2004 Season - Cougars v Victoria v Seattle Late July

Cougars Sizzle in Seattle Sun

It was with much anticipation that the boys went into last weekend relishing the chance to get on another Seattle road trip. This time, the weekend would have the added bonus of not only playing Seattle, but also new boys Victoria. None seemed more keen than Cashie on getting down to Seattle, especially considering he had finally got himself a VISA so he could come and go into Canada. Well, wouldn’t you know it, as the bus pulled away at 8 a.m. from Vancouver, it was absent one Ash “Cash” Bushell who had somehow managed to lose his passport the week before.
So with only 15 players, the Cougars headed down to Seattle. As the bus pulled up to the ground at Lake Washington High School, the boys were hit with a burst of heat as the temperature nudged 35 degrees. It was a scorcher!! It was with some relief that the first game of the day was Seattle vs. Victoria.

As has been the case recently, Victoria seems to be getting better with each game. In a low scoring, but highly entertaining game, Victoria at one stage in the last quarter skipped away to a narrow 1 goal lead over Seattle. However, it was only a late scramble in the dying moments that saw the Grizzlies overcome the Lions.

Final score – Seattle 7.9.51 to Victoria 6.6.42

As the Seattle Boys ran for cover under their tents and the Victoria Boys grabbed a much need drink and a dash of sunscreen, the Cougars hit the field for a quick warm up for their first game of the day - against Victoria. Before a ball was bounced, many a Cougar was soon wondering when the club will be lucky enough to upgrade from its current woolen jumpers which are certainly not mid-summer wear.

So it was on to the game. Despite having just played a game only 30 minutes before, the Victoria boys still came out and gave it everything they had. From the start, the Cougars centreline of Bobby, Freemo, and Glamour were controlling things and sending the ball long. Stew “NoLongerDue” Green continued his good form from the previous game and registered an early major, one of four for the game. The Cougars welcomed back Goalsneak Jase who did his usual magic and weaved his way through some gaps to slot through 4 nice goals for the game. As always the Pretty boy was looking dangerous up forward, but seemed to be slightly overshadowed by his forward partners on the day as he managed to register only 2 for the game.

1st Quarter - Cougar 2.1.13 to Victoria Lions 0.2.2

The Lions continued to give it to the Cougars in the second quarter, but the heat was beginning to catch up to the team as the fresher Cougars seemed to go from strength to strength. Fists seemed to be taking marks at will across the Centre Half Forwardline. The backline players as per usual were working hard and refused to give up even a point without a fight. Coops and Pete Taylor as always formed the initial wall across the CHB line, while Ted Bundy, Robbo, Mick and Morgs wore their opponents like gloves.

Half Time - Cougar 5.4.34 to Victoria Lions 1.2.8

As the heat continued to take it’s toll, the Cougars once again raised their game a notch. The goals from the forwardline were coming thick and fast as The Pretty Boy, NoLongerDue and Goalsneak Jase continued to cause the Victoria boys backline a headache, while Fists continued to be the general across CHF. Handyman, Bobby, Glamour and Freemo continued to control the centre area and formed a wall the kept the ball in the forwardline, while anything that snuck through was being mopped up by Pete Taylor who was playing inspired football.

3rd Quarter -Cougar 8.5.53 to Victoria Lions 1.3.9

A highlight of the last quarter was a great goal scored after the Wiz put his body on the line and took on two of Victoria’s players in a marking dual. He didn’t take the grab, but the subsequent scraps went straight to Bobby who fired off a quick handball to the Pretty Boy that was duly converted.

In the end, the Cougars by a blowout.

Final Score – Cougars 12.9.81 to Victoria 1.5.9

Goals – Goalsneak Jase – 4, NoLongerDue – 4, Pretty Boy - 2, Bobby – 1, Glamour – 1.
Best – Sold team performance. Good luck B&F voters !!

So it was onto game 2 as traditional rivals Vancouver and Seattle headed for battle.

The first game was remarkable similar to game one, with the Cougars asserting dominance early across the field and on the scoreboard. As a result, take the last match report, substitute the name Victoria for Seattle and there you go.

The only significant difference was the dominance of big Andrew “Fists” Thornton who played out the second game at full-forward after having sustained a minor foot injury in the first game. From the first quarter it was obvious that Fists has mastered the art of using his big arse to bump his opponents out of the way to take a nice, almost uncontested, mark. The big man played this move to a tee and snagged 5 classy goals.

The game also saw the emergance of a new force at the Cougars Andrew “The Farrtrain” Farr. In an awesome display of ferocity (that or just pure luck), the Farrtrain mowed down Seattle ruckman Big John, a man 3 inches and about 50 pounds heavier, with a bone crunching hip and shoulder. As Big John gasped for breath on the ground, the Farrtrain’s only concern was the nail on his little pinky finger that was slightly torn from the bump.

In the end, the Cougars were just too strong.

Final Score – Cougars 8.10.58 to Seattle 3.4.22

Goals – Fists – 5, Pretty Boy – 1, Goalsneak Jase – 1, Bobby – 1.
Best – Again, sold team performance.

After match function

After a couple of hard fought victories, and with the temperature still hovering around 35 degrees celsius, the boys headed down to Lake Washington for a well deserved dip in the cool waters. Considering there were no shower facilities at the ground, it proved to be a double bonus for both the boys and prospective pub patrons. Teddy thrilled the crowd with his mad dash across the jagged rocks into the water, whilst Fists didn’t thrill the crowd too much with his suspected floater…

A relaxed and refreshed Cougars team quickly headed across town and looked to make some serious dints on the beer supply level at the Kangaroo and Kiwi Pub.

In no time the Cougar boys and their associated Cougar girls were warming up nicely after a few Coopers. With a lack of the opposite sex in attendance, the boys quickly began to carve up the pool table, and hammer through the beers. None more so than a couple of the team’s senior members that were enjoying a night off from having to be responsible in front of their kids.

Not long after midnight, and with the boys recognising that the two designated drivers – Coops and Teddy had been more than generous with their waiting time, 15 intoxicated men and woman headed to the vans for the long drive home. BCFooty.Com has recently learnt that despite leaving half and hour before the second bus, Coop’s bus arrived into Vancouver an hour after the second bus. This was due to Coops being requested to make around 5 unexpected pit-stops on the way home so two of his passengers could proceed to decorate the side of the I5 time…… and time again.