William Buck Premier Men’s – Round 13 Preview

The finals and relegation races in William Buck Premier Men’s continue to pick up speed, and Round 13 will see a few more pieces of the puzzle drop into place.

With all ten teams still directly involved in one (or both) those races, every game matters this weekend.

Let’s take a closer look:

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CAULFIELD GRAMMARIANS vs UNIVERSITY BLACKS (Sat 2pm – Glen Huntly Park: VAFA.com.au & SEN app)

Our VAFA SEN Match of the Day call team will be at Glen Huntly Park for a critical game between two mid-table teams who are currently in BOTH races.

Caulfield sit sixth (20pts, 83.06%), one game clear of Blacks (16pts, 89.65%). So, if the Blacks get up this weekend, not only will they leapfrog the Fields, they can keep their finals hopes alive and potentially kick a game clear of the drop zone.

That’s how big the stakes are in this one – and they’re even bigger when you consider what else is going on with the other teams around them on the ladder.

Looking upwards, the Fields are two games plus 40% behind the 4^th-placed Old Brighton (so effectively 3 games).

But while that appears to be a very steep climb, consider that the Tonners face Old Trinity this weekend, then the Top 2 teams in the following fortnight – Old Xavs in Round 14, then Uni Blues in Round 15.

Should they not get a result in those games, suddenly the gap back to Caulfield could rapidly close – but ONLY if the Fields take care of their own business, namely this game against Blacks, then the Bottom 2 teams: Old Trinity & St Bernard’s.

This game is even MORE important for Blacks. Not only are they currently a game behind the Fields, but they have St Kevin’s and Old Xavs in the fortnight ahead. These four premiership points are not only critical for their finals chances, but also to try and clear the drop zone, given they are only 14.58% clear of relegation at this point.

Caulfield Grammarians continue to impress in their first season back in William Buck Premier Men’s. They’ve gone 4-3 in their last 7 starts, but you’ve also got to consider that 2 of those 3 losses have been heartbreakers: 1 point after leading by a couple of kicks against the Bloods in Round 9, then 3 points after leading by 20 points late against SKOB last weekend.

So, they’ve been super competitive in 6 of their last 7 appearances, with the 50-point loss to the league-leading Old Xavs the only blemish (and they’re certainly not alone in being humbled by the Red & Black this season).

University Blacks’ form line has also been somewhat deceptive. The 4-8 record isn’t particularly flattering at first glance, but  their last 5 weeks has been much better than that:

• 17pt loss to Old Xavs (aside from their loss to the T’s, that was the closest anyone had got to them all year to that point)
• 28pt win over Old Scotch
• 14pt loss to the second-placed Blues
• 3-point loss to the fourth-placed Tonners
• 19pt win over St Bernard’s

Now we get to see how these two teams match up against each other, with the winner to take a step TOWARDS finals and AWAY from relegation, while the loser suffers the reverse.

Their Round 6 clash was a real upset, with the Fields breaking a 3-game losing streak and leading at every change for a 39-point win that completely changed the trajectory of their season. Up to then, Caulfield were 1-4. Since that win, they’ve gone 4-3.

Skipper Jack Ellwood was brilliant with 34 disposals and 4 goals, while Jackson Wallace also booted 4 as the Fields kicked what remains their season-high score: 16.10 (106).

It came off the back of 400 disposals – clearly their highest possession count of the year. It was also a season-high Hard Ball Get count, and Uncontested Mark count, as the Fields won disputed ball and then retained it via uncontested possession chains, which led to a season-high Disposal Efficiency.

They also tackled relentlessly, which restricted the Blacks’ Kick Efficiency to just 50% and forced them into turnovers.

Caulfield’s 15 Marks Inside 50 was also a season high, so there is a lot for coach Paul Satterley to show his players as a blueprint from their last match-up.

However, Blacks’ coach Dale Bower can say the same thing. He and his team have evidence of how the Fields picked them apart last time, and it will be interesting to see how the Blacks adapt this time around.

It’s a genuine ‘8 pointer,’ and you can enjoy our award-winning VAFA SEN Match of the Day coverage LIVE & FREE on VAFA.com.au & the SEN app from 1.45pm Saturday! If you’re going to the game, TAKE YOUR HEADPHONES/EARBUDS & enjoy our call of the action with NO DELAY via SEN Stadium on the app.

