A wintery day in Melbourne evens up the contest

Eliza Wright

Saturday reminded us that winter is on its way with a bit of rain and plenty of wind around the grounds. The Jackers snagged themselves a win in a close battle against Williamstown, while St Bedes Mentone upset the home crowd, beating Old Haileybury by 4 points. De La keep their streak alive overpowering Old Carey, and the Uni Blacks remain successful as they defeat Fitzroy.

AJAX hosted Williamstown down at Moorleigh Oval in an arm wrestle for the 4-points. This even match up had players fighting to keep the ball in their possession. AJAX were able to take grass in the third quarter with elite performances from Benjamin Krongold and Toby Sheezel. A clutch goal from Nick Ebinger in the final term provided momentum for Williamstown in their attempt to steal the win. CY’s Bradley Tucker and Jack Noonan left everything on the field remaining persistent at every content. An important goal from AJAX’s Kane Nissenbaum sealed the deal for the Jackers, winning the match by 10 points. AJAX will take on Old Carey in round 6 while Williamstown are up against a tough opponent in De La Salle. 

It was a seesawing affair at Princes Park as Old Haileybury took on St Bedes Mentone. The appetite and determination from both sides saw the momentum shift at every stoppage. The Tigers displayed incredible teamwork around the ground with Alex Browne giving the midfield plenty of opportunity in the middle. The Tiger’s 22-point lead in the last was promptly answered by Old Haileybury’s Jack Lonnie, kicking three goals in the last 5 minutes with Max Sinclair and Jack Munro also bringing the intensity. The pressure from Zac Calvez was enough to keep the Bloods from snatching the lead with his Leo Barry style mark on the final siren. St Bedes will carry this energy into their next game against Fitzroy while Haileybury face The Sharks fresh off the bye. 

A momentous day in Fitzroy’s history books as the Brunswick Street Oval grandstand was renamed to honour club legend, Kevin Murray. The Uni Blacks started the game strong, taking advantage of the wind. A solid second quarter from the Roys wrestled the game to a 10-point margin heading into halftime. Fitzroy’s midfield presence was evident with Bill and Ted Clayton working hard at every stoppage. In the end, key goals from Louis Vescio and Nick Hey coupled with domineering defensive pressures down back allowed The Uni Blacks to secure the win by 45 points. Next week, Fitzroy face the red-hot St Bedes Mentone while The Uni Blacks enjoy a week off with the bye. 

Playing 4-quarters of bold and assertive footy, De La Salle were victorious over Old Carey. De La controlled this game from the outset and throughout, highlighted through their steadfast attack and overall scoreboard dominance. Trent Shannon’s unwavering pressure was on display, locking the game in De La’s forward 50 and securing himself 4 goals. Co-Captain Sean Fisher showed exceptional leadership, holding up the team down back. Old Carey’s Tom Jepson was among the best for The Panthers celebrating his 50th game while Jason Athanasopoulos managed to snag himself a goal on debut. Looking ahead, Old Carey head home to take on AJAX and De La Salle are off to Fearon Reserve to face Williamstown.