First Draw of the Season Headlines Division 1 Men’s Round 5 Action

Round 5 of Division 1 Men’s had a bit of everything – the season’s first draw, a couple of shootouts, and another strong win from unbeaten Preston Bullants.

Monash Blues (9.16 – 70) drew with UHS-VU (10.10 – 70) 

In the first official draw of the season in Division 1 Men’s – Monash Blues and UHS-VU couldn’t be separated at the final siren. Monash held the lead at every major break of the game. The Blues had opportunities to extend their advantage, but inaccurate kicking resulted in a one-goal, five-behind final quarter that left the door open for their opponents. UHS-VU capitalised, kicking three goals in the final term to level the scores at the siren and secure a 70-all draw. 

Monash coach Damien Philpott said the draw was “a bit of a hollow feeling” after letting the game slip away. Despite the disappointment, Philpott was impressed by periods of his developing side’s performance. He said: “We again showed we can play at a high standard, but way too infrequently. Our consistency to maintain that level and continue to apply our game style requires work.” 

Putting together a complete four-quarter performance will be the next step in the side’s development, although Philpott believes progress is coming. He said: “Once everything clicks, and it will, we will need to maintain consistency and then shift the level, but at the moment our focus is on getting our overall game right.” 

Following the draw, Monash remains in search of its first win of the season and will hope to break through next week when it travels to face bottom-placed Old Yarra Cobras. The winner will avoid being the final side yet to register a victory this year. UHS-VU faces a tough challenge when it hosts Brunswick, who are coming off a hard-fought performance against ladder leaders Preston. 

Brunswick (8.12 – 60) def by Preston Bullants (10.14 – 74) 

Brunswick pushed the top-of-the-table Preston Bullants harder than most sides have managed this season. Scores were level at quarter-time before Brunswick carried a five-point lead into the main break. 

For one of the few times this year, Preston found itself needing to come from behind after halftime. The Bullants responded strongly in the second half, regaining control of the contest and taking a four-point lead into the final term before eventually securing a 14-point win to remain the division’s only undefeated side. 

Round 6 presents a different challenge for Brunswick as it travels to face UHS-VU. Meanwhile, Preston will take on Kew, who are coming off a dominant 105-point victory over the Cobras. 

Kew (22.18 – 150) def Old Yarra Cobras (7.3 – 45) 

The Old Yarra Cobras continue to compete valiantly but have struggled against the division’s stronger sides. Their loss to Kew marked a third 100-point defeat of the season, with the Bears running away 105-point winners. 

With seven multiple goal kickers, Kew’s attacking firepower proved too much for the Cobras’ defence, piling on 22 goals for the match compared to Old Yarra’s seven. 

Kew’s challenge intensifies in Round 6 with a clash against unbeaten ladder leaders Preston. Old Yarra, meanwhile, will host the Monash Blues in a battle between two sides still searching for their first win of the season. 

Prahran (13.3 – 81) def by Oakleigh (13.5 – 83) 

In a thriller, Oakleigh held on for a two-point win over Prahran to claim third spot on the ladder from its opponent.

The sides were difficult to separate throughout the first half, with Oakleigh holding narrow one-point leads at both quarter-time and halftime. Oakleigh then took control in the third quarter, kicking six goals to open up a 25-point advantage at the final break. 

Prahran responded with six goals of its own in the final term, but the late surge fell just short as Oakleigh held on for an important victory. 

After the win, Oakleigh coach Chris Worner praised both his side and the opposition. He said: “Credit to Prahran, as they didn’t throw the towel in, but it’s a win we needed.” Worner also highlighted several key contributors in the final quarter, including Rogan Kitts, Liam Gillard, Ollie Arnott and Nick Torpey. 

On the other side, Prahran assistant coach Patrick Marks was disappointed not to “get the job done for Riley Hogan in his 100th senior game for the club.” Marks summed up the performance when he said: “We didn’t play our brand of football for long enough. We started and finished well but lost our way through the middle part of the game.” He also praised the efforts of Ty Atkinson around the ground and Patrick Ribbands for his intercept marking and rebounding. 

Prahran will next face the high-scoring St Mary’s Salesian in Round 6, while Oakleigh hosts Parkside in another major test that could further shape the top end of the ladder. 

St Mary’s Salesian (16.7 – 103) def by Parkside (27.13 – 175) 

Goals flowed freely in a high-scoring contest between St Mary’s Salesian and Parkside on the weekend. Despite a relatively quiet opening quarter, St Mary’s still managed to score 16 goals and finish with 103 points. 

Parkside, however, was dominant throughout, leading at every break and piling on 27 goals to finish with 175 points in a match that produced a remarkable 43 goals combined. 

St Mary’s coach Heath Chipperfield praised the opposition despite his side surpassing 100 points. He said: “They were pretty impressive, particularly their ball movement and work-rate around the ground.” Chipperfield also viewed the result as an important learning experience, adding: “We learned a fair bit in terms of the areas we need to improve in and the standards we need to strive towards.” 

Jack Contencin and Hamish MacMillan led the way up forward for St Mary’s with seven and six goals respectively, while stand-in skipper Ben Tricarico was also singled out for praise. Chipperfield said Tricarico “demonstrated his growth as a young leader and led from the front.” 

Parkside coach Rick Frost also praised the opposition, saying: “St Mary’s were solid throughout the day, always offering threats when they moved forward.” Frost noted that the smaller ground dimensions compared to Parkside’s home venue contributed to the open style of play, with the side expecting “that scoring would be open and free.” 

Joe Holden starred in attack with nine goals for Parkside, while Louis Grist added five of his own. Frost also highlighted Nick Moylan’s influence in defence, praising his ability to rebound throughout the day. 

St Mary’s Salesian will host Prahran in Round 6 as it looks to tighten up defensively while maintaining its scoring power. Parkside, meanwhile, will aim to cement its top 2 position when it faces the fast-improving Oakleigh.