Let’s try this again, shall we?

Jake Morris

Another midseason hiatus threw a spanner in the works of an already disjointed 2021 season but as football returns for the third time this year, the Premier B men’s competition remains a race from relegation, with the top-4 almost certainly set in stone as we head for home.

Beginning with ladder leaders and arguable premiership favourites University Blacks as they return to the field for a clash with Williamstown CYMS, who currently reside in fifth position, three games back of fourth. Winners of four straight by an average of over 70-points, the Blackers enter this contest on a high but come up against an unfamiliar foe, as they are yet to face the CYs so far this year, with their most recent clash occurring in round nine 2002. Williamstown ended their three-game skid with a handy 11-point win over Bedes prior to play halting but will need to build on that this weekend as their window into the top-4 is looking bleak. Led by Dan McCullough and Nick Hey up forward, the Blackers should have little trouble putting a big score on the CYs back six who rank eighth in scores conceded so far this year. Look for the ladder leaders to make another statement.

The unquestioned match of the round will feature the absolutely scorching Old Haileyburians and the always dangerous Beaumaris at Banksia Reserve for what is shaping up to be a classic. Winners of nine straight, the Bloods have steamrolled through the competition so far this year but have yet to face the elite defensive unit that the Sharks possess, posing a new challenge for Daniel Ward and company. Beaumaris have won five straight but are still yet to gain a win over a fellow top-4 side, with their only two losses so far this year coming against Uni Blacks and De La Salle. Nevertheless, the boys from Banksia still manage to keep their opponents to a league low 43-points a clash, with opponents scoring more than 55 just once so far this year. This one will truly be a clash of the unstoppable force and the immovable object with the Bloods scoring prowess clashing with the Sharks vicelike defensive unit. I am leaning Beauy in a tight one, but this truly could go either way with this settling in to be a finals preview in just over a months’ time.

It’s been a long time between drinks for De La Salle and AJAX, as the unfamiliar adversaries go head-to-head for the first time since round sixteen 1982, in what was AJAX’ last season in what is now known as William Buck Premier. Fresh off having their six-game winning streak snapped at the hands of Haileybury, De La return to the park to fix their inaccuracy woes in front of goal that costed them dearly in round twelve, eager to bounce back and solidify their rightful placement inside the four. The Jackas continue to tread water in sixth position, three games out of the finals and a game ahead of the relegation zone. Though a loss here will all but rule themselves out of featuring in September, keeping themselves out of the bottom two would still mean a successful first season back in Premier B for Adam Andrews and company. Despite the vile and racist attacks on the clubrooms at Gary Smorgon Oval in the past week, the footballing community stands together with AJAX and condemns any sort of behaviour. It must stop.

A loss here for either side and it will officially be curtains on season 2021 as St Bedes/Mentone Tigers welcome Old Carey to Brindisi Street Oval in a cut-throat clash. Dropping four-straight, the Tigers have suffered heartbreak defeat after heartbreak defeat and find themselves staring down the barrel of a relegation into Premier C for the first time since 2006. Thankfully for Bedes, clashes against the Panthers, Jackas and Roys await, all winnable matches that could push them away from the bottom two. Carey’s first season back in Premier B continues to produce disappointing results as the Panthers, like Bedes’, sit uncomfortably close to the dreaded relegation zone and potentially breaking unwanted record, returning to Premier C for the first time since 2007. Despite both sides struggling mightily, Carey have had greater issues getting on the scoreboard for most of this year and I see that has the deciding factor in this one.

Rounding out round fourteen will be Fitzroy, coming off an important victory over AJAX, welcoming the winless Parkdale Vultures to Brunswick Street Oval. The Roys’ fended off the fast-finishing Jackas prior to play stopping, etching their third win on the year and jumping ahead of Carey into eighth spot on the table. The Vultures continue to fight week in and week out to grab that elusive victory, always trying to play spoiler as their difficult season heads into the final straight. As long as the Roys’ don’t come out expecting a win and play hard from siren-to-siren, there shouldn’t be any issues for Luke Mahoney and crew to get the four-points and drift further from a return to Premier C.