“One of the gutsiest wins I’ve been involved in”: Late heroics seal comeback for St Mary’s Salesian

Evan Johnston reviews Round 3 of Division 1 Men’s.

St Mary’s Salesian (6.9 – 45) def Brunswick (6.6 – 42)

A gutsy performance from St Mary’s Salesian has led to a fourth-quarter comeback against Brunswick. Brunswick led at every break, holding a 15-point advantage at three-quarter time. However, a strong defensive effort from St Mary’s restricted Brunswick to just one point in the final term, allowing them to add three goals and snatch the win in the dying seconds.

In an ultra-competitive match, coach Chipperfield of St Mary’s Salesian was quick to admit his side weren’t able to adapt to the conditions early, noting Brunswick moved the ball far better from their defensive 50 and were the more physical side. However, he was proud of his side’s response after structural changes at half-time, calling the game “one of the gutsiest wins I’ve ever been involved in”.

Plenty of players earned praise from Chipperfield, including Elliston, who kicked the match-winning goal with 30 seconds remaining, and their back six, particularly Salloum, Grant and Bourke. Further praise was given to young star Zack Thurman, who produced a notable performance throughout 100 per cent game time, and Chipperfield believes is worth a Rising Star nomination.

After a hard-fought loss, Brunswick will hope to return to the winners’ list against the struggling Old Yarra Cobras in Round 4. Meanwhile, St Mary’s will look to continue their winning form when they travel to face Kew.

Parkside (12.15 – 87) def Kew (8.9 – 57)

Parkside have maintained top spot on the ladder after a solid 30-point win against Kew. They managed to keep a 3-4-goal buffer at every break. Although Kew continued to fight, they were unable to close the gap throughout the game.

Parkside coach Rick Frost acknowledged Kew’s strong pressure and how they “took the centre on really well, which made us adjust some tactics”. However, Parkside were able to match the intensity and adapt to maintain their lead. Frost highlighted several standout performers, noting “Hudson Price played some exciting footy, and Luke Watson has been really reliable down back”.

Parkside will face a top-of-the-table clash next week when they host second-placed Preston. Despite the significance of the match, Frost said, “the ladder doesn’t mean much this early, but this week’s a great test against an undefeated Preston side, so we’re looking forward to the challenge”.

Kew will continue their search for a first win when they host third-placed St Mary’s Salesian.

Oakleigh (28.19 – 187) def Old Yarra Cobras (3.7 – 25)

A tough afternoon for Old Yarra resulted in a 162-point loss to Oakleigh. Oakleigh took full advantage of a depleted opposition, surpassing 100 points before three-quarter time and finishing with 28 goals.

The lack of experience proved too much for Old Yarra, who struggled to compete throughout the contest. The loss follows a Reserves forfeit due to player unavailability. Coach Monaco gave Oakleigh their plaudits while outlining his side’s challenges, saying, “Oakleigh are a top-four team and realistically, we had six to eight senior-ready players in the team. It’s disappointing from a club perspective, but not much we can do.”

For Oakleigh, coach Warner was pleased with the performance, stating it was “the best team performance we’ve had in my time as coach”. The result was highlighted by 17 individual goalkickers, with Elliot Black kicking four.

Warner also acknowledged the opportunity the game presented, noting, “we were hoping to get a big win as we know percentage plays a big part come the end of the season.” It also allowed the team to move the magnets around and identify future opportunities, with Warner adding it “showed some of our lockdown backs are capable of playing forward. Consolmango was excellent at both ends of the ground.” He also gave a shout-out to Antony Bernardo for his strong performance.

Oakleigh will aim to maintain momentum against the Monash Blues in Round 4, while the Cobras will look to respond when they host Brunswick.

Preston Bullants (23.29 – 167) by UHS-VU (6.6 – 42)

Another high-scoring contest saw Preston defeat University HS–Victoria University by 125 points. UHS-VU started strongly and led at quarter time but couldn’t maintain the momentum, as Preston piled on seven goals in the second quarter before dominating the second half.

Despite sitting sixth on the ladder, UHS-VU now have the second-most points conceded in the competition, an area they will need to address with percentage playing a crucial role. Preston remain in second spot, although the win wasn’t enough to overtake Parkside on percentage.

Despite the loss, UHS-VU boast the division’s leading goalkicker. Brandon Jackson now has 12 goals for the season, including six in Round 2, but the side will need more offensive support around him.

Preston will look to claim top spot in a blockbuster clash with Parkside next week, while UHS-VU will aim to bounce back at home against the high-scoring Prahran.

Prahran (19.17 – 131) def Monash Blues (7.5 – 47)

Prahran took control early, kicking six goals to one in the first quarter and building a 56-point lead by half-time. Although Monash improved in the third term, Prahran proved too strong, running out 84-point winners.

Prahran assistant coach Patrick Marks said the coaching group were “happy with the win and how we finished off” and felt the side was improving each week. Standout performers included Mackenzie Mayne in the midfield, Rory Brodie in the ruck — who also pushed forward to kick six goals — and Josh Steffanutti, who added four.

Prahran will look to maintain their strong form when they travel to face UHS-VU, while Monash will aim to secure their first win in a tough home clash against Oakleigh.