Finally off and running for 2008 - South Melbourne 5 Western Suburbs 0

When you play the right players, and play them in the right positions, and with the right formation, sometimes against all logic you score a bundle of goals and win handsomely. Now, Western Suburbs were far from the best opposition, but they were almost never in the game. They had one very good chance in the 1st half to pull it back to 2-1, but that was pretty much it.

Fernando was outstanding. De Nittis, Zoric and Armenian all very good, and there seemed to be the inkling of and understanding between them. Poutakidis was a little hot and cold, but was useful when coming forward. Natsoulias looked good, Nunes looked ok, though the defence in general had very little to do. La Verde making his debut was a quiet revelation; the kid knows how to play, and could just be the kind of thing we need in central midfield, very creative. Vasquez who came on late also had a decent game, though with the game dead, it's hard to judge.

1st goal - Fernando running right across the the edge of the box, past a couple of defenders, shoots into the keepers bottom left hand corner, out of his reach.

2nd goal - a pass to the back post (again on the keepers left hand side) tapped in by Natsoulias

3rd goal - De Nittis slots home a one on one.

4th goal - Fernando whips in an incredible free kick to the far post, the keeper no chance.

5th goal - another pass across the face of goal, where it was missed by one player, but put away by a desperate Poutakidos effort.

Congrats must also go to the under 21s for also breaking their duck, hanging on for a 1-0 win. They were on the back foot for a large parts of the 2nd half, but their 1st half goal (which i missed), was good enough in the end.

Below is some absolutely woeful amateur footage of Fernando's brilliant 2nd goal, a free kick into a corner I didn't know existed, courtesy of some kid called Cliff. I'm not sure if you actually even see the ball at any stage, but the crowd seems excited.