Brighton light it up in a bayside bruising

Old Brighton remain alive in season 2022, advancing to the William Buck Premier Men’s Preliminary Final after thumping Old Xaverians by 58 points on Sunday at Trevor Barker Beach Oval. 

Going into the game unchanged from their round 18 trouncing of Old Melburnians, the Tonners took their momentum into the game in a carbon copy of that performance. It was a tight, contested tussle in the opening term, with scores locked at 2.3.15 at the first change. 

It was the second term they put the game on their terms, and didn’t look back, with 14 goals to four after quarter time in favour of the red and blue. Three goals to Darby Hipwell, and Jordan Segar up forward, while Anthony Zimmerman and Michael Karayannis were busy bees across the wings and half-forward line. 

During the second and third quarter it was the likes of Harry Hill, Tom Fisher, Tom Yorgey laying big, strong, tone-setting tackles. Not only was damage being done on the scoreboard, they were inflicting damage on their opponents and the Xavier midfield had little to no room to move. 

Looking up for the fight in the opening term, Old Xaverians couldn’t arrest momentum or get the game back on their terms from beyond quarter time. Will Hams tried to come back on the ground during the second quarter but his day finished before half-time with concussion. Aaron Van Den Berg finished the day with a serious arm injury just before three quarter time and Denis Symeopoulos cradling his shoulder off the ground during the final term. 

Three games this season, the red and black were on the wrong side of games by under a kick., which saw them featuring in this do or die battle. They had played some seriously good footy to get to this point, but the past fortnight of Old Brighton has been irresistible to watch. 

Greg Hutchison, for the second week in a row used Will Lewis in the full back role. Last week Jackson Paine was his scalp, this week it was the X-man Xavier Richards. Look out Dave Mirra!

Like Old Xav’s, and Collegians, who endured a day of injury carnage at Elsternwick Park on Saturday, the Tonners didn’t get through unscathed. Felix Flockhart wasn’t sighted after quarter time, Anthony Zimmerman and Jordan Segar both came off in the final quarter with attention on their hamstrings. 

We’ll see how they rest and recover tonight, and in the lead up to next Sunday’s game. 

If the Tonners bring the same intensity, pressure, fight and contest, matched with the magnificence of Collegians, we are in for one helluva of a Preliminary Final. For now, today is all about Old Brighton. They’re in the final three teams standing. 

Eight quarters ago, they were on the outer of the top four. Every game is a knockout final and two assignments have been completed with flying colours. The next assignment awaits.