May 24, 2025
XAVS RETAIN CARMODY CUP
Round 7 Report
A Century of the Red & Black
Seven Xaverian teams found themselves in the winners' circle in Week 8. As the VAFA embraces the tradition of the King's Birthday bye, the scene is set for an engaging and intriguing battle the rest of the way.
Old Xaverians scored a big win at Toorak Park when it demolished Collegians in their R8 clash. In fine and calm conditions, the home team outclassed a shorthanded Lions team that never gave up, but also never quite got itself into the contest.
The X-Men began well, and had eleven shots at the sticks before the Lakers scored just before time expired in the first term. The quarter yielded the home team 5.5, perhaps not enough given their dominance. That changed in the second term, with the Purples outscoring Xavs, though never threatening to climb back into the contest.
This scribe was not privy to coach Donati's half-time words of encouragement, but they had immediate effect. The first nine minutes of the third term saw the X-Men kick 4.2. During that tme, Collegians were completely blanketed and hardly touched the ball. The clearance work in the middle from the Claret and Stout was ruthless. The half-time lead had doubled before the Lions moved foward and kicked a goal. C. MacIsaac booted two late goals, giving him four for the quarter, and such was his omnipresence and control that we thought King Charlie's birthday had come a week early.
The last term was uneventful by comparison, but a 66 point victory was a fair result for a solid afternoon's work. There were plenty worthy of the home fans' praise. The on-ball division was outrageously good at times with Alec Spralja feeding Marcus Stavrou, Sam Fisher and others who drifted through the middle including Symeopoulos, Guiney, and Phipps-Parsons. Defenders Feneley and Trigar were up to the challenge of caging the beasts when they attacked. Wade Brusnahan showed plenty of polish in terms of ball distribution and goalshooting. Co-captain Campbell "Bronco" Lane continues to tear up and down the Toorak plain, providing plenty of drive. Charlie Westcott had some deft touches whether playing in front of or behind the ball.
The week off will be welcomed. With the X-Men to face De La, St Kevin's (h), Uni Blacks and St Bernard's (h) in the month prior to the next break, Dan Donati's team has the opportunity to lay some cement on the solid foundations created so far this year.
BEST: Marcus Stavrou, Alec Spralja, Charlie MacIsaac, Campbell Lane, Jed Feneley, Alex Trigar
GOALS: Charlie MacIsaac 5, Wade Brusnahan 3, Samuel Fisher 1, Charlie Knott 1, Campbell Lane 1, Jack O’Sullivan 1, Alec Spralja 1, Charlie Westcott 1, Hayden Woodhouse 1
What a round it proved to be. Uni Blacks (80) pipped St Kevin's (74) under the spires when 'Nix veteran Joel Ernest smarked strongly and goaled from 45 metres with the final kick of the game. Kevs had been cruising with a 19-point lead at the 25 minute mark of the last. James Tarrant fired Old Scotch (103) to a win over Uni Blues (81) at Camberwell. The visitors had led by 16 points at eight minutes, but then the Cardinals swooped. Old Haileybury (93) led all day and looked untroubled until the last term when St Bernard's (81) came home hard. Old Brighton (127) clubbed De La Salle (41) after an even first term.
The undefeated Tonners lead by two games from Old Xavs and Old Haileybury. Two games behind them are four teams, apparently fighting over one spot. De La Salle needs some wins to give itself a chance of surviving, while it appears at this early juncture that both Collegians or Uni Blues also have some work to do to climb out of trouble.
The Magoos’ contest with the Lions began twenty minutes late due to prior activities on the field.
Given the reigning premier and current table-topper
Old Xaverians has proved many times that fast starts aren’t always their thing, there was some irony in the tardy commencement given Collegians’ opening. The visitors had three goals on the board and led 20-4 early in the first.
It was then the Red ‘n Blacks hung out their shingle, which should warn opposing teams that resistance is useless. By quarter time, the X-Men led 29-20. Eleven minutes into the second, it was 49-20. Collegians finally replied, but by half-time, the home team was seven goals ahead, and, ifr ecent history is any guide, with their best yet to come.
By the lemons, the margin was 11 goals, with the Purples only landing a solitary behind in the third term. But even that was better than they did in the last, when they didn’t draw a single calico. By contrast, the Claret and Stout came home with a stout 10.6, courtesy of chiefly Ed ‘Deluge’ Delany, whose four goals in the final stanza gave him nine for the game.
The 135-point win was forged by a dozen different goalscorers. Makuc Mahommed was judged best, but plenty showed up in this massive victory, indicating that there is plenty more to come from Dan Richardson's team.