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OLD SCOTCH vs ST KEVIN’S (Sat 2pm – Camberwell Sportsground & VAFA TV)

It’s time for the next chapter in this passionate rivalry, and, as always seems to be the case, there is so much on the line for both teams.

St Kevin’s got out of jail late last week against the Fields to remain within one game of the Top 2. Another win this weekend would all but assure SKOB an eighth straight finals campaign – particularly if the Fields fall to the Blacks – given they would then be 5 games (plus significant percentage) clear of fifth spot with 5 to play.

Old Scotch are already effectively into their finals campaign. The back-to-back Grand Finalists are rallying once again, with 4 wins from their past 5 starts breathing life into a season that appeared more likely to feature a relegation race than a finals one.

Now the challenge really steps up a gear, given those previous 4 wins were over the Bottom 3 teams plus an undermanned, out-of-synch Old Brighton.

The Cards host a confident, in-form St Kevin’s that have won 9 of their last 10 and would love nothing more than driving a nail into the rival that ended their last two seasons – in the 2024 Preliminary Final & 2025 First Semi Final.

Their Round 6 clash was compelling, with SKOB launching out of the blocks with 8 of their first 9 goals to lead by 42 points at quarter-time and 41 at the final change, before the Cardinals stormed home with the last 5 goals to make St Kevin’s look nervously over their shoulder and ultimately hang on for a 10-point win.

Having just taken care of fourth spot to close the gap to the Tonners back to 2 games, the Cards will need to run the gauntlet of the other 3 teams ahead of them as well: St Kevin’s this week, then Uni Blues the week after and Old Xavs in the final round.

Depending on how Old Brighton fare in the weeks ahead, the Cards may need to win out from here to make another September campaign. But it’s the exact same scenario that Mark Gnatt and his charges successfully navigated in 2025, and they did it by utilising the time-honoured ‘one week at a time’ cliché.

This week, they will be well aware of three very dangerous prospects – ruck Billy Coates, who can control a game from the stoppages, and explosive forward duo Jacob Koschitzke and Jack Behnk. That pair combined for 9 of SKOB’s 17 goals in the Round 6 match-up, and the Cards will need to restrict quality supply by pressuring St Kevin’s entries Inside 50.

But Old Scotch have some difference-makers of their own, including big man Will Clark and small forward Angus Jones, who are both in excellent form and well capable of putting SKOB to the sword themselves. They also combined for 9 goals the last time these teams met, so Anthony Lynch will have spent plenty of time this week planning how to restrict their influence.

These two teams generally put on tight contests, with their 4 meetings across 2025-26 decided by:

• Rd.1, 2025:           Old Scotch by 14pts
• Rd.9, 2025:           St Kevin’s by 11
• 1SF 2025:             Old Scotch by 23
• Rd.6, 2026:           St Kevin’s by 10

It promises to be another absolute ripper. Catch the action LIVE & FREE on VAFA.com.au from 1.55pm Saturday!

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UNIVERSITY BLUES vs OLD HAILEYBURY (Sat 2pm – Melb Uni Oval & Kommunity TV)

University Blues are as hot as any team in William Buck Premier Men’s right now, riding a 7-game winning streak that includes the giant scalp of league-leaders Old Xaverians last weekend.

That victory not only gave them a share of top spot (8.49% behind Xavs), but, according to coach Matt Smith, has also reinforced enormous confidence and belief. He knows there is still a long way to go until the ultimate prize is up for grabs, so his task right now is to keep his charges present and focused on the opponent in front of them.

“Important to reset this week,” Smith told VAFA Media’s FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME podcast.

“It’s always hard to back-up from a game with such big build-up, so we now need to focus forward and make sure to hold the same standards as we set on Saturday.”

They need look no further than the last time they faced the Bloods – Round 6 – to realise the potential danger that lies in front of them this week.

The Blues led for virtually the entire day at Princes Park, including a 22-point advantage at the final change, before Old Haileybury came rattling home to kick 5 of the first 6 goals of the last term to momentarily hit the front at the 23-minute mark, before Jack O’Sullivan goaled for the Blues from the resultant centre clearance to restore the lead.

But even then, the Bloods weren’t done, and Charlie Harrop snapped a goal to make it a one-point game at the 28-minute mark, before the Blues grimly hung on for the final two minutes to claim victory by the barest possible margin.

