William Buck Premier Men’s R4 Preview: Death, taxes and…

Joe Pignataro

It’s the most commonly used phrase when describing absolute certainties, and maybe, just maybe, it’s the third word in the idiom that is as clear as mud when talking about those certainties.

It’s always changing and everyone has a different take on death, taxes and…

Ahead of Round 4, we’ll try to assist your eyes when viewing these games as certainties to happen this Saturday afternoon!

Death, taxes and… Someone (most likely me) bringing up the 2017/2018 Grand Finals of St Kevin’s and Collegians more than once in the pre-game at T H King Oval.

It’s the RSN Carnival Match of the Day and at the early part of this season, the numbers suggest these sides could be back to the rivalry in the pre-covid era. While the ledger is lopsided St Kevin’s way (10-4 in head to head), the Purple Army are not going to be a pushover on Saturday afternoon.

Both sides became the first to kick 100 points for the year in Round 3, and while kicking big scores will more often than not win you games, it’s been the defence of St Kevin’s that has shone the brightest. After being ranked #1 in defence in 2021 (Average 56.2 points conceded per game), they’ve tightened the screws even further to start 2022 (Average 45 points conceded per game).

Can the #1 scoring team of the first 3 rounds breakthrough the measly defence?

It will be fascinating to see if Sam Critchley stands Dave Mirra for the afternoon, while the even-spreading of St Kevin’s goalkickers is enough to keep the Collegians coaching staff up all night this week.

And, if it’s anything like those two Grand Finals, set the radio dial to RSN Carnival because you won’t want to miss a moment!

Death, taxes and… Questions coming for Old Melburnians in a game they should win against St Bernard’s after the terrific come-from-behind win against Old Xaverians on Saturday.

They have a knack of winning matches where they’re seemingly given very little chance, and on the odd-occasion drop the games they are favourites heading into.

Coach of OM’s, Paul Satterly rightly quashed those questions on this week’s FTLOTG podcast with this being a different style of Melburnians team, an even-spread of contributors, a non-reliance on too few.

The inclusion of Sam Dunnell to the forward line added plenty of zip, zest and vibrancy. Al Armstrong is back to his best 3 goals in consecutive weeks.

Despite the confidence St Bernard’s take out of their first win of the season last weekend, Elsternwick Park is where the finals will be played and you can lock it away that Old Melburnians will want to perform if they’re to be there at the pointy end of the season.

Death, taxes and… Harry Thompson going down into the Old Trinity defence to be a brick wall against University Blues this weekend. He’s got Stuey Lowe bucket hands with the T’s ruckman clunking everything that came his way.

While he’ll have his hands full in the ruck contest against Ayce Cordy, he, like his T’s counterparts won’t stop trying all afternoon against their more highly fancied opponents.

Speaking of the Blues, Death, taxes and… Alex Fasolo to kick multiple goals in that match, since joining at the start of 2021 ‘Fas’ has played 11 games, kicked 33 goals, and been held goalless just once.

It’s far too early to be writing off a side with the artillery the Blues have, but Guy Martyn would not want to see his side cough up another lead this weekend as they aim to steady their ship at 2-2 after the first month.

Death, taxes and… Dobosz going bang! Returning this week, Caulfield Grammarians are in the same spot as they were 12 months ago after a 0-3 start. All it took was a spark in 2021 to send them on a 7 game winning streak, is this weekend that same spark when they face Old Xaverians?

Xav’s themselves are 2 kicks away from being 3-0 but after back to back losses find themselves 1-2 heading into Saturday. While it’s certainly not panic stations coming from the Xav’s mafia they won’t be comfortable dropping a third straight game.

It’s a ring of fire to start 2022 for the Fields who’ve faced St Kevin’s (first), Collegians (second), OM’s (fourth), with Xav’s, Old Brighton (third) and Uni Blues to come. By the end of round 6 they’ll have learnt plenty about themselves and where they’re at.

Death, taxes and… An old-fashioned grudge match coming to Camberwell Sports Park with the young brash Old Scotch coming up against the young brash Old Brighton. In the head-to-head battle of recent years Old Brighton have won 4, Old Scotch have won 4, they’ve drawn once.

Old Brighton hang their hats on the 2017 Premier B Grand Final victory over the rivals.

This weekend, the head-to-head battle counts for little, what we’ve seen from Old Scotch under Mark Gnatt is a hunger and attitude to attack every contest with great verve, intensity and ferocity. Much the same as Saturday’s opponents Old Brighton.

Old Scotch have trailed at 3 quarter time in each game so far in 2022 yet have still been in the game before falling away in the last 2 weeks. Old Brighton on the other hand have had barnstorming finishes in their previous fortnight. Expect it to be another grandstand finish if it’s close come the last stanza.

Death, taxes and… All of these predictions coming to fruition which will make this look like a Nostradamus type performance early on in the season!

Photo credit: oldxavs.com.au