SOME days, the outcome of a football match does not matter when placed against a backdrop of a greater cause.
At a football club, there can be no greater cause than to salute a fallen mate.
Saturday will be fondly remembered in the hearts of every West Footscray official, player and supporter, irrespective of the result, as they paid their respects to former player and vice-president Patrick Joyce.
Joyce, who lived and breathed the West Footscray Football Club, was killed in a car accident during the off season.
Some days, you are up against it as a football side, but other days you just know you are going to win it. The Roosters did just that for Joyce, who was their 22nd man on Saturday.
They claimed the Patrick Joyce memorial trophy in the reserves, then followed up with a 17-point win over Braybrook in the seniors at Shorten Reserve.
“It was an emotional day and the players really responded to that,” Roosters coach Rohan Mackenzie told the Weekly.
“It was a good win for the club on a big day on and off the field.”
Joyce’s memory will live on forever more at West Footscray after the Roosters named their change rooms in his honour.
The Joyce family ties are strong at the club, with Joyce’s mum Pam volunteering in the canteen.
On Saturday, Pam was presented with Joyce’s football jumper and a photo of her son by a teary Roosters president Peter Speakman in a pre-game ceremony.
West Footscray and Braybrook held a minute’s silence before the seniors game.
Joyce’s death was felt at Braybrook too. Many at the club knew Joyce through his grandfather, who has been a trainer there.
“It’s [the Joyces] a good family around the club to have, so it was tragic what happened,” Mackenzie said.
“[Saturday] was a celebration [of Joyce], but it was an emotional one.”
In the seniors, the Roosters kept Braybrook at arm’s length all game, leading at every change.
The home side was ferocious around the packs, the “most intense” they have been at the contest all season, according to Mackenzie.
“The boys really responded. They worked hard and were buggered by the end of the game,” he said.
“They really played for Pam and the Joyce family.”
Roosters onballer Mark Speakman was best on ground for his tireless performance in the midfield.
Speakman broke through the magical 50 possessions for the game.
“He works twice as hard as anyone else on the field and just gets to as many contests as he can,” Mackenzie said.
Josh Webster offered plenty of dash out of defence, Ben Douglas returned from an ankle injury and played a negating role on the backline, and Jadyn Trowsdale excited with his run on the wing and half forward.
It was the Roosters fourth win of the season.
