May 3, 2025
BIG DAY OUT
Nine solid wins
A Century of the Red & Black
There were some fixture changes and regradings this past week, with the sad result being that the Thirds and Crocs are now in the same Premier Thirds section, while the Menages and U23s will now contest Thirds Division 1. The T-Birds, who had been in Thirds Division 5, are now in Thirds Division 2. The U19 Twos are now in U19 Div 2.
Old Xaverians beat St Bernard’s by 35 points at the Snakepit in an absorbing contest. The Red ‘n’ Blacks had a little more polish than the Snow Dogs, who fell out of the four. Despite three wins on the road from three tries, the Pups are winless at home.
Xavs attacked first but Bernards goaled at 2 minutes.The Red ‘n Blacks attacked for the next six minutes but it was Bernies who swept down again and nailed another goal at 9 minutes. Dan Tuddenham found himself involved in a chain of handballs as the X-Men surged forward at 13 minutes. His kick was true and registered the visitors’ first. But Bernies responded immediately with a long set shot that fell in for the home team’s third. As time-on approached, Julian Soccio goaled after a chain of possessions that had begun from a defensive grab by Alex Trigar. Hard running by the X-Men resulted in a Nick Guiney goal at 22 minutes that squared it up. Charlie MacIsaac marked in traffic and kicked truly.
At the first break, Xavs led by seven points. They had dominated possession and territory, but their disposal mistakes had retarded their progress. Bernards, as expected, were doing well in centre clearances, but the Red ‘n’ Blacks’ defenders looked assured.
The home team dominated the first seven minutes of the second term until Xavs went forward. A chain of handballs ended with a footpass to Ben Moyle on the fifty. A downfield infringement brought him to the goal line and the big fellow slammed it home. Xavs attacked again from the restart and Denis Symeopoulos snapped truly, but the Snow Dogs went forward and goaled.
Great work from Hayden Woodhouse prevented another certain six-pointer for the home team. At 19 minutes, Xavs by nine points, but the home team was looking dangerous. Xavs blew another chance and the Snow Dogs went forward to miss again, too. The Pitters goaled on the half-time siren after an appalling decision to award a 50-metre penalty on the visitors. The X-Men led by five points as they trudged to the sheds.
Four minutes in, Bernards squared it up at 41. At eight minutes, MacIsaac snapped truly. From the centre, Woodhouse found Soccio,who kicked his second and the Xavs went out by 16. A stunning save from Tommy Dunne drew sighs from the raucous home crowd. The teams traded behinds, and the siren went at 32 minutes with the visitors leading by 15 points after scoring the game’s last goal 22 minutes earlier. It wasn’t pretty, and it certainly wasn’t clean, but it was a ball game in the balance.
Bernies missed a sitter to begin the final stanza. Xavs went forward immediately and forced a ball-up inside their front arc. From the stoppage, Campbell Lane fed Tuddenham who snapped a beauty. The Snow Dogs missed again. Xavs went forward and missed too. Some magic from Marcus Stavrou in traffic gifted Tuddenham a chest mark on the fifty. He banged through his third and the X-Men were up by 26 at seven minutes. At ten minutes, the Dogs kicked just their second goal of the half. At 13 minutes, another goal to the home team brought them back to 14 points down. Sam Fisher missed, but Wade Brusnahan didn’t. Back to 21 points at 15 minutes. Soccio marked on fifty and passed to Knott, who was dumped after he marked unopposed. The Claret and Stout led by 27, a game-high at 19 minutes. At 32 minutes, Nick Guiney found MacIsaac, who goaled again to conclude proceedings.
It was a solid win, though the performance was not as tidy as it might have been. The back six was strong and the midfield provided plenty of drive. When the Xavs lift their disposal efficiency, big things can happen. The faithful will be hoping that happens next week, when undefeated Old Brighton come to Toorak Park. The Tonners have won their last three on Xavs’ home turf and will hit hard again knowing that the immediate prize for the winner is top spot.
BEST: AlexTrigar, Jack Whitehead, Charlie MacIsaac, Charlie Knott, Hayden Woodhouse,Campbell Lane
GOALS: Charlie MacIsaac 3, Dan Tuddenham 3, Julian Soccio 2 Wade Brusnahan 1 NickGuiney 1 Charlie Knott 1 Ben Moyle 1 Denis Symeopoulos 1
St Kevin’s (112) fought off a strong early challenge to smack Uni Blues (70) at TH King. At Parc des Princes, Old Haileybury (86) eventually shook off the first half challenge from De La Salle (59), and Collegians were too strong for the Blacks under the spires. Down at BBO, the Tonners (76), woefully inaccurate, clobbered Old Scotch (31), who fall to eighth.
