The run home in Premier B

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Alisha Min

Round 13 held little surprise for the Premier B faithful; the crème de la crème were unassailable and the concerted efforts from some to evade relegation were blatantly clear. With only five rounds remaining in the 2018 home & away season, it is prime time to review each team’s position on the ladder, and reflect on how it may conclude with the final games in consideration.

St. Bernard’s (1st)

Final five: Mazenod, Beaumaris, Caulfield Grammarians, Monash Blues, Ajax.

Little has quelled the outstanding form the Snow Dogs have produced this season, and 11 rounds without a loss certainly proves this point. Combine their convincing 100-point victory over Parkdale Vultures in Round 13, with the irrefutable benefit of Chad “the-goal-magnet” Jones and the Caven brothers running amuck, as well as two more matches to be determined at their fortress in the Snake Pit; it’s hard to envisage St Bernard’s not retaining top spot come the close of Round 18.

Old Carey (2nd)

Final five: University Blacks, Ajax, Beaumaris, Old Haileybury, Monash Blues.

The Panthers silenced critics in Round 13 post a 76-point win over Mazenod, and with that re-claimed 2nd position on the ladder, courtesy of a 7.03% advantage over the Blacks, for the first time since Round 9. Old Carey undoubtedly have their difficulties on the run home, namely the Blacks (3rd) and Beaumaris (4th), but a final round blow with Monash Blues, who could potentially be needing the win to avoid relegation, may put a spanner in the works with their end of season standing.

University Blacks (3rd)

Final five: Old Carey, Old Haileybury, Parkdale Vultures, Beaumaris, Mazenod.

The Blacks star studded line-up should see them retain 3rd place – if not higher – after the final five games. Statistically speaking, their Round 14 clash against Old Carey will be their most difficult outing left, and they’ll need to demonstrate their score-power (they currently sit 2nd with most points scored this season) if they are to overcome the best defensive side in the competition.

Beaumaris (4th)

Final five: Monash Blues, St. Bernard’s, Old Carey, University Blacks, Old Haileybury.

The Sharks have a healthy 28.17% advantage, and three game buffer, over 5th place Caulfield to solidify their place in the final four, but their run home will test their tenacity when three of their battles are against 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

Caulfield Grammarians (5th)

Final five: Ajax, Monash Blues, St. Bernard’s, Mazenod, Parkdale Vultures.

It will take a string of results, beginning with at least three percentage boosting wins and the Sharks capitulating, for the Fields to earn a seat at the Premier B finals table – but stranger things have happened in football. Caulfield boast one of the best runs home in the competition, with four of their remaining encounters with teams below them on the table, and, although losses, they’ve shown resolve in the last three rounds after going down by an average 21 points to teams seeded above them.

Parkdale Vultures (6th)

Final five: Old Haileybury, Mazenod, University Blacks, Ajax, Caulfield Grammarians.

The Vultures find themselves in middle-ground in Premier B; improbable finals contenders, and unlikely to be demoted, with neither outcome impossible yet. With a doable final leg of the 2018 season, and with a group of senior players due home from a European holiday, a holiday where coach Jason Bristow is confident they have been ‘staying fit’, the Vultures could make things hairy.

Old Haileyburians (7th)

Final five: Parkdale Vultures, University Blacks, Mazenod, Old Carey, Beaumaris

Like so many VAFA sides, many of the Bloods boys have answered the call for warmer climates, which makes results all the more debatable. With a full strength side, win’s over Parkdale and Mazenod are not implausible, but it’ll be difficult to achieve this with a side bolstered by, undoubtedly talented, but, younger bodies.

Ajax (8th)

Final five: Caulfield Grammarians, Old Carey, Monash Blues, Parkdale Vultures, St. Bernard’s.

The Jackas have had their challenges in 2018, and with only three wins on the trot, they are right in the mix for relegation. Having enjoyed success over the Blues in Round 8, they would be somewhat composed heading into that game, but with an average losing margin of 61.2 points against the remaining four sides, it could be a very arduous run home.

Mazenod (9th)

Final five: St. Bernard’s, Parkdale Vultures, Old Haileybury, Caulfield Grammarians, University Blacks.

Occupying one of the two relegation positions on the leaderboard, the Nodders are not without hope considering two of their pending games are against Parkdale and Old Haileybury. The Vultures are only one win above Mazenod, and the Bloods sit higher based purely on a 15.17% lead, so wins here could ensue their permanency in Premier B in 2019.

Monash Blues (10th)

Final five: Beaumaris, Caulfield Grammarians, Ajax, St. Bernard’s, Old Carey.

The Blues would be on an absolute high after notching their first consecutive wins this season, courtesy of their 15-point win over Old Haileybury last week. With three other sides sharing the same amount of premiership points with them (12 points), the Blues could very well escape demotion; an idea which might have seemed inevitable before Round 12.