August 8, 2026
R15 VILLAGE REPORT
Party time for some!
A Century of the Red & Black
Mixed bag for WOX, 19s, but Ones and Twos get it done well.
Uni Blacks fell hard to Old Xaverians under the spires for the third time in a row in a wind-affected game that rarely reached dizzying heights. The visitors weren't always pretty, but were, for the most part, pretty effective, as they booted their highest score since Round 6.
Bobby Knott goaled in the first minute to cap Xavs first forward drive, but the home team won the restart and they'd evened it up at two minutes. Xavs had plenty of the ball for the next few minutes, but poor choices and poorer disposal gave Blacks plenty of chances, which in the main, they wasted.
Wade Brusnahan found himself at the end of the chain and pumped it through. A clearance from the back and run through the middle saw Ollie Sestan goal at 14 minutes. Blacks replied after a short-pass turnover (not Xavs' first and not their last on the day). Julian Gangi kicked truly at 18 minutes after Blacks coughed it up in the middle of the park. Long-time-ago forward Tommy Hart marked, was impeded, and hammered home Xavs' fifth at 22 minutes. A minute later, Knott intercepted again and Blacks were caught short as the X-Men worked it forward to Delany in the goalsquare for their sixth. Blacks blew a couple of close shots and Xavs went to the first turn with a lead of 23 points. Jed Feneley, back after a long time out for his first senior game this season, showed plenty in the opening stanza, and Sam Niklaus looked more a hundred game veteran than an under-age first-gamer.
The Phoenix kicked the first of the second stanza from short range at four minutes, and the teams traded points from set shots. Blacks missed again but at 12 minutes, Charlie MacIsaac slipped it through on the run, measuring the breeze beautifully after the X-Men had raced it through the corridor. Sam Hansen hit the post, but Blacks couldn't clear. Marcus Stavrou snatched it, handballed to Hayden Woodhouse, who clipped it through with consummate ease to put the visitors five goals clear. Blacks responded at 18 minutes, but Feneley, who had spent some time off-the field, took a lovely intercept mark. The X-Men worked it forward, but missed, and the game had become a scrap they entered time-on. At the long break, four goals separated them on the scoreboard, with the X-Men having more than their share of the Sherrin.
Campbell Lane booted the first of the third term at two minutes after Xavs pushed it forward with strength. At ten minutes, Sestan kicked his second after marking a long kick from Niklaus. At fourteen minutes, strength in numbers prevented any advance by the home team. The Red 'n Blacks ran forward and Lane landed another. At 17 minutes, Blacks scored their first goal in half-an-hour, but Ed Delany smashed it forward and Gangi scored another. The livewire Sestan found MacIsaac, who kicked his second to blow the margin to 50 points at 22 minutes. The home team pulled the margin in to 44, but Delany took two grabs inside a minute, but missed both shots. Blacks cut their way down the park but the final kick went wide. Xavs ran it down the outer wing for the 107th time but another chance went begging. At the lemons, 47 points split them.
Xavs went forward again several times early in the final term, but although on top all over the ground, rarely used the corridor, taking low percentage shots that didn't get the job done. It was difficult enough kicking straight with no angle, but almost imossible from the pockets. Finally, at 13 minutes, Xavs straightened up as Lane marked on his chest and drew twin calicos from 40 metres with a scything drop punt. MacIsaac kicked his third from the arc and the X-Men passed the ton. At 23 minutes, MacIsaac goaled again as the X-Men took another run through the corridor, with Sam Fisher barging his way forward and distributing the cherry on a couple of occasions. The visitors pushed forward again and Delany was infringed. He goaled at 25 minutes. The siren ended it all with the Road Warriors up by 67 points, but with another two to add to their injury list.
Marcus Stavrou was at his exuberant best, driving the Red 'n' Blacks forward regularly, and his co-captain Campbell Lane featured in many of the lengthy chains that saw defence turn to attack. Jed Feneley looked sharp in a defence that coped with a Blacks' forward line that received little assistance from poor disposal upfield.
Uni Blues (115) finished strongly to beat Old Brighton (83). Old Trinity (88) eased relegation fears when they topped Old Scotch (82) at Camberwell. St Kevin's (128) beat Old Haileybury (80) after trailing early. St Bernards (103) beat Caufield Grammarians (84) after booting the last four goals of the game. Uni Blacks' big loss has left them in a precarious position on 20 points. They do have a percentage advantage, but their last three games are @ Trinity, @ Scotch and v Haileybury. The Bloods also have 20 points and their schedule sees them @ Brighton, v Old Xavs and @ Blacks. Bernies, hoping to catch both of these teams is @ Blues, v Brighton, v Trinity.
Depending on how those teams fare, Caulfield (v Scotch, @ Blues, v Brighton) and Trinity (v Blacks, v Kevs, @ Bernies), both on 22 points, might need another win to guarantee their Premier spot.
To add some extra spice, the final two rounds of the season will likely see an influx of players from VFL teams.
Old Xaverians moved away from third-placed Uni Blacks to register a solid victory in their R15 clash. Ben Andrews, who had frustrations with injury earlier in the year , is stringing things together at the right time. He starred today. Tex Wanganeen again impressed in the middle of the park, along with Hugh Basset, while Darcy Feutrill was hard at it and rarely beaten.
Red 'n' Blacks got stuck into their task and increased their lead at every change. Will MacIsaac booted another four and Oscar Duncan three as Blacks never recovered after their slow start. The X-Men clinched the double chance and will probably lock in top spot with a win next week.
Old Xaverians beat Williamstown CYMS by three points to satisfy the first half of the equation. Hannah Deane was again the star of the show, aided by Poppy Lawrance and Anabelle Gangi in a tight contest.
Now for the second part ... despite the loss, Willy is fourth and shades Xavs (fifth) on percentage by around 1.77 per cent. In next week's final round, each plays a team in the bottom two. The project for the Red 'n' Blacks is to win, and to win by a few more goals than Willy does. The X-Gals seem to have the better end of the deal, as they meet Glen Eira/McKinnon, who fell yesterday to Old Yarra Cobras, Willy's opponent next week. The Cobs also knocked over OMs in the previous week.
The bound-for-finals WOX Twos fell to ninth-placed North Brunswick in a shock result. The Red 'n' blacks had a full complemet, but couldn't kick a goal aginst the Bulls.
Emma Sheedy was best for the WOX, who now move on to meet Brunswick before their knock-out final, most likely against Wattle Park.
Old Xavs took another step towards securing second spot with a win over Scotch. The result seemed in little doubt at the first change and the x-Men did enough into the breeze to ensure they held a strong advantage at the half. By the lemons, it was over. The Cards had the better of the final term, but again, the Rd'n' blacks did eough to take the chocolates.
Next week, a trip to BBO to take on the top-ranked Old Brighton. A win would likely secure a 2nd semi aainst those same Tonners.
A strong first quarter by Old Camberwell set up their victory over Old Xavs. In the second and third terms, the Red 'n Blacks fought back and trailed by just 114 points at the lemons. Given their effort in the second term with the wind, they were in with a solid chance, but the Wellers finished strongly to take the points.
With just two games remaining, finals are now out of reach, but there remains an opportunity to finish their season well aginst Kew and Collegians.
Scores and Details
