to that close attention.
“We discussed that at length and the club was ready to take it to the tribunal,” Cleary said.
“In the end it was decided that the one-week early plea was the best option.”
Will Hamilton also missed the Tatura match after suffering a concussion the previous week. He is expected to play this week.
Star recruit Dylan Gordon returned for the Tatura match with 19 disposals, having missed the previous week’s win with family commitments in Darwin.
With the return of Atley and Hamilton the, Tigers will go in as favourites against Benalla at Moon Oval this week, before successive matches against top-four teams Euroa and Echuca.
The season will end with a Moon Oval match against Shepparton United on Saturday, August 26, when the Tigers will be hoping that more accurate kicking on goal will make up for the disappointment of the loss to the Demons earlier in the season.
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