Hey Siri, show me a round of footy that defines your Premiership credentials

Joe Pignataro

This weekend officially marks the second half of the home and away season. The first of the return bouts. With every game having something on the line, which of the William Buck Premier sides can produce “the perfect 10” in Round 10?

In many ways, this is shaping up as a season defining weekend. 

“Hey Siri, define ‘grudge-match’ : a contest based on personal antipathy between the participants.”

In the RSN Xtra Match of the Day, we’re off to St Kevin’s College where the reigning champions St Kevin’s will do battle with the VAFA’s powerhouse, Old Xaverians. 

Fourth vs. Fifth on the ladder. A SKOB win puts a two game buffer on the red and black mafia. A win against the odds for Xav’s moves them equal with the title holders. 

The contest promises to be so much more than the bottom rungs of the top four. It has “season-defining” written all over it. 

In 2019, then football manager Michael Christian told VAFA Media it was no secret this side “wanted to be like Xavier.” Three premierships from four Grand Final appearances has them on a similar trajectory, with no sign of slowing down either. 

Dan Hannebery won’t be renewing hostilities against Mitch Wallis this weekend, still out from a broken jaw. This time around, on the back of their strongest performance of the season, the captain Marcus Stavrou is in the side. 

Stav has been almost flawless in his three matches since his return. 

SKOB got back onto the winners list last weekend in a hard fought battle against Old Scotch, they’re buoyed by 10 selections in the Big V squad, a deserving opportunity for the best side in William Buck Premier over the past 6 years. 

St Kevin’s took the honours at the College in 2022, and again in Round 5. Will it be third time lucky for the mafia? 

Join us at 1:00 PM for the coverage and the ultimate grudge-match in the VAFA. LISTEN LIVE >

“Hey Siri, define ‘momentum’ : the quantity of motion of a moving body/person/thing, measured as a product of its mass and velocity. Up or down”

As the University Blues continue the climb up the ladder, Old Brighton are doing whatever they can to arrest the slide. This momentum can be traced back to their Round 5 battle with Uni Blues playing “out of their skin” to beat the Tonners at Brighton Beach Oval. 

An average winning margin of 34.5 points in this run of five, victories against last year’s Grand Finalists and Collegians (currently second). It’s been the clubs best run of form since Rounds 12-17 in 2019, which saw them go onto win the Premiership. 

The return of Sam Grimley on the weekend enhanced the strength of Guy Martyn’s forward line. It’s going to be a challenge for the Old Brighton defence, curtailing him and James Paterson who’s found his groove of late. A sixth win a row moves them up another line when it comes to overall Premiership credentials this season. 

There’s more boys from Brighton checking into the Melbourne airport departure lounge than probably at training this week. Dan Donati, the master-coach has got to pull more than a rabbit out of the hat now. 

Should the run of outs continue, make no mistake about it, a 5-5 scoreline will be a tough mountain to climb back up in the run to September. 

Watch the action live on KommunityTV, starting with the Reserves at 11:40am, followed by the Seniors at 2:00pm.

LIVE STREAM ON KOMMUNITYTV >

“Hey Siri, define ‘redemption’ : the action of regaining or gaining possession of something”

As Old Melburnians trudged off Harry Trott Oval at the end of Round 5 going down by 113 points, and embarrassed, they were ninth on the ladder. No wins, injuries aplenty and a percentage of 56. 

A month on, they’ll charge onto Elsternwick Park against Collegians hellbent on redemption. In the last four matches, they’ve had four wins, regained players and have a percentage of 128. 

The Lions however, have given the OM’s back-to-back football lessons after their own embarrassment was on show in Round 8 of 2022. The loss stunned them into action, they’re 17-2 in home and away matches since. 

Ben Harding is the #1 player in the game for disposals, and clearances. On the weekend, he went beyond the half-century and put it one of the best individual performances in 2023. 

He will be challenged in the midfield by King Kenny (averaging 23 disposals) and Sam Hibbins (26 touches). Collegians also don’t want anyone to forget about Viv Michie (25 disposals). 

If OM’s prevail in this one, it throws chaos into the top four. It brings them back an even 5-5, and gives them a genuine scalp that will make the competition sit up and take notice. 

“Hey Siri, define ‘importance’ : the state or fact of being of great significance or value.”

Don’t underestimate the significance of this season defining contest between Caulfield Grammarians and University Blacks.

While all eyes are on the top half of the ladder, and the machinations, formulas and discussion around finals. 

At the tailend, the relegation battle is starting to heat up. There’s plenty riding on this game that could go a long way to determining where these sides are in 2024. 

Earlier this year it was Uni Blacks who prevailed at Melbourne Uni Oval. If Blacks find similar avenues to goal and a stronghold on the scoreboard, they can push themselves clear of the Fields by two games with two months of the season remaining. 

Caulfield, in search of their second win for the year. Should they win, they can potentially find themselves off the bottom of the ladder, and equal with Blacks at 2-8.

Nick Hey and Julian Dobosz traded goals in a shootout last time they met. 10 goals between the power forwards. The same again would be a treat for the footy purists who venture out to Glen Huntly Oval for this contest. 

“Hey Siri, define ‘respect’ : a feeling of deep admiration for something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements.”

Old Scotch welcomes Old Haileybury to the Cave this weekend. Daniel Ward spoke to VAFA Media earlier this week on For the Love of the Game heading into this contest “looking to hang in there and get some troops back, we always front up, the work rate and the effort is there.”

“You’re either winning, or you’re learning,” Ward continued. It’s been a significant learning curve for the 2022 B-Section Premiers. 

Old Haileybury haven’t died wondering throughout their return to William Buck Premier, they’re out to earn respect of the competition. While the wins haven’t come, opposition sides are certainly weary of the, 

Old Scotch are the benchmark in 2023, needing to play the minutes to beat them. 

From the outside, the Cardinals on top of the ladder have surprised some people. For those inside the four walls, and the keen followers of the VAFA are not surprised. This team has all the right moves in all the right places. 

To date, they’ve gathered the respect of the top sides, challenging them all through the opening nine weeks of the year. 

This is equally an important game for Mark Gnatt, just as a top of the table clash would be. Given the evenness of the top sides in the competition, back-to-back losses would see the Cardinals slide from top spot. 

A win for Daniel Ward livens up the relegation zone with an additional layer which makes the final eight weeks so very exciting. 

Every week we’re thrown new players who stand up, another level to a side that’s in form, or another shock result that throws the competition on its head.

Killer-Diller contests left, right and centre this weekend. The perfect mix of season defining contests. Nothing can predict what will happen this weekend, not even Siri, and that’s what makes this competition worth its weight in gold.

Photo: Bruce Tobin; Collegians FC