UHS-VU sends a message as wayward kicking cause concerns

Inaccuracy in front of the big sticks proved costly for more than one team this round; a concern that would need to be ironed out for some ahead of finals, where every goal will count. Interestingly, the Division combined for 125.125 in goals and behinds.

UHS-VU vs Oakleigh

In the upset of the round, UHS-VU downed the inaccurate Krushers by eight points. Oakleigh unable to escape the lingering demons from their round 5 clash with the Krushers who boasted a 7-point victory.

With weather hardly playing a factor, scoring shots were not hard to come by, but goals were, with only 1-goal apiece going into the quarter time huddle. A half time grid locked at 16 points each way, but Oakleigh had 11 scoring shots to UHS 5. Whilst Oakleigh was getting plenty of the ball, they were unable to convert at crucial times. Finishing with 7 more scoring shots, to then lose by 8 points will be a wakeup call.

James McGee looked deadly as always kicking three majors: his accuracy helping his team over the line. Veteran forward for the Krushers Aaron Cloke was able to be an up-field presence for Oakleigh but sprayed some shots he normally would slot with ease.

The Vultures were able to kick away from Oakleigh and maintain an arms-length from the Krushers with a win being vital to keep them in finals contention come September, possibly becoming a real threat.

Old Peninsula vs West Brunswick

The pirates were able to get home in a thriller down at the Harry Mcdonald Oval and Peter Williamson couldn’t be prouder of his troops. A big day for loyal clubman, Tom Feldgen, who played his 150th game for Old Peninsula. A big congratulations to Tom and to West Brunswick for clapping him off the ground as he was chaired off.

The Pirates picked up after they beat Kew Bears last week and were able to peel off four opening quarter majors that set the tone of the game. Craig Sanders was instrumental whilst Ben Willamson played a sublime game once again, consistently performing for the last six weeks.

Bailey Payze had his goal kicking boots on as he was able to convert four majors to ease off the Magpies serge. West Brunswick did lead the counterattack post the long break blasting 6 majors to 3. Thomas Zafiropoulos, Luke Buckler and Ben Ablett were all crucial in the magpies’ resurrection. But a late comeback from the experienced Pirates outfit were able to come home with a key win for 2023.

Kew FC vs Therry Penola

Kew Bears played host to a resurgent Lions outfit on the back of some pretty handy games. In yet another game that was determined by the behinds scored. The message at half time from the Bears coach stressed the need for accuracy in front of goals, with missed opportunities plaguing the first half.

The Lions continued to lift with each quarter and were ultimately more potent inside 50. Jarrod Egglestone showed his brute strength and was able to kick two very handy goals. The Bears were needing someone to stand up and Ned Waters did just that, kicking a handy four majors that put the Bears in touching distance. Therry held strong with stars Jackson Young and Joel Costello leading from the front.

A frantic final quarter saw the Bears able to kick 2 quick majors and swing the momentum, as the southern end was boasting a good wind. The game was alive. A 50/50 call with seven minutes remaining could have seen the game go anywhere, but the shot was deemed a behind. The Lions transitioned the ball from coast to coast to slot a major to win the game. The Lions won by 18 points.

Prahran vs Preston

The Two Blues played host to the Bullants at D.W Lucas Reserve. Both teams started well with Preston taking a 1-point lead into quarter time. Very much in the game against a top-4 side, the Bullants were up and about with Alex Cincotta having instrumental influence.

Round 15 Results

2023 DIVISION 1 MEN’S

GOALS: Prahran: J. Simonetta 6, E. Espinosa 4, R. Brodie 2, S. Chapman 2, J. Musster 1, E. Plaza 1, T. Seaman 1, J. Waters 1, B. Adams 1, B. Galbraith 1, M. Clifford 1

Preston Bullants: A. Cincotta 2, P. Davies 2, J. Malkoun 1, P. Schiavello 1, P. Taylor 1

BEST: Prahran: B. Galbraith, R. Brodie, M. Mayne, J. Stent-Powell, J. Simonetta, E. Espinosa

Preston Bullants: A. Cincotta, N. Nihill, T. Boddy, C. Renna, J. De Napoli, P. Schiavello

It wasn’t until the Two Blues flicked the switch and made Jonathon Simonetta a crucial target up forward when they looked deadly. Simonetta was able to convert six majors in a goal kicking display boasting deadly accuracy. Whilst the game was not a blowout at half time, the Bullants were able to stay in the contest only being down by a goal at the long break.

