July 19, 2025
FESTIVAL OF THIRDS
Five teams, four games, four wins
A Century of the Red & Black
Massive victories, big losses and two forfeits received were the stories of a wintry windswept Week 14. Despite the VAFA's regrading of the Thirds earlier in the year, a move made not least to reduce the instance of forfeits, two of our first-placed teams were notified late that their Week 14 opposition couldn't get the required numbers.
The Bloods had seized the initiative in their earlier contest at Toorak Park, but there was none of this today as the Claret and Stout drowned third-placed Old Haileybury, beating them by 86 points at Princes Park.
The visitors set up their win with an outstanding first term, when midfielders Alec Spralja and Marcus Stavrou led a marauding midfield forward on countless occasions. Sam Hansen, Ben Bilston-McGillen were also prominent ball-movers early.
At five minutes, a nice chain of handballs ended with Bobby Knott, who snapped truly for Xavs’ first. It was rinse and repeat a couple of minutes later and the X-Men led by 13 points. Wade Brusnahan kicked a set shot home at 12 minutes. Two minutes later, Haileybury went forward, but the Xavs defence worked it forward.The chain ended with a hanger from Charlie MacIsaac, who went back and kicked over the umpire’s hat. A minute later, King Charlie, in the long sleeves to celebrate his 100th, snapped a sharp one. The Xavs were 33 up with half the first quarter still to play. Brusnahan doubled up with a snap from a stoppage and the margin pushed out to 40. The versatile Hayden Woodhouse marked strongly and added another six-pointer at 26 minutes. Right on siren time, Jack Boyd took a strong mark and split the centre. The teams went to the huddle 53 points apart.
Of course,the Bloods were not going to surrender without a fight, and it was they who would enjoy the breeze at their backs next. But it was Xavs who opened the scoring in the second stanza, when Charlie Westcott read a handpass, intercepted, and kicked a long goal. Six minutes in, the home team finally got on the board, but at nine minutes, Boyd got his second with a snap after some hard-running and special work from the Xavs midfielders Tex Wanganeen and Billston-McGillen.
The Bloods got their second after some wasteful short passing and over-confidence seemed the visitors’ biggest obstacle. Charlie Mac flew with the birds again, marked in spectacular fashion and landed awkwardly. His missed shot was the least of concerns. But the machine rolled on. Spralja gathered his own tap and found Brusnahan, who turned, and eschewing his third attempt, found Knott, who kicked this third. Haileybury kicked its third from a concentration lapse and the resulting downfield free kick. But that was it. The Bloods had used the wind and pulled no closer.
It took ten minutes in the third to get the board ticking again. Wanganeen read the flight of a forward entry and snapped a long one. Xavs threatened regularly, but Haileybury held fast. It was the Bloods who capitalised on a defensive error to score their fourth goal at 18 minutes. Woodhouse copped a high one and sneaked it through as they ticked into time-on. Stirling Phipps-Parsons split the centre after another nice pass from Spralja. Knott took a strong mark from the restart and Bilston-McGillen booted straight. Knott booted his fourth from a tight angleand the X-Men led by 78 at the lemons.
Xavs scored their first early in the final term after they threw quick handballs around in a tight space until Campbell Lane had time to have a ping. He shot truly. The Bloods got one back, but Knott held off his opponent to mark and slam home his fifth.
Haileybury pulled a couple of goals closer before Xavs went forward a couple of times without joy. Then into time-on, Knott marked strongly and belted home his sixth from a tight angle. Brusnahan added another via set shot, his third for the day and that was that.
Old Haileybury had entered the game without their two leading goalkickers and their leading ruckman. Their season performance thus far indicates they were well down from their best. That said, this was a ruthless and brutal performance from the Old Xaverians, one of their best showings in a season where there have plenty of good ones.
Knott was outstanding. Unselfish almost to a fault, he slotted half a dozen himself today in a brilliant game. Again, the back six was tight when needed and rebounded superbly to provide plenty of opportunities up the ground. The midfield was ravenous for action and maintained that hunger all afternoon.
Next up for the Claret and Stout is Old Scotch, who will come to Toorak Park knowing the clash is their last shot at September. It would surpise if the Red 'n' Blacks aren't aware of their adversary's predicament.
BEST: Charlie Knott, Jack Whitehead, Alex Trigar, Jack O’Sullivan, Sam Hansen, Wade Brusnahan
GOALS: Charlie Knott 6, Wade Brusnahan 3, Jack Boyd 2, Charlie MacIsaac 2, Campbell Lane 1, Stirling Phipps-Parsons 1, Tex Wanganeen 1, Charlie Westcott 1
Old Brighton (95) beat reigning premier Old Scotch (60), and the Cards fell to fifth.
