Round 3 of William Buck Premier Men’s delivered five clear-cut results, as teams continue to sort out the early pecking order.
Two teams remain undefeated, while one remains winless despite a spirited second-half rally that threatened to deliver a comeback win.
Here’s our look back at Round 3 in review:
The closest game of the round was at Melbourne University Oval, but it didn’t shape that way until after half-time as Old Trinity were given a decent scare before steadying to post an excellent win over University Blacks.
The T’s were irresistible in the first half, getting away to a flying start for a second consecutive week to boot 4 goals to 1 and lead by 20 points at quarter-time, before slamming on another 5.5 to 2.3 to lead by 40 points at the main break.
And when Achilles Panopoulos rose to mark and kick the opening goal from the top of the goalsquare two minutes into the third term, the margin had ballooned to 46 points and Old Trinity looked to be headed for a comfortable percentage-boosting win.
But someone forgot to tell the Blacks, who were known for some gritty comebacks last season. Dale Bower’s men dug in and started grinding their way back.
Tom St.Clair began the fightback at the 3-minute mark, and while it didn’t come with a rush to begin with (just one goal in the next 12 minutes), the game began to noticeably shift the Blacks’ way, and then when they did get it completely on their terms, the floodgates opened.
They banged on another 4 goals in 12 minutes, as Old Trinity’s 46-point lead shrunk to just 8 points in an incredible 26 minutes that no-one saw coming.
Ben Curtain responded with a vital steadier for the T’s at the 32-minute mark that saw them head to the final huddle with a 13-point lead, as both coaches implored their players to snatch the vital 4 points that were now squarely up for grabs.
Understandably, the game tightened up again, but it was Old Trinity doing most of the attacking. Three early behinds added to the tension, before Alex Emery’s flying snap goal 8 minutes in created a 21-point buffer, and when Tom Wenn kicked the only other goal of the final term 10 minutes later, Donald McDonald’s men had finally seen off the resistance.
The T’s victorious by 28 points, posting back-to-back wins to jump into the Top 4, while the Blacks remain winless – their inability to switch on for a full four quarters costing them victory three weeks in a row.
Alex Emery won the SKINS Player of the Game Award for his superb 3-goal performance, which included a critical goal on the half-time siren and another to settle things early in the last term, while Tom St Clair was a standout up forward for the Blacks with 4 goals.
After their opening 3 weeks on the road, the T’s will play their first Premier Men’s home game since 2022, hosting St Bernard’s at Daley Oval, while the road doesn’t get any easier for the Blacks, who will head to Brighton Beach to try and snap Old Brighton’s 20-game winning streak at home.
Old Trinity 13.16 (94)
University Blacks 9.12 (66)
GOALS: OT: Emery & Ferrier 3; Jenkins 2; 1- Chard, Davidson, Payman, Phillips, Wenn.
UB: St Clair 4; 1 – Alao, Gray, O’Brien, Panopoulos, Vescio.
BEST:
OT: Alex Emery, Christos Manoussakis, Louis Davidson, James Ingpen, Sam Phillips, Flynn McNamara
UB: Harrison Kelly, Kane Loftus, Charlie Connell-Tobin, Thomas St Clair, Ted O’Brien, Sam Conway
Donald McDonald (Old Trinity): “Very pleasing to be able to back up again this week at an away venue.
“Uni Blacks were all over us in the third quarter and got within two goals. So, we were under a lot of pressure; however, we composed ourselves and had a very solid last quarter. It was fantastic to see Alex Emery have a big game for us!
“Looking ahead, St Bernard’s have been able to stay up for a few years now, so we know they are accustomed to the tempo of A-Grade football. It will be another big game.”
Dale Bower (Uni Blacks): “We were completely outworked by Old Trinity in the first half, and being 40 points down at halftime is never a situation we want to be in.
“We showed spirit and played great Blacks footy in the third quarter, which gave us an opportunity to win the game. We couldn’t get it done in the last. We need to start winning games.”
Perennial contenders St Kevin’s avoided starting 0-3 for the first time in a decade by dominating St Bernard’s at TH King.
The Snowdogs had never won at SKOB HQ, and looked up for the fight early, booting the opening 2 goals before St Kevin’s clicked into gear and rammed on 4 in 6 minutes. Luke Di Lizio then steadied the Dogs with 2 late majors to snatch a 2-point lead at the first break.