The Two Blues went to work after half time and really put the foot down and never looked back. With an impressive 15 goals in the second half, Prahran got the job done against Preston by 95 points.

Glen Eira vs Ivanhoe

Glen Eira travelled to Ivanhoe Park to face Ivanhoe and burst straight out the gates early to solidify their dominance. With 35 goals scored for the game, there was no downtime for either side.

The ever-reliable Tim Johnstone was a masterstroke with 8 majors and his number two-man Sean Bass chimed in with 6 goals. With a lead of 75, the game was really done and dusted at three quarter time.

A highlight for Ivanhoe was Ash Close who was able to convert five majors for the game, earning himself a spot in the best. Glen Eira goes one step further to establish themselves as minor premiers for 2023 as they set their sights on finals.

Round 16 Tips

UHS-VUv West Brunswick

Prahranv Old Peninsula

Ivanhoe vKew FC

Glen Eirav Preston

Oakleigh vTherry Penola

GOALS: Uhs-Vu: J. McGee 3, M. DiMattina 2, W. Barnett 2, M. Mallia 1, P. Brookes 1, S. Adams 1

Oakleigh: L. Ashen 4, A. Cloke 2, A. Bernardo 1

BEST: Uhs-Vu: S. Adams, E. Clarke, P. Brookes, S. Horton, J. McGee, J. Fox

Oakleigh: H. Boontjes, L. Gillard, J. Roach, A. Cloke, A. Mase, L. Park

GOALS: Therry Penola: J. Young 3, C. Kilbane 2, J. Egglestone 2, N. Castaldi 2, J. Pelosi

1, F. Harvey 1, J. Costello 1

Kew FC: N. Waters 4, W. Llewelyn 1, L. Bown 1, T. Allman 1, L. James 1

BEST: Therry Penola: J. Young, K. O’Halloran, J. Costello, M. Lyons, J. Egglestone, N. Castaldi

Kew FC: M. Waters, N. Waters, T. Allman, D. Ryan, M. Henderson, M. Fraillon

Brunswick AFC

GOALS: Old Peninsula: B. Payze 4, B. Stewart 4, B. Williamson 3, C. Sanders 2, K. Doyle 1

West Brunswick AFC: L. Buckler 3, T. Zafiropoulos 3, B. Ablett 2, W. Dillon 1, B. Hutchins 1, M. Risstrom 1

BEST: Old Peninsula: C. Sanders, B. Williamson, J. Lovett, N. Holland, L. Gibbs, T. Feldgen

West Brunswick AFC: L. Stringer, D. Ferrier, B. Ablett, J. Hyslop, T. Zafiropoulos, E. Nettleton

GOALS: Glen Eira: T. Johnston 8, S. Bass 6, L. Myers 2, J. Chilcott 2, B. Gillett 1, T. Richardson 1, L. Pound 1, T. Isaacs 1, W. Van Denderen 1, B. Tang 1

Ivanhoe: A. Close 5, E. Hunt 2, B. Dawson 1, J. Steele 1, D. Jones 1, P. Lagreca 1

BEST: Glen Eira: J. Maxfield, T. Johnston, J. Carey, S. Bass, J. Ludik, L. Mirams

Ivanhoe: C. O’Brien, A. Close, M. Moran, D. Jones, E. Hunt, R. Trew

2023 DIVISION 1 RESERVE MEN’S

Bullants

GOALS: Prahran: J. Matherson 5, D. Marrows 1, P. Pavlou 1, A. Perez 1, J. Noonan 1, M. Grogan 1

Preston Bullants: A. Baynes 2, B. Michaelides 1, M. Sortino 1, D. Delle-Vergini 1, O. Taylor 1

BEST: Prahran: P. Rhodes, A. Maxwell, M. Woods, T. Bowes, B. Graham, D. Marrows

Preston Bullants: O. Taylor, M. Sortino, O. Clark, C. Golledge, T. Oakley, S. Ganci

GOALS: Uhs-Vu: B. Jackson 3, S. Ellingsen 2, A. Ley 1, T. Cheyne 1, J. Pane 1, L. Wade 1 Oakleigh: J. Paola 3, J. Murphy 2, A. Matthieson 1

BEST: Uhs-Vu: A. Skerget, N. Grapsas, S. Ellingsen, B. Jackson, H. Ley, S. ReichenvaterBeasley

Oakleigh: T. Heverin, N. Seel, M. Smith, R. Illes, J. Paola, J. Murphy

GOALS: Therry Penola: A. Tana 2, J. Crotty 2, A. Mudgway 1, A. Birch 1, J. Piccione 1

