Blues Twos have a long history of entanglement with Xavs in finals and today's contest offered an opportunity to revisit the rivalry. Having split their season clashes, neither team was taking much for granted, bit as that day under the spires was Dan Richardson-coached team's only blemish, there was plenty of room for optimism.

But after a quarter, a few smiles had disappeared from Xaverian faces when they trailed after surrendering the lead in time on. Any thoughts that the Red ‘n’ Blacks would run away with this final now seemed misguided, as both teams enjoyed the perfect conditions and engaged in a see-sawing battle.

Xavs second stanza was better, as they shut down the Blues attack and restricted them to a single goal, enabling the premiership favourite to take a 12-point lead to the sheds. A slim lead at the half has often been converted by this machine into a blowout result and having won the second stanza, there were fints that the Red 'n' blacks would be slipping into top gear.

Their lead kicked out to 18 points early in the third stanza, and that optisim seemed justified. But Blues would not submit. Both teamsworked hard throughout the term, but Blues managed another couple of unanswered goals as they neared lemon time. Matt Exell goaled to put the Red ‘n Blacks 16 points to the good at the final change. The result was still uncertain, but the odds on blues getting past the reigning premier were long.

The teams traded points early in the last, but then Will MacIsaac landed Xavs 11^thgoal and the reigning premier was out by a game-high 24 points. Surely, this was time to push the button. But then it was the Varsity’s turn to attack. They missed their first two attempts, but fifteen minutes in, they kicked a goal which brought them back to their three-quarter time deficit. Then another two goals late in the piece hauled them within three points at 21 minutes. The Xavs, fielding supposedly their strongest team of the season, were cooked. By 25 minutes, the Blues had hit the front. Xavs, finally breaking a run of seven unanswered Uni shots, missed their opportunity to resume the lead.

And that was that. The X-Men had collapsed in the final dozen or so minutes, and now they must do it the hard way, via a Prelim Final with Old Brighton.

Best Players: Will Bowen, Sam Bowen, Kye Walford, Ben Andrews, Hugh Basset, Makuc Mahommed

Goals: Not supplied

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