De La get one over Parkdale, as Old Scotch continue to hum in Holmesglen U19 Premier Men’s

Round 8 of the Holmesglen Under 19 Premier Men’s competition delivered another fascinating weekend of football, with several sides continuing to strengthen their finals credentials in what is shaping to be one of the tightest seasons in recent years.

Old Xaverians held off St Bedes/Mentone in a closely fought encounter, recording an 11.5 (71) to 10.5 (65) victory. In a game where neither side was able to establish a decisive break, Xavs did enough in the crucial moments to secure an important four points and remain firmly in the hunt as the season reaches its midpoint.

Uni Blues produced one of their most complete performances of the year, accounting for Beaumaris by 66 points, 17.15 (117) to 7.9 (51). After showing promising patches in recent weeks, coach Steve Boakes was pleased to see his side put together a sustained four-quarter effort.

“It was a good win, which was an indication of how we have played for shorter periods in recent weeks, but we finally put it together for a more acceptable period,” Boakes said.

“The onus is on us to build on that standard as I feel we have a lot more to offer.”

Boakes also highlighted the inspirational return of Joe Morrison, who made his first Premier division appearance after overcoming a serious injury.

“One good story was Joe Morrison, who played his first Premier level game with our club after missing a long time with a broken back. He was terrific.”

St Kevin’s continued their impressive campaign with a dominant 15.8 (98) to 3.7 (25) win over Caulfield Grammarians. Although Caulfield coach Cooper Rule was unable to attend the game, reports suggested St Kevin’s made the most of their opportunities and controlled proceedings throughout.

St Kevin’s coach Paul Greenham was delighted with the balance his side displayed across the ground.

“It was a terrific win,” Greenham said.

“Our backs were tremendous, our mids got first hands on the footy and our forwards presented well all day.”

Greenham acknowledged the quality of the opposition and said his side was able to gain the ascendancy once they countered their opponents’ strengths.

“Once we were able to counter what they were doing, we got the game on our terms which helped, especially once the rain came.”

With many clubs set to be affected by players heading overseas in the coming weeks, Greenham believes the race for finals remains wide open.

“The next month of footy will define the year, as the revolving door of overseas travellers across teams could determine the final four. This year is as tight a competition as we have seen in recent years and the next few weeks are going to produce some very interesting results.”

De La Salle registered an important 9.9 (63) to 6.8 (44) victory over Parkdale in challenging conditions. Parkdale coach Nick Anderson was disappointed with his side’s second-half performance after a competitive opening.

“We were disappointed with our effort,” Anderson said.

“We started well into the wind and had our chances in the second quarter, but were completely outworked in the second half and De La seemed to want it more.”

“Credit to De La, they tackled really well and applied great pressure. We got a lesson in wet weather footy.”

De La coach Andy Otten praised his players for their ability to adapt once the weather deteriorated.

“It was a strong win from our boys in what felt like an arm wrestle all game,” Otten said.

“Parkdale’s pressure was strong all game, but when the rain came we adjusted well and our appetite for the contest went to another level in the second half.”

“Our pressure lifted and we were able to score off the back of it. It was a full team effort from our group with everyone contributing.”

In one of the matches of the round, Old Scotch claimed a hard-fought six-point victory over Old Brighton, prevailing 8.4 (52) to 7.4 (46). Old Scotch coach Hugo Boreham paid tribute to both the opposition and the commitment shown by his players.

“Brighton are a top-quality side with some star players and we had to work really hard to get over the line,” Boreham said.

“It was a massive team effort from the boys and I’m super proud of how everyone bought in and played with real grit and selflessness.”

With the competition becoming increasingly congested and winter conditions beginning to play a greater role, Round 8 once again highlighted just how even the Holmesglen Under 19 Premier Men’s competition is. As Paul Greenham alluded to, the next month of football could prove decisive, with every side still harbouring ambitions of securing a coveted finals berth.