Grand finalists in the thick of finals, relegation battles

Nick Armistead – @NickArmistead

Significant changes occurred on the William Buck Premier ladder in the aftermath of Round 12 and last year’s grand finalists are front and centre of the adjustments.

On the back of their third consecutive loss, Old Xaverians sit in sixth position, a game and a half below De La Salle and University Blues. It was the Blues who inflicted the latest loss on the reigning premiers as they reduced a 13-point quarter time deficit with 13 of the last 21 goals and ran out 20-point winners at Toorak Park. Kieran Harper produced a highlight-riddled four-goal performance for the Blues, while in-form key forward Tim Gaeppen hit back after squandering opportunities in the first term and delivered another four goals, making it 13 from his past three outings. Ross Young and Pete Summers dominated from the outset and played a large part in securing the Blues’ sixth win from their past seven games. Captain Ben Kennedy was instrumental to the Xavs’ sticking with the Blues for most of the game and is currently producing his most consistent form of the year. Matt Handley kicked three goals, including two in the first term, and Chris Margin found plenty of the ball. Despite the loss and subsequent descent to sixth, they should hit back over the next five matches, with four of those against the bottom four sides.

The situation at Old Trinity is dire after they fell to their sixth consecutive loss via the top-ranked St Kevin’s. Trailing by 17 points at half time, the T’s managed just four more goals while giving up 12 at the other end, losing by 69 points and for the fifth time at the Daley this year. After winning their first two games of 2017, the T’s have lost nine of their past 10 and find themselves languishing in ninth position on the ladder. Brendan Iezzi and Luke Pacconi were once again the best for the T’s but nothing short of a four-quarter entire team performance will get any side near SKOB at present. The T’s need to win three times from the last six rounds to ensure they avoid relegation and their trio of home games against Beaumaris, Old Xaverians and Old Melburnians would do it. They just need to reignite that relationship with the Daley. The ladder leaders made it six wins in a row as Mitch Brown, Lachie Sullivan and Gerard Gleeson led from the front. They’re clinical, pretty to watch and share the love like few others, with 12 individual goal kickers proving their versatility up forward. Their midfielders offer far more than just disposal-gathering and innate pressure acts on the ball carrier – the latter of which I firmly believe is their most impressive asset. SKOB remain a game and a half clear of Collegians and boast four home games on the run home – the minor premiership is half way to TH King.

History was re-written down at Uni Oval as Old Melburnians broke a 17-year winless drought at the venue by securing a 27-point victory over University Blacks. OM’s trailed by six points at the first break, but hit back with six goals to three in the second term and maintained their arm’s length lead for the remainder of the match. Justin De Steiger returned to the fold and kicked four majors for the Redlegs, while Tom Paule and Nick De Steiger continued the elite form they showcased in last weekend’s Big V senior win in Frankston. OM’s now sit fifth on the ladder with a slightly higher percentage than Xavs, but face a far tougher fortnight with home games against Collegians and St Kevin’s. Fifth is the highest OM’s have been all season with three wins from their past four matches. The Blacks were, in one word, valiant after they lost three players to injury by half time. Joel Ernest gave his most impressive outing of the year and John Vrodos top-scored with three goals. They started the year with four straight losses but have gradually improved each week despite losing players to injury on the regular. They currently sit eighth and this weekend’s match-up with St Bedes/Mentone Tigers will be the match of the round as both sides try to avoid relegation.

De La Salle edged passed St Bedes/Mentone Tigers and solidified a six-point gap between fourth and fifth on the ladder with a seven-point win. Scores were tied midway through the fourth term but, as they have done all year, De La produced late in the game and Sean Fisher kicked the sealer with less than three minutes remaining. Such has been their dominance in tight contests throughout 2017, De La have won three of four matches decided by nine points or less. Adrian Indovino returned to the goal kicking form he produced in the first seven rounds with three, while Jacob Gotch and Chris Robinson were best afield for the winning side. At the other end of the tight battles spectrum, the Tigers have now lost three of four games decided by 12 points or less and that doesn’t take into consideration their tie against Beaumaris. Dean Porter and Michael Barnes continued their impressive seasons while eight players contributed to their 11 goals. Their clash with the Blacks is of the utmost importance if they are to separate themselves from the bottom three, before they embark on a tough stretch against four of the top six sides.

In a battle of 2 vs 10, it was the second-placed Collegians who accounted for Beaumaris by 42 points at Harry Trott Oval. The Lions led by 23 points at half time and piled on a further eight goals to five in a comfortable showing whereby they claimed their ninth win for the year. Three goals and a best-on-ground performance from Viv Michie was the standout for the Lions, who also had impressive output from Al Fahie, Sam Hibbins and Courtney Hylton. The Lions had suffered two losses and an enforced tie from the five games leading into Round 12, so a seven-goal win was needed and it was certainly their strongest performance since their 90-point demolition of SKOB in Round 6. Scott Braithwaite will take some beating in the Sharks’ best and fairest count at season’s end after he kicked three goals and was named their best for the second time in three matches. Scott Gower, who was named second best, will likely be the one player who gives Braithwaite a scare come vote count, but both have excelled despite the side not reaping reward on the scoreboard. The run home improves for the Sharks as they face three of the bottom four sides and could quite easily snap their winless streak over the next six rounds.

Photo © Ari Hatzis