Why an ‘anomaly’ 9-0 loss to Marconi is key to Dee’s Ilinden big dance preparations

“I genuinely hope they get a chance to celebrate a double because that’s a very rare feat, and I think it’s something that this year they’ve actually really deserved, Rockdale Ilinden coach Paul Dee said. 

Rewind to mid-June, and Ilinden were flying, riding an eight-game winning streak heading into a clash with Marconi Stallions.

Dee’s side shipped a goal within five minutes at Marconi Stadium, leaving them with ample time to get back into the game.

By the 22-minute mark, it was 4-0, and the league leaders went into the sheds 6-0 down.

Rockdale stared at a nine-goal defeat as the final whistle blew to their nearest rival in the 2024 NPL Men’s NSW.

“I’ve looked back at that a number of times and it’s an anomaly in the season that I find difficult to explain,” Dee said.

“There were few things that compounded on the day and led to that outcome that was so out of character for our team.”

This is the same Ilinden that went on to finish seven points ahead of the Stallions, claiming the Premiership.

While Dee said that lifting the Premiership means the most to him, the battering his team copped from Marconi has raised the stakes for Saturday’s grand final.

Dee said he drew similarities between his team’s Marconi defeat and the Stallions’ merciless first half against Blacktown City in their 6-2 semi-final win last Sunday.

“It [the 9-0 loss] certainly serves as one of the biggest motivating factors to show up and apply ourselves as we know we can,” Dee said.

“I watched that game [Marconi’s 6-2 win over Blacktown], and I couldn’t help but think there was a similar trend to what happened to us in the first half at Marconi Stadium.

“It was relentless the pressure they put on Blacktown.

“It was nine shots, seven on-target – six goals. That’s an incredibly efficient execution rate.”

Dee said his team are focussing on restricting Marconi’s ability to transition quickly in Saturday’s game by avoiding turnovers in vulnerable areas.

“We know percentage possession held, avoiding transition moments, especially in your own half – it’s critical,” he said.

“If you give them opportunity to pounce, they will do it, and then they expand really quickly.

“You can’t give them opportunities on goal like that.”

-By Tim Gibson