VAFA Media Live Coverage – Saturday, August 8
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Four games decided by a COMBINED TOTAL of 16 points in a thrilling afternoon – William Buck Premier Men’s Round 14 Review
Round 14 of William Buck Premier Men’s promised to be one of the most compelling of the entire season, and, sure enough, it turned out to be exactly that, with a draw and three heartstoppers.
Is the Top 4 now settled? The relegation race took another twist, and there are as many as six teams in the battle to avoid the drop zone.
Let’s take a closer look:
Old Trinity hosted Caulfield Grammarians at Daley Oval in a game with huge potential ramifications for the relegation race, given it was a golden opportunity for the Fields to kick two games clear of the T’s, or for Old Trinity to join Caulfield on 5 wins.
As it happened, neither of these scenarios transpired, as we had our first William Buck Premier Men’s DRAW of the season!
Old Trinity controlled possession in the opening term (112 Disposals to 77), yet it was Caulfield who did all the scoring (15 Inside 50s to 10 for a return of 2.3 to 0.0) to lead by 15 points at the first change.
The challenge for the T’s, as it’s been for much of the season, was to convert their inside dominance and overall weight of possession into effective attacking forays. However, 30 Turnovers thwarted those attempts in the first term, and they headed to the opening change frustrated with the lack of reward for effort.
But they continued to crack in and get first hands on the footy in the second term, and this time, managed to generate some return on their investment by playing more efficient football.
Dom Payman booted the T’s first goal of the game 6 minutes into the second quarter, and followed with his second 4 minutes later to give the hosts the lead for the first time.
Eddie Gibb and Charlie Clancy responded in quick succession, and it was Caulfield back out to a 13-point lead deep into time-on, before goals to Sam Phillips and Charlie Comer tied the scores up at the major break.
With so much on the line for both sides, and with them so evenly matched, the tension steadily started to build as the game tightened once more. Neither team could find a way through the opposition defence, as the Fields stepped up their workrate and began winning more contested ball.
It took 9 minutes for the first goal of the third term, and it came via a clever snap from Caulfield’s Quinn Cooper following a Forward 50 stoppage. Another 13 goalless minutes elapsed, but it was the Fields breaking the drought once more when Charlie Clancy was held and goaled from the resultant free kick to make it a 13-point lead.
Another infringement provided Caulfield with a goal after the three-quarter time siren, and they headed to the huddle with a very handy 19-point lead in such a low-scoring contest.
But the T’s weren’t done, and goals to Dom Payman (2-minute mark) and Lachie Mulcahy (5-minute mark) rocketed them back into the game, as the Fields’ disposal efficiency fell away and the hosts started to dominate territory.
Some desperate forward pressure led to a Caulfield steadier 12 minutes in, re-establishing a 15-point advantage, but Old Trinity kept on fighting. It would take another 12 minutes of hard grind (and a series of behinds) to find the goal they needed to reignite the contest.
James Ingpen gobbled up a quick defensive dump kick and coolly slotted his set shot to make it a one-goal game 24 minutes in, triggering a desperate last few minutes as the T’s searched for the goal to tie it up.
In the end, it was a strong contested mark from Dom Payman, who went back and nailed the shot to lock the scores up at 58 apiece with 27-and-a-half minutes gone.
The ball went back to the centre for the restart, and Caulfield scrambled it forward. A quick kick was heading for the goal line, and it took some desperate, heads-up Trinity defence to slap it back into play and keep the scores tied.
The Fields pressed again, and the ball lived deep in their forward line for the final few minutes, with the T’s throwing everything they had left at preventing a score.
The siren finally sounded to confirm the Premier Men’s season’s first draw and throw another curveball into the relegation race.
Luke Teal was best afield for the T’s, finishing with 28 disposals, while Dom Payman’s 4 goals proved critical in the overall result. Louis Davidson impressed once again with 33 touches, while Hugo McGlashan had 29, and Camiel Bowler 11 clearances.
Youngster Ollie Wilson was superb in just his 7th Premier Men’s game for Caulfield, finishing with 34 disposals (12 contested) and 11 Rebounds. Skipper Jack Ellwood led from the front as per usual, with 20 disposals and 6 clearances.
