There is no tomorrow for Collegians and Old Brighton

Joe Pignataro

Welcome to Preliminary Final weekend. The final hurdle to overcome before the Grand Final. Any coach or player, at any level will tell you this is the hardest game in footy to win.

Getting to the Grand Final is an achievement, one worth celebrating. And, on Grand Final day, anything can happen. It can go your way, or it can’t, but you’re there. 

On Preliminary Final weekend, it’s not just a free swing. Some will spend all their bullets getting through these four quarters and be exhausted by the big dance, others are facing the pressure of a straight sets exit from finals. And, for both competing clubs there’s the inner knowing of no guarantee that you’ll be back there the following year. 

Collegians and Old Brighton enter this Sunday on completely different trajectories, with vastly different routes than the pre-season predictions had them getting here. 

The Purple Army. After winning 10 in a row to find themselves in second spot on the table, they are now in a do or die battle against a side who’s been playing Russian roulette with their own season for the past two weeks. A fortnight ago, the Tonners found themselves outside the top four for the first time in 2022. To win the Premiership from there. In simple terms, four knockout finals in a row. Two down, two to go. 

Even the most optimistic of Collegians supporters wouldn’t have expected to be here after the Friday night drubbing in Round 8. Now though, they might be feeling additional pressure of finding themselves on an unwanted list that in recent VAFA seasons has become an all too familiar storyline. 

Between 2014 – 2019, Four times from six seasons the side to lose the second semi-final has been unable to overcome the disappointment and get back the momentum from the winner of the first semi-final going out in straight sets. 

2019 – Old Xaverians, 2017 – University Blues, 2016 – University Blues, 2014 – St Bernards

Only twice has a team withstood the pressure of losing the second semi-final, then winning the Preliminary Final. And this trend bucking storyline might be what Jared Rivers and died in the wool Collegians fans will cling onto. In 2018 they were the team to pick themselves up off the canvas to reach the Grand Final.  

Injury carnage at Collegians – Kenny Ong, Luke McCleary, Sam Sofrinidis, Eamon Ogden all left the ground at Elsternwick Park last Saturday worse for wear, it’s highly unlikely we’ll see Ong and McCleary this weekend. Given the influence they’ve both had this year on the field, it’s a massive blow.  

At Old Brighton, with the ‘adversity’ of playing knockout footy, they’ve been amazingly settled, the team unchanged and every Tonner is running on top of the ground. 

From a head to head perspective, they’re two evenly matched sides. Since 2018, Old Brighton (4 wins) lead Collegians (3 wins), the unevenness is the one meeting in 2021. Earlier this year, it was the Tonners who taught the Lions a football lesson, only for Collegians to return serve at Brighton Beach Oval in emphatic fashion. 

This is September though. And, it’s a different ball game. There is no next week for the loser. 

Viv Michie and Dave Mirra know what’s expected at this time of year, Ed Greene relishes all eyes on him, nothing flusters Freddie Sullivan. Sam Hibbins, Corey Cassidy, Jim Bazzani can all win their fair share of the footy, and they can use it. If they can bring along Brayden Fleming, Kobi George, Scott Beilby. There may be other Lions who internally are keen to make amends for personal performances against St Kevin’s that will see them breathing fire on Sunday. 

Old Brighton, it couldn’t look, feel and sound any better. They are playing September footy. Their best footy of the year. It’s got the 2016 Western Bulldogs feel to it, clicking at the right time.  They are the #1 rank side in all areas you want to head into a Preliminary Final ranked first in: contested possessions, clearances, hard ball gets, tackles and the one percenters. Every single Tonner is capable of producing a Heath Shaw/Robbie Fox style smother on the goalline, such is their desperation. 

Harry Hill, Darby Hipwell, Tom Fisher, Max Kennedy are the Tonners accumulators. Will Lewis has a redefined role in recent weeks from forward to defence. Tom Yorgey doesn’t take a backward step while Anthony Zimmerman and Michael Karayannis are dangerous from anywhere within 60m of goal. 

Old Brighton, in their history, have just one A-Grade Grand Final berth in 55 years. A runners up medallion in 2007 against Old Xaverians. Wouldn’t this crop love to feel the build up of Grand Final week and be the ones who attempt to knock down the St Kevins empire. 

History however, is on the side of Collegians, seven times since 2008 they’ve found themselves in the Grand Final and are one win away from writing another chapter in the history books of the St Kevins v Collegians rivalry. 

Momentum is the biggest thing in footy, Collegians was halted last Saturday. The Old Brighton train picked up speed, and it’s coming in hot on Sunday. 

Photo: Bruce Tobin, Collegians FC