Unicorns end Saints unbeaten run in thrilling three-point victory

Division 2 Men’s is producing some must watch football, in a section that is highly competitive. In the most enthralling match of Round 4, the Unicorns claimed their third consecutive game by a mere 3 points, when the Saints missed a long-range, after the siren shot at goal.

Whitefriars got their revenge against South Melbourne Districts, who knocked them out of the finals last season, with a 50-point win over the Bloods at home over the weekend.

After trailing by five points at quarter time, the Friars kicked the first five goals of the second quarter to establish a 26-point lead before conceding two goals just prior to the half as the Bloods cut their lead to seven points.

A Tim Angus goal in the dying stages of the third quarter gave Whitefriars a 16-point advantage going into the final break. The home side ultimately proved too strong for the winless South Melbourne thanks to a final quarter blitz where they put on seven goals to one.

Friars coach Lucas Matthews was pleased with his team’s performance, especially their effort and structure. Matthews also praised Noah Sealey and James Perrin, with the pair proving to be a dangerous combination in the forward half for the Friars. Sealey and Perrin kicked nine goals between them, including five in the fourth quarter.

Old Yarra Cobras continued their strong start to the season, defeating St John’s by 40 points at Koonung Reserve.

The top-of-the-table Cobras dominated the first quarter with 11 scoring shots to two, but poor kicking limited their lead to just 24 points at quarter time. A four goal second quarter saw Old Yarra extend their lead to 33 points at the main break.  

The JOC’s kicked the last two of the third to get within 22 points at three quarter time, but the Cobras controlled play in the fourth and kicked five consecutive goals to extend their lead to 52 points midway through the final quarter, sealing the victory.

Old Yarra Cobras coach Nathan Monaco felt his team didn’t play their best footy – describing the game as more of a grind – but was glad to bank another win early in the season.

The efforts from Cobras forward Jack Hall didn’t go unnoticed, booting four goals and bringing multiple balls to the ground despite going up against multiple defenders in the contest.

“I like it when forwards fight and show a bit of grit, do the things that make things easier for the other forwards around them, and rewarding their mids for their good work by finishing off well,” Monaco said.

In a thrilling encounter, MHSOB travelled to Ferndale Park and handed St Mary’s Salesian their first loss of the season, with just three points separating the two teams at the final siren. Melbourne High came out guns blazing and delivered a showstopping result to claim a major scalp early in the season in Div 2 Men’s.

The Unicorns kicked the first goal of the match before the Saints hit back with three consecutive majors to take a nine-point lead at quarter time. MHSOB struggled to convert in the second (3.6 to the Saints’ 2.1) but had their noses in front by two points at half time.

Trent Ryan put the home side back in front with a straight kick shortly after play resumed, but it was the Saints’ who failed to take advantage of their scoring opportunities for the remainder of the quarter, registering six behinds while the Unicorns went on a four-goal run to end the quarter.

St Mary’s fell agonisingly short of completing the come-from-behind victory despite kicking four goals to two in the last. The Saints could have stolen the win with a shot at goal after the siren from outside 50, but the kick fell short.

Unicorns’ coach Bernie Pretty liked the consistent effort displayed by MHSOB throughout the match but highlighted the need for better execution and decision-making with ball in hand.

“That’s part and parcel of having quite a few young players who are still learning to make more mature decisions with the footy at the right times. There were times where the ball movement was really good, so it’s about trying to increase the percentage of times we get it right.”

Saints coach Clay Tait conceded his team were overpowered at stoppages, meaning most of their attacking thrusts started from within their defensive 50.

“We ended up kicking long down the line too often, which is what we want to avoid at all costs, and that’s pretty much all we did in the first half. It played right into their hands,” Tait said.

Tait highlighted the effort of fullback Angus Molden, who took several intercept marks and kept dangerous Unicorn Matthew Pereira goalless. 

West Brunswick bounced back from last week’s two-goal loss to MHSOB with a resounding 128-point win over Aquinas at JW Manson Reserve.

The Magpies controlled the game from start to finish, kicking 11 goals to three in the first half to lead by 47 points at half time. But the third quarter was one to forget for the Bloods, with West Brunswick piling on 11.3 to 0.1 to snuff out any chance of a comeback for the home side.

West Brunswick coach Regan Tait said his key message on the day was about not becoming complacent or arrogant, regardless of what the scoreboard showed.

“We also went back to basics after last weekend’s game, where we were making simple skill errors,” Tait said.

Tait acknowledged the efforts from Aquinas, saying the opposition kept bringing the fight despite the pain being inflicted on the scoreboard.

“We were on the receiving end of a couple of losses like this last season, it’s not easy. But they kept bringing it to us every minute of the game and didn’t drop their heads. They were frustrated, which is understandable, but they didn’t give up – big respect for that team” Tait said.  

There is something to be said for ‘home ground advantage’ as Canterbury, playing at home for the first time this year, registered their first victory of the season with a hard-fought 10-point win over Hawthorn.

The Cobras burst out of the blocks after unfurling last season’s Premiership flag, kicking eight goals to two in the first quarter to take a 35-point lead into quarter time.

Hawthorn responded strongly after the half-time break with a seven goal to two third quarter, cutting the lead to a solitary point ahead of the final break. Canterbury rose to the occasion, however, kicking the first three goals of the fourth to take a 19-point lead before doing enough to hold on for the victory.

Cobras coach Steve Brown described his team’s response to being challenged late in the game as “outstanding”.

“We could have easily stopped or given up, but we didn’t. You need to be brave with the footy, even if you’re losing or you’ve made a couple of mistakes.”

Brown praised Fraiser Richards for his performance as an onballer in the final quarter, willing himself to contest after contest, and Jackson Smith, and under-19’s player, whose eight-goal haul has seen him shoot to the top of the goalkicking table.

Round 5 sees Whitefriars host Old Yarra Cobras in what should be a mouthwatering contest between the two remaining undefeated teams, while West Brunswick welcomes Canterbury to Ransford Oval. St John’s face off against MHSOB, who have won three on the trot, St Mary’s will look to bounce back after their loss to the Unicorns against bottom-of-the-ladder Aquinas, and South Melbourne will chase their first win of the season when they travel to Rathmines Road Reserve to play Hawthorn.