De La Salle produce upset to push finals credentials as St Kevin’s roll top four rival

After tasting defeat for the first time in 2025 last week, Old Brighton have suffered another loss after falling to late-season bolters De La Salle in Holmesglen Under 19 Premier.

De La trailed at quarter-time by two points after a back-and-forth beginning to the contest, before the Tonners seemed destined to respond to defeat in Round 13.

Old Brighton conceded the first major of the second term before kicking two goals to take the lead by eight. A patch of inaccuracy ensued, with Old Brighton and De La Salle combining for seven behinds in a row, but the Tonners would break the goal-drought 12 minutes after it began to increase their lead to 15.

With the quarter entering red time, De La could’ve looked to salvage the scoreline and play a defensive brand of footy, but instead the blue and gold side remained aggressive in their approach and would kick the next three majors prior to the halftime break to sneak ahead by four.

A tense third term saw De La maintain their advantage and increase it beyond one straight kick to lead by 11 at the final change.

The ladder-leaders provided one final surge in the last term to get within a goal, but again De La staved off the weight of the Tonners’ pressure, finding four goals to three in the last to run out 16-point victors, 11.8 (74) to 14.6 (90).

De La coach Nick Walsh said a strong defensive effort across four quarters was behind the result, as stand out performances from their bottom-agers “bolstered” the side en route to victory.

Old Xaverians have jumped Caulfield Grammarians on the ladder after a determined 22-point road victory.

The game hung in the balance for three quarters, and while the Xavs always led, at three-quarter-time it was just a two-point game.

However, the Fields would rue inaccuracy across the board, holding more scoring shots to their name at that point in the contest, before the Xavs romped home in the last quarter.

Old Xaverians scored 4.4 in the last term to Caulfield’s 1.2 to seal the deal and record their fourth win of the season, 5.13 (43) to 9.11 (65).

Xavier Austin was named best on ground for Old Xavs as Harry Wharfe led the goalkicking, while Brock Childs was Caulfield’s best on the day.

St Kevin’s’ season would require complete capitulation if it were to lose its top two spot on the ladder, let alone its finals position, after it dispatched top-four rival Old Scotch.

Scotch was the latest club to fall victim to uneconomical goalkicking, as their 14 behinds from 18 scoring shots were a large contributor to the heavy loss.

Their inaccuracy meant St Kevin’s were able to pull away on the scoreboard, but the match itself felt a tighter contest, with SKOBS coach Paul Greenham stating he didn’t feel secure until midway through the fourth quarter.

“Old Scotch should definitely be in the conversation for the ultimate success this year at full strength,” Greenham said on the opponent.

“I never felt like the game was in our keeping until midway through the last.

“Full credit to our back line for absorbing the finals like heat, however when the pendulum did swing our way, we were able to get the game on our terms long enough for some scoreboard relief.”

While Old Scotch were within a sniff at halftime, down 19 points, SKOBS restricted the Cardinals to just two second half goals as they motored to a 65-point win, 4.14 (38) to 16.7 (103).

While De La did everything in their power to close the gap on a top-four spot, University Blues got the job done against St Bedes/Mentone Tigers to remain a game ahead inside finals calculations.

A tight first term, the Blues soon clicked into gear to extend the margin out to three goals at halftime, but the third quarter is where the Tigers suffered most.

Held to just two behinds, SBMT conceded 36 points themselves to fall beyond 50 points behind, and while an improved effort in the fourth quarter, University’s premiership quarter had done the damage to seal a 52-point win, 13.20 (98) to 7.4 (46).

Sam Sinnott was best afield for the Blues, as Charlie Skipper and Will Vavallo kicked three each, while Tiger Curtis Howe can hold his head high for his efforts in the defeat.

As teams enter the final month of action, Round 15 shapes as a potential top-four decider.

The Uni Blues and De La Salle face off in a classic cliché eight-point game, with a win for the Blues set to all but lock in their top four spot by holding a two-game advantage and percentage over De La.

But, if De La Salle can continue their hot run of form, the premiership points ledger will be squared heading into the final three rounds, leaving the door ajar for an underdog ascension to September.

In other fixtures, St Bedes/Mentone host Old Scotch as both sides look to rebound, while Old Xaverians play Old Brighton and St Kevin’s travel to take on Caulfield.