Wicks burning for a premiership hat-trick
“In 2016, the club nearly folded and shut the doors. But eight years later, we’re up three Divisions and have won 2 Senior premierships and a Reserves flag. To see
The double chance, Final Four & relegation races will all come down to what will be a thrilling final Saturday of William Buck Premier Men’s.
Fitzroy kept their hopes of remaining in the top-flight alive with a fighting 16-point win over University Blacks at a rocking Brunswick Street Oval.
A tight and tense opening term gave way to 3 Fitzroy goals in 8 minutes entering time-on as the local fans sensed their team was up for the scrap.
The Blacks had the wind at their backs in the second term and dominated the quarter with 14 Inside 50s to 5, holding the Roys scoreless but wasting their opportunity to seize control on the scoreboard, kicking 2.5 to still trail by a point at the main break.
The hosts were more efficient in the third term, booting 5.3 to 2.3 to open up a handy 19-point lead before handing the breeze back to Blacks for the final stanza.
But the visitors were left to rue their inaccuracy once again, kicking 1.5 to make it a total of 3.10 with the breeze for the afternoon (compared to the Roys’ 8.5) and that was the difference – Fitzroy posting a third straight win to keep their season alive, while Blacks have been drawn back into the relegation race once again.
Travis Ronaldson (Fitzroy): “Really proud of the group and our performance. Blacks were one of the form sides of the competition and we put a lot of work in preparing for them and the tough conditions.
“We stayed patient and were able to capitalise when we got some good looks with the breeze. Heath Ramshaw was exceptional in the midfield (37 disposals & 10 clearances) and gave us plenty of drive. Jock Green was strong down back and Julian Turner created some great opportunities forward.
“A real team effort and we are looking forward to an exciting final round.”
Dale Bower (Uni Blacks): “We weren’t quite at the level we had been in our 3 previous games. All credit to Fitzroy, as they were fantastic.
“We left a few opportunities on the table which hurt us. You won’t win many games kicking 5.15.”
That result was both good and bad for St Bernard’s, who have one eye on Blacks ahead of them but the other on Fitzroy immediately behind them in the relegation race.
The Snowdogs headed to TH King Oval to face St Kevin’s, who had been stung by a loss to Blacks last week that had seen them tumble out of the Top 2.
Things looked shaky for SKOB early after the visitors kicked the first five goals of the game, but a couple of late replies saw the hosts reduce their quarter-time deficit to 18 points.
It was St Kevin’s turn with the wind in the second term, and they took advantage, kicking 4 unanswered goals to hit the front just before half-time.
The third quarter saw just three goals kicked as the game refused to break open – the Snowdogs unable to kick clear and set SKOB a deficit to chase late. 4 goals to 3 in the final term was enough for St Kevin’s to get the job done with a hard-fought 18-point win.
Anthony Lynch (St Kevin’s): “After a pretty patchy and flat month from our group, it was a really positive result. St Bernard’s certainly came to play, and our ability to remain disciplined with a team-first focus across 4 quarters was a real highlight.
“We think this win can really help return us to our best form at the right time of the year.”
Steve Alessio (St Bernard’s): “A great game of footy that was hard fought by both teams. The conditions were challenging which meant each team had to make the most of their opportunities. We couldn’t capitalise on the wind advantage in the third quarter and that ultimately cost us in the end.
“It was great to see us be so competitive against a St Kevin’s team that will go deep in finals. We must regroup quickly for what is now our biggest game of the year!”
There was plenty on the line as Old Scotch hosted Collegians at Camberwell Sportsground. The Cardinals needed to win to retain second spot, while the Lions are up to their eyeballs in a race for fourth spot against Old Xavs.
The reigning champs started strongly but failed to make the most of their territorial dominance until a couple of late goals gave them a 4-point lead at the first change.
2 goals apiece in the second term saw the Lions’ lead halved to 2 points at the main break, before they rode the breeze again in the third quarter. But what could have been a match-winning period was marred by inaccuracy – Collegians’ 3.6 to 1.1 keeping the Cards in the game as they prepared to come steaming home.
Unfortunately, wayward kicking plagued the hosts as well – 2.6 to 1.0 in the final term not enough to mow down Collegians, who hung on for what could be a season-defining 7-point away win that snapped Old Scotch’s 9-game winning streak and saw them tumble back to third spot behind SKOB.
