William Buck Premier Men’s Round 6 Preview

A top-of-the-table blockbuster headlines Round 6 of William Buck Premier Men’s.

OLD XAVERIANS vs OLD BRIGHTON (Saturday 2.30pm – Toorak Park)

Last year’s runners-up are once again setting the pace, and now the Tonners face their toughest challenge so far – the red-hot Old Xavs at Toorak Park.

Xavs have taken care of three other potential finals contenders in recent weeks (Old Haileybury, Old Scotch & St Bernard’s) and now have the opportunity to claim the biggest scalp of all – an Old Brighton team that has won 22 of its last 25.

The Tonners have swept all before them in 2025, racking up 5 wins by an average margin of 50 points.

But these two teams are evenly matched.

It will be Old Xavs’ #1 Attack vs Old Brighton’s #1 Defence, while at the other end, it will be Old Brighton’s #2 Attack vs Old Xavs’ #2 Defence!

If the Tonners have a vulnerability, it may be in attack. After kicking 20, 19 & 14 goals in the first 3 weeks, they have scored just 8.14 & 8.28 in their last two starts. They can ill-afford that sort of inaccuracy against the highest-octane attack in the competition this week.

Coach Marcel Bruin credited Old Scotch for forcing his team into more challenging shots at goal last week, and this will be something that Dan Donati and Old Xavs will have studied. Can they do the same & lessen the Tonners’ ability to find the middle of the goals for a third straight week?

Xavs are averaging a whopping 106 points per game and – despite having 9 fewer scoring shots than the Tonners this season – have kicked 8 more goals (77.68 to 69.85). The Tonners will need to take their chances this week.

Their stellar defence (conceding just 50 points per game) has masked their inaccuracy in recent weeks as they held the opposition to beatable scores. Can they blanket Xavs’ array of scoring options? They are ranked #1 for Marks Inside 50 and boast aerial and ground-ball threats. It’s going to be fascinating to watch!

Ultimately, it will come down to the midfield battle and both groups are stacked with elite talent who bring the heat as the Top 2 tackling teams in the comp.

The numbers suggest the Tonners may be able to gain an edge inside the contest and on the deck, while Xavs tend to retain possession via uncontested marks around the ground a touch more.

Will the Tonners kick 2 games clear on top of the ladder or could Xavs knock them off top spot?

It’s a huge game in the race for the double chance and you can enjoy this one streaming LIVE & FREE on VAFA.com.au from 2.25pm Saturday!

COLLEGIANS vs ST KEVIN’S (Saturday 2pm – Harry Trott Oval)

The Collegians-St Kevin’s rivalry always makes for passionate clashes, and this will be another as the 2023 Grand Finalists lock horns at Harry Trott.

The Lions won all 3 of their matchups on the way to the flag that season, while SKOB won both battles last year.

In 2025, both appear capable of inserting themselves into the finals mix once again.

St Kevin’s are 3-and-2 and is clearly in the discussion with Old Brighton (lost by 7 points) and Old Xaverians (beat by 2 points) as the best team in the competition.

Collegians sit one game behind at 2-and-3, but when you consider that two of their three losses were by 5 points (Uni Blues) and 7 points (St Bernard’s), the Lions may be travelling a little better than their Win-Loss record initially suggests.

Just how well they’re travelling will be tested this weekend. Are they capable of hanging with the best teams, or are they a rung below them? A victory over SKOB would further their claim as a team to watch.

Both teams boast match-winning forwards. For the Lions, it’s the league’s leading goalkicker Alex Lukic, who has 18 goals for the season. For SKOB, it’s the dynamic one-two punch of Patrick Kerr & Sam Barnett, who have slotted 14 apiece.

Which team can deliver the superior supply, and which can enjoy cameos from other crafty forwards around their key targets?

Find out with our award-winning VAFA SEN Match of the Day radio coverage from 1.45pm Saturday on VAFA.com.au & the SEN app.

OLD SCOTCH vs UNIVERSITY BLACKS (Saturday 2pm – Camberwell Sportsground)

It’s an intriguing clash at Camberwell between two teams fighting to keep in touch with the leading pack.

Reigning premiers Old Scotch have lost their last three matches as they struggle with player unavailability due to injuries and VFL commitments.

While Uni Blacks have started slowly once again, losing four of their first five matches and currently sitting in ninth place.

One of them will regain a little momentum that could help turn their season around. But which one?

Blessed with an embarrassment of key forwards when all are available, the Cardinals are struggling to kick a score without the likes of James Tarrant and Ryan Valentine, as defences focus more attention on the dangerous Will Clark.

Old Scotch kicked 32 goals in their opening two matches but have booted just 17 in their three losses since, slipping to #7 in Attack (averaging 67 points per game).

Clark leads the way with 9 goals for the season, but the next best for the Cards is Angus Symons with 5. Coach Mark Gnatt would dearly love to find additional scoring avenues to stretch opposition defences.

The silver lining for the Cardinals is that the Blacks are finding scoring even MORE difficult. Dale Bower’s men are ranked Last for Attack (av.52 points).

Matthew Grocott, Thomas St.Clair and Kane Loftus have all been productive, with 10, 8 and 6 goals respectively, but they need others to join them, given that trio accounts for 24 of the team’s 35 goals this season.

