Cardinals through to the decider after classic last-kick Preliminary Final

One of the great William Buck Premier Men’s Preliminary Finals was decided by the last kick of the day, with Old Scotch breaking Old Xavs’ hearts by just one point to keep their back-to-back dream alive and secure a second consecutive Grand Final clash with Old Brighton – this Friday at Elsternwick Park.

PRELIMINARY FINAL – OLD SCOTCH 14.10 (94) d. OLD XAVERIANS 14.9 (93) by 1 point

A healthy crowd was treated to one of the best VAFA finals of the modern era as the Cards & Xavs went stride for stride all the way to the final siren in an epic Preliminary Final at Elsternwick Park.

It turned out to be a 28-goal classic which, incredibly, was tied at quarter time, and had 1-point margins at three-quarter time and the final siren.

FIRST QUARTER:

Both sides brought their strengths into play early and counter-balanced each other almost perfectly in the opening term.

Xavs had a slight edge on the deck (+10 Ground Balls) and for Marks Inside 50 (7-2) as expected, while the Cards’ intercept game was typically on song (7-3 Intercept Marks).  

But in virtually every other category, the numbers matched relatively evenly, and the scoreboard duly reflected it.

The Cards went coast-to-coast from the first kick-in of the game, with livewire small forward Angus Jones opening the scoring with a goal for the Cards 3 minutes in. This was countered by Charlie MacIsaac’s first major for Xavs 5 minutes later – both players looking dangerous at their respective ends of the ground (MacIsaac with 4 marks Inside 50 for the quarter).

Tom Farrar crumbed an immediate response for Old Scotch, before Xavs started to get the upper hand.

Julian Gangi found MacIsaac on the lead for his second goal, and the Red & Black faithful started to find their voice as their team grabbed the initiative when Connor Dunne threw his boot at a loose ball in the goalsquare to give Xavs an 8-point buffer.

But Rhys Galvin closed the gap back to within a kick with an intercept and long-range running goal at the 28-minute mark and the two teams headed to the opening change locked together.

QTR TIME:          OLD XAVS 3.3 (21)      OLD SCOTCH 3.3 (21)

SECOND QUARTER:

Clean disposals were harder to find in the second term as both sides ratcheted up the pressure. The Cards tried to get their uncontested game going (17 Uncontested Marks to 3), but it was Old Xavs on top inside the contest, and they started to gain territorial dominance (12 Inside 50s to 7).

They booted 3 of the first 4 goals of the quarter, including MacIsaac’s third, following an intercept by big man Alec Spralja at centre half-forward. The margin snuck back out to 13 points when Ben Bilston-McGillen slotted a goal from 35 out, and, after conceding 6 of the first 7 scores of the term, it was time for Old Scotch to dig in and respond.

The Cards came up with the final three scores of the first half, but all were behinds as they stabilised their half-time deficit at 12 points.

Alex Noblet (17 disposals) and Marcus Stavrou (16) were the main ball-winners of the opening half, while Charlie MacIsaac’s 11 possessions, 6 marks and 3 goals has stamped him as the most likely-looking forward on the ground.

HALF TIME:       OLD XAVS 6.6 (42)      OLD SCOTCH 4.6 (30)

THIRD QUARTER:

With their season at stake, the Cardinals came out firing in the third quarter to take control of the game by making the most of the chances that had gone begging in the first half.

They would boot 5 goals in a withering 9-and-a-half minutes of football, with Angus Jones and James Tarrant contributing two apiece as the reigning champs found another gear, turning their 12-point deficit into a 17-point lead and threatening to run away with the game.

Suddenly, it was Xavs needing to steady and respond, and they did so superbly via 2 goals in a minute to Connor Dunne and Jack O’Sullivan to close back within 4 points entering time-on.

Scores from Turnover had been the name of the game all afternoon, and this continued in the third term, with 10 of the 13 scores for the quarter coming from pouncing on loose play from the opposition.