The home team then took control in the second term, holding the Dogs scoreless while peppering away themselves, racking up 21 Inside 50s to 4. Unfortunately for St Kevin’s, they couldn’t finish their work, and while their 2.8 gave them an 18-point half-time lead, the margin could have been far more significant.
However, Anthony Lynch’s men stuck to the task and continued their dominance after half-time, controlling the game from the inside and maintaining possession on the outside, with an incredible 82% Disposal Efficiency for the quarter, including a truly elite 81% Kick Efficiency, compared to a scrappy 59% from the under-pressure Snowdogs.
Most pleasing for the home team was their improved conversion, capitalising on their weight of possession by booting 6.3 to 1.2 for the term, to effectively put the game to bed, leading by 49 points at the last change – Noah Walsh with 13 disposals and a goal in an outstanding third quarter.
A further 4.5 to 2.1 in the final term not only delivered St Kevin’s their first win of the season, but also a critical percentage bump – their 65-point victory rocketing them up from last to fifth on the ladder!
Noah Walsh finished as best afield with his 32 disposals, 8 tackles, 4 clearances and 2 goals, while Billy Coates was superb for SKOB with 29 disposals (25 contested), 48 hit-outs and a whopping 22 clearances!
Doug Kerr made a sparkling debut, finishing with 16 disposals and 4 goals, while Jacob Koschitzke continues to find his feet at his new club, finishing with 19 disposals, 11 marks and a goal.
Finn Shannon won a heap of footy for the Snowdogs, collecting 32 touches, 5 tackles and 4 Rebound 50s, while Dylan Gwynne was also prolific with 28 disposals (17 contested), 6 tackles and 7 clearances.
This result sets up a Round 4 blockbuster at Melbourne Uni as St Kevin’s visit the unbeaten Uni Blues, while St Bernard’s will look to snap their 7-game losing streak on the road as they head to Daley Oval to face the in-form Old Trinity.
St Kevin’s 16.17 (113)
St Bernard’s 7.6 (48)
GOALS: STK: Kerr 4; Tucker 3; Walsh & Bryan 2; 1- Koschitzke, Pfeiffer, Ball, Canning & Mansfield.
STB: Di Lizio 2; 1 – Watson, Hughes, Conlan, B.Sauro & Restuccia.
BEST:
STK: Noah Walsh, Doug Kerr, Angus Hart, William Coates, Cam Hodges, Sam Tucker.
STB: Luke Said, Mitchell Hughes, Nick Conlan, Matthew Watson, Harrison Fuller, Harrison Schumann.
Anthony Lynch (St Kevin’s): “It was really pleasing to get our first win on the board after a challenging couple of weeks.
“We stripped things right back during the week, and had some pretty simple yet clear focuses. I thought our players were fantastic in delivering on everything we asked of them.
“Our pressure across all areas of the ground was a highlight for mine. A couple of our leaders in Hodges and Coates really showed the way early, and then everyone followed on from there.
“We have great respect for St Bernard’s, and it’s always a special day as the two clubs play for the JOC O’Connor Cup.
“A special mention to our senior first gamer and former First 18 Captain Dougy Kerr, who was outstanding, kicking 4 on debut.”
Steve Alessio (St Bernard’s): “Disappointing game overall this weekend. We started well, but that was it from our pressure and ability to impact the game.
“SKOB showed their ability to transition the ball with speed and confidence, and beat us in the contest on the day. That doesn’t leave you with much as a Coach to try and impact the game.
“We are a resilient group, and some positive signs from our younger brigade give us something to build on in the coming weeks. A few of our Senior players might return this week, which will help with our on-ground leadership.
“It’s a super competitive season already, and I know our players will be up for the fight.”
The latest chapter of the Old Scotch and Old Xaverians rivalry was written at Camberwell Sportsground, and it made for great reading for those in the Red & Black.
Xavs seized the early initiative, getting the upper hand in contested footy and forcing Old Scotch to ratchet up their pressure game, which they did, with 26 Pressure Acts to 6 in the opening term.
But that was indicative of Xavs dictating the play, and they managed to convert 30 more Disposals and a 16-9 Inside 50 count into a 3-goal quarter-time lead. The Cards let themselves down with ball in hand, running at just 42% Kick Efficiency for the quarter, and were held goalless with the breeze as Xavs booted the only 3 majors of the opening stanza themselves.
The timely return of Xavs’ gun ruck Alex Spralja and his tag-team partnership with Oscar Duncan was making life more difficult for brilliant Cardinals big man Will Clark, and would certainly helped the visitors around stoppages all afternoon.
