OGs derail Tiger train as Blacks cull Sharks

Jake Morris

Bedes or Beauy for 4^th? Who returns to Premier C for 2020? All will be answered in Round 18.

Thanks to a monumental second half fightback that saw them overturn a 27-point halftime deficit, Old Geelong have caused a major upset to upend St Bedes/Mentone Tigers by 12 points and potentially derail the Tigers finals aspirations. 10 second half goals from the OGs compared to Bedes’ three saw Callum Wood and company register their fifth win of the year and lift themselves out of the bottom two ahead of Round 18. Led by Wood with three goals, and great performances from Tim Noakes and Liam Maiden, the OGs have made life incredibly difficult for the Tigers to finish inside the four, needing a victory over perennial powerhouse and former William Buck Premier counterpart, Old Scotch, to assure a finals place.

Despite still sitting just under 5% ahead of the Tigers for fourth, Beaumaris were thoroughly outclassed by the red-hot University Blacks in a dominant 95-point outing. In what is likely to be the matchup in week-one of the finals, the Blacks sent a warning shot across the bow of Beaumaris with a mesmerising final three quarters of play, piling on 20 of the final 23 goals of the game in that span. Luke Sevior (5), John Roysmith (4) and Daniel McCollough (3) led the Blacks to their seventh straight victory, with Hugh Curnow and Jarrod Carlson earning the votes. The win also pushed the Blacks average winning margin to a league-high 68.6 points per game. Matt Petering kicked three for the Sharks who will now face Fitzroy in Round 18, with a win almost certainly enough to clinch a spot in September.

Final quarter heroics from Fitzroy has seen them speed past a disappointing Old Haileybury by 16 points to lift themselves off the bottom of the table and into contention of a Premier B return in 2020. Piling on 6.4 to 2.2 in the final stanza, the wayward Roys managed to snag their fifth win of the season, with Sunny Brazier and Nathan Jumeau each kicking two crucial goals while Jack Hart and Jock Green were given the votes. Fitzroy will now face Beaumaris in Round 18, with a win putting themselves in the best position to lift out of the bottom two, while a loss will almost certainly send them back to Premier C for 2020. Now sitting just 6.92% above the relegation zone and on a five-game losing streak, the Bloods will need to take care of business against Monash to assure they return to Premier B next season.

Continuing their march towards September glory was Caulfield Grammarians as they brushed aside Monash Blues by 53 points to remain in the box seat for the minor premiership. Another bag of five from goal-scoring phenomenon, Julian Dobosz, pushed his season total to 41 goals from seven games, while Anthony Krakauer bobbed up for another three goals to guide their side to their fourth straight victory and 15^th on the year. Led by Liam Tenace and Nick Argento, the Blues now find themselves on the bottom of the table with just four wins overall, needing an away victory over the slumping Old Haileybury to give themselves any opportunity to play Premier B football again 2020.

Another clinical performance from Old Scotch has seen them dismantle Parkdale Vultures by their largest margin of victory since 2010, 130 points. In what was also their highest score since 2010 (27.17 179), the Cards’ demonstrated why they must be considered the best side in the section, booting 25 of the final 29 goals of the game to send a message to the rest of the teams ahead of their first finals campaign since 2017. 15 different Cards’ got on the scoresheet, but arguably the best ruckman in Premier B, Thomas Downie, was the main perpetrator up-forward with four in a BOG performance. Andrew Watterson was the Vultures best, who now sit just 0.28% ahead of the eighth placed Old Haileybury, but with the scorching hot Uni Blacks now on deck, Parkdale’s future in Premier B is less than certain.