Guts & Glory for Uni Blues, Xavier and Old Trinity

Saturday afternoon was bathed in sunshine in William Buck Premier. Again, results throwing the ladder wide open. The logjam in the middle has opened up with a game separation between the top half and the bottom half. 

In the RSN Carnival Match of the Day, the two rivals Old Xavier and St Kevin’s lived up to the billing with the home side prevailing by 9 points. Xav’s head the better of SKOB in the opening term and managed to maintain their lead at every change. 

Down to two men on the bench at three-quarter time (Cal Matheson ankle, Sam Critchley leg), St Kevin’s got within a goal late in the piece before Jack Hewitt kicked two goals in a minute to put the game beyond reach of the ladder leaders, handing them their first defeat of the season. 

Xavier Richards (5 goals) and Jack Hewitt (4) were amongst the best, while Ryan Schoenmakers & Ben Banting kept Paddy Kerr quiet in front of goal. St Kevin’s were led by Tom Jok all afternoon, he looked a cut above with time, space and skills that kept them in the contest. 

At the Uni Oval, it’s becoming a trend for Guy Martyn and University Blues to come from behind and snatch the points. Old Melburnians, Caulfield and now Collegians have all seen their leads whittled away in the last three weeks which puts Uni right in top 4 discussions. 

It may have been the club’s gutsiest win in recent times, seven changes to the team, three players out of the game at quarter time. No Ayce Cordy, no Alex Fasolo and Jack Stephens played out the afternoon with a suspected broken hand. 

For Collegians, this is one that genuinely got away. Leading at every change, they were held goalless in the final quarter as the home side put away three goals to take the win. Sam Grimley extended his stay at the top of the goalkicking table with another four majors. James Fulton was named best on ground, along with Paddy Hayes down in defence. 

Collegians goals came from Ed Greene (2), Dave Mirra (2), and Freddie Sullivan (2). It’s the fourth loss in a row for the Purple Army, and they have to readjust quickly as they host Old Melburnians under the Friday night lights in Round 8. 

It was a much-stronger showing from St Bernard’s for the best part of three quarters at the Snakepit before Old Brighton put the foot down and ran away from the Snowdogs to move equal first with St Kevins. 

Harry Hill ran amok for the Tonners, while Tommy Blamires kicked another three goals, to go with his three last weekend. Zac O’Halloran in his 150th game found his way to two goals and fought valiantly in the ruck for St Bernard’s with Harrison Andronaco also kicking two majors.

The opening three terms will impress Paul Groves, but the youth of the group and tired legs saw the experience of the Tonners reign supreme. 

t’s been 11 years since Old Trinity took a win over Caulfield, and yesterday they walked away victorious for the second time this year. The T’s set up the win with five goals in the opening quarter and were made to withstand a Caulfield onslaught as the margin was cut to just two points at three quarter time. 

Like they did with University Blues, they steadied the ship in the final term and kicked away to win by 14 points. Ed Weatherson kicked 4 goals in his best mate Callum Pohl’s 200th game, Sam Mason continued his strong midfield form by going forward and kicking three goals. 

The Fields are left licking their wounds, as they fall into the bottom two. The T’s are off the bottom of the ladder and move into 8th spot and with a game against Old Scotch coming next weekend, they’ll give themselves every chance to keep the momentum rolling. 

Old Scotch and Old Melburnians put on a spectacle at Elsternwick Park. Worthy of a battle for the Australian Football Cup in their 100th meeting. Despite 7 goals in the opening term to the OM’s, the Cardinals didn’t go away with the game going down to the wire as scores became level at half-time, and OM’s holding a three point lead at the final change. 

A tight final quarter saw OM’s inaccuracy come into play (1.7 to 0.1), but it mattered little as they were the ones to kick the only final term goal and come away with the points. Both sides had eight players hit the scoreboard, a sign of the even spread both teams have rather than a single focal point in front of goal.  

The win keeps the OM’s in third spot on the table, while the loss for the Cardinals pushes them to the back of the queue in the logjam.

Photo: Bruce Tobin, Collegians FC