The game opened up a little more in the second term, but Old Scotch were still struggling to string together the potent possession chains that have served them so well in recent years. Their pressure, however, continued to help keep them in the game despite Xavs having more than their fair share of possession.
The visitors booted the opening two goals of the second term to kick away to a 29-point lead 7 minutes in, forcing a concerted Cardinals response, which came via a couple of quick goals to Ned Macmillan and Will Clark.
Old Xavs then upped the ante again, leading to a flurry of goals – 4 in 7 minutes heading into time-on – with 3 of those coming to the Red & Black. Two late ones to Charlie Macisaac and Wayde Brusnahan franked their dominance, as they headed into the rooms with a 31-point lead.
Old Scotch rolled up their sleeves in the third term, getting on top inside the contest and then winning their share around the ground as well. However, inaccuracy stunted their progress, kicking 1.3 to 2.3 to actually slip a goal further behind – 37 points the margin at the last break.
Four Old Xavs goals in the first 12 minutes of the final term put the result beyond doubt, with the margin blowing out to 60 points before the Cards responded with 4 of their own. Xavs then added the finishing touches with 3 late goals to post an impressive 54-point win.
Will Goss (29 touches, 9 Rebound 50s and 8 Inside 50s) worked hard both ways all day for Xavs, while Sam Hansen also cracked in all afternoon to finish with 26 touches (18 contested, 7 tackles and 10 clearances). Alec Spralja returned in style, with 26 disposals (19 contested), 36 hit-outs and 11 clearances.
Old Scotch skipper Charlie Cormack led from the front as always, with 33 disposals, 9 marks, 7 tackles, 5 clearances and 6 Rebound 50s, while Will Townsend (26 disposals, 8 Rebounds) and Will Clark (24 disposals, 9 marks, and 5 clearances) stuck to the task all afternoon.
Old Xavs have now won 4 of their last 5 over the Cardinals, and will welcome Caulfield Grammarians to Toorak Park with renewed confidence, while Old Scotch will hit the road and head to Princes Park to face Old Haileybury, in what shapes as a critical game for both teams as they fight to stay in touch with the leading pack.
Old Xaverians 18.11 (119)
Old Scotch 9.11 (65)
GOALS: OX: Macisaac & O’Sullivan 4; McRae 3; Delaney & Brusnahan 2; 1- Knott, Duncan, Lane.
OS: Lean, Clark & Macmillan 2; 1 – Franetic, Brown & Long.
BEST:
OX: Ed Delany, Jack O’Sullivan, Tommy McRae, Alex Trigar, Alec Spralja, Sam Ralph.
OS: Caleb Nancarrow, Charlie Cormack, Quinn Spencer, Henry Dixon, Freddie Leeton, Oliver Badr.
Dan Donati (Old Xavs): “It was an honest four-quarter performance this week, and I was really pleased the boys responded well after the week before.
“We started well into the slight breeze, and this helped us set the game up from there. It’s never an easy ground to navigate, and Old Scotch are always a difficult side to break down, but a really even team performance had us leading from start to finish to claim an important 4 points. It was our tacking and pressure that stood out, and we’ll need to bring that and more next week V Old Caulfield..”
Mark Gnatt (Old Scotch): “We had another two Under 19 debutants in Caleb Nancarrow and Bailey Burrows. Caleb was tasked with the match-up on MacIsaac and did a very good job in a number of their contests.
“Bailey’s debut was a little more unusual, given he had played a full Reserves game in the morning. With Alex Noblet being called up to North Melbourne just before our match, Bailey was a late in, and he gained some valuable experience against a quality opponent.
“Nutsy has the Xavs boys playing a great brand, and they will only get better with the return of a few key players in the short term. Although we were able to match Xavs for the majority of the game at clearance, we were unable to maintain possession of the ball. Xavs then hurt us on transition and were more efficient with ball in hand.
“Cormack, Clark and Nancarrow all played well, and young Harry Dixon had a strong performance as well.”
Old Brighton extended their winning streak to 11 straight after overcoming an early barrage from Old Haileybury at Princes Park.
If you weren’t familiar with the league ladder, you could have been excused for believing the Bloods were the undefeated league leaders throughout the first 45 minutes or so of this contest.
They dominated stoppage and capitalised on Old Brighton errors to boot the only 4 goals of the opening term (all from Turnover) to lead by 23 points at quarter time after holding the Tonners to a single point – the third time the reigning champs have been held goalless in a first quarter since Round 5 last year (with the two previous matches against Old Scotch, including last season’s Grand Final).
