Old Haileybury cause upset of the season

Lauren Atkinson

The first match of the round saw Old Geelong continue their winning streak to make it four in a row, whilst keeping Old Melburnians goalless on the day.

In the battle between third and fourth on the ladder, Old Geelong dominated for the whole day, kicking a goal in all but the second term, while simultaneously thwarting all of Old Melburnians’ attempts at attack. The bests for Old Geelong were Camilla Taylor, Isabella Mcleod and Danielle Trott, who each ended with a goal to their name. While the recently Big V squad-nominated Clare Fraser stood out for the Omelettes once again.

The next match had Marcellin OC travel to Rathmines Road Reserve to take on the battling Hawthorn AFC.

The Hawks started well, trailing by only a goal at the first break, but were unable to hold on, allowing the Sheagles to kick 2.8 in the second term. Hawthorn failed to use the wind to their advantage in the third term, only managing one behind. Conversely, Marcellin piled on an extra three goals in the final term to win the game by a massive 50 points.

Charlotte Kanini-Parsons was best for Hawthorn, while Rachel Urquhart also put in a strong performance, producing the Hawks’ only goal of the day. For the Sheagles, Zoe Glascott was outstanding, slotting three majors and being named as the best on ground.

Beaumaris once again showed that they are the side to beat this year, after defeating Old Xaverians by 26 points. Old Xaverians did well to hold the Sharks to four goals but were unable to pose any serious threat to the ladder-leaders who were in front all day.

Holly Tysoe was instrumental for Beaumaris, ably supported by the offensive efforts of her teammates, Samantha Baisas and Sarah Collins, who finished with 2 goals each. Amy Benifer and Tahyrn Mant helped to keep Old Xaverians in the game, but with their team only managing one major for the day, it was never going to be enough to beat the dominant Sharks.

Old Camberwell Grammarians have returned to form with a convincing win over Hampton Rovers. While the Rovers held a narrow 2-point lead at quarter time, Old Camberwell came out firing in the second term and did not slow down in the second half, eventually defeating the Rovers by six goals.

It was a brilliant team effort by Old Camberwell, with seven different goal scorers contributing to their final score, but it was Alexandra Herrington who got the coach’s praise with another team-best performance. For Hampton Rovers, Poppy Ward and Jade Wulkan stood out with their skills and determination.

The final match of the round proved to be the most exciting one as Old Haileybury caused one of the upsets of the season with a solid win over second-placed Old Brighton.

With Old Haileybury hosting the match as part of the annual Spud’s Game, the Hearts certainly lifted for the occasion, honouring Spud Frawley with a 24-point win. Grace Vanderwaal and Bridget Hanrahan were at their best for Old Haileybury, while Serene Vudiniabola and Taylah Vines-Chapple were damaging up forward with two goals apiece.

For Old Brighton, Stephanie Bierenbroodspot and Bridgette Hagan were valiant in defeat.

With only two wins separating 3^rd and 7^th on the ladder, Round 10 looms as an opportunity for a ladder re-shuffle, with several rousing match ups to look forward to. Old Brighton will look to get back on the winners list when they host the in-form Old Geelong on Saturday morning. Old Brighton had a comfortable win over Old Geelong when the two sides met in Round 4, but Old Geelong have since found form with four back-to-back wins. Meanwhile, Old Melburnians will host Hampton Rovers in what is a must-win game for the Rovers if they hope to keep their finals dreams alive.

Another exciting Round 10 match up this weekend will be between Old Camberwell Grammarians and Old Xaverians. Looking at the ladder, Old Camberwell would appear to be the strong favourite, but the two sides drew when they met back in Round 4, and Old Camberwell have struggled with consistency this year, with no consecutive wins thus far. At the same time, Marcellin OC will host Old Haileybury in another spicy contest. Marcellin have been playing well this season, however, Old Haileybury have just proven that they can match it with the best sides in the competition. The final match of the round will see Beaumaris host Hawthorn AFC. With Hawthorn yet to record a win in Division 1, it will be a tall order for them to topple the undefeated Sharks.