Kew FC: G. Smart 2, J. Janssen 1

BEST: Therry Penola: M. Reynolds, C. Lyons, J. Ford, L. Eilers, A. Birch, A. Tana

Kew FC: J. King, R. Streader, J. Janssen, T. Harbrow, R. Black, N. Drummond West Brunswick AFC

Peninsula

GOALS: West Brunswick AFC: G. Vetma 2, S. Pritchard 2, J. Melican 2, D. McMahon 1, J. Parini 1, L. Keily 1, M. Holmes 1

Old Peninsula: J. Ward 1, G. Boyington 1

BEST: West Brunswick AFC: V. Lederer, L. Keily, N. Traill, D. McMahon, D. Fitzpatrick

Old Peninsula: B. Pulsford, L. Enno, D. Thomas, J. Ward, E. Naylor, M. Craik

GOALS: Glen Eira: H. Ritchie 11, J. Waras Carstensen 8, T. Dobson 4, L. Lewis 4, N. Johnston 1, M. Whitty 1, D. Petsinis 1, S. McLeod-Dryden 1, T. Sitzoukis 1, B. Howells 1

Ivanhoe: H. Smart 1, T. Phyland 1, M. Walsh 1

BEST: Glen Eira: A. Bird, J. French, N. Johnston, S. McLeod-Dryden, H. Ritchie, B. Rose

Ivanhoe: M. Walsh, J. Andonovski, J. Vidajic, J. Leahy, R. Toogood, J. Wright

Lauren Atkinson

Beaumaris break the hearts of Old Haileybury

As the penultimate round comes to a close, the top four sides in Division 1 Women’s have been locked in.

Marcellin OC have sealed their place in finals with a 13-point victory over Old Xaverians at Marcellin College.

Both teams struggled to find avenues to score in the first term, with neither team able to find a major, however, in the second term Marcellin set themselves up for victory by kicking 3 unanswered goals. Old Xaverians fought back in the second half, finally scoring some goals of their own, but it was not enough for them to ever take the lead.

Zoe Glascott continued her strong goal kicking form for Marcellin with another 2 goals, which sees her season total increase to 18. Charlotte Van Der Vlies was best on for Marcellin, while Amy Benifer was the stand-out for Old Xaverians.

Old Camberwell Grammarians travelled to Rathmines Road Reserve, where they pulled out a dominant display against Hawthorn AFC

The Grammarians put in a four-quarter effort, extending their lead at every break, with the final scoreline reading 2.3-15 to 9.19-73.

Emogen Johnson fought valiantly for Hawthorn, supported by the dynamic Joelly Firmin who kicked both Hawks goals. Alexandra Herrington and Sara Fortunato lead the charge for Grammarians, kicking two goals apiece, while Olivia Honore was also impressive.

Old Brighton have been building nicely through the back end of the season and continued their winning ways defeating the Hampton Rovers by 51 points.

Old Brighton came out firing, kicking four goals to zero in the first term, to set themselves up for the rest of the day. Hampton Rovers was the better side in the second term, but only managed one goal and one behind for their efforts. Old Brighton put the pedal down in the third, kicking five goals to push the lead out to 51 points, which remained the margin for the rest of the game.

Galaminda Gellar was best for Hampton Rovers for the second consecutive week, while Amber Price slotted their only goal.

Daisy Flockart is causing headaches for defenders across the competition, as she kicked another three goals to find herself in equal third on the goal-kicking tally, an especially impressive feat considering she has only played in 7 matches so far this season. Flockart has also featured in the best players for each of those games.

Beaumaris managed another come from behind win, this time against Old Geelong

Old Geelong, who were fighting to keep their finals chase alive, were dominant in the first half but due to inaccuracy in front of goals, only held an 8-point lead going into the main break.

Beaumaris, determined not to break their undefeated streak, managed to get the game back on their terms in the third, and claimed a narrow 3-point lead going into the final break. In the end, the Sharks were too strong for Old Geelong and extended their lead to 8 points by the final siren.

Finishing with more scoring shots than the Sharks, Old Geelong will be devastated that they weren’t able to get the job done on this occasion, resulting in finals now being out of the question.

Brooke Mckay and Annabel Rafferty can hold their heads high, after doing everything they could to try to seal victory for the Ogettes. Sophie Joubert and Camilla Taylor also played pivotal roles on the day, as the goal scorers Old Geelong. Sienna Tedde provided the spark for the Sharks to get them going in the second half, with Lauren Haringsma and Caley Ryan also stepping up.