Jordie McKenzie (Collegians): “Our contest and pressure was strong. It was very much an arm wrestle throughout the day, with our strongest quarter being the 3rd, where we were able to stretch out to a 3-goal lead.
“It was a tight and tense last quarter, and Scotch kept coming at us, but credit to the boys, we were able to stand up in some big moments and ultimately hold on for a terrific win.
“Max Pinchbeck led that charge, recording a staggering 23 tackles. Our skipper Nathan Boucher led from the front, providing plenty of run and class. Josh Watson was also instrumental with his grunt work, while Josh Walker gave us plenty of drive from the backline and Alex Lukic continued his good form with 4 goals.”
Mark Gnatt (Old Scotch): “Full credit to Collegians who adapted to the conditions better than we did and put us under pressure with 103 tackles. Some really valuable learnings that will help us prepare for what’s to come over the next few weeks. And that starts on Saturday against Old Xavs.”
Speaking of Old Xaverians, the Lions’ win meant they needed to find a way past league-leaders Old Brighton to keep fourth spot.
Brighton Beach Oval is windy on the best of days, let alone an afternoon of high winds such as this one, so wind management was going to be critical. The Tonners’ total domination out of the middle, combined with the gale at their back, saw them blitz Xavs early, ramming on 6.7 to 0.1 in the opening term.
The hosts then slowed the tempo in the second term and defended superbly into the breeze, holding the visitors to just 2 goals while pinching a couple themselves to have a commanding 38-point lead at the half.
Xavs’ second half was much improved, kicking 6.6 to 3.5, pressing the Tonners late but the damage was already done – Old Brighton officially William Buck Premier Men’s Minor Premiers for 2024, while Xavs slip out of the Top 4 and must defeat Old Scotch then hope Fitzroy beat Collegians if they are to sneak into the finals.
Marcel Bruin (Old Brighton): “We kicked with the wind in the first quarter and were really focused on a great start. We jumped out of the gates and were really keen on bringing great effort to limiting Xavs’ quick ball movement.
“The second quarter against the breeze was super; huge workrate enabled us to get a few looks and Xavs fortunately wasted a couple of opportunities.
“Skipper Harry Hill was again superb and certainly when Xavs were pressing last quarter, he, Sam Flockhart, Campbell Tweedie and the back six worked tirelessly to impact.
“Huge reward for the group to finish top and really set ourselves up for St Kevin’s on the return leg, and hopefully maintain momentum into the first week of finals.”
Dan Donati (Old Xavs): “It was a hotly contested and skilled game considering the super tough and windy conditions. We got outplayed in the first half – they used the wind really well in the first quarter, and I thought their pressure and work around the contest early gave them the ascendancy.
“It was always going to be difficult trailing by 40 points at HT on a windy arvo, but to the boys’ credit, we remained positive and managed to keep the margin under 50 at 3-quarter time knowing we had the wind in the last.
“A really good last quarter (and second half in general) to get it back under 3 goals, but ultimately, we left too much to do against a genuine contender.”
Old Melburnians will be relegated to Premier B in 2025 after falling to University Blues by 25 points at Melbourne Uni Oval.
The Blues entered on an 7-game losing streak, but with gun forward James Stewart in his second game back after a long-term hamstring injury, made the most of the wind at their back early, booting 6.4 to 1.1 in the opening term to rocket out to a 33-point lead.
OMs responded by kicking three goals with the wind in the second term but also allowed the Blues to boot three of their own and win the quarter, leading by 35 at half-time.
Paul Satterley’s men refused to lie down in his second last game as coach – OMs winning the second half 6 goals to 4. But as we saw at windswept venues right across Melbourne, the ability to manage the breeze early turned out to be decisive, and it was the Blues – led by 4 goals from Stewart – saluting for the first time since he went down in Round 9.
The win guarantees the Blues will return to Premier Men’s next season, while the loss consigns OMs to relegation, given they enter the final round a game and a half from safety.
Guy Martyn (Uni Blues): “It’s been a long time between wins for us so I was just happy for the boys to get a win. We managed to play some decent footy across all four quarters.
“Marty Gleeson and James Stewart were back to their best at either end of the ground, and I was really happy with the performance of James Curran in the midfield who was given more opportunity and made the most of it.”
Paul Satterley (OMs): “We just gave up too big a lead and, given what was at stake, needed a better start to the game. Uni Blues were back to their best.
“Disappointing for all involved at our club as enormous work has been put in across many levels. 2025 will present a great opportunity to reset under a new coach and great players and people to work with.”
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