April 2, 2026
WOX UP!
Premier B Women's fixture revealed
A Century of the Red & Black
Some big wins, some close wins and losses, and a couple of ordinary results greeted our teams as they went back to work for season 2026.
Eight years ago, Campbell Lane played at TH King againstthese St Kevin’s and the X-Men rolled away to a six-goal lead at the lemons. Half an hour later, the Red ‘n’ Blacks were disconsolate 11-point losers.
This scribe doesn’t know if Lane remembers that contest, but today he played like he did, undisputed best man on the ground, as he was on that day in 2017.
The blond skipper led his charges to a brave 29 point Opening Day victory to reveal some great possibilities. It was the Old Xaverians' third win under the wires in eight tries, the last being in 2021, an abandoned season where the Xavs were the best team in the comp. Prior to that, they beat the Kevs there in 2016, with the Red ‘n’ Blacks on the September dais later that year.
These sound like happy omens, but we should restrict ourselves to what we saw today, and nearly all of it was promising, apart from a few too many wasted balls on the far side. But that is just trying too hard to find a negative.
Undermanned but never underprepared, the Xavs opened the first term with gusto. Charlie MacIsaac marked well and booted a couple early, with Wade ‘The Celebrant’ Brusnahan adding the other when he threaded the needle from a set shot.
Their work at the clearances and their ferocious tackling looked like it would deliver a handy quarter time lead, but the Kevins hit back late in the term. Despite massive deficits in possessions and field position, the home team trailed by less than a goal at the first change.
The second term scoring began with a crunching tackle from StirlingPhipps-Parsons, who slipped it through, but for nearly ten minutes, the game was largely played between the arcs. The pressure was increasing, and the temperatures were rising.
Kevin’s turned it over from a kick-in and Sam Ralph dobbed it from 30 to send the visitors out to a 16 point lead with 17 minutes gone. Tommy McCrae goaled from a clearance, and it was 44-22 as they entered time-on. A minute later, Ted Kennedy entered the chamber and slotted his first. At 32 minutes, the half time siren sounded with the Xaverians 26 points to the good.
Xavs tackling and pressure across the park had been outstanding, with Sammy Hansen, Phipps-Parsons and Charlie Wescott featuring in plenty of contests. None, however, was more influential than the skipper Campbell Lane, with his gut running and strong voice.
The Kevins began the second half with purpose, but blew anopportunity in the first minute with some fumbling, and then failed to capitalise on a Xavs’ defensive error. The big crowd was buzzing, perhaps in expectation of a home team comeback. But it was the visiting coin-tosser Lane who slotted a beauty from the tightest of angles at 5 minutes.
The X-Men had scored five goals without response due to some impressive work. At the back, Jack Whitehead, Alex Trigar and Tommy Dunne were impassable and Kye Walford was adjusting easily to the pace of the game. At 17 minutes, some slick ball work saw MacIsaac mark and score his third. Xavs by 39. SKOB wasted another shot but at 24 minutes, they streamed through the centre and landed their first goal in an hour’s play. Xavs cleared from the centre and Lane went short and the Celebrant booted his second. The home team dashed forward and a puzzling free kick saw them pull a goal back. It was a 30-point difference at the lemons.
Realising there weren’t too many throws of the dice left, the Glendloughians went tall in the forward line. They scored a point and attacked again for a goal, but at 7 minutes, Nick Guiney won a footrace and snapped it home for the Xavs. He did it again at 12 minutes, after a great pass from Westcott on the run. The X-Men by 35. At 19 minutes, another St Kevin’s goal brought just a murmur from the home fans. Lane missed from the boundary line and SKOB ran it down for their 8th goal after a free kick. In the end, after some errant efforts at each end, Walford employed the barrel that he had used in recent years in Beaumont, Texas, and found a leading Ted Kennedy. The Senator goaled from 40 after the bell to end the action.
The Red ‘n’ Blacks hierarchy must have liked what they saw. Debutants Alwyn Davey and Kye Walford both had big moments, and second-gamer Ted Kennedy did not look out of place. Oscar Duncan was superb in the ruck, and Jack Whitehead added another big notch to his belt. Campbell Lane’s work rate was, as usual, extraordinary, and he will be equal leader in the Woodrow Medal if there is any justice.
Next week, Old Trinity comes to Toorak Park and the Old Xaverians, though they won’t be yet at full-strength, have the opportunity to add to their resumé.
NB: QT scores as submitted to VAFA website are not correct.
Old Brighton (133) raised their flag and proceeded to demolish St Bernard's (44), with Archi Manton slotting six for the Tonners. At Uni Oval, Blues (119) kicked ten straight in the first half to belt Old Trinity (69), with twin towers Sam Grimley and James Stewart booting six apiece. Old Scotch (99) shook off a determined Caulfield (80) at Camberwell. At Parc des Princes, Old Haileybury (91) erased a 26 point lemon-time deficit to win by 15 points over Blacks (76).
Old Xaverians trailed narrowly at quarter time but found smooth waters thereafter to win their 2025 Grand Final rematch with St Kevin's. Dan Richardson's team was perhaps the youngest OX Reserves team in history, but presented as a very strong outfit. Will Bowen, playing his first game in four seasons, showed plenty on the ball, while Josh Cumberlidge did likewise, carrying last season's great form into the new season.
Parkside pipped the WOX by two points at Pitcher Park in their season opener, but it was the Red 'n' Blacks' final term which will have attracted the notice. Behind by 16 points at the lemons, they doubled their score in the final term to very nearly snatch a memorable win.
The WOX Twos won a low scoring contest with Aquinas at Manson Reserve. The early start was perhaps not conducive to high scoring, though the visitors did enough to get the points. The Wapshott sisters were high in the best. Playing her first game for the club, Molly Blood impressed too.
A pacy De La Salle won by 34 points at Dairy Bell after the X-Men had gone with the Blue and Golds until quarter time. The Bellers did the damage in the second and final terms, but despite the result, there were some encouraging performances from the vanquished.
An impressive first term set up the victory at Gillon Oval over Brunswick, with Jimmy O'Brien booting six on debut. The Red 'n' Blacks never allowed the Wickers back into the game and won by 41 points.
The Crocodiles mounted a massive first week score, with plenty of players among the goals. Sam Turner was named best on his return to the club, while Jonty Wiseman, on debut, was one of three players to kick five or more.
The 23s launched their season in Div 1 Thirds with a narrow win over St Kevin's. In a game that was close all day, the X-Men survived a final term shoot-out with the Glendaloughians to take the points.
De La Salle proved too strong for the Ménages, increasing their lead as the day wore on. It was an inauspicious beginning from Will Honan's team, but improvement seems assured.
The Xavs pulled off a strong win at the Snakepit to begin their season in fine fashion.
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