Whitefriars leap into third, while Aquinas keep their season alive

In Round 14 of Division 2 Men’s, teams are in a fierce scramble to secure the best ladder positions. As we near the end of the competition, the significance of each game intensifies with plenty of must-see showdowns on the horizon that will determine who plays in September.

The action began at Lindsay Hasset Oval, where St Mary’s Salesian defeated the hosts South Melbourne by 6 points. The final score was 5.3 (33) to 5.9 (39). In a tightly contested match, the first quarter kicked off with a slow start as St Mary’s managed to edge ahead with a narrow lead of 6 points.

The second quarter saw South Melbourne scoring the only goal of the term, while St Mary’s maintained a 2-point lead going into halftime. The real excitement unfolded in the fourth quarter as South Melbourne’s dynamic duo, Jesse Andrew and Luke Johnson, propelled their team to a game high 13-point lead.

However, St Mary’s players displayed exceptional skill, outmanoeuvring the Swans defence and seizing victory in what’s become a crucial stage of the competition. South Melbourne’s Jamie Brooker kicked a couple of goals, whereas Saint Zac Gucciardo also kicked two goals for his team.

St Mary’s coach Clay Tait said after the game, “We felt like we’d played a solid game all day and hadn’t been able to capitalise early.”

They were defending hard and dropping numbers back. We decided to go one-on-one everywhere on the ground and send players forward if their opponent dropped into our forward 50.”

“It was a wet, scrappy day, and we fought hard in the contest to get more quality shots in the 4th quarter” he said.

Meanwhile, Whitefriars continued their winning streak in the competition. This time, they outplayed MHSOB at Whitefriars College Oval by 19 points.

The Friars got off to a strong start in the first quarter with a 9-point lead, but MHSOB fought back in the second quarter and gained momentum just before half-time. The Unicorns were up by 4 points at the break.

As the teams entered the third quarter, the Friars took back control and outwitted the Unicorns’ defence, securing a 26-point lead before the final quarter. Both teams put up a strong defence in the final quarter, but the Whitefriars emerged as the winners with a final score of 7.10 (52) to 5.3 (33).

Nicholas Garratt (3 goals) and Thomas Jacotine (2 goals) were the top performers for the Whitefriars, whereas Matt Robertson once again shone with two majors for MHSOB.

Hawthorn have kept their finals hopes alive as they dismantled Elsternwick by 64 points at Elsternwick Park. The final score was Elsternwick with 6.9 (45) defeated by Hawthorn with a mammoth 16.13 (109).

The first quarter began with both teams scoring, but Hawthorn, coming off a loss to South Melbourne, was desperate for a win. Hawthorn led by 12 points in the first quarter and extended its lead to 25 points before the main break.

The Hawks came out even stronger in the third quarter taking a near 50-point advantage into three-quarter-time. Hawthorn’s forwards and defence were in peak form, showing their determination to secure a crucial win as they push for a top-four finish.

Eamonn Avery was the player of the match as he booted 6 goals for the Hawks, as his teammates Ethan Harvey-Cleary and Cooper Rule kicked 3 goals each.

After this huge win, Hawthorn coach Mark Murray expressed his thoughts by saying, “We played really well. It was a full team effort. We decided to take this game as a challenge and wanted to enjoy ourselves while playing.”

Aquinas have narrowly edged out Wattle Park with a final score of 69-64 at Bennettswood Reserve. Aquinas secured a hard-fought victory as both sides look to avoid relegation.

The game started with Aquinas taking an early lead, ending the first quarter at 22-15. They extended their advantage in the second quarter with a strong performance, leading 43-23 at halftime.

The Animals were still struggling in the third quarter, and Aquinas were playing like they have nothing to lose. They extend their lead to 29 points heading into the last.

In the fourth quarter, an early Aquinas goal extended the margin to 35, but then the Animals rallied with a flurry of unanswered goals. Wattle Park tried their best but still fell short by 5 points. Currently, Wattle Park is in eighth on 18 points, and Aquinas is in ninth just a half-game behind.

Aquinas’ Garrison Asciak, Damien Pelosi and Nick Hannah kicked 2 goals each, whilst Sean Drummond and Joden Crothers also booted in 2 goals for Aquinas.

Brunswick, the table-toppers, are still dominating in Division 2. Once again, they have proved to everyone why they’re the best team in the competition. This time, the Nobs have defeated Bulleen Templestowe by 19 points at the Ted Ajani Reserve.

The Bullants started impressively, as it felt like, once again, someone was ready to challenge Brunswick. But the Nobs got a slight edge by 9 points in the second quarter.

In the third quarter, Brunswick’s Paul Scamporlino kicked in 2 crucial goals and received support from his teammates Rowan Hogenbirk and Joshua Hedley, who also contributed by scoring a goal each to take the lead by 31 points.

In the final quarter, Bulleen Templestowe’s Anthony Lucisano booted 2 goals for his team, but his efforts weren’t enough to take his team to the finishing line. Brunswick’s Paul Scamporlino (four goals) scored the most in the game.

The competition moves to the 15th round, and some teams are still vying for the top four spots with third down to sixth separated by just two games.

Next weekend, South Melbourne will face Whitefriars at Lindsay Hasset Oval, and MHSOB will face Elsternwick at the picturesque Melbourne High School.

St Mary’s will be hosting the ladder-leading Brunswick. Aquinas, who just won the contest against the Animals, will be playing against Bullen Templestowe, and finally, Hawthorn will be challenging Wattle Park at the Rathmines Road Reserve.