BIG V FOOTY SUNDAY

YES!  

The Big V triumphed over the Eastern Football League by 12 points in a tough contest at Bayswater today, reinforcing the reputation of the VAFA as the most successful representative outfit in our great game.
After struggling to kick straight early and then losing momentum, the Ammo team appeared likely to finish second, but with great determination and resilience, the visitors thundered home to a memorable victory. Coach Simon Lethlean, a former Big V captain who had worn the famous jumper in many important victories, praised the efforts, character and resilience of his team.
Julian Rowe was named best afield, while his Old Carey teammates Cam Howat, Lachy McQueen-Miscamble and newcomer James Rimington showed plenty of class too. NOBSPC newcomer Matt Firman also showed polish.
In the final term, needing big efforts from the forward line, Andrew Merrington and Matt Handley re-asserted their influence, while Nick Sautner broke Eastern hearts with two precision kicks as the clock went into time-on.
Ben Dowd and Tommy Simpson flew the flag early, getting plenty of service from John Shaw, but the EFL licked the first goal of the game. And while the Easterners displayed confidence and moved the ball with aplomb and hurried help back to combat the VAFA’s aerial threat, they never broke the backs of the Big V team. Mistakes wee made by the visitors, gifting a couple of easy goals, but the spirit never waned. Jack Bull, playing his first senior game in the jumper and the seasoned Ryan Colbert came into the game as coach Lethlean demanded quicker ball movement. In the end, it seemed that only one team was running and while the home team came back from a goal down late in the piece, Sautner strutted his stuff again to seal an emphatic victory. In the curtain-raiser, the EFL defeated the VAFA Premier C – Div 4 team by 15 points in an entertaining contest. Banyule’s Adam Barclay booted eight for the Big V in a brilliant performance.
EFL    5.2    8.5         9.8    10.10 (70) 
VAFA  2.6    3.11     6.13    11.16 (82) 
Goals: Sautner 3, Colbert, Rimington, Merrington, Rowe, Bull, Handley, Howat, Firman 
Best: Rowe, McQueen-Miscamble, Firman, Dowd, Zimbachs, Shaw
The Ammos held sway early, but the EFL dominated the middle part of the contest. The last quarter was a shootout but the visitors couldn’t get closer than 9 points.

EFL:    1.2    5.12    11.13   17.16 (118) 
VAFA: 3.3     6.7      8.10   15.11 (101) 
Goals: Barclay 8, Fletcher, Baranello, Boundy, Thomas, Keown, Crotty, Carlyle. 
Best: Barclay, Snow, Grant, Tran, Fletcher, Blanch. 
…………….
VAFA pride is again on the line, with two super contests against the EFL on Sunday.
Old Carey’s midfield schemer Cam Howat has been named as skipper of the VAFA senior team, with Old Xavs’ Ryan Colbert and St Bede’s Mentone Tigers’ Paul Wintle as vice captains.
Old Mentonian Gareth Snow will lead the Premier C-Division 4 lineup with Parkdale Vulture Zeke McCarthy and Banyule Ireland tourist Twiggy Christian as his deputies.
The games begin at 11:30am at Bayswater Oval. Admission is $10 per adult, remarkable value for an absolutely smashing doubleheader.
Live radio coverage at 96.5 InnerFM www.innerfm.org.au and live scores here SENIORS
1 Cameron Howat (C) Old Carey
2 Ryan Colbert (VC) Old Xaverians
4 Jack Bull Collegians
5 Matthew Firman North Old Boys/St Patrick’s College
6 James Rimington Old Carey
7 Nick Gieschen Old Ivanhoe
8 Daniel Strachan Collegians
9 Trent Zimbachs Collegians
10 Ben Dowd St Kevin’s Old Boys
11 Michael Harold Oakleigh
12 Josh Madden St Bernard’s
13 Justin Perkins Caulfield Grammarians
16 Andrew Scott Collegians
17 Nicholas Sautner Collegians
18 Glenn Chivers St Kevin’s Old Boys
20 Nick Wynne Old Xaverians
21 Matt Handley Old Xaverians
22 James Jorgensen Collegians
23 Julian Rowe Old Carey
24 Jonathan Mercuri Old Xaverians
25 Paul Wintle (vc) St Bede’s Mentone Tigers
30 Tom Simpson St Kevin’s Old Boys
31 Anthony Lynch St Kevin’s Old Boys
34 Andrew Merrington St Bernard’s
35 John Shaw Old Xaverians
37 Lachlan McQueen-Miscamble Old Carey

B: T. ZIMBACHS, J. ROWE,  L. MCQUEEN-MISCAMBLE
HB: N. GIESCHEN, P. WINTLE, C. HOWAT
C: A. LYNCH, J. BULL, N. WYNNE
HF: J. PERKINS, M.HANDLEY, J MERCURI
F: J MADDEN, N SAUTNER, A SCOTT
FOLL : J JORGENSON, B DOWD, T SIMPSON
INT: J SHAW, D STRACHAN, R COLBERT, M FIRMAN, A MERRINGTON, G CHIVERS, N RIMMINGTON, M HAROLD
A nicely balanced line-up, with jostling for starting positions akin to a fight for the pole at a Grand Prix. The team has youth, experience, versatility and speed. Twelve players have at least one premiership medallion from the VAFA’s top tier.  A similar number have experience at VFL level, its equivalent or higher.  This team is capable of kicking a huge score via contributions from its talented forwards. If the talls don’t get their share, the smaller brigade certainly will. There are plenty of big fellows to carry the ruck duties and each one of them is a different type of player. Coaches always make decisions on whom to tag and must then find plenty of players who can do a job on an opponent. The Big V team is loaded with players who can put on a tag, but also with some free spirited performers capable of shaking the attention of an opponent.  As a team, even stronger than the individuals. Committed, fierce and with a love of wearing the great jumper, this team will play to win from the first bounce until after the final siren.
Premier C- Division 4
1 Gareth Snow (C) Old Mentonians
2 Adam Barclay Banyule
3 James Tran MHSOB
4 Leigh Fletcher Hampton Rovers
5 Paul Baranello Emmaus St Leo’s
6 Simon Bennett Old Camberwell
7 Jonathon Blanch Marcellin
8 Rob Chisholm Ormond
9 Michael Christian (VC) Banyule
10 Simon Considine Marcellin
11 David Boundy Old Paradians
15 Sam Savage Yarra Valley
18 Rees Thomas Mazenod
19 Matthew Keown North Old Boys/St Patrick’s College
21 Sam Baring Monash Blues
24 Zeke McCarthy (VC) Parkdale Vultures
26 Warren Carlyle Old Camberwell
27 Mitch Grant Parkdale Vultures
29 Paul Groves Parkdale Vultures
30 Jarrod Carlson Marcellin
33 Tom Coghlan Peninsula
34 Robert Mann Mazenod
35 Tom Paterson Glen Eira
36 Bart Walsh Banyule
37 Paul Florance Bulleen Templestowe
38 James Musster Prahran Assumption

B: Baring, Christian Carlson
HB: Bennet Snow Grant
C: Mann McCarthy Groves
HF: Tran Thomas Boundy
F: Chisholm Keown Barclay
Foll: Carlyle Florance Musster
Int: Patterson Fletcher Savage Walsh 
Baranello Coghlan Blanch Considine
Great side! Some real class on every line. Seasoned performers such as ESL’s Paul Baranello joins players from 17 other clubs in this team. Plenty of skill and size that will keep the Big V competitive. Strong in defence, quick and aggressive around the ball and some big guns to kick a winning score.