It was one of four single-kick games that the ‘Baby Bloods’ have been a part of this season, including last weekend’s thrilling 5-point win over Old Trinity that saw them come from 15 points down at the last change.

Coach Guy Martyn would obviously prefer his team NOT to have to rally late, and particularly at a heavy Melbourne Uni oval, where desperate defence can be assisted by the slippery conditions. The weather is expected to be inclement, and if so, this will undoubtedly become a major factor as it becomes a more contested game.

The teams look evenly matched in and around the contest, with the Blues averaging 6 more Contested Possessions per game, while they both average 42 Clearances per match.

The Bloods have the edge in Hard Ball Gets, but it’s the periphery spillage that they will need to be conscious of – the Blues rank #2 for Loose Ball Gets (ground balls under no direct physical pressure), while the Bloods are last.

Another critical area is the Intercept game – the Blues boast the #1 Defence in the competition, with so much talent and experience behind the ball. The Bloods cannot afford to blast away in their front half, or the likes of Cam O’Shea, Taylor Duryea and Brad Ebert will send it back over their heads with interest.

You would think Old Haileybury would be happy for this one to turn into a low-scoring slog, given the Blues’ strike power up forward and the fact that the Bloods have only topped the ton three times this season. But having said that, the last time they met was a thoroughly entertaining 30-goal game: 15.13 to 15.12! That’s less likely this time, given the probable conditions.

Can the Bloods keep it tight and find a way to win another nailbiter? If so, they can potentially kick clear of the drop zone. If not, they might find themselves back in it.

Catch the action LIVE & EXCLUSIVE on Kommunity TV from 1.55pm Saturday!

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ST BERNARD’S vs OLD XAVERIANS (Saturday 2pm – Snake Pit & VAFA TV)

It’s Top visiting Bottom at the Snake Pit this weekend, but this one may not be as clear-cut as it looks – games rarely are at the Pit!

Old Xavs will arrive at St Bernard’s College breathing fire, after being shown up by the Blues, who snapped their 9-game winning streak by 39 points last weekend.

The league-leaders were held to season-low Disposals, Contested Poss & Ground Ball Differentials, Gathers, Contested Marks, Intercept Marks, Score Efficiency Differential and Efficiency entering Forward 50 – it was a masterclass on how to negate Xavs’ dominance – but it’s easier to watch than do.

St Bernard’s clearly don’t have the same weapons or experience the Blues do, but what they do have in spades is grit and a preparedness to turn a game into a scrap – particularly at the Snake Pit, where they grow an extra leg in front of their passionate home crowd. Even more so on Past Players’ Day, as it will be this weekend.

Sitting two games behind the field in last position, the Snowdogs are desperate for wins any way they can get them.

Last weekend, they were within 7 points of Uni Blacks at the 30-minute mark of the final term. But, as has been the case for much of the season, Steve Alessio’s charges just haven’t quite been able to master the moments that get you over the line.

They’ve been in numerous games that slipped through their fingers, such as the 6-point loss to Old Trinity in Round 4, the 4-point loss to Old Scotch in Round 10, and even last week’s game, when they were within a single point in the last quarter.

But all of those near misses were on the road. Their two tight games at the Snake Pit this season have both been wins – Old Scotch by 2 points in Round 2, then Old Haileybury by 19 in Round 7, after leading by 8 points at the last change.

So, the first thing the Dogs need to do is hang in and remain within striking distance. We’ve seen it so many times before in recent seasons – they find goals when they need them to stick around, then surge late and find a way to win. If they can be in front or at least within reach entering the last term, they’ll be more than happy to release the shackles and take a swing at the league-leaders – and from there, anything can happen.

The volume of supply inside 50 will once again be crucial. Ranked last in the league for inside 50s, they need to find more ways to get the ball to Matthew Watson, Lachie Papley, and co. up forward, because they are capable of kicking a winning score if given the chance.

That begins with denying Xavs possession. Ranked #1 for Disposals, they were starved by the Blues last week, who beat them on the deck and in the air.

The Dogs don’t necessarily have the weapons across the park to outclass Xavs in a shootout, so they will need to roll up their sleeves and make it a real dogfight (don’t pardon the pun) around the contest.