Will Clark re-established a 10-point advantage for the Cards with a strong mark and goal from outside the arc, but 2 goals in two minutes to Hayden Woodhouse (his second) and Jack O’Sullivan (his second for the term) saw Xavs edge their noses back in front by a single point at the final change.

The stage was set for a grandstand finish.

THREE-QTR TIME:        OLD XAVS 10.8 (68)   OLD SCOTCH 10.7 (67)

FINAL QUARTER:

The big forwards at both ends had been threatening to grab the game by the scruff of the neck for much of the day, and when Will Clark ‘called his shot’ and launched a bomb from inside the centre square 2 minutes in, he had 3 goals and the Cards were back in front by 5 points.

Enter Xavs’ big forwards at the other end. MacIsaac converted on the lead from 45 out for his fourth, then Ed Delaney ripped down a strong contested mark in the goalsquare, and it was Xavs by a goal with 10 minutes gone.

That lead doubled when the ever-influential Marcus Stavrou slotted a superb shot from deep in the right forward pocket, and Xavs looked to be on the verge of potentially breaking the game open.

But the Cards weren’t done yet, taking it straight out of the centre and launching it Inside 50. A scramble ensued, James Tarrant was legged, a 50-metre penalty paid for dissent, and he duly reduced the margin back to a straight kick once again at the 13-minute mark.

Goals then became hard to come by, and the next 15 minutes was tight, tense football with both teams desperately throwing everything at each other.

So, when Xavs won a boundary throw-in from smack bang on centre wing and launched it long into an open Forward 50, Jack O’Sullivan’s bouncing goal from the top of the goalsquare (his third for the second half) looked to be a real body blow for the Cards, who were back to 11 points down at the 28-minute mark.

However, the resilience of the reigning champs has been on full display for the past 5 weeks, and they responded with the perfect centre break just when they needed it most.

Ruck Sam Grant punched it forward, Andy Jelbart ran onto the bouncing ball, and gave it off to Tom Farrer streaming past. He nailed the pressure shot on the run from 40 metres out. The entire play took 10 seconds from the ball leaving the umpire’s hands, and it was back to a 5-point game.

The following four minutes were agonising for fans of both teams, as Xavs’ fans willed the siren to sound while Cards’ fans prayed for a miracle.

In the end, it would come down to one last foray forward for the Cardinals at the 32-minute mark. A throw-in 60 metres out from the Cards’ goal at right half-forward saw a quick kick from Xavs intercepted by Will Townsend on the wing.

He drove it long to a huge pack 30 metres from goal, Brodie Easton swooped on the crumb, and his high kick to the top of the goalsquare was crumbed by Angus Jones, who swung onto his right boot and snapped through his fifth goal from 20 metres out as the Scotch fans behind the goals lost their collective minds.

Exhausted Xavs players slumped to the ground in unison, united in their disbelief at somehow surrendering a lead they’d given their all to protect for most of the afternoon.

The ball was returned to the centre, and after two further ball-ups chewed up 25 precious seconds, the final siren sounded.

Utter devastation for Xavs, who lose their fifth consecutive top-flight final since 2016, and by the barest possible margin to what was literally the last kick of the game.

Total jubilation for the Cards, who miraculously pulled victory from the jaws of defeat, and closed to within four quarters of the most unlikely of premiership defences, given they were three games plus 14% out of the Top 4 with just three games to play.

Sam Grant was magnificent in the ruck once again, with 16 disposals, 49 hit-outs and 4 Goal Involvements, while Harry Stubbings and Alex Noblet combined for 59 disposals for the Cards. Angus Jones was the last-gasp hero – his match-winning 5-goal performance following on from his 3 goals last week.

Marcus Stavrou worked tirelessly for Xavs to finish with 31 disposals, 5 clearances and a goal. He was ably supported by the hard-running Campbell Lane with 27 touches, 6 Rebound 50s and 8 Inside 50s. Charlie MacIsaac was the best key forward on the ground, finishing with 15 disposals, 7 marks and 4 goals.