This result leaves Old Trinity just one game plus 5.35% behind Caulfield, so still very much in with a chance of escaping the drop zone over the next month if they can find a way to post a win or two. Their gap to Old Haileybury and Uni Blacks is now just half a game, which effectively cancels out the T’s inferior percentage.
Even Old Scotch are just 6 points clear of the T’s, so still very much within reach – particularly given they play the Cardinals this week and could close the gap to just half-a-game. It’s suddenly a huge match-up at Camberwell Sportsground this Saturday!
The Fields will tackle the tricky road trip to the Snake Pit, knowing that a win will put them out of reach of the Snowdogs in the race to stay up, but a loss could potentially slide them INTO the drop zone should other results also go against them.
Given they then face Old Scotch, the Blues and Brighton to finish, the 4 points on offer this weekend are critical for the Fields.
It’s another huge weekend coming up for both these teams!
THE RUN HOME:
Old Trinity: Old Scotch (A) Uni Blacks (H) St Kevin’s (H) St Bernard’s (A)
Caulfield: St Bernard’s (A) Old Scotch (H) Uni Blues (A) Old Brighton (H)
Old Trinity 8.10 (58)
Caulfield Grammarians 8.10 (58)
GOALS:
OT: Payman 4; Ingpen, Mulcahy, Comer & Phillips 1.
CG: Dobosz 3; Clancy 2; Ellwood, Cooper & Moren 1.
BEST:
OT: Luke Teal, Dominic Payman, Hugo McGlashan, James Ingpen, Tom Ferrier, Sam Barendregt
CG: Ollie Wilson, Jack Ellwood, Willem Allen, Hamish McInerney, Charlie Eerhard, Jono Moren
Donald McDonald (Old Trinity): “We could not score into the wind whereas Caulfield did, and that was the difference for us not being able to win.
“But we finished the game strongly, and put ourselves in with a chance to win, and that has been three weeks in a row now, which has been pleasing.
“Luke Teal is having a great season, as is our captain Christos Manoussakis. Our leaders have been terrific.
“This week, we need to train well and prepare as best we can.”
Paul Satterley (Caulfield): “Both sides could feel disappointed; however, momentum mostly favoured the team kicking to one end, where 13 of 16 goals were kicked.
“Very proud of my boys and how we defended and pressured all day. Another 7 changes & 3 debutants could have been unsettling, but all the lads competed from start to finish.
“Ollie Wilson was elite for us down back, while skipper Jack Ellwood set the standard all day & Will Allen played his best senior game of footy. Jules Dobosz kicked 3 vital goals and his 500th overall.
“Very pleased to walk away with something (2 points) knowing how crucial it is to stay up. We have played some tight games this year, so we need to keep learning how to handle those dying stages of a game.”
There was another relegation race thriller at Princes Park as Old Haileybury found a way to hold out a typically determined St Bernard’s in a game that could have gone either way.
The numbers suggested there would be little to separate these teams, and so it proved.
The Snowdogs were sharp early, booting two goals in the opening 4 minutes, before the Bloods settled in and responded with 2 majors of their own to tie things up again 10 minutes in.
The Bloods were controlling the footy (95-68 Q1 Disposals), but their uncontested marks didn’t translate to territory, with the Snowdogs +3 Inside 50s in the opening term.
However, two late goals gave the hosts a narrow advantage, and they headed to the quarter-time huddle with a 7-point lead to show for their early efforts – big man Jack Bell with a couple of first-quarter goals.
It was a game seemingly delivering goals in quick succession, and the Bloods kicked 20 points clear when Brede Seccull and Cody Goonewardene capitalised on turnovers to boot two in a hurry.
But, sure enough, the Snowdogs responded with a couple of quick ones of their own four minutes later to draw back within single digits, and when Matthew Watson kicked his third at the 27-minute mark, the Snowdogs had worked their way back into the lead by a point.
However, Hugo Nosiara provided a clever step and classy finish two minutes later to put the Bloods back in front, and they headed to the major break with a 6-point lead in a game that felt destined to go down to the wire.