BEST: Makuc Mahommed, Ed Delany, Hugh Basset, Oscar Duncan, Sam Hansen, Hayden Troiani
GOALS: Ed Delany 9, Oscar Duncan 3,Josh Cumberlidge 2, Jeromy Lucas 2, Makuc Mahommed 2, Nicholas Brown 1, Matt Exell 1, Julian Gangi 1, Edward Kennedy 1, Ben Moyle 1, Hayden Troiani 1, Charlie Whitehead 1
Goalkicking again eleuded the Red 'n' Blacks as they fell to Port Melbourne Chargers at Elwood. The WOX had a solid third quarter, applying the breaks on the Borough, but could not score a major until the final stanza. Eliza Hynes and Melissa Poulton were the pick of the crew, while Emily Callinan also continued her good form.
BEST: Eliza Hynes, Melissa Poulton, Emily Callinan, Kasey Jobling, Emma Sheedy, Julia McLean
GOAL: Julia McLean
It is fair to say that after eight rounds, Old Brighton is a contender for the premiership. Old Xaverians, the best U19 outfit over a decade, is not, mainly due to injuries which have crippled the team's progress.
The Tonners won their contest at BBO despite the dolif fight that came from Matthew Handley's young charges. The Xavs were in it at half-time, but fell behind in the second half and never got back into it.
BEST:
GOALS:
Old Xavs failed to capitalise on their great start and fell to Old Ivanhoe by 57 points. The Red 'n' Blacks failed to score a second term goal, and while they improved agin in the third, they fell apart in the last term, conceding six goals to a strong Hoes team.
BEST: Jeremy Dalton, Marco Baggio, Dante Scalisi, Will Maxa, Joe Lee-Conway, Max Brancatisano
GOALS:
The Premier Thirds ran all over St Kevin's at TH KIng, winning by 56 points in their R8 encounter. The Red 'n' Blacks won every quarter, with ten Xavs hitting the scoreboard. Jack Hansen was best, while Will MacIsaac chimed in with three slots.
BEST: Jack Hansen, Charlie Bourne, Will Sheedy, Will Stevens, Atticus Scally, Dan McCarthy
GOALS: Will MacIsaac 3, Tom Davine 2, Sam Purcell 2, Will Stevens 2, Sam Asdagi 1, Tom Bourne 1, Tom Curtain 1, William Exell 1, Atticus Scally 1, Will Sheedy 1
The Green Hose thumped Fitzroy by 69 points for another important victory. Adam MacIsaac booted five in what was a great scoring day for the family, as the Crocs bundled up the Roys early and never let them go apart from a brief escape in the third stanza.
BEST: William Bryce, Tiernan O'Brien, Adam MacIsaac, Eythan Chiodo, Edward Ralph, Michael Speakman
GOALS: Adam MacIsaac 5, Josh Lyon 3, Nicholas McGrath 2, Tiernan O'Brien 2, Nicholas Harries 1, Jack Lowe 1, Matt Perrett 1, Sean Stanley 1, Samuel Stynes 1
The Menages beat De La Salle by 38 points in their R8 clash. Josh 'Tooka' Hanger played his 250th for the club and was adjudged best afield. His five goals took him to 297 career slots. Rory Calvert and James Forrest added three apiece in the important victory.
BEST: Joshua Hanger, Kieran Ellis, Rory Calvert, Edison Ponari, Nick Nunan, Xavier Romanin-Green
GOALS: Josh Hanger 5, Rory Calvert 3, James Forrest 3, Wil Honan 1, Harry McCarthy 1
Paul Connors' and Andrew McLaughlin's boys made light work of Old Brighton, beating the Tonners by 62 points. Xavs jumped away early and the Beach Boys never recovered. Harry McAuliffe was the star with four goals and the mercurial Frankie O'Callaghan had three.
BEST: Harry McAuliffe, Connor Briscoe, Aaron Ivak, Oscar Smart, Stefan Stangherlin, Joshua Camilleri
GOALS: Harry McAuliffe 4, Francis O’Callaghan 3, Oliver Sheehan 2, Jack Shirley 2, Thomas Wood 2, Connor Briscoe 1, Eddie Paul 1, Stefan Stangherlin 1, Will Troy 1
Matt Tyrrell's T-Birds beat Old Geelong by 33 points in their R8 clash, and sees the Red 'n' Blacks in first, and clear by three games as they go to the bye.
BEST: Luke Fares, Will Beattie, James McCarthy, Jack Knaap, Connor Spears, Harry West
GOALS: Connor Spears 4, James McCarthy 2, Conor O'Brien 2, Harry West 2, Ethan Browne 1, Jackson Gomezel 1, Benjamin Sherman 1