The final numbers reinforced the evenness of this incredible contest:

TOTAL DISPOSALS:                                    326-324 Old Xavs

CONTESTED POSSESSIONS:                 150-150 apiece

INTERCEPT POSSESSIONS:                    83-85 Old Scotch

HARD BALL GETS:                                        26-24 Old Xavs

TURNOVERS:                                                  90-88 Old Xavs              

Finals at any level can’t get much more gripping than this.

FINAL SCORE:           OLD SCOTCH 14.10 (94) d. OLD XAVERIANS 14.9 (93) by 1pt.

Mark Gnatt (Old Scotch): “That was one of the best matches of footy that you would see at any level – what a brilliant advertisement for amateur football!

“Congratulations to Old Xavs on an outstanding season. They are a formidable opponent, and well led by Nutsy and his team. They certainly challenged us in a few areas, and we needed to respond to get the game back the way we wanted it to look.

“In particular, Xavs controlled the clearances in the first half and that provided some clean entries to their forwards. We made a few structural changes for the second half, and this proved to come to fruition. Tarrant and Clark both came into the game, and Angus Jones was on fire up front.

“Our backline was holding up, and Harry Stubbings on his wing and Sam Grant in the ruck were both brilliant again.

“Our six-goal third quarter was setting us up nicely; however, Xavs then fought back and took a 1-point lead at the final break.

“It was certainly a quarter of moments in the last – the final 3 minutes will go down in Old Scotch history. There were a number of significant efforts that led to both Farrer and Jones kicking the two goals, and for both of those young lads to have the composure to finish was exceptional.

“The spirit and belief of this group was on show in these moments, and that comes off the back of a strong team-first culture.

“There is a strong belief in this group, and we are well prepared to give it a shake this week. We know that we are the underdog, and this tag sits well with us. We are now focused on Old Brighton and look forward to another cracking contest. Bring it on!!”

Dan Donati (Old Xavs): “I’ve no doubt it was a great game for the neutrals out there, but being on the losing end of a game like that was bloody tough.

“I’ll pay credit to Mark and Old Scotch first. It was a brutal four quarters played by all, and in the end, they pulled off a fantastic win to make their way into another GF.

“I was extremely proud of my boys for the way they played both finals. Two great games, played with passion, commitment and heart, but unfortunately, it didn’t net us a result.

“The game swung both ways many times, and after grabbing an 11-point lead with a couple of minutes to go, you’d have thought we’d done enough. It wasn’t to be, as OS kicked two late goals to take out a dramatic win.

“From a season perspective – as raw as it still is – I thought we had a great year, and I’m genuinely proud of the group. We improved significantly, got plenty of games into our younger brigade and showed we more than belonged when it mattered.

“Unfortunately, we were a bit unlucky late with injuries to some of our key players, but of course, that’s footy. 15 wins and a couple of tough, hard-fought finals will hopefully keep the group hungry to improve and go again next season. Hoping the Reserves can get up and win another flag for the club on Friday.”

And so, after ALL the twists and turns of this remarkable 2025 season, it will be Old Brighton facing Old Scotch in a second consecutive Premier Men’s Grand Final!

The result will be historic either way:

Will Old Brighton win their first top-flight premiership at their fourth attempt?

Or will Old Scotch go back-to-back in the top tier for the first time since 1934?

Elsternwick Park was ROCKING on Grand Final Day last year. The sequel promises to be even BETTER than the original!

WILLIAM BUCK PREMIER MEN’S GRAND FINAL – Friday 2.30pm (Elsternwick Park)

Old Brighton vs Old Scotch

LIVE coverage from 2pm Friday on VAFA.com.au & KTV (video stream), with our award-winning SEN Match of the Day radio coverage on VAFA.com.au & the SEN app!