Supply has been a challenge for both teams, with Blacks ranked 8^th for Inside 50s and Old Scotch 9^th.

Only the winless De La Salle has generated fewer attacking forays than these two teams, but in the Cardinals’ case, it’s not for a lack of possession. They are ranked #4 for Disposals, but that weight of ball isn’t translating to Inside 50s.

In the Blacks’ case, sloppy execution is hurting them around the ground and in front of goal. Ranked last for both Disposal Efficiency & Goal Accuracy, if they can tidy these areas of the game up, they will fancy their chances of upsetting a wounded reigning champion.

Catch this critical game streaming LIVE & FREE on VAFA.com.au from 1.55pm Saturday.

DE LA SALLE vs ST BERNARD’S (Saturday 2pm – Waverley Oval)

Our fourth VAFA Media broadcast game of the weekend is a potential banana-peel game for the much-improved St Bernard’s as they visit a steadily improving De La Salle hungry for their maiden win.

The Snowdogs hung with Old Xavs for three and a half quarters last week before ultimately being overrun late. It was a commendable performance that added to their claim of being within striking distance of the best teams in the competition.

But if they are to break through and play finals this season, it’s games like this one that they need to bank.

De La Salle coach Nick Hyland firmly believes his team is improving each week. Although their win-loss record has yet to provide supporting evidence, he sees that his group can stay in games a little longer every week.

Their challenge now is to minimise the damage inflicted upon them during the 10-15 minute lapses they experience at some point throughout the match.

Last week, they were ahead of Old Haileybury at quarter-time and were just three points behind at the major break before the Bloods, led by Andreas Stefanakis, blew the game wide open with four goals in ten minutes.

The damage was done quickly, and no doubt Hyland and his team will have spent ample time on measures to stabilise situations when they feel momentum shifting against them. Winning more contested footy will assist with this – they are currently last for Contested Possession, Hard Gets & Ground Balls.

Meanwhile, the Snowdogs sit outside the Top 4 on percentage alone. Ranked #5 Attack & #7 Defence, they have been steady rather than spectacular in any one aspect of the game.

They will be keen to seize control of this contest on the inside and get it to the outside to inflict maximum damage.

Can De La avoid their weekly lapse and keep the heat on the Dogs long enough to secure the points?

Find out LIVE & FREE on VAFA.com.au from 1.55pm Saturday!

UNIVERSITY BLUES vs OLD HAILEYBURY (Saturday 2pm – Melbourne University Oval)

The final game of the weekend pits the competition’s most unpredictable team against its most improved.

The Blues are a week-to-week proposition capable of stretching anyone on their day. They have gone loss-win-loss-win-loss to start their season as new coach Matt Smith searches for the consistency that can lead to a string of victories and a rise up the ladder.

Old Haileybury has settled nicely back into Premier Men’s and sits inside the Top 4 with a 3-2 record that includes victories over Collegians, Uni Blacks, and De La Salle.

They, too, have room for improvement as they continue to acclimatise to the top-flight, which is what makes a game like this so important.

The Bloods can stay in the leading pack, while the Blues must win to keep up with the pacesetters. 

Old Haileybury are ranked #3 Attack & #5 Defence, while the Blues are #8 Attack & #4 Defence. These numbers suggest that the game may be won or lost at the Blues’ attacking end. Entering the game averaging just 64 points per game, the big question is whether they can kick a winning score?

They certainly have the firepower, with James Stewart, Ben Townson and Sam Grimley forming a trio capable of ripping any game apart.

Stewart has 11 goals for the season, including an ominous 5 last week against St Kevin’s that suggests he might be on the verge of really lighting a game up as he did last year with 6 goals in 13 minutes in a jaw-dropping performance against Collegians.

The challenge will be supply. The Blues are ranked #7 for Inside 50 compared to the Bloods at #4.

The numbers suggest they should be able to win more than their share of contested ball in general play, plus their pressure and intercept game is strong (#2 Intercept Marks & Possessions).  

It’s their ball use that is proving to be a challenge. Ranked #9 for Disposal Efficiency, the Blues need to tidy that aspect of their game up to ensure the hard work they put into winning the ball translates into dangerous forward forays rather than turnovers that hurt them back the other way.

They’ve conceded 31 goals from turnovers in the first 5 rounds. If they can retain possession in more of their chains and feed their dangerous forwards, they have the capability to upset the Bloods.

But if the likes of the white-hot Andreas Stefanakis (13 goals), Harrison Jones (11 goals), Mattias Rose (7) and Charlie Harrop (6) are getting plenty of good looks up forward, Old Haileybury can put a game to bed quickly as they did against De La last week.

It would be a real shot in the arm for the Blues to claim this one. Can they play well enough for long enough to collect a precious 4 points at home?

Amateur Footballer Record – Week 6

WILLIAM BUCK PREMIER MEN’S – ROUND 6

SATURDAY MAY 17:

Collegians vs St Kevin’s  SEN MOTD – 1.45pm on VAFA.com.au & SEN app                 

Old Scotch vs University Blacks VAFA.com.au LIVE STREAM – 1.55pm

De La Salle vs St Bernard’s VAFA.com.au LIVE STREAM – 1.55pm

University Blues vs Old Haileybury   

Old Xaverians vs Old Brighton  VAFA.com.au LIVE STREAM – 2.25pm             

Watch matches on-demand on VAFATV