The arm wrestle continued in the third term, with the Bloods striking first via goals to Goonewardene and Bailey Yates to kick 18 points clear once more, only for the Snowdogs to snatch momentum back again, and 4 goals in 7 minutes entering time-on (3 of them to veteran Ferg McNicol) saw them recapture the lead and hit the final change with a 7-point buffer.
Would the Bloods start stronger in the final term as well? The answer was yes, with the hosts regaining control of the game from inside the contest. They would kick the first 4 goals of the quarter to rocket past the Snowdogs once again, with Jack Bell’s mark and goal (his third) giving them what felt like a match-winning 19-point lead at the 23-minute mark.
But the Dogs simply refused to quit, and this rollercoaster ride still had one last dramatic twist.
Enter spearhead Matthew Watson.
St Bernard’s won it out of the middle and found Watson at the top of the goalsquare. He wasted no time in making it a 13-point game.
Less than two minutes later, Charlie Vague found Watson on the lead. Another steady kick, and it was a 7-point game with 26 minutes gone, as the Snowdogs’ belief returned and the vibe at Princes Park tangibly changed.
The Dogs won it from the centre once again and found Watson for a third time. This was the toughest kick, 50 metres out from just inside the boundary at left half-forward. But he flushed the kick, which comfortably sailed through to make it a 1-point game with 27 minutes gone.
It had been three Matt Watson goals in three minutes, with the Bloods barely touching the ball, and suddenly the Snowdogs were travelling like winners, storming home with all the momentum and at least 3 minutes left on the clock to find the winner.
The Bloods needed to dig in and find a way to regain control.
A mark to Jack Kennedy at centre half-back allowed them to switch into ‘game save’ mode and burn some time off the clock with a couple of short uncontested marks as the Dogs scrambled to man everyone up. A long down-the-line kick resulted in a strong contested mark to Brodie Findlay, who, in turn, hit up Jack Bell on the lead within range of goal, on the boundary at left half-forward.
Bell went back, took his allotted 30 seconds, and as his set shot sailed goalwards, the final siren sounded, with the resultant behind handing the Bloods a nerve-wracking (and extremely important) 2-point win.
The ‘Baby Bloods’ could be renamed the ‘Cardiac Kids,’ given that was their FIFTH game decided by 5 points or less this season! Fortunately for Guy Martyn’s crew, they have won their last 3 of them – 1pt Caulfield R9, 5pts Old Trinity R12 & now this 2pt win over St Bernard’s in R14.
Without those victories, they would be stone motherless last and definitely headed back to Premier B. But their ability to learn from a couple of heartbreaking early season losses (4pt Caulfield R2 & 1pt Blues R6) has kept their heads above water in what’s been a challenging campaign.
This victory has kept them out of the drop zone for at least another week. They currently sit half-a-game ahead of Old Trinity (plus 2.3%), and they’re now a full 3 games clear of the Snowdogs, who now face a monumental task to avoid relegation.
It’s been an agonising stretch for Steve Alessio’s gallant troops, who have kept showing up and fighting hard week after week, but without any premiership points to show for their endeavours. Their losing streak now extends to 7, but includes a 4pt loss to Old Scotch, a 4pt loss to Old Xavs, and a 2pt loss to OId Haileybury in the past 5 rounds.
Throw in a 6pt loss to Old Trinity back in Round 4, and the Doggies are 1-4 in games decided by a goal or less this season, and if those 4 narrow losses had all been wins, they’d be safely clear of the drop zone right now.
But there are no points awarded for honourable losses, and as it currently stands, St Bernard’s are 3 games behind Uni Blacks and Old Haileybury with 4 to play, and appointments with finalists Uni Blues and Old Brighton to come over the next two weeks.
Brede Seccull continued his fantastic form for Old Haileybury, collecting 26 disposals (12 contested), 5 clearances, 4 tackles and 3 goals, while Hugo Nosiara was at his creative best with 23 touches, 5 tackles, 7 clearances and a goal.
Jack Bell also had a huge influence for the Bloods, with 17 disposals, 7 marks, 3 clearances and 3 goals, while Max Sievers stuffed the stats sheet with 35 disposals (16 contested) and 8 clearances.