Old Melburnians have made a statement to the competition with a commanding performance against Old Haileybury, defeating the Hearts by 68 points.

Kicking the game off with a 3-goals to 0 first term, the Omelettes put on a masterclass as they consistently piled on the goals while only allowing Old Haileybury to kick 2 for the day. It was a contrasting performance by Old Haileybury, who almost beat the top side Beaumaris the previous week.

Charlotte Ferrier (4 goals), Ellen Williams (4 goals) and Sophie Fraser (5 goals) were relentless all day, and deservedly recognised as the best players for Old Melburnians. Bridget Hanrahan was best for Old Haileybury in their tough loss.

With only one round of the regular season remaining, who will end their season on a high?

Marcellin OC will get a chance to rest tired bodies before finals start, with a forfeit already being declared for their game against Hampton Rovers.

Old Geelong will host Old Xaverians at Como Park, with Old Xaverians requiring a win to escape relegation. While Old Geelong cannot make finals anymore, they would want to end their season on a positive note with another win.

Old Camberwell Grammarians will travel to Elsternwick Park to do battle with Old Melburnians. Old Melburnians will be seeking a big win with the aim of clawing their way into the top 2, but with nothing to lose, Old Camberwell will be hoping to spoil the Omelettes’ party.

Hawthorn AFC have one more chance to notch a Division 1 win when they play off against Old Haileybury next week. While Old Haileybury would be the favourites for this match, they showed signs of burn out in their match against the Omelettes this week.

The match of the round is sure to be the battle between top two sides, Old Brighton, and Beaumaris. Last time the two sides met, Beaumaris were the better side by four points, but Old Brighton are arguably in their season best form and will have a lot to play for. A loss holds the potential to see Brighton drop out of the top two.

Round 16 Tips

Old Geelongv Old Xaverians

Old Melburniansv Old Camberwell Grammar

Hawthorn AFC v Old Haileybury

Old Brightonv Beaumaris

Round 15 Results

2023 DIVISION 1 WOMEN’S

GOALS: Old Camberwell Grammarians:

A. Herrington 2, S. Fortunato 2, R. Strasser 1, C. Wilson 1, I. Dedoncker 1, M. Wilson 1, I. Griffin 1

Hawthorn AFC:

J. Firmin 2

BEST: Old Camberwell Grammarians:

A. Herrington, O. Honore, G. Bianco, S. Fortunato, I. Griffin, M. Wilson

Hawthorn AFC:

E. Johnson, J. Firmin, M. Mathias, C. Miller, Z. Uwland, D. Fon

GOALS: Marcellin OC:

Z. Glascott 2, T. Oates 1, T. Quang 1, A. Pane 1

Old Xaverians:

M. Hung 1, B. Crowe 1, C. Lacey 1

BEST: Marcellin OC:

C. van der Vlies, S. Bridge, A. Marshallsay, A. Pane, T. Carpinteri, O. Zuccala

Old Xaverians:

A. Benifer, E. Craig, J. Stevens, T. Mant, S. Rothfield, M. Mennilli

GOALS: Old Brighton:

D. Flockart 3, T. Doultree 2, S. McLoughlin 1, H. Murphy 1, I. Tait 1, C.

O’Brien 1

Hampton Rovers:

A. Price 1

BEST: Old Brighton:

C. O’Brien, M. Nolan, D. Flockart, B. Hagan, L. Mitchell, I. Tait

Hampton Rovers:

K. Galaminda Gellar, J. Andros, P. Ward, H. Gould, M. Brown, O. Tuppen

GOALS: Beaumaris:

S. Love 2, C. Newman 1, S. Marinelli 1, E. Southgate 1

Old Geelong:

S. Joubert 2, C. Taylor 1

BEST: Beaumaris:

S. Tedde, L. Haringsma, C. Ryan, C. Newman, A. Sutcliffe, N. Eldred

Old Geelong:

B. Mckay, A. Rafferty, S. Joubert, C. Taylor, P. Sweeney, V. Tan

GOALS: Old Melburnians:

S. Fraser 5, C. Ferrier 4, E. Williams 3, C. McAdam 2, I. Rose 1

Old Haileybury:

K. Llerena 1, E. McCrae 1

BEST: Old Melburnians:

C. Ferrier, E. Williams, S. Fraser, E. Chamberlain, C. McAdam, S. Peers

Old Haileybury:

B. Hanrahan, E. McCrae, E. Simkin, H. Treverton, G. Vanderwaal, C. Haughey