May 10, 2025
R5: FIVE BIG WINS
A mixed bag after comp re-structure
A Century of the Red & Black
The Xavs vaulted back into business today with a resounding 78 point victory over the hitherto unbeaten Cardinals at Scotch College.
The Red 'n' Blacks kicked into a light zephyr in the first and showed little awe for the league leader. A couple of early home goals brought some adjustments, and then the defence led by Damian Lynch, Mark Graham and Chris Santalucia shut down the highly reputed Scotch forwards.
By quarter-time, the Xavs looked ominous and by the half, four goals to the good and in cruise control.
Strange things are to be heard at football games. While Len Thompson, guest commentator on 96.5FM, was remarking how the Xavs had played soft, outside football for ten years and gotten away with it, there were some similar views being aired by the home team.
The visitors might merely have pointed to the scoreboard and then reminded their hosts of one day last September, when it all went wrong, so horribly wrong, for the Cardinals.
But no, the Xavs did better than that - they made them re-live that shellacking all over again with a withering second half that smashed Scotch to pieces.
Led by the debutant ruckster Lucas Harry and a running, desperate midfield featuring the back-to-his-brilliant-best Tim Ockleshaw, the visitors peppered the forward line relentlessly, with James McDonnell, Tim Clarke and Matt Handley grateful for the opportunities.
It was the best performance of the season to date, and against an opponent that has designs on a September commitment. Then again, seven teams can consider that goal a possibility, with their fates to be decided in the weeks ahead in conditions likely less than the optimum that was available today.
OLD SCOTCH 4.2 6.4 8.4 9.7 (61)
OLD XAVERIANS 5.3 10.6 15.9 21.13 (139)
Goals: Handley 8 Clarke 3 Scanlan 2 McDonnell 2 Arnold 2 Chatfield Johnston Santalucia Howard.
Best: Ockleshaw Ruyg Santalucia Handley Chatfield Clarke.
U19
The Match of the Day at Premiership Park between the Arsenal of Theocracy and arch-foe Old Scotch produced a fitting conclusion to this rivalry round. The Xavs belted the Cardinals by 85 points and it would have been more had the game gone the full distance and the ground not cleared for an embarrassing afternoon contest.
This Under 19 team is playing fine football, a keen mixture of run, skills and desperation. They ask no quarter and they give none either. After asserting their influence early, they eased up a bit in the second, but then pulverised the red men in the second half.
Perhaps the most improved aspect of the U19s game is the way they have taken to singing the club song. Led by a couple of ugly old heads in the rooms yesterday, they were very loud and even sometimes in tune, as befits a chorus that usually follows such a fine flogging.
OLD XAVERIANS 21. 8. 134
OLD SCOTCH 7. 7. 49
Goals: R.Benson 4, L.Kelly 4, D.Bell 4, J.Mercuri 3,T.Dynon 2, A.Ross, A.Fazio, J.Cross, J.Glen
Best: N.Saunders, J.Mercuri, T.Dynon, D.Bell, A.Ross, J.Glen
2s
The top-of-the-table clash between last year's premier and the unbeaten Juniors at Camberwell promised much. The Xavs, weakened by injuries and unavailability, fought bravely all day. But for a period in the second quarter where Scotch attacked relentlessly , but failed to convert, the Red n' Blacks held their own.
Still, with just minutes to go, the X Men were 9 points down. Up stepped the mercurial Andy Ryan with a brilliant goal. Minutes later, it was Ryan again as he found John "Nails in the Coffin" Pasceri, who calmly slotted the match-winner from the arc.
OLD SCOTCH 1.5 6.13 8.15 10.17-77
OLD XAVERIANS 3.6 6.6 9.8 12.8-80
Goals: S. McCarthy 3, N. Moylan 2, J. Pasceri 2, S. Bridgland, L. Ginnivan, M. Labrooy, S. Skidmore, A. Ryan
Best: S. Skidmore, P. Ryan, L. Ginnivan, S. McCarthy, S. Doyle, M. O'Hanlon
3s
DE LA SALLE OC 4.1 8.5 11.8 14.9-93
OLD XAVERIANS 3.0 5.0 7.1 8.5-53
Goals: M. Altis 2, M. Higgins 2, R. Ford, D. King, P. Ockleshaw, G. Ireland
Best: J. Meade, J. Trewhella, R. Ford, P. Ockleshaw, P. Chapman, M. Roache
Crocs
OLD XAVERIANS 1.2 4.7 7.9 9.9-63
OLD SCOTCH 4.0 6.2 8.5 11.6-72
Goals: P. Hall 3, M. Davies 2, L. Hardwick, N. Silk, S. Hulett, C. Nolan
Best: A. Barrett, D. Rees, N. Silk, J. Hardwick, L. Hardwick, E. Nolan
In another disappointing performance, the Crocs were beaten by the old enemy in a close and quite uninspiring game at Righetti Oval. The competition this year is proving to be quite even and the team that doesn’t come to play is quite often beaten by the one that has. Coach Hall raised this during the week, but unfortunately it didn’t seem to sink in and the Crocs paid the price.
Andy Barrett and Spud Rees were outstanding all day and kept the Green Hose close enough to win, but they had few allies too few and the better team won the day. Now almost at the halfway of the Club 18 season, the Crocs slip from 1st to 3rd on the ladder and a meeting with Prahran (currently on top) after the break. A different attitude will be required then and for the second half of the season if the Diles plan on challenging for the flag again. The Crocs committee have the utmost confidence in their playing group and believe that with the right attitude, no team that can beat them.
Maulers (U19 2)
Another great performance by the Maulers, especially the nine-goals-to-nothing second quarter. Tommy Lee nailed another five in the big win.
KEW AFC 6.10-46
OLD XAVERIANS 16.15-111
Best: Chisholm, Myers, Meehan, Di Stefano, Kay, Torre
Goals: Lee 5, Torre, Grigoriadis 2, Dalle Nogare, Di Stefano, C. Downey, Guirguis, Lunardi, Preece, Valvo
The Xavs wore black armbands today to acknowledge the passing of Ray Tucker. Ray would have been 96 on today, and was the oldest living Old Xav footballer. His son Denis and grandsons Robbie and Sam also played with the Old Xavs.
Peter Rhoden reports that Ray "always took a keen interest in the results of the OXFC and was a great man."
Tucker can be seen in this pic of the 1933 Old Xavs team.