Matthew Watson enjoyed another productive afternoon for the Snowdogs, booting 6 goals from his 15 disposals and 7 marks, while Ferg McNicol booted 3 majors. Charlie Vague’s 24 touches and a goal were impactful, while Marcus Holland was praised for his work in the back half.
It was such a critical win for the Bloods, particularly given their challenging final month, facing 3 of the top 4 teams plus the always unpredictable and tricky Uni Blacks in the final round. So, given they’re just half-a-game ahead of Old Trinity, they are far from safe yet!
While it’s looking grim for the Snowdogs, who are now 3 games plus 7% away from safety with 4 to play. However, as we just noted, the Bloods have got a particularly tricky run home and won’t start favourites in any of those matches.
So, if St Bernard’s can continue to fight and scrap, then find a way to get over the line late, who knows? They have certainly shown themselves capable of hanging with anyone in recent weeks.
There might be some fight left in the old Dogs yet!
THE RUN HOME:
Old Haileybury: St Kevin’s (A) Old Brighton (A) Old Xavs (H) Uni Blacks (A)
St Bernard’s: Caulfield (H) Uni Blues (A) Old Brighton (H) Old Trinity (H)
Old Haileybury 13.10 (88)
St Bernard’s 13.8 (86)
GOALS:
OH: Bell & B.Seccull 3; Blight, Yates & Goonewardene 2; Nosiara 1.
STB: Watson 6; McNicol 3; Vague, Said, Gilham & Shannon 1.
BEST:
OH: Brede Seccull, Hugo Nosiara, Jack Bell, Brodie Findlay, Joel Lasscock, Olli Hotton
STB: Matthew Watson, Marcus Holland, Fergus McNicol, Charlie Vague, Nicholas Conlan, Dylan Gwynne
Guy Martyn (Old Haileybury): “It was a really interesting game. We managed to build a 20-point lead on three separate occasions across the second, third and final quarters, so it felt like we had the momentum and were getting on top of the game.
“Full credit to St Bernard’s though; they kept responding every time. They reeled us back in after each break, and in the third quarter, they kicked five unanswered goals to turn a deficit into a handy lead. Even late in the game, they got back to within a point.
“To be able to withstand those momentum swings and still come away with the four points was really pleasing. It was an important win for us and showed some resilience when the game could easily have gone the other way.
“Brede Seccull was outstanding again with 26 disposals, 3 goals and plenty of clearances and contested possessions. He was really well supported through the midfield by Olli Hotton, Max Sievers and Hugo Nosiara, who gave us a strong engine room all day. Our rucks, Brodie Findlay and Jack Bell, were also influential, with Bell kicking a few important goals.
“We’ve got another huge challenge this week against St Kevin’s. We probably need another win or two before the end of the season, and we’d love to knock off one of the competition’s Top 4 sides. We’ll certainly be giving it everything.”
Steve Alessio (St Bernard’s): “It was another game with a familiar ending. We gave ourselves a chance to win by finding a way to stay in the game, but were unable to grab our moments to win on the day.
“The Old Haileybury midfield was more effective than ours throughout the day. However, with a few changes in the last quarter, we began to give our forwards some early looks at the ball, and it allowed us to score quickly.
“Ultimately, though, some poor turnovers and fundamental mistakes cost us a chance at victory.
“We will continue to fight hard for the remaining games because that is the Snowdogs’ way.”
It was another last-gasp thriller at TH King as St Kevin’s and University Blacks battled all the way to the final siren.
It was a low-scoring struggle from the outset, with intense pressure making meaningful possession chains a struggle in both directions.
The first goal took 19 minutes, and the second another 8. They were the only two goals of the opening term, and both went the way of Uni Blacks, including a brilliant mid-air volley from Matthew Grocott as they kicked 2.2 to 0.4 to lead by 10 points at the first change, despite SKOB having a slight territorial edge (16-11 Inside 50s).
The second term was more of the same, with the first goal taking 14 minutes after a SKOB skill error on centre wing led to a turnover and a handball chain that released Grocott into an open goal for his second and a 16-point Uni Blacks lead.
St Kevin’s needed a goal to get their engine started before the margin got out of hand, and fortunately for the hosts, they struck next, when Archie Dollman slotted a brilliant snap from the left forward pocket 22 minutes into the term, reducing the margin to 9 points.