Ben Branson dribbled through Old Brighton’s first goal of the day 1 minute into the second term, but the fightback took a while to build some steam.
Flynn Gregor responded for the Bloods 10 minutes later to restore their 4-goal lead before the Tonners started to build some momentum.
Back-to-back goals to Luke Travers and Charlie Richardson entering time-on provided some reward for effort, and when Ben Pryor marked on his chest 2 seconds before the half-time siren sounded, his goal reduced Old Brighton’s half-time deficit to just 9 points.
The Tonners then upped the ante in the third term, controlling possession (Disposals 95-58) and sharing it around effectively. Goals to Goodger and Dick saw them snatch the lead for the first time since midway through the opening term.
Cody Goonewardene grabbed it back temporarily for the Bloods, but 3 goals in 6 minutes entering time-on saw the Tonners hold a 2-goal advantage at the final change.
Any hopes of a blistering Old Haileybury final quarter as they showcased at home in Round 1 were put to bed early, as the visitors controlled the last term with authority, holding the Bloods scoreless and booting 6 unanswered goals themselves to blow the final margin out to 48 points – a 71-point turnaround from quarter time.
Luca Macnab continued his scintillating form with 34 disposals for the Tonners, while Max Lohan had 27 and skipper Harry Hill 25.
Jasper Russell was Old Haileybury’s leading ball-winner once again with 24, while Brodie Findlay competed hard in the ruck all afternoon to finish with 19 disposals, 7 marks, 46 hit-outs and a goal.
Old Brighton hit the road for the first time next week as they head to Old Haileybury, while St Kevin’s return to TH King to host St Bernard’s in what suddenly shapes as a very interesting game.
Old Brighton 15.9 (99)
Old Haileybury 8.3 (51)
GOALS: OB: Dick 4; Travers & Richardson 3; Pryor 2; 1- Goodger, Branson & Findlay.
OH: Nosiara & Goonewardene 2; 1 – Chilcott, Blight, Gregor & Yates.
BEST:
OB: Luca Macnab, Luke Travers, Thomas Burnell, Ben Pryor, Max Lohan, Jordan Segar.
OX: Hugo Nosiara, Ned Conway, Brodie Findlay, Joel Chilcott, Noah Higgins, Brede Seccull.
Marcel Bruin (Old Brighton): “We were completely outplayed in the first quarter and a half of footy, out-pressured with poor balance at the contest. The Bloods played quick and hunted, and it took us a little while to shift the needle and regain some control. By the back half of the second quarter, we had better shape and simply were more competitive.
“We made some minor adjustments in the second half, but the boys’ workrate was better, and we controlled the ball a lot better. We started to get Scores from Turnover as our pressure lifted and ball movement was cleaner.
“Luca Macnab has been stellar through three games, as has Tommy Burnell. Shoutout to two of our half-forwards, Luke Travers and Ben Pryor – they made plays up the ground and back inside 50, defensively and offensively. Jordy Segar also worked into the game really strongly.”
Guy Martyn (Old Haileybury): “Old Brighton showed why they’re the best team in the competition. Really strong in the contest (air and ground), they move the ball well with different gears and set up really well defensively. There’s certainly no weakness to try and exploit.
“Obviously, the first half was pleasing. We showed what we’re capable of doing when we play our best footy. But as the game went on against an experienced outfit, we just couldn’t sustain our intensity.
“We just need to keep building and developing with this young group. Over the first three rounds, we’ve shown great signs in all facets of the game, but just not all at once or over the entirety of the game.”
The final game of the weekend saw University Blues remain undefeated alongside the Tonners after dispatching Caulfield Grammarians after half-time at Glen Huntly Park, and it was the ‘Two-Headed Blue Monster’ causing headaches for the opposition once again.
The Blues dominated territory early, with 20 Inside 50s to 6 in the opening term, edging the Fields around the contest but unable to take full toll, failing to connect effectively with their strikepower up forward and then spraying opportunities to finish the term with 3.9 to 3.1 – an 8-point lead not reflective of their dominance.
The Fields then pinched the lead with two goals in the first 7 minutes of the second quarter, before Matt Smith’s men tidied up their entry kicks, responding with 4 of the last 5 goals of the term. So, while Caulfield actually won the territory battle 16 Inside 50s to 11, the Blues won the quarter, booting 4.3 to 3.2 to head to the break with a hard-earned 15-point lead.
