SKOB make their intentions clear as finals approach

Bailey Berry

Last weekend was a relatively low scoring round for this division. A possible sign of fatigue from VAFA’s young troupe. A series of predictable results are the main takeaway from round 15. Each top four side walked away with a resounding and comprehensive victory. The top four appears to almost be set, though with fifth all the way down to eighth holding the same number of points, there could be a late dash to chase down an illustrious finals position.

Caulfield Grammarians def. Old Brighton by 9 points.

A very classy and entertaining affair took place at Glen Huntly Oval on Saturday. An inform Caulfield couldn’t shake the hard running Brighton until the final term. The margin remained within 10 points for the duration of the contest, illustrating the competitive standard of this section.

Caulfield are truly peaking at the right time of the season. This late season charge has all but cemented them a place in the finals as they look to dethrone reigning premiers Old Xavierians. Even though Caulfield only won this encounter by 9 points, they look composed and polished for the duration of the contest. They are a team that utilise their home deck with finesse that opposition teams struggle to match. C. Cooke slotted 3 in a best on ground performance.

Brighton now sits second last on the ladder. Though this can be viewed as an unfair representation of their season. They’ve strung together some solid performances and have a range of talented players, though consistency remains a glaring issue. I have no doubt they’ll rebound next year. C. Hathway & G. Hill combined for 8 majors in a monster effort down forward.

Caulfield will travel to Crawford Oval to play Uni Blues in the round 16. Brighton faces SBMT at Mentone.

Williamtown CYMS def by. St Bedes/Mentone Tigers by 42 points.

SBMT have proved they’re not just here to make up the numbers. They faced one of the VAFA’s biggest road trips and travelled across the bridge to Williamstown. The CYs inefficiency in front of goal was detrimental to the end result.

Williamstown continues to rely on the dependable core of N. Sayers, A. Martinez, T. Assafiri, C. Brown, A. Fernandes & Z. Provest but were just unable to get over the line. They now sit in 7^th with 7 wins.

SBMT have impressed in season 2023. Their first season in U19 Premier in several years came with slight apprehension. Would they be able to compete on a consistent basis with a substantially younger team? They’ve answered that question in resounding fashion. Their talent across every board continues to impress and that was no exception in round 15. J. Behnk slotted 7 in his return from suspension whilst Z. Winter was impressive holding down the fort at fullback.

The CYs will take on Old Scotch in RD16. SBMT will host Old Brighton in the primetime slot at Brindisi St.

De La Salle def by. St. Kevins by 82 points.

De La remains in finals contention but will be feeling a dip in confidence after a comprehensive defeat at the hands of SKOB. They only converted 3 goals for the duration of the contest, credit to St Kevin’s excellent defensive structure. De La Salle will do all in their power for a 2023 finals berth.

De La will be disappointed to have underutilised their home ground advantage. They remained scoreless in the opening term, letting SKOB assert their supremacy from the outset. J. Harper, K. Rossiter, E. Hele, J. Miller, E. Macbeth & A. Liakakos were all impressive in a losing side.

Anything less than a grand final appearance will be a disappointment for SKOB in 2023. They’ve had a terrific season and affirmed their dominance in this uncompromising display. SKOB had multiple goal scorers, showcasing their talent up forward. O. Gill, B. Bryan, T. Davidson, G. Delimitrou, A. Leiner & M. Adams were best afield for SKOB.

St Kevin’s will be banking on a win against St Bernards to comfortably retain top spot, while De La will host Old Xaverians at the Dairy Bell.

Old Scotch def. University Blues by 12 points.

A very tightly contested affair at Camberwell saw Old Scotch leave victorious over Uni. Two very cohesive teams on the fringe of finals thrived on Saturday. Scotch led for majority of the contest, but Uni aren’t to be underestimated in the coming weeks.

Old Scotch aren’t to be forgotten in the race for finals. H. Byrne-Jones, J. Phillips, J. Harker, S. Norman, G. Kennedy & F. Leeton were all outstanding. There was also a plethora of goalkickers, a sign of an unselfish and unified team.

Uni will be disappointed to have dropped this game but still sit 5^th on the ladder. They’ll need to win over the next few weeks to chase a top four spot. T. O”Brien, A. Lord, H. Meggitt, H. Williams, O. Williams & J. Ryan were admirable in a losing side.

Uni will face an inform Caulfield this weekend. Scotch will play the CYs.

St. Bernards def by. Old Xaverians by 97 points. 

The Xavs enjoyed a percentage boost against St Bernards last weekend. Xavier possesses the healthiest percentage in the section but still find themselves in 2^nd place. St Bernards continue to show up but have been drained of their confidence and belief as the season has progressed.

St Bernards were only able to register 19 points for the duration of the contest. F. Shannon, L. Bugeja, T. Lowrie, D. Restuccia, A. Ryan & L. Hallett were all admirable in a tough loss.

Xavier displayed their depth and efficiency in this match. Their ability to steamroll through this St Bernards team is a good sugar hit on the eve of finals. W. MacIsaac manhandled the opposition with 6 goals and a best on ground performance.

Old Xaverians will face De La this week. St Bernards travel to T H King Oval to play SKOB.