And when Ollie Gill pounced on a crumb and dribbled through a goal at the 29-minute mark, then Jack Darmody bent through a brilliant checkside from the pocket 90 seconds later, SKOB somehow had the half-time lead by a single point. The Blacks had gone at just 42% Kick Efficiency in the second term, and it ultimately cost them their advantage.
The game refused to open up in the third term, with Kick Efficiency remaining in the low 50’s in both camps as the relentless pressure continued to take its toll.
Kane Loftus pounced on a loose kick from Ethan Phillips deep in defence to reclaim the lead for Blacks 4 minutes in, and that was followed by another 14 goalless minutes.
But, seemingly out of nowhere, the contest changed gears.
Joel Ernest gave the visitors a handy 10-point lead at the 18-minute mark, before SKOB found their mojo and slammed on 4 goals in 10 minutes, with debutante Will Cooper bobbing up to kick 2 as St Kevin’s scooted 14 points clear and threatened to crack the game open in the shadows of three-quarter time.
But then a critical moment late in the term, as Jack Drummond marked calmly on the boundary line 45 metres out from goal at right half-forward, and his magnificent long launch sailed through for a goal as the siren sounded to reduce the margin to just 8 points at the last change.
The first goal of the final quarter felt enormous, and it went the way of the Blacks as Kane Loftus launched a long bomb on the run to make it a 2-point game 5 minutes in.
The final 23 minutes of the game reflected the majority of the afternoon, with neither team giving an inch or asking for one. It was relentless hand-to-hand combat that didn’t yield another goal.
The two teams added a couple of behinds each, and it was SKOB by 2 points when Ollie Gill marked in the pocket within range of goal with under two-and-a-half minutes to play.
But his team-mates didn’t appreciate the defensive treatment he received, and the skirmish afterwards led to a reversal, and Blacks stayed alive.
They moved it steadily down the ground to their own Forward 50, but SKOB managed to clear and took it back the other way, with Callum Jones ultimately finding Ged Saunders 25 metres out directly in front for a second opportunity at the sealer.
But Ged’s kick missed right, handing the ball back to the Blacks and maybe one last shot at going end-to-end and stealing it. However, two kicks only got the ball as far as half-back when the final siren sounded, handing St Kevin’s their second nerve-jangling 3-point win in 3 weeks.
Billy McGee-Galimberti, who returned to the VAFA due to St Kilda VFL having the bye, was outstanding, collecting 25 disposals and a goal, while fellow VFL Saints Ethan Phillips, Jack Behnk and Liam Gunson were also amongst SKOB’s best. Will Cooper (the son of ex-Hawthorn AFL player Paul) impressed on debut as St Kevin’s only multiple goalscorer.
The ruck battle between two giants of the competition was enthralling. Billy Coates finished as the highest-ranked player on the ground, with 21 disposals, 38 hit-outs and 6 clearances, while Sam Conway was voted best afield for Blacks, finishing with 43 hit-outs of his own.
Kane Loftus racked up 29 disposals and 2 goals, while Harry Broderick (28 touches), Ben Stephenson (24), Jack Drummond and Harvey Driscoll were also amongst the visitors’ best.
This victory keeps St Kevin’s Top 2 hopes alive, given they remain one game behind Old Xavs with 4 to play, and they’ll meet the Red & Black Army in Round 16, giving them the opportunity to potentially leapfrog them.
The Blacks have Xavs this coming week as they fight to kick clear of the drop zone. They will then face the two teams immediately below them in the final three weeks – Old Trinity in Round 16, and Old Haileybury in the final round, in what promises to be a very nervy relegation round-robin in the run home!
THE RUN HOME:
St Kevin’s: Old Haileybury (H) Old Xavs (A) Old Trinity (A) Uni Blues (H)
Uni Blacks: Old Xavs (H) Old Trinity (A) Old Scotch (H) Old Haileybury (H)
St Kevin’s 7.12 (54)
University Blacks 7.9 (51)
GOALS:
STK: Cooper 2; Gill, Behnk, McGee-Galimberti, Darmody & Dollman 1.
UB: Grocott & Loftus 2; Ernest, Geddes & Drummond 1.
