THE SATURDAY SKINNY

Football returned and what a round it was. Premier was tight, but smashings were more common than usual in perfect conditions.
In Premier, the biggest winning margin was thirty-one points in a schedule that delivered not one, but two draws, and a one point result.
While unbeaten teams Collegians and Old Carey emerged comfortable victors, the other contests involved Lazarus-like performances. At Waverley Park, De La Salle came back to draw with St Bede’s Mentone Tigers after trailing most of the afternoon. At Marles, Old Trinity looked the goods early, but was run down by Old Scotch and looked beaten. Then the Greens came back to snatch a tie. At University Oval, Xavs dominated the second quarter and kicked the first goal in the last. Inspired by brilliant third term from Jack Watts and Andrew Lowcock, Blues seized control and looked runaway winners well into the last when Xavs picked themselves from the floor and hauled in the nineteen point deficit. Esmond Prowse snapped a very late goal to win them the game.
In Premier B, Skevs continued the misery for St Bernard’s, Beauy torched Old Brighton, Uni Blacks put the sword to Hampton Rovers, while OLd Ivanhoe, with nine from Owen Weatherley and six from Adrian Delmonte, pumped Marcellin. Caulfield Grammarians remained unbeaten with a six goal win over Oakleigh.
In Premier C, Werribee slammed Old Essendon, Rupo won a close one with Fitzroy, Monash Blues easily accounted for the Nodders, the Unicorns beat Old Camberwell and AJAX ripped Ormond on the back of David Fayman’s eight goals and six from Evgeni Routman.
In Division 1, Ryan McEvoy’s nine fired Old Geelong’s big win over North Old Boys/St Pats, Banyule wiped Bulleen-Temp, the Friars drubbed the CYs, and Parkdale cruised over Old Paradians. Only the high-scoring derby between Mentonians and Peninsula was close, resulting in a win to the former, Ben Lane nailing six.
In Division 2, Glenn Boyd’s seven goals paced Glen Eira to a 72 point pasting of previously unbeaten La Trobe University, Glenn Costas kicked seven as St John’s beat Aquinas, Emmaus thumped St Mary’s Salesian, Therry (nine from Jake George) whacked Old Westbourne, and Sab Ciavola got eight as the Turtles beat South Melbourne Districts in a close one.
In Div 3, more carnage. Aaron Thornton got eight for the Wickers, who wasted the Cider Men. Prahran Assumption hammered Hawthorn at Kilmore, with Peter Cristoforo kicking six. UHS-VU had three players register Michelles as it rolled over West Brunswick. Power House edged Ivanhoe and the Gryphons tipped out the Bankers in a hard-fought affair. The Winemakers beat Kew with plenty left in the barrel.
In Division 4, more pillage and plunder. Ben Spencer dobbed eight to see SFX street South Mornington. Swinburne whacked Richmond Central, Aaaron Marsh’s eight got the Cookies home over North Brunswick despite six from Pat Notaro, and Dan Penny’s nine saw Box Hill North edge Eley Park in the Chisholm derby. Manningham Cobras got six from Stephen Rose, coasting to a massive 171 point win over the Shoppers, whose percentage is now less than ten.

Full scores with best players and goalkickers elsewhere on vafa.com.au