What the clubs said

Old Trinity website following their 53-point win over Beaumaris

The T’s notched their 8^th win for the year shrugging off a slow start to edge further in front at each change, eventually recording a 53-point win over Beaumaris at home.

Beaumaris came out firing to start the game and left the T’s in their wake. The away teams willingness to attack through the corridor and share the ball by hand from defence exposed the T’s. However had they kicked straight the outcome of the match may well have been very different. Fortunately for the T’s they only trailed by a goal at quarter time despite the Sharks’ dominance with six more scoring opportunities. Coach Andrews demanded a response from the playing group after a disappointing opening term.

And his chargers answered his calls with a five goal to two, second quarter. The back-six started to switch the play and run off their men at all costs. Roberts was able to provide drive from defence, while Stewart and Pohl did their best to halt their dangerous forwards. The forwards also lifted their intensity with Osborn determined to lock the ball in the Trinity forward line. As a result opportunities started to open up for the forwards, with Nicolosi kicking two valuable goals.Hamilton and Tinney lead the Trinity resurgence in the midfield hitting the packs at speed to create forward entries. At the halfway mark the T’s held a handy 16-point buffer. Juric’s pace was important in the second half as Beaumaris’ bigger bodies started to tire. He finished with four goals for the afternoon in his best game for the club. Again the backline were resolute, particularly in the second half, limiting Beaumaris to only three goals. The trinity back-six have conceded the fewest points in the competition, leaking only 568 points in nine rounds of action. Our newly endorsed co-captains, Pacconi and Howell lead by example all afternoon orchestrating attacking maneuvers from deep in defence. (Read More)

University Blacks website following their 79-point loss to St Bernards

The clash with St Bernard’s on Saturday had shaped as the real litmus test of the Blacks season so far. The second-placed Snowdogs were the toughest challenge the senior side had encountered to-date and they showed exactly why, triumphing by 79 points on the Main in a disappointing day for the Blacks.

Watching the first quarter, Blacks supporters could be forgiven for thinking that the boys hadn’t missed a beat after the week off. Bear Robbins kicked the first goal of the day and then Adam Pitt got up the ground to kick one of his own. Jordan Quaile was at his roving best, reading the fall of the ball from a forward-line contest perfectly and also kicked one. Robbins was in everything up forward early, kicking two goals for the quarter and hitting up Simon Hogan for another. It seemed as if things were being picked up right where they had been left from the big win over Old Carey.

The Blacks kicked five goals to none in the first quarter, and established a 29-point lead at the first change with all signs pointing to the Blacks adding to their four game winning streak.

But Bernards were not about to lie down and roll over, and went about wrestling back control of the game in the second term. Kicking six goals to the Blacks two, there was nothing separating the two sides at the main break as both groups of supporters headed into the Pavvy for another delicious edition of the famous Blacks afternoon tea. (Read More)

Old Xaverians website following their 5-point win over De La Salle

It might again have ended in a nightmare, but this time, the gods were with the Xavs.

So too were Luke Ball, Nick Wynne and skipper Michael Darvell, and they helped win the day too with crucial possessions.

So did Marcus Allan, who played his best game in a while, running hard and fast and causing mayhem and inflicting damage in a best on ground effort.

But it might have been the desperation of Josh Anderson that truly won the day. On the outer wing, the young determined defender raced forward to a contest and smashed the ball clear, only for the Sherrin to land in the midst of three DLS players. But the cavalry arrived, in the form of the same Josh anderson, who continued running and then hurtled himself into the contest, stealing the ball with malicious intent. With such endeavour are reputations made. It was not surprising that coaches of both teams mentioned the effort post-game. They’d seen it up close and knew how critical it had been to the final result.

While Esmond Prowse snapped truly to open the game and Matt Margin dribbled one through right on the quarter time siren, the first stanza was dominated by the home team, who banged through five majors. Xavs found their rhythm in the second term and attacked relentlessly. The return was reasonable, enough to take a narrow lead to the half-time break. (Read More)

Fitzroy website following their 58-point win over Hampton Rovers

Fitzroy continued their push for the top four with a 58-point win against the Hampton Rovers at Boss James Reserve on Saturday afternoon.

In a match where fifth played sixth on the ladder, the Roys did not look back after half-time, turning a 16-point margin into a near 10-goal win on the back of three Matthew Brown majors and a best-on-ground performance from Alister Green.

It is the third win in a row for the Roys who continue to put pressure on those immediately above them on the ladder. Currently the Roys are just outside the Four on percentage from Old Brighton.

Fitzroy Goal Kickers: M. Brown 3, M. Kyroussis 2, D. Patcas 2, W. Fenton 2, C. Stevic 2, R. Angiolella, J. Dalton, L. Edwards, R. Borland, T. Cheshire
Fitzroy Best Players: A. Green, N. Marshall, T. Cheshire, L. Edwards, R. Angiolella, S. Baker

Final scores were: Fitzroy 4.6, 7.8, 10.9, 16.13.109 defeated Hampton Rovers 2.2, 5.4, 6.9, 7.9.51 by 58 points. (Read More)

Old Haileyburians website following their 25-point win over Peninsula

The seniors knew this was a must win game on the back of a relatively poor performance before the break and against one of the top teams.  Although the game was at home it was a game that had to be won and Peninsula also knew the stakes were high.  They beat us by 5 goals when we met earlier in the year.

We started quite strongly kicking with the aid of a gentle breeze and we played with plenty of gusto.  A little straighter with the kicking and we could have had the game won in the first quarter.  But just the same 4 – 4 to 1 goal was a good start.  The second saw the Pirates show more vigor and in the end we kicked 2 – 4 and they kicked 2 -5.  The good thing though was our running game was back and for the most part we were hitting targets.

The third quarter was ours again and we repeated our score from the first although we were not as vigilant in defending when Peninsula got the ball and consequently Peninsula kicked 3 goals straight.  Compared to our 2 goals 4 ie 6 shots to 3 we could have again had it all wrapped up. (Read More)

St Mary’s/Salesian website following their 35-point win over Bulleen/Templestowe

ONEs – At Ferndale Park, Glen Iris, St. Marys Salesian began well but had to work hard to overcome an improving Bulleen Templestowe by 35 points.

In glorious June conditions, SMS attacked the Glen Iris Road end favoured by a slight zephyr in the opening term. Coming off the holiday weekend, the Saints looked extremely sharp early and played good team football. Josh Tanner was in good form at the back, while Sid Jones, Heath Chipperfield, Ben Andrews and Tim Dudgeon were active in the midfield providing many opportunities for the forwards. Jackson Strangward kicked the first goal, followed by Gary ‘Bucky’ Puruntatameri and Dylan Gook. Louis Holmes added two – the first a very good 55 metre long shot from left half forward – and the second the result of good lead up work by ‘Gookie’ and ‘Chippa.’ Gook and Jones then joined the party with further majors to provide seven unanswered six-pointers and a 46 point advantage by quarter-time.

In the second stanza, Bulleen Templestowe lifted and played far better. The Bullants were able to create stoppages, become more accountable, provide a contest, and win marking duels in the air. Full forward Kristian Cherbakov (back after injury) was the focal point and kicked two goals out of four scored by the visitors. SMS was not handling the ball as cleanly as earlier in the game, but managed majors through Jones – from a free – and ‘Bucky.’ At half-time the Saints held a 34 point lead.