Panthers pounce on a hapless De La Salle

Eliza Wright

Melbourne’s weather put on a show this Saturday with sunny blue skies, giving teams a glimpse into September with that finals footy feeling. Around the grounds, AJAX prevailed over Williamstown at Fearon Reserve, while The Uni Blacks defeated St Bedes Mentone by 85-points. Beaumaris battled to retain their spot on the ladder in a tight match against Old Haileybury and Old Carey tick off their first win of the 2022 season in a close game against De La Salle.

AJAX upset the home side in Williamstown defeating CY by 27 points. A close opening term saw Williamstown in front by 2 points. Bradley Tucker recorded 5 goals for the day with fantastic accuracy in front of goal alongside Jordan Busuttil and Oskar Manton placing crucial pressure on the ball. In the end, it was AJAX who ran away with the lead. The Jackers forward line were firing at Fearon Reserve with nine different goal scorers including Kane Nissenbaum, Brandon Joel and Brandon Efron recording 3 goals each. It is clear, the synergy and unity among The Jackers is converting into points on the scoreboard and as they slot into 4th on the ladder, they are ones to keep your eye on in the second half of the year. Next week, Williamstown will head to Brunswick Street Oval for an ANZAC Day rematch against Fitzroy while AJAX host the up-and-about Panthers at Gary Smorgon Oval.

Uni Blacks secured a comfortable 85-point win over St Bedes/Mentone Tigers at Brindisi Oval. It was Groundhog Day for Uni Blacks controlling this game from the first siren to the last. Good things certainly came in threes for the Blacker’s with Jordan Quaile, Nicholas Hey and Austin Steere all booting 3 goals each. Their defensive pressure kept the Tigers from converting in their forward half with SBMT struggling to take advantage of scoring opportunities. For SBMT, Lachlan Willey and Liam Hiscock continued to battle on despite the score line, as did Chris Mangoni with his intensity through the middle. Round 11, Uni Blacks go head-to-head with Old Haileybury while SBMT look forward to a 3-week bye. Only time will tell whether this extended break is a blessing or a curse. 

Beaumaris fought hard down at Princes Park Oval to keep Old Haileybury at bay. Old Haileybury had their eyes set firmly on the prize, leading by 7 points at the halftime siren. Debutant Noah Gown proved himself as an asset securing himself 4 goals for the day, as did William Paul with his outstanding forward 50 pressures. Heading into the third term, The Sharks smelt blood. Captain Joel Di Natale and his 2 handy goals played a key role in lifting his team, alongside Callum Heath and James Taylor bringing the intensity at every stoppage. In the end, this margin proved too much for Old Haileybury, conceding a 20-point loss. Next week Beaumaris head to The Dairy Bell to face De La Salle and Old Haileybury continues their tough run as they head to Melbourne University Oval to face the Blackers. 

In a nail-biting battle between De La Salle and Old Carey, the Panthers came out on top, clawing their first win of the season by 13 points. This seesawing affair had fans at Carey Sports Complex on the edge of their seats as De La trailed by 1 point heading into the final quarter. Riley Thompson and Lachlan Summers’ veracity and confidence to create space around the ground acted as a catalyst to secure the four points alongside a huge 7 goals from Daniel Clarke making De La’s defence pay.

De La’s Fraser Cameron and Harry Hawker worked hard all day to get their team over the line, with Thomas Lyngberg putting in a notable performance in front of goal. This game shows significant improvement for The Panthers, re-writing the script from their previous 87-point loss against De La in round 5. Can Old Carey keep their streak alive in round 11 against AJAX? De La will be hoping to change their luck as they head home to face the in-form Sharks.