The Stage is Set: Saturday can’t come quick enough for St Bernard’s & Fitzroy

Josh Heriot

After 90 home and away games and two weekends of blockbuster finals football, Fitzroy and St Bernards will make their way to Elsternwick Park on Saturday to contest for the Premier B premiership. 

The storylines are fascinating as both teams also embark on the climb to William Buck Premier in 2024. 

Fitzroy have been gallant all year. Luke Mahoney is hoping to go out with a premiership medallion around his neck after he announced earlier this season that he would be stepping down from coaching. Mahoney has had a long-established career in the VAFA ranks and it would be a fitting way to finish up. 

Fitzroy are a proud club with so much history and passion. They ended the season with 12 wins and sat second on the ladder behind St Bernards for much of the year. Ted Clayton has been their star all year, the midfielder has caused havoc for opposition teams this season and has featured prominently in their goal kicking power with 22 for the season. Joining him in the midfield department has been Donovan Toohey, a man who has featured in the best more than any other Fitzroy player this season. 

If you’re keeping an eye on the forward line, then lookout for Charlie Faubel.

Faubel has been their focal point down forward and has kicked 29 goals this season. He’s been assisted by Jack McKay who has kicked 20 goals while Harrison Grace has booted 19 goals for the season. 

The Roys had to take the long route to the grand final, losing to St Bernards but then overcoming a late surging Beaumaris in the preliminary final. 

The Roys had kicked 11 goals by half time last Saturday and looked to have a foot in the grand final before the Sharks planted 7 goals in the second half with their star forward Joel Cusack also benched after injury ended his day five minutes into the first quarter. Other injuries to Beaumaris also put pressure on the playing group with the warmer spring weather taking full affect. 

For St Bernards, they are trying to complete the perfect season. Daniel Harford’s St Kevins were the last team to do this back in 2015 but St Bernards are out to write their own piece of history. It was only 2018 when St Bernards last won a Premier B flag, and it seems they are seasoned professionals at being able to rebound straight up to William Buck Premier. 

The Snowdogs have hardly put a foot wrong this year, with seven players kicking more than 20 goals. Luke Di Lizio has led from the front with 31 goals along with Dom Sullivan who has kicked 30. While these numbers are pleasing, their biggest vulnerability has been goal kicking. The first final against Fitzroy saw them kick 20 behinds and as things heat up and the margins get smaller, mistakes can catch up. 

The midfield has been their engine room and has been a standout in the competition. Ben Huggard has been dynamic with forward craft also creeping into his game, Jordan Farrell has been a relentless competitor, Charlie Vague has continued to press opposition sides and Ethan Schumann has been a contested ball king. This is a group that will be hard to stop on Saturday and no doubt will trouble the Fitzroy defence in certain stages of the game. 

Throughout the season, Fitzroy and St Bernards have played on three occasions with St Bernards gaining the upper hand each time. Fitzroy will be out to write their wrongs from these past encounters and come into the grand final hot to trot having gained momentum from last weeks terrific victory. 

My co-commentator on RSN match day’s Joe Pignataro declared the premiership before round 2 had even started in favour of his Snowdogs, and while they are so close, they have one more mountain to climb. Strange things can happen in September and if Fitzroy can bring their A-game, this one will go down to the wire. 

You can catch the call of this week’s Grand Final live on RSN Xtra2 or stream it via the VAFA Facebook page with the bounce at 2:30pm on Saturday.