BEST:
STK: Billy McGee Galimberti, Ethan Phillips, Jack Behnk, Liam Gunson, William Cooper, Ben Mansfield
UB: Sam Conway, Harry Broderick, Jack Drummond, Harvey Driscoll, Benjamin Stephenson, Seb McNamara
Anthony Lynch (St Kevin’s): “Always very happy to get a win and bank 4 points in this even competition, but we were a long way from our best. We need to tidy up our game over the next month so we can challenge the best teams.
“The Uni Blacks’ experienced players impacted the game positively, which made it more challenging for us.
“A shout out to Will Cooper, who had a great impact on debut.”
Dale Bower (Uni Blacks): “We played the game the right way. It was a bit of an arm wrestle all day, with both teams playing really tough, physical footy.
“These types of games come down to moments and taking opportunities, which SKOB did better.
“We will continue to work on executing our attack off the back of strong defence and work at the source. We are certainly improving a lot of areas of our footy.”
Old Brighton all but confirmed their finals spot with a gripping away win over Old Xaverians at Toorak Park.
Xavs possessed significantly more of the football in the opening term (124 Disposals to 96), but their 56% Kick Efficiency undid their good work in winning it at the source, coughing up 4 goals on Turnover as the Tonners punished them the other way to lead by 14 points at the first change.
Old Xavs were dominating stoppage in the second term (Clearances 15-5) and gaining territory as a result (16-10 Inside 50s), but it wasn’t showing on the scoreboard. Charlie Knott kicked the first of the quarter to get them back within 8 points, but young gun Charlie Richardson stepped up and kicked back-to-back majors for the Tonners, who skipped away to a 21-point lead midway through the term.
The scoring was all Xavs for the rest of the quarter, but inaccuracy was hampering the rate of their comeback.
Campbell Lane dragged a goal back for Xavs, followed by a series of behinds, before Charlie Macisaac had the final say of the opening half – his contested mark and first goal of the afternoon drawing the hosts back within just 5 points at the major break.
Old Brighton’s trademark turnover game came to the fore again in the third term, as they levelled things up on the inside and then managed to punish Xavs’ errors around the ground. They booted two quick goals via Harry Hill and Ben Pryor to open a 16-point lead, before Xavs returned serve with two quick ones of their own from Charlie Knott and Hayden Woodhouse.
After Sam Linder came charging through off the back of the square and laced out Jonah Campigli from the restart, the 2024 VAFA Rising Star went back from hard up against the fence at right half-forward and slotted a superb set shot that restored the Tonners’ 10-point lead.
That major was followed by goals to Jordy Segar (rewarded for forward pressure with a holding-the-ball decision) and Ollie Goodger (off a sharp front and centre crumb), and the visitors suddenly had control of the game, heading to the final huddle with a 21-point advantage after a 5-goal-to-2 quarter.
All in attendance and watching on VAFA TV expected an Old Xavs response and, sure enough, it came via goals to Charlie Knott and Marcus Stavrou to reduce the deficit to just 9 points 5 minutes in.
When Charlie Macisaac was the beneficiary of an incredible bounce in the goalsquare, his second major of the afternoon sent the home crowd into raptures with the margin slashed to just 4 points at the 9-minute mark.
But the reigning champions didn’t panic, and they regained some breathing space when some intense forward pressure allowed Ben Pryor to find an unattended Lachie Brooks, who played on and goaled from 15 metres out to restore their 11-point lead.
Then a strong contested mark from Ryan Agg set Luca Macnab moving, and his deep entry bounced through hands to Joey Campigli, who dribbled through the goal to make it 16 points once more.
Charlie Macisaac kept Xavs in it with a goal 24 minutes in that made it a 10-point margin, but the sealer came shortly after when a 50-metre penalty to Michael Karayannis put the game in the book for the Tonners, who all but punched their ticket to another September campaign, and kept their faint Top 2 hopes alive with a victory that draws them back within two games of Xavs.
Skipper Harry Hill returned from the Tullamarine Flu in fine style, collecting our SKINS Player of the Game Award for his 26 disposals (17 contested), 10 clearances and 3 goals. He was ably supported by a brilliant 38-touches, 6 clearances and 10 Rebound 50s from Sam Linder.