Collegians (59) fell to Uni Blacks (87) at Harry Trott, dropping the Lions down a peg and boosting the Blacks' faint finals chances.
St Kevin's (87) slipped into third spot when they crushed Uni Blues (35) under the spires. The Tricolours led by six goals at the long break and the rest was academic. Blues are in ninth spot, a half-game behind Collegians.
St Bernards (73) beat DLS (71) with a goal at 31 minutes, registering their first home win of the season. As it transpired, the Snow Dogs were the only home team to win.
Old Xaverians buried Old Haileybury with a 201 point win at Princes Park, with the result cementing each side's spots at opposite ends of the ladder.
Bailey Whelan, a late inclusion, was best afield, booting eight goals against a hapless Bloods backline. Oscar Duncan kicked five, a nice effort from a ruckman, while Ted Kennedy also found five of his own. Ben Andrews was back after a long spell, and acquitted himself well, as did all those wearing red and black.
Old Haileybury has rarely troubled opponents in the early contest, and they didn't tody. Their two points scored, however, would have won them the game at Lakeside, where Collegians failed to score against lowly Uni Blacks.
The X-Men look now to their clash next week wih Old Scotch, whom they have beaten in two successive grand finals.
BEST: Bailey Whelan, Makuc Mahommed, William Egan, Ben Andrews, Jeromy Lucas, Oscar Duncan
GOALS: Bailey Whelan 8, Oscar Duncan 5, Edward Kennedy 5, Dan Tuddenham 4, Matt Exell 2, Hayden Troiani 2, Liam Danielis-Morley 1, Charles Holmes 1, Jeromy Lucas 1, Ben Moyle 1, Charlie Whitehead 1
Despite a goal in the first, the short-handed WOX failed to hit the scoreboard again and went down to Old Melburnians by 84 points at Basil Reserve.
BEST: Alessandra Libertone, Mel Clarke, Hannah Ryan, Emily Callinan, Eliza Hynes, Amelie Menegola
GOAL: Cristina Sgarbossa
St Kevin's started well and turned a 36 point first quarter advantage into a 57 point victory at TH King.
BEST: Adam Rizzo, Xavier Austin, Henry Lasscock, William Allen, James Godde, Alby Hewitt
GOALS: Charlie Landrigan 2, Xavier Austin 1, Alby Hewitt 1, Patrick Kenny 1, Max King 1, Tom Scalzo 1
No joy for the U2s despite three gals from Nick Ross and a BOG effort from Will Gossan. Oakleigh set up their win early and finished the better to win by 59 points.
BEST: Will Gossan, Reuben Shale, Ethan Brown, Ned Rogers, Jeremy Dalton, Harrison Exell
GOALS: Nick Ross 3, Harrison Exell 1, Gus Levinge 1, Ned Rogers 1, Angus Salter 1, Jack Westmore 1
The Premier Thirds stayed two games clear when Uni Blues forfeited.
The Green Hose fell away after an even first quarter and fell to the third-placed Pitters by 57 points. The Repties have a bye next week before facing the rampaging AJAX in their final home and away encounter.
BEST: Joshua Nelson, William Bryce, Edward Ralph, Jack Lowe, Aaron Ivak, Matt Perrett
GOALS: William Bryce 1, Eythan Chiodo 1, Jack Lowe 1, Will MacIsaac 1, Matt Perrett 1, James Skene 1
The Ménages topped the second-placed Ts by 40 points, virtually securing their finals' spot and giving themselves an outside chance of finishing second. Rory Calvert was in the goals again, kicking six, while Xavier Romanin-Green led a cast of characters intent on getting their job done.
BEST: Xavier Romanin-Green, Will Mantesso, Rory Calvert, Xavier Penny, Will Honan, Tom Mantesso
GOALS: Rory Calvert 6, Will Mantesso 3, Sam Asdagi 2, Thomas Beaton 1, Will Honan 1, Daniel O'Loughlin 1, William Reed 1,
The magic of Francis O'Callaghan was on display again, as he bagged six and was best afield in the Xavs 1032 point victory over Uni Blacks. The Red 'n' Blacks had plenty of performer, thoroughly outclassing the Varsity and strengthening their chances of the minor premiership.
BEST: Francis O’Callaghan, Will Troy, Edward Logan, Oscar Smart, Luke McCarthy, Ned Lyons
GOALS: Francis O’Callaghan 6, Ned Lyons 2, Luke McCarthy 2, Matthew Robinson 2, Oscar Smart 2, Will Troy 2, Connor Briscoe 1, Edward Logan 1, Jack Shirley
The T-Birds stayed two games clear with two to play when the Jackers forfeited the game.
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