Old Scotch & Parkdale win thrillers – Holmesglen U19 Premier Men’s Round 14 Review

Round 14 of the Holmesglen U19 Premier VAFA competition delivered another fascinating weekend of football, with St Kevin’s, Old Brighton and Old Xavs all securing important victories as the race for the top four continues to take shape.

University Blues 9.7 (61) def St Kevin’s 13.14 (92)

St Kevin’s produced arguably the most impressive result of the round, defeating Uni Blues in a contest that had a genuine finals feel to it.

SKOB coach Paul Greenham was delighted with his side’s ability to adapt to the conditions at Elsternwick Park, particularly early in the contest.

“It was all about playing the conditions, which we did to perfection,” Greenham said.

St Kevin’s found it hard early against the breeze before putting their foot down in the second term, opening a sizeable half-time advantage.

Uni Blues, however, refused to go away, responding with five goals in a blistering 10-minute period after half-time to give themselves a genuine chance.

Greenham praised his side’s ability to respond and regain control, although he admitted they could have been more ruthless when they had the Blues on the ropes.

Uni Blues coach Steve Boakes said the game was remarkably similar to the previous meeting between the sides, with seven goals in the second term once again proving decisive.

Despite the loss, Boakes was proud of his side’s fight and believes the remaining weeks will provide plenty of opportunities to prove themselves against the competition’s best.

“Every game from now on will be like a final for us while we are still a chance to make the top four,” Boakes said.

Old Brighton 8.10 (58) def De La Salle 6.9 (45)

Old Brighton claimed a significant victory, holding off De La Salle in a high-quality contest. The game ebbed and flowed throughout, with both sides producing strong periods of football.

Old Brighton coach Travis O’Donohue was particularly pleased with his side’s pressure and intent early but acknowledged De La’s quality and their ability to expose some weaknesses in the third term.

The Tonners responded impressively in the final quarter, maintaining their composure when momentum shifted towards De La to grind out an important win.

For De La Salle coach Andy Otten, there were plenty of positives despite the defeat. He felt his side played some quality football but were unable to capitalise on their opportunities inside 50, while Old Brighton’s defence proved difficult to break down.

“The Brighton backline was very strong and took many intercept marks to start some impressive ball movement,” Otten said.

De La’s pressure remained a highlight, with Otten confident there is still plenty more to come from his young side.

Old Xaverians 14.19 (103) def Beaumaris 5.6 (36)

Old Xavs continued their strong form with a convincing 67-point win over Beaumaris.

The Xavs were able to control the contest and make the most of turnovers, with Beaumaris coach Nathan Prosser admitting his side’s ball use ultimately let them down.

“When we moved the ball with energy and were efficient with our foot skills, we got some really good looks forward,” Prosser said.

However, Beaumaris struggled to execute by hand and foot for much of the afternoon, turning the ball over high up the ground and allowing the Xavs to punish them.

There were still positives for the Sharks, with Will Dempster making a strong return from senior duties. Beaumaris will also welcome back several key players from overseas this week as they look to finish the season strongly.

Caulfield Grammarians 7.11 (53) def by Old Scotch 8.11 (59)

At Caulfield, Old Scotch held on for a thrilling victory over the Fields in a contest that produced one of the more impressive defensive efforts of the round.

Caulfield Grammarians coach Cooper Rule was still extremely proud of his side’s performance.

“Our pressure was fantastic across the four quarters, and we just weren’t able to quite hold on,” Rule said.

Rule believes it was arguably Caulfield’s best full-team contribution for a considerable period, but Old Scotch managed to defend the game superbly in the dying stages to secure the six-point victory.

Parkdale 12.6 (78) def St Bedes/Mentone 9.11 (65)

Parkdale produced a strong win over St Bedes/Mentone, with the result rewarding several weeks of building performances.

Vultures coach Nick Anderson felt his side had been working towards a performance like this and was thrilled to see everything come together across four quarters.

St Bedes/Mentone fought hard until the final siren, but Parkdale were able to stand up when it mattered most.

Anderson highlighted the work of Darley Cross in restricting the dangerous Lachie Hecker, while Will Finch and Darcy Harwood produced important goals under pressure. Aidan Ferwerda was also singled out for his best performance for the club.

St Bedes coach Sam Hecker believed inaccurate kicking proved costly after his side was unable to recover from a strong start by Parkdale.

The Tigers have also faced the challenge of finding a settled side amid player movement between representative football and senior selection, something Hecker acknowledged is affecting many clubs across the competition.

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With just four rounds remaining, the stakes are continuing to rise across the Holmesglen U19 Premier competition. St Kevin’s and Old Brighton continue to demonstrate why they are among the benchmark sides, while Old Xavs remain a major force.