July 5, 2026
R11 THIRDS: DERBY DAY
Five games remain ...
A Century of the Red & Black
A solid day for the Red 'n Blacks ...
The Red ‘n’ Blacks went to 10-1 with a resounding win over Caulfield Grammarians at Glen Huntly Park. Under grey skies and on muddy turf, the league leaders established a strong half-time lead, which they held the rest of the way.
Xavs attacked constantly for the first ten minutes but could not kick a goal and it was the Fields who scored the first goal after a clean passage through the corridor. Finally, at 19 minutes, Bobby Knott made no mistake to give the visitors a narrow lead.
Caulfield threatened on several occasions but couldn’t kick another, and the X-Men went forward. Ed Delany took a nice mark and shanked it through. He wasn’t done, either. At 27 minutes he took another exceptional mark, leaping against the flight and snatching it from waiting hands. At quarter time, Xavs led by eight points, with conversion seemingly the major problem.
In the opening minute, Will MacIsaac marked on the paint and slammed home his second. Delany marked the cross from C MacIsaac and dobbed it though at eight minutes. The visitors attacked again but drew only single flags on a couple of occasions. At 18 minutes, Willy Mac took a strong mark and slotted again. At 22 minutes, Wade Brusnahan split the middle with a tidy snap. Down they came from the restart, and the Celebrant kicked his second in a minute. Xavs went to the sheds 39 points up.
Three minutes after the break, Caulfield took the corridor and pulled back a goal. A minute later, a Xavs’ error gifted the home team another and the margin was into 27. At ten minutes, Caulfield struck again, and their willingness to take the quick way home was paying dividends. Thirteen gone, and just 20 points the difference. Charlie Westcott and Knott both goaled in a minute with some slick clearance work from Marcus Stavrou to blow it back out. At 24 minutes, Julian Gangi kicked truly but the Hoops came right out of the middle and replied. The clouds were darkening when W MacIsaac marked strongly and kicked truly as they neared 30 minutes. At the lemons, the Claret and Stout led by 34 points.
The final quarter began with a 50-metre penalty to the Fields, but the shot from 15 metres was smothered by the man on the mark. Delany took another special but turned it over, but the X-Men came again and King Charlie marked and kicked his first from distance.
Stavrou turned it on in at the restart, getting the hard ball, and hitting W Mac on the lead, but his shot just missed. The Double Woodrow had been a clear BOG since half-time. Knott goaled from a tight angle at 8 minutes. Brusnahan did well from the restart, finding Tex Wanganeen, who chipped to the leading Delany. Another goal to the big fellow, whose last month has been consistent and exceptional. The Fields got one back at 12 minutes, and another as they hit time-on. Xavs looked to be paddling a bit, but Sam Fisher launched one on the run after a Stavrou handball. A few more surges forward ended falling wide and time expired with the Red ‘n’ Blacks 50 points to the good.
Jack Whitehead played his 100th in his usual no-nonsense style, punching, rebounding and shurring down the Caulfield avenues to goal, while Will Goss racked up disposals galore and offered plenty with his penetrative kicking.
Uni Blues (45) topped Trinity (25) in a low scoring affair at the soggy Daley Oval. In a tight one under the soires, Old Brighton (64) got up to beat Blacks (61). Old Scotch (119) did for Haileybury (77) and Kevins (101)
Ted Kennedy booted seven in a BOG performance as the Red 'n' Blacks crushed Caulfield Grammarians in the dewkicker at the Heath.
The Senator has plenty of mates who found the sticks. Kye Walford slipped through four and Monkey Exell three as the visitors enjoyed their morning with a 105 point victory.
Caulfield scored at least a goal in every quarter, but fell further behind as the Xaverians tuned their engines for the rerurn clash with Uni Blues in a fornight's time.
The WOX go to the break in third place after their big win at Doncaster today. The Xaverians had a strong first term, but their second was a real delight. Annabelle Gangi is becoming a reliable goalkicker, and is part of the AAA battery (with Amelia Mauri and Alessandra Libertone) that kicked eight goals between them.
The WOX Twos continuing battle with availability is threatening to derail their very promising season, as evidenced by their loss today.
Big V U19 squad member Sam Niklaus cemented his spot in next week's Rep game with a stunning performance at Glen Huntly today. The Warrnambool native who captained the Xavier First XVIII last year cut the Fieldsmen to ribbons with his marking, run and excellent disposal, bringing his teammates into the game and perplexing the opposition with his silky skills.
Niklaus was backed by plenty of solid performers who did the hard yeards early and establish an unassailable lead in quick time. Harvey Shepherd kicked three goals in the first term as the Red 'n' Blacks raced away to a 44 point lead at the first change. By the half, the visitors had swelled that to 67 points, with Ryder Daffy and Charlie Landrigan already with braces and several other having hit the scoreboard.
Xavs wasted some opportunities in the third stanza but still kicked the margin out to 84 points at the lemons, and then swooped late to finish 107 points in front. Chopper Handley's team bolted into third spot with the big win, which was undoubtedly their best performance of the year.