Caulfield coach Paul Satterley would have been reasonably pleased with the defensive effort his team displayed in containing the Monster duo of Sam Grimley and James Stewart, who had been held to 1.2 and 2.2 respectively by half-time.
However, every Premier Men’s coach knows that the threat is ever present, and if these two get enough quality supply, it’s only a matter of time before they start to influence the game.
Sure enough, the Blues regained their territorial control in the third quarter, stacking up 20 Inside 50s to 5 with the breeze, and the Monster booted 5 goals (3 to Grimley and 2 to Stewart) to break the game open. A combined 5 goals from just 6 disposals highlighted their effectiveness – with 3 coming from Marks on the Lead, 1 from a free kick on the lead and the other from a quick snap.
7.5 to 0.1 was the result, and just like that, the margin had skyrocketed to 61 points at the last change.
The Blues owned the footy in the final term, racking up an incredible 138 Disposals to 67, as they controlled the game with uncontested footy.
They added a further 7.4 to 4.3 – the Fields still managing to boot 4 goals against the tide, but the final margin of 80 points highlighted an eye-catching second half from the Blues, who slammed on 14.9 to 4.4 to finish with their highest score since Round 14, 2019.
Sam Grimley finished with 11 possessions, 8 marks and 5 goals to move to 16 for the season. James Stewart had 14 touches, 6 marks and sits second on the goalkicking table after adding a further 4 to move to 12.
Will Furphy led the way with 35 touches and 4 Goal Assists for the Blues, while 19-year-old Tom Hill shone with 33 touches and 9 Score Involvements in just his third senior game, and Marty Gleeson’s excellent form continued with another 32 touches and 2 goals.
2-time AFL and 2-time VFL premiership player Taylor Duryea had 21 disposals and a goal in his VAFA debut, as the Blues continue to build upon their experience and star power.
Jack Ellwood worked tirelessly for the Fields to finish with 31 disposals (21 contested) with 7 tackles and 7 clearances, while Noah Sutherland had 30, and Oscar Roberts had 30, with 10 marks and 9 Rebound 50s after returning to defence.
The Blues head home to host St Kevin’s in a massive game this coming weekend, while Caulfield Grammarians will dust themselves off and head to Toorak Park to try and replicate what their fellow 2025 Premier B Grand Finalist – Old Trinity – did in Round 2 and skittle the Xavs at home.
University Blues 21.21 (147)
Caulfield Grammarians 10.7 (67)
GOALS: UB: Grimley 5; Stewart 4; Townson 3; Gleeson 2; 1- Irving, O’Sullivan, LaCava, Akoch, Sinnott, Curran & Duryea.
CG: Williams & Gibb 3; Cooper 2; 1 – Ting & Wallace.
BEST:
UB: Sam Grimley, Martin Gleeson, Tom Hill, Geordie LaCava, Ben Townson, Archie Sinnott.
CG: Jack Ellwood, Thomas Williams, Hugh McKenzie, Harvey Dawson, Jared Freedman, Eddie Gibb.
Matt Smith (Uni Blues): “I was pleased with our ability to adjust the way we moved the footy in response to their tactics. We negated their quick inside hands, we had waves of forward ball movement, and controlled the tempo of the game.
“We were a bit wasteful in front of goal, but there were plenty of good performances. Archie Sinnott and Jack Robinson both had their best games of the year, bringing forward physicality and pressure, while Sam Grimley continues on his merry way.”
Paul Satterley (Caulfield): “Our first half was really competitive, and if not for some of our own inefficiencies with ball in hand, we might have been closer than 15 points.
“Uni Blues just overwhelmed us in the end with their quality of ball movement and strength around the contest. The two big fellas were difficult to contain, plus Townson and Gleeson were also a handful.
“Our skipper Jack Ellwood tried all day, and some of our small forwards – Tommy Williams and Ed Gibb – were effective with limited opportunities.
“Our focus will continue to be our execution and getting back to our high-pressure game.”
WILLIAM BUCK PREMIER MEN’S – ROUND 4
SATURDAY MAY 9 – 2pm:
Old Haileybury vs Old Scotch VAFA.com.au & SEN app – 1.45pm
University Blues vs St Kevin’s Kommunity TV – 1.55pm
Old Xaverians vs Caulfield Grammarians VAFA.com.au & Kommunity TV – 1.55pm
Old Trinity vs St Bernard’s VAFA.com.au – 1.55pm
Old Brighton vs University Blacks
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