Even if Xavs win it, they need to be under so much pressure that they can’t efficiently link up and get the ball out into space. If Xavs’ ballcarriers have time and space to repeatedly feed the likes of the Macisaac brothers, Delany, Brusnahan, O’Sullivan and Knott, things can get ugly quickly.

If you are going to challenge Xavs (as the Blues did last week), you have to disrupt their flow – and that means pressure which forces them into errors. But St Bernard’s are last for Intercept Possessions and Intercept Marks. So, they need to bring the heat, tackle anything in Red & Black that moves, make the game messy, then pounce on the turnovers and disputed ball.

It won’t be easy – that’s why Xavs have only lost twice all year. But it’s time for the Dogs to bare their teeth in their fight to survive in the top flight.

Can they pull off the upset of the year or will Xavs return to the winners’ list? Find out LIVE & FREE from 1.55pm Saturday on VAFA TV!

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OLD TRINITY vs OLD BRIGHTON (Saturday 2pm – Daley Oval)

The final game of the round impacts both races, with Old Trinity fighting to rise out of the top zone, while Old Brighton looks to consolidate its position inside the Top 4 and keep the chasing pack at bay, while also keeping their Top 2 hopes alive.

The last time these teams met was a Top 4 clash in Round 6, when the Tonners sat top, and the T’s were third, having won 4 of their first 5.

But the 76-point pounding they copped, combined with the loss of gun forward Dom Payman to concussion for 4 matches, derailed Old Trinity’s season – and they haven’t won since. 7 straight losses to slide from third to ninth, and fighting for survival in the top flight.

Last week was the T’s best performance since Round 5, and while they ultimately fell 5 points short of victory over the Bloods in a thriller at Princes Park, the energy, spark, and dare of the early rounds were on display as they took the game on and led at the first three changes, only to be pipped late.

Big V rep Christos Manoussakis continues to deliver for Old Trinity week after week. He sits 4^th for Total Disposals, averaging 26 touches (9 contested), 6 clearances, 6 Ground Gets, 4 tackles and 4 Inside 50s per game.

In the absence of Old Brighton skipper (and their #1 Inside player) Harry Hill, Christos will have a huge part to play if he can have an influence on the inside, feeding Trinity’s outside runners.

Of course, one of Old Brighton’s strengths is their depth, and while it’s being tested by mid-season unavailabilities, their line-up still boasts the likes of Luca Macnab (averaging 28 disposals & 4 clearances), Tom Burnell (18 & 4) and Jordy Segar (16 & 4).

Their midfield clash with Manoussakis and fellow Big V rep Hugo McGlashan (av. 25 disposals, 10 contested, 6 clearances) will be appointment viewing! Throw in the likes of Louis Davidson, Sam Phillips and Ben Littlefield, and the T’s have enough weapons to supply Dom Payman up forward.

Payman remains the T’s primary avenue to goal, and after getting his feet back under him in his return game last week, Old Trinity fans will be hoping he hits the scoreboard hard this week. If he fires, the T’s are always a chance.

Campbell Tweedie is another to keep an eye on in this one. Traditionally an elite intercept defender, he’s been called upon to cover various other positions in more of a utility role. We’ll keep an eye on how Marcel Bruin utilises him this week.

Old Brighton will run out onto Daley Oval as favourites, and understandably so, given they’ve won 3 more matches and sit five spots higher on the ladder.

But don’t be fooled by their respective overall season records. The Tonners have dropped 4 of their last 6 and are still undermanned, while the T’s showed positive glimpses last week. And don’t forget what they did to Old Xavs when no-one expected them to win in Round 2…

It’s a critical 4 points for both sides, albeit for very different reasons. One will feel like they’re back on the right track come Saturday night, while the other will have that uneasy feeling in the pit of their stomach for another week.

Find out who picks up the win on Saturday from 2pm at Daley Oval.

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WILLIAM BUCK PREMIER MEN’S – ROUND 13

Saturday, July 25 – 2pm:

Caulfield Grammarians   vs             University Blacks       1.45pm – VAFA.com.au & SEN app

St Kevin’s                        vs             Old Scotch                 1.55pm – VAFA TV

St Bernard’s                     vs             Old Xaverians            1.55pm – VAFA TV

University Blues              vs             Old Haileybury          1.55pm – Kommunity TV

Old Trinity                       vs             Old Brighton