Caulfield finish in style to fly into finals

Bailey Berry

And that’s a wrap! For six sides, round 18 marks their last game of the season. This echelon of U19 Premier ranks as one of the strongest in recent years. The future of the VAFA is shining brighter than ever.

This section concludes as one of the tightest in the entire 2023 VAFA competition. Two wins were the difference between the 4^th ranked Caufield Grammarians and 8^th ranked De La Salle. Williamstown miss a finals berth despite a strong season, finishing on 10 wins and a healthy percentage. St Bernards finished the year without a win whilst the reigning premiers in Old Xavierians were defeated six times.

Congratulations to all ten teams on a spectacular home-and-away campaign.

St Bedes/Mentone Tigers def by. Caulfield Grammarians by 20 points.

A fantastic match by two sides that will feature in finals. Caulfield managed to stronghold SBMT’s momentum and prevail by 3 goals. This match marks the Tigers first loss in two months, a slight speedbump on the eve of finals. St Bedes finish 3^rd on the ladder with 11 wins and a percentage of 116 in what was a fantastic home-and-away return to Premier division. Caulfield finish 4^th, one game clear of Williamstown CYMS.

A disappointing showing by St Bedes Mentone on their home deck. A lethargic start down forward prevented them from gaining the lead later in the contest. They’ve had a terrific season and will look to reassess ahead of their finals berth this weekend. M. Sullivan had tremendous individual impact on the entirety of the match. L. Parsons was also important across half-back. He has put together a solid season since coming across from the MPNFL in the offseason.

Caulfield dictated the outcome of this contest from start to finish. They weren’t intimidated by the hard-running Tigers and utilised their efficiency by foot on a smaller ground. They’ve given themselves a huge shot of confidence heading into this weekend. D. Ting was clear best afield with 6 goals in only his sixth appearance at U19 level this year. 

Williamstown CYMS def. De La Salle by 51 points.

Unfortunately, its case of ‘too little, too late’ for the CYs. They are a side capable of finals but won’t feature at the pointy end of this season, finishing in 5^th. Though a 51-point win at home should be packaged as incentive for this talented group to stick together heading into next year. De La concludes the season in 8^th, a true reflection of their inconsistent season.

The CYs pulled away after a tight first quarter, showcasing their talent up forward. The game was purely dictated by Williamstown after quarter time, A. Fernandes completed his brilliant individual season with a strong contribution across the ground. Z. Provest finishes 4^th in the section’s goal kicking tally, slotting 2 to put the dagger in De La’s season.

A discouraging end to De La Salle’s 2023 campaign. They came close on numerous occasions this season but just couldn’t secure those important wins. Unfortunately, those closes losses mark the difference in playing finals. De La possesses a consistent nucleus of young players who have had stellar seasons despite results. They’ll be keen to retain this group heading into 2024.

Old Xaverians def. University Blues by 10 points.

A close finish to the reigning premier’s season. If you want proof of the claustrophobia of this section, look no further than this match. Old Xavs have come off a premiership and have finished 2^nd on 12 wins. Whilst University Blues finished in 6^th on 8 wins. Yet only 10 points separate these two sides on the eve of finals! Uni will look back at this season with a slightly sour taste. Another side which has battled for consistency across the 18 weeks. The Xavs enter the finals series with a double chance but have showed a slight decline in form.

A club that arguably possesses more depth than any other club in the VAFA have structured this 19s outfit to be as strong as possible heading into the finals. There is evidential talent across every line, it’s just a matter of making it click when it counts. H. MacIsaac, D. Calvert, J. Sassi, M. Mahommed & H. Woodhouse all concluded the season in exemplary fashion, named best afield for the Xavs.

Uni almost snatched this game from a superior opponent and should be proud of their efforts this season. Though their consistency has been an issue, their prowess up forward has been some of the best in the competition. A. Dowsley finished runner-up in the section goal kicking and has served as Uni’s offensive pillar all season. A. Bain, J. McMahon, H. Meggitt, T. O”Brien, A. Lord & J. Kearns were admirable in a tough loss.

Old Scotch def by. St Kevin’s by 52 points.

This loss compounded by a 9^th place finish isn’t what Old Scotch envisioned for the end of their season. They’ve navigated through a very up-and-down year but have had several shining lights. SKOB end their stellar season in 1^st and won’t be satisfied by anything other than a grand final appearance. Strong personnel and high standards have driven this team to the upper echelon of U19 Premier.

An interesting preseason awaits Old Scotch as they assess their structure heading into 2024. Their squad is not short of talent but requires the right individuals at the helm to steer them back to where they aspire to be. H. Robenstone started this year brilliantly and concludes the season with the 5^th most goals in the division. C. Ferguson slotted 3 in their final outing of the year.

A strong culture and work ethic has allowed SKOB to be the top dog in U19 Premier this season. This side is stacked with talent. H. James has proved to be a great example of this hardworking culture. Since being called up from Division 2, he has been crucial in SKOB’s last six games. St Kevin’s desperately want their names etched on this year’s trophy.

St Bernards def by. Old Brighton by 5 points.

An interesting matchup at Essendon saw St Bernards almost clench their first victory in 18 weeks over Old Brighton. Unfortunately for the struggling St Bernards it was not meant to be. They’ll now be put through the process of relegation but should look toward the 2024 season with a sense of opportunity. Old Brighton finish in 7^th which is a critical representation of their season. The 2022 grand finalists have suffered a rather steep decline this season.

An admirable finish to the season by the Snowdogs who appeared to be almost running on fumes. Their second half was close to the best football they’ve showcased all season, but unfortunately they’ll finish 2023 without a win next to their name. A. Ryan, J. Rendelmann, D. Restuccia, T. Lowrie, T. Basile & W. O”Connell have been terrific all season long.

Old Brighton’s season could be described as lacklustre at times. Despite an abundance of talent on their list and grand final experience from the year prior they couldn’t seem to find continuity in their performance. J. Campigli is the heartbeat of their side and finished the year in terrific spirits.