ROCK REPORT

A long offseason has passed since the Toronto Rock won their league record tying sixth championship and the

team is looking to repeat for the third time in franchise history. Last season, the Rock defeated the Washington Stealth 8-7 in the championship final after losing the 2010 final to the same team, 15-11.

By Jordan Maxwell

Over 14,000 people packed the Air Canada Centre in Toronto on May 15, 2011 to watch the Toronto Rock battle for redemption against their nemesis, the Washington Stealth. In a tightly contested affair in front of a boisterous arena, the Rock once again climbed back to the top of the mountain after a six-year absence.

The Rock were able to earn redemption defeating the Stealth after finishing the 2010 season with a sense of unfinished business. Playing a full 60 minutes had a lot to do with their win, but the player’s thirst for revenge and another chance at the crown energized their quest for a title. The sour taste in their mouth fueled the

ROCK REPORT

Rock for most of the season as settling the score remained heavy in their hearts. The team picked up key playoff victories against the Rochester Knighthawks and Buffalo Bandits en route to the NLL title. This season, the Rock will have no such vendettas; however the team is looking to regain their championship swagger for another title run and seem to be having little trouble finding the motivation. “Last year was last year but the expectations have to stay the same,” said Rock captain Colin Doyle. “We expect to be in the final game again and we expect to continue that feeling that we had last year and win a championship again. That being said, we know that it will be tough this year with how good the league is going to be.” The championship win ended the career

of Bob Watson, arguably the greatest lacrosse goalie of all time, as he moves on from the game after a brilliant 15-year career and in the process will focus on the continued growth of his young law enforcement career. Nevertheless, the Rock made improvements to their roster this year adding veterans such as Josh Sanderson, Bill Greer and Matt Roik, who is expected to accept the goaltending torch passed on by Watson. Roik went 3-2 last year with a .753 save percentage in five games with the Washington Stealth. The Rock are hoping that Roik can thrive this season in a starting role. “I know Matt will step in and do a real good job succeeding Bobby and we’ll be there pushing behind him,” said head coach Troy Cordingley. Cordingley added that the preseason allowed the Rock to take some things away that will make the team better this season. “We’ve got a hardworking group and I think we’re a more athletic bunch than we’ve been in a couple years. Terry (Sanderson) has done a good job of putting the pieces in place to put us in a position to be successful,” said Cordingley. The other veterans, Sanderson and Greer, could also prove to be key additions this season, helping the Rock to reclaim their throne atop the NLL. “Those guys didn’t win it last year and they will be chomping at the bit,” said Doyle. The Rock achieved greatness with strong offense and a furious defense that sought to pressure the opposing team for turnovers. With a new roster, some veteran additions who have yet to taste a championship, and a new goalie, the Rock believe they have enough tools to contend for another championship — despite the parity in the league. And while there are some young guys on the team in Stephan Leblanc, Garrett Billings and Rob Hellyer to name a few, the veteran players are hoping to employ a ‘do as I do approach’. “I’m one of many leaders and that’s the luxury on this team. Other veterans, we don’t have to say anything about it. We just work hard and hopefully the young guys see what we do and that nothing’s changed. Most things go

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The Rock celebrate their 6th Championship in Franchise history.

Legendary Rock goaltender Bob Watson hoists the Cup one last time and retires a winner.

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without saying. The younger guys will have to follow along or they won’t be around and I think that’s something about our league that’s changed from even two or three years ago,” said Doyle. “They’re so many guys who are competing for a job that if you’re not doing the right things then you may not be one of those guys taking a run at the NLL Championship. I think we have an incredibly talented group and a group that’s willing to work hard to get us back to the top.” Still if anyone has a chance at repeating as a champion, it’s the Toronto Rock. Since the league was formed in 1987, the Rock are one of three teams — Buffalo Bandits (1992, 1993) and Philadelphia Wings (1989, 1990) — who have repeated. Still the Rock are the only team to have done it more than once. In 1999 and 2000, the Rock repeated as champions and did it again in 2002 and 2003. Guys such as Colin Doyle, Blaine Manning and Sandy Chapman were all a part of the second of two back-to-back runs and still have a place on the roster to this date. Whether or not their plethora of experience takes them to the Promised Land this time around is still unknown, however the Captain believes the team is poised to make another run and let the hard work speak for itself. “We have that motivation that we want to repeat as champions,” said Doyle. “At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter where you get your motivation from, we just have to find a way to be motivated and we have a good group of guys who understand that greatness is earned and hopefully we can achieve greatness this year.”

ROCK REPORT

“I think we have an incredibly talented group and a group that’s willing to work hard to get us back to the top.” — Colin Doyle

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Rock Captain Colin Doyle wins his 6th NLL Championship and first as team Captain.