Old Xaverians claimed their 18th Reserves and the club's 93rd premiership when they rolled over St Kevin's by eight goals at Elsternwick Park yesterday. The flag is the Reserves' fourth in as many years, and five in a row if the pre-COVID triumph is added. Dan Richardson's team opened the scoring after 54 seconds when Hugh Basset kicked drew twin calicos after a goalmouth scramble and despite a few anxious momemts in the third term, never looked to be in trouble.

This Grand Final was the swansong for two much-loved players, and their teammates were delighted to send them out with a premiership medal.

Hayden Troiani played 139 games and booted 106 goals since coming to the Old Xavs in 2015, when he began with the U19 Twos. A few seasons back, the speedster had the title of 'Butcher' bestowed upon him by former centre square colleague and Woodrow Medal runner-up Cauley Beetham, who had himself earned that moniker. On Thursday night, 'Dos' handed over the big knife to Charlie Holmes. Troiani watch Holmes slot a tidy last quarter goal, but when he had his own chance on the last kick of the day, he produced a knuckleball that had the goal umpire running full tilt to his left.

Julian Soccio bows out after 61 games and 63 goals over 5 seasons since coming to the Old Xavs after a long career in the VFL and other suburban leagues. He landed a long goal on the run in the last, and with his final kick, hit skipper Ben Scala with a bullet. Scala paid him back by floating it through the tall uprights from an angle.

Troiani and Soccio played some great games for the Red 'n' Blacks and they will long be remembered as significant contributors and more importantly, as gentlemen and role models for their younger teammates.

Ben Scala, of course, has become an annual grand final story. His path began with his twin premierships in the U19s in 2017-18, and then another flag with the U23s. Post-COVID, he has now landed four premiership medals in the Twos. Seven seasons, seven premierships, perhaps matched or bettered only by a small number of players who wore the lime hose of the Crocodiles in their extraordinary run of eight flags between 1997 and 2004. Certainly, this seven straight is unmatched by a player in his first seven seaons. Scala was his typically modest self after the game, attributing his success to his teammates, but also adding that he'd never played in a losing final.

Scala has become a fine captain, and pre-game addressed his team. He stressed that the team, with an 18-1 season record, had a responsibility to the club to finish the season on a high after last week's loss by the Seniors. That defeat had hit the club very hard, but the win by Dan Richardson's team lifted hearts again and there was optimism voiced about next year.

And why not? With premierships in the Thirds and now another by the Reserves, the club has many very good players who could do very well at a senior level. The calibte of the players left out of yesterday's team is solid evidence of that.

After Scala won the toss and scored a goal in the first minute, the Red 'n' Blacks attacked with venom. They dominated all over the ground. The defence turned in a clean sheet in the first quarter, but some questioned whether the breeze should have delivered more than 4.5 for the stanza. As it transpired, Xavs, like the Kevin's, failed to score at all in the second term. To their horror, the Tricolurs could manage just three behinds in their turn to the scoreboard end. The defence of the X-Men remained tight as a drum.

As has happened so many times, the Senator entered the chamber. Early in the third term, Ted Kennedy won two strong marking contests and slotted both. The crowd didn't need to look at the ball, as the big forward was celebrating as soon as the ball left his powerful left shoe. A few minutes later, he gifted another goal to a teammate. It was a dazzling cameo, and when the X-Men added their fourth for the term, it seemed a matter of how far. Then, suddenly, the Kevin's took over, scoring three goals in as many minutes into the breeze. Big 'Sugar' Brown bombed a long one at 21 minutes to restore the sanity.

The X-Men added five more goals in a final term celebration. Julian Gangi won the medal for BOG, Dan Richardson and Ben Scala hoisted the cup, and it was all over bar the shouting. And there was plenty of that to come.

BEST: All played well

GOALS: Jack Boyd 2, Ted Kennedy 2, Julian Soccio 2, Nicholas Brown 1, Julian Gangi 1, Charles Holmes 1, Jeromy Lucas 1, Ben Moyle 1, Ben Scala 1, Dan Tuddenham 1, Hugh Basset 1