After a wild wayward but winning performance in the wind last year, the Red ‘n’ Blacks straightened up and smashed the Snow Dogs at the Snakepit to stay unbeaten.
Xavs opened with the first two goals of the game, but then conceded five in a row to their hosts, who took over the game in the second half of the first stanza.
Chastened by that laxity and the 16 point deficit at the first break, the Claret and Stout lifted their work rate in the second, and midway through the term regained the lead. The Pitters weren’t done. They traded goals with the Xavs and kept it close until midway through the third, but then, as has happened so many times before in these past few seasons, the Red ‘n’ Blcks lowered the boom.
By the lemons, the Xavs led by 32, and halfway through the last, the margin was out to 49. Inaccuracy set in with the game in hand, and the reigning premiers settled for a 58 point victory.
Harrison Bell returned to the Twos lineup for his first game for the year. He had warmed up in the Thirds against these Snow Dogs at the Pit last week with eight goals, and managed seven today.
Charlie Westcott and Will Golds were electric across the ground, while Chrlie Whitehead was his reliable and trusty self.
Coach Dan Richardson would not be pleased with his team’s first term, but forgiving of the response.
BEST: Charlie Westcott, Will Golds, Harrison Bell, Charlie Whitehead, Daniel O'Loughlin, Jack Kennedy
GOALS: Harrison Bell 7, Will Golds 2, Charlie Westcott 2, Hugh Basset 1, Nicholas Brown 1, Josh Cumberlidge 1, Oscar Duncan 1, Edward Kennedy 1, Makuc Mahommed 1, Daniel O'Loughlin 1, Charlie Whitehead 1
After two successive victories, the WOX found scoring difficult against Old Melburnians. The Dark Blues scored goals in each quarter, and while the Red 'n' Blacks threatened at times, they never managed to apply the scoreboard presure they needed.
BEST: Mel Clarke, Melissa Poulton, Sarah Poulton, Chiara Chiarelli, India Harries, Olivia Benston
The U19s found little joy in their clash with old rival De La Salle, who increased their lead at every quarter. Coach Handley will be looking for answers and a big performance when his charges host Caulfield Grammarians ext week.
BEST: Will Gossan, Adam Rizzo, Harry Glass, Darcy Pelz, Ted Hansen, Ned Betts
GOALS: Darcy Pelz 2, Gerard Forrest 1, Alby Hewitt 1, Max Lightbody 1
The Red 'n' Blacks were no match for Collegians, falling to the third-placed Lakers by 74 points at Harry Trott. The Xavs lacked firepower but will be hoping for better next week when they meet mid-table Kew.
BEST: Francis Bailey, Patrick Kenny, William McNamara, William Allen, Matthew Sheehan, Angus Salter
GOALS: Angus Salter 2, Francis Bailey 1, Ethan Browne 1, Sebastian Dowling 1, Patrick Kenny 1
The Premier Thirds annihilated Old Scotch at Camberwell with a wire-to-wire win in R5. Atticus Scally booted three and was his team's best, while Tom Bourne led all goalkickers with four in another strong performance.
BEST: Atticus Scally, Tom Bourne, Nick Honeyman, Tom Mantesso, DanMcCarthy, Matt Exell
GOALS: Tom Bourne 4, Atticus Scally 3, Sam Asdagi 2, Nick Honeyman 2, Will MacIsaac 2, Connor Spears 2, Bailey Whelan 2, Oliver Britten-Jones 1, Tom Davine 1, Matt Exell 1
The Green Hose, promoted this week to Premier Thirds, fell to Uni Blues in an upset. Despite the efforts of Stinga Stanley and some solid efforts from some of his teammates, the Reptiles never hit full stride as the Varsity's big second term turned the game.
BEST: Sean Stanley, Joshua Nelson, Samuel Stynes, Charles Connors, Alex Eden Lachowicz, Patrick Costello
GOALS: Matt Perrett 2, Alistair Barr 1, Alex Eden Lachowicz 1, Adam MacIsaac 1, TiernanO'Brien 1
The Menages, now in Thirds Div 1, took down Williamstown by seven points. It was a top game, with the scores close all afternoon. Rory Calvert booted four for Will Honan's team, and was among the best with Ed Ponari and Murray Francis.
BEST: Edison Ponari, Murray Francis, Rory Calvert, William Reed, Xavier Romanin-Green, Nick Nunan
GOALS: Rory Calvert 4, William Reed 3, Joshua Hanger 2, Thomas Beaton 1, Murray Francis 1, Will Honan 1, Nate Kaige 1, Xavier Romanin-Green 1
Paul Connors' and Andrew McLaughlin's boys led at every change but couldn't hold on in the last, falling to St Kevin's by 17 points.
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