OLD XAVS DO IT AGAIN

Old Xaverians won their twelfth premiership in the top tier when it defeated Collegians by twenty points at Sportscover today.
It was the into-the-wind play of the Red and Blacks that made the difference. In the final term, they added two goals – a tricky set shot from Luke Howard at the four minute mark, and the sealer, a scintillating and devastating Jon Mercuri chase-and-bait and full speed finish that brought down the house.
Played under overcast skies and with a sou-wester blowing hard most of the afternoon, Xaverians got away early but Collegians reeled them in. Had they kicked straighter, they might have been harder to toss. As it was, they led by a whisker at the half, but Chris Blumfield and Nick Ries, the Lions’ captain and vice, had come off late in the second stanza.
Once again, as in the third term last week, Xavs struggled with the wind but Andy Biddlecombe bombed one late in the quarter to stretch the lead to fourteen points.
Certainly, the wind was strong enough to provide the Lions with confidence going into the season’s final stanza, but Xavs milked the clock from the outset, finding loose players across half back and bottling the ball on the defensive outer side.
Shura Taft booted one at the twelve minute mark to answer Howard’s early goal, but the scoring dried up again until Mercuri turned on the after-burners.
Ryan Colbert, whose work pushing back deep into defence was invaluable, won the JF Nelson Medal for best afield.
Collegians, who had a massive season, losing just two of nineteen following seven wins to finish 2009, were left wondering how it all come undone at the wrong time.
Xavs’ coach Simon Lethlean announced that he would not be back next year, though wouldn’t rule out a return at a later date. While six of his players yesterday were first time premiership medallists, Lethlean has seven necklaces, a VAFA record he shares with former teammate John Bowen. Nice symmetry for the man who wore number 7.
In the Reserves, Uni Blues stole the flag from De La in the dying moments, while Xavs got the day off on a positive note when it won the inaugural Premier 3rds premiership.