The Tonners booted their highest score since Round 6, and they did it by sharing the load, with Charlie Richardson, Joey Campigli and Harry Hill all finishing with 3 goals, while Ben Pryor chipped in with a couple.
Defensively, they held Xavs under 100 points for the 7th time in 8 matches, after they kicked the ton 4 weeks in a row from Rounds 3 to 6. Angus Corke led the way, doing a great job matched up on Xavs’ match-winner Charlie Macisaac, who still managed to boot 3 goals. But Macisaac has just 8 majors from his past 5 matches, compared to 27 in the 5 before that.
Marcus Stavrou was best for Xavs with 27 disposals, 6 clearances and a goal, while Sam Fisher was excellent with 39 touches, 11 clearances and 10 Inside 50s. Charlie Knott was another standout, finishing with 20 disposals and 5 goals.
Next up, it’s another Top 4 blockbuster for the Tonners as they step up to host the league-leading Blues at Brighton Beach, while Xavs – who have now lost 2 of their last 3 to other September contenders – face a tricky visit to the Uni to meet the Blacks, who are in a fight for survival.
These two matches loom as critical in the Top 2 race. If the Tonners can find a way to snap the Blues’ winning streak, and the Xavs drop another, there would be just one game between them (and a theoretically more favourable run home for Brighton).
But if the Blues keep rolling and Xavs take care of business, then a Top 2 finish is effectively off the table for the Tonners.
THE RUN HOME:
Old Brighton Uni Blues (H) Old Haileybury (H) St Bernard’s (A) Caulfield (A)
Old Xavs: Uni Blacks (A) St Kevin’s (H) Old Haileybury (A) Old Scotch (H)
Old Brighton 15.11 (101)
Old Xaverians 13.12 (90)
GOALS:
OB: Hill, Richardson & J.Campigli 3; Pryor 2; Segar, Karayannis, Goodger & Brooks 1.
OX: Knott 5; C.Macisaac 3; Woodhouse 2; Lane, Phipps-Parsons & Stavrou 1.
BEST:
OB: Angus Corke, Harry Hill, Jonah Campigli, Ben Pryor, Sam Linder, Thomas Burnell
OX: Marcus Stavrou, Charlie Knott, Stirling Phipps-Parsons, Samuel Fisher, Oliver Sestan, Charlie Westcott
Marcel Bruin (Old Brighton): “Great game of Ammos footy – tough, skilful and quick. A few changes to personnel gave us a different looking side, and we set out to put Xavs under as much pressure as we could generate. An open and flowing game where turnovers were punished.
“It felt like we maintained more consistency throughout this game as opposed to our previous few, and we were able to peg scores back after Xavs managed a couple in a row, particularly at the start of the last.
“The skipper (Harry Hill) was huge, as was Gus Corke on one of the best forwards in the Ammos. Joey Campigli and Ben Pryor were dangerous all game with decent supply, and ‘Buck’ Linder was immense off half-back.”
Dan Donati (Old Xavs): “This was a great test at the right time of year for us, and unfortunately, we fell short in the end.
“Old Brighton held the scoreboard pressure well for most of the game, and whenever we threatened to get back, we didn’t quite execute in those key moments.
Their work off turnover was exceptional, and in the end, I thought they defended and attacked better than we did, and the result was the right one. Still a lot of footy to be played, and continued improvement should be expected from here.”
The final game of the round was the only blowout of the weekend, with University Blues continuing their white-hot form and dealing Old Scotch’s September hopes a potentially decisive blow at Melbourne University.
The Blues got away to a quick start with a couple of early goals, before Old Scotch settled in and responded with a couple of their own.
The league-leaders’ strike power was on full display, with James Stewart, Sam Grimley and Ben Townson all booted two first-quarter goals, while James Curran also hit the scoreboard to help the hosts to a 31-point lead at the opening break – 5 of their 7 majors coming from Marks Inside 50.
The Blues maintained control in the second term, however the Cardinals held their own as they two teams added 3 goals apiece – Matt Smith’s men heading to half-time with a 32-point advantage.
