Old Haileybury settle the score while De La clutch victory over the Roys

Eliza Wright

Old Haileybury got their revenge over St Bedes Mentone Tigers, defeating the Tigers by 60 points as De La won their scrummage over the Roys by 13 points. Uni Blacks and Beaumaris showed why they deserve their top spots, with the Blackers defeating Williamstown by 46-points while the Sharks overcame Old Carey by 100 points.   

The stage was set at Brindisi oval for a heated match between St Bedes Mentone Tigers and Old Haileybury. Old Haileybury hit the front early recording a 32-point lead in the first quarter. Christopher Mangoni and Ben Goodchild got going, helping the Tigers claw back the margin to 29 points heading into the break. After halftime, the grit and determination from Lachlan Treverton and Max Sievers saw Old Haileybury well and truly take the reins of this game.

A commendable effort down forward from Durras Seccull kicking seven this week, acting as a catalyst to the Bloods final 60-point victory. With three rounds to go, it is looking likely Old Haileybury have solidified their third position, needing an upset victory to knock them off their perch. Although, up against Fitzroy who sit four points behind the Bloods, there is no time for complacency. SBMT will travel to Fearon Reserve in round 16 to play Williamstown. 

De La Salle proved too good for Fitzroy, putting on an impressive performance in front of their home crowd. This evenly matched contest saw both teams unable to firmly grasp the momentum of this game. A low-scoring first term putting the Roys in the lead by 1-point. Fitzroy managed to stretch this to 18 points as Julian Turner worked the ball confidently through the middle. Donovan Toohey played a key role for the Roys with his attack on ball coupled with outstanding defensive pressure Nathan Ligris.

Determined to shift the tide, De La’s Christian Algeri and Sean rose to the occasion working inch by inch to hit the lead. Hugh Nicholson and Adrian Indovino worked hard in front of goal recording 2 and 4 goals each. De La held onto their lead with a final score of 11.8-74 to Fitzroy’s 8.13-61. Despite the loss, Fitzroy retain their spot in the four for another week. As they look forward to Old Haileybury in round 16, another loss from the Roys could see AJAX snatch a top spot. De La will be hoping to change that fate as they are up against the Jackers next week. 

Williamstown hosted Uni Blacks at Fearon Reserve this week. Uni Blacks started strong, as James Sansom and Samuel Mckenzie got to work, seeing the Blackers up by 20 points at quarter time. Matthew Grocott played his role in front of goal, with his two goals and hunger for the footy. For CY, Damon Tucker and Thomas Johnstone were among their best, taking advantage of Williamstown’s possession around the ground.

A well-rehearsed 3rd quarter from the Blackers put them ahead by 47-points. Jordan Busuttil’s continual pursuit for the ball and clutch goal stopped the Uni Blacks from running away with the game. The final siren awarded Uni Blacks the win, recording the victory by 46-points. Safe to say the Uni Blacks have their eyes firmly set on their finals campaign, with their return to William Buck Premier certainly on the cards given their current trajectory.

For Williamstown, it is back to the training track to prepare for their battle against St Bedes Mentone. The last time the two met in round 2, SBMT were victorious by 54 points. Having learnt a lot since then, CY will hope to minimise this margin and maybe even snatch a victory. 

Beaumaris were triumphant over Old Carey, defeating the Panthers by 100 points. It was business as usual for the Sharks, taking the lead early and bringing the heat around stoppages. Riley Virtue put on a stellar performance, as did Joel Cusack with his 4 goals. Cusack currently sits 3rd in the goal kicking, with 34 to his name so far, how high can he climb in the last few rounds?

The halftime siren saw Beaumaris up by 62 points, with the Shark’s defence locking down the Panther’s forward 50. Old Carey didn’t go down without a fight, Maclean Hogg and Luca Anderson worked tirelessly around the ground. The final term saw the Panthers lift with Jonathan Marsh and Lachlan Senior building on their forward line structure. However, this was no match for the might of Beaumaris, with a concluding margin of 100 points. Next week Beaumaris will enjoy a rest as they head into the bye round meanwhile Old Carey will head to Melbourne University Oval to face Uni Blacks.