The third term was played almost exclusively in Uni Blues’ front half, as they piled up 14 Inside 50s to 3, and if not for some inaccurate finishing, the game could have been put to bed earlier. However, the Blues added 3.7 to 1.2 to still hold a commanding 49-point lead at the last change.
The final term was almost a carbon copy of the third – the Blues controlling possession and territory (17 Inside 50s to 3), but failing to take full toll on the scoreboard, kicking 3.6 to 1.0 and ultimately cruising to another impressive victory – their ninth on the trot.
6.13 to 2.2 after half-time told the full story of their dominance, generating 19 scores to 4 on their way to a 67-point win that could have been triple figures if their finishing had been sharper.
James Stewart continued his brilliant form, booting another 6 goals (after 11 last week) to give him a league-leading 63 for the season. He and Jeremy Goddard were once again named the Blues’ best, with Goddard collecting 24 disposals (12 contested), 5 tackles and 4 clearances. Marty Gleeson was in the thick of the action as per usual, finishing with 33 touches, 8 clearances and 7 Inside 50s.
Vice-captain Henry Brown was best for the Cardinals, collecting 25 disposals, 10 clearances and a goal, while Alex Noblet (29 disposals, 5 clearances and a goal), Jack Brown and Quinn Spencer were also named in Old Scotch’s best contributors.
Uni Blues now lead Old Xavs by a game plus 16% in the race for top spot, but still have two more September contenders to face in the closing weeks of the season, beginning with the Tonners at Brighton in a blockbuster this weekend.
While this loss all but snuffs out Old Scotch’s hopes of a second successive September miracle after they came from the clouds to sneak in last year, when they were 3 games plus percentage out with just 3 to play. Now they find themselves 3 games plus percentage out with 4 games to play – so not impossible, but can lightning strike twice?
The Cards will start as favourites in their next 3 matches, but not only will they potentially have to win out, but they are also now reliant on Old Brighton imploding in the final rounds and losing to 3 of the bottom 5 teams.
THE ROAD AHEAD:
Uni Blues: Old Brighton (A) St Bernard’s (H) Caulfield (H) St Kevin’s (A)
Old Scotch: Old Trinity (H) Caulfield (A) Uni Blacks (H) Old Xavs (A)
University Blues 16.18 (114)
Old Scotch 7.5 (47)
GOALS:
UB: Stewart 6; Grimley, Hill & Townson 2; Ebert, Akoch, Cotter & Curran 1.
OS: Milner 2; Noblet, Jackson, Lean, Brown & Clark 1.
BEST:
UB: Jeremy Goddard, James Stewart, Archie Lord, Cam O’shea, Tom Hill, Martin Gleeson
OS: Henry Brown, Alex Noblet, Jack Brown, Quinn Spencer, Oliver Badr, Henry Dixon
Matt Smith (Uni Blues): “Our focus coming into the game was stopping their drive off half back, and trying to force them to go long down the line. Scotch certainly had their times where their ball movement troubled us, and they were able to move it from end to end comfortably. Overall, though, we were able to minimise this and were able to control large parts of the game with territory.
“We certainly weren’t playing our best football, but pleasingly now, our off days are still very good, and we are still finding different ways to control games when things are a bit scrappy.
“We have a big week ahead in preparation for Brighton, who have a lot of players coming back, and a form line that is improving. As always, fundamentals will be a focal point for us.”
Mark Gnatt (Old Scotch): “We were beaten by a very good team who simply outplayed us in most areas. Uni Blues are clearly the benchmark of the competition, and if they stay healthy, they will be a tough team to beat in September.
“There are lots of learnings for our young group from this match that will hold us in good stead. Both Alex Noblet and Henry Brown fought hard all day and never gave up.
“We have had a good run, so there is no shame in losing to the top team. We stay positive and look forward to taking on Old Trinity this week.”
WILLIAM BUCK PREMIER MEN’S – ROUND 15
Saturday, August 8 – 2pm:
Old Brighton vs University Blues 1.45pm – Kommunity TV & SEN app
Old Scotch vs Old Trinity 1.55pm – VAFA TV
University Blacks vs Old Xaverians 1.55pm – VAFA TV
St Kevin’s vs Old Haileybury
St Bernard’s vs Caulfield Grammarians
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