July 27, 2025
A WILD WEEK 14
Wins, wallopings and winter
A Century of the Red & Black
Another step closer. The U19 Premier team won again, the Reserves posted another monter score and the Seniors took down Scotch. Read all about it!
Dan Donati's team went to 12-2 with a 45 point win over Old Scotch and will test their arm next week at Brighton Beach against the Tonners, who boast the same season record. Oscar Duncan came in late for Alec Spralja and Hamish Bowen for Jack Whitehead, as the X-Men lined up looking for their eighth win in a row. This wasn't their finest performance, by any means, but the Xavs were never really threatened once they had established their lead.
The first term began slowly. At 11 minutes, Xavs 8 points down, finally opened with a minor score. Then at 15 minutes, Charlie MacIsaac slammed a low ball and Hayden Woodhouse nudged out his opponent to mark. He kicked truly. Bobby Knott leaped high, marked and left footed the X-Men’s second as time-on approached. Scotch responded, courtesy of another free-kick, and they were tied up at 14 apiece. But not for long. From the restart, Xavs swept forward with some slick handball and Marcus Stavrou goaled on the run. Woodhouse marked again and slipped through his second. The X-Men went forward again and missed, but Knott shrugged off an opponent and dropped it through from the arc. Tex Wanganeen read a switch attempt, marked, and made no mistake. The Red ‘n’ Blacks, looking confident and ominous, went to the first break 25 points ahead.
It was Scotch, however, that opened the second term stronger, applying plenty of pressure and seizing on some early turnovers. In eight minutes, they cut the margin to 12 points, and Xavs hadn’t gone forward at all. Eventually they did, but with no real effect. It wasn’t until 28 minutes when Charlie MacIsaac took a pass from the busy Wade Brusnahan and kicked Xavs’ seventh. The siren took them to the sheds, with the X-Men up by 20. The Cardinals had dominated the first half of the term, and home team had several good but wasted chances in the second.
Two minutes into the third, MacIsaac kicked his second after he was scragged ahead of the play, and the X-Men led by a game-high 26 points. At four minutes, Woodhouse kicked his third after he read the Charlie Westcott pass perfectly. He added his fourth when he crumbed a pack and snapped truly. At 13 minutes, the Caledonians replied, courtesy of a fast break against the run of play. Immediately, Brusnahan marked from a Wanganeen centre clearance and kicked it straight, only to have the visitors immediately return the favour. Sure enough, it was Xavs who scored again, this time with Ben Bilston-McGillen roving a pack and smashing it through. Into time-on and Denis Symeopoulos found a loose ball and hit Knott on the chest. He booted his third to make it 86-43 in favour of the home team and then ruined that symmetry a minute later when he kicked his fourth. The Claret and Stout led by 50 at the lemons.
The final term was an entirely forgettable affair with the first and only goal (to the visitors) not coming until well into time on. The siren blew and thoughts turned immediately to next week's clash at the beach.
BEST: Thomas Dunne, Ben Bilston-McGillen, Alex Trigar, Hayden Woodhouse, Charlie Knott, Charlie Westcott
GOALS: Charlie Knott 4, Hayden Woodhouse 4, Charlie MacIsaac 2, Ben Bilston-McGillen 1, Wade Brusnahan 1, Marcus Stavrou 1, Tex Wanganeen 1
At BBO, Old Brighton (138) smashed St Bernard's (67). At TH King, St Kevin's (78) outlasted a desperate Collegians (74). Struggling Uni Blues (81) finished the stronger and defeated Old Haileybury (69) at Princes Park. At Parkville, Uni Blacks (91) kept their very real finals hopes alive when they downed De La Salle (54).
Dan Richardson's team enjoyed another festival of goals, caning Old Scotch by 135 points in a commanding display at Toorak Park. The gap between rich and poor in this section has rarely been as well demonstrated. For the second week in a row, the Red 'n' Blacks looted their opposition's stocks and took no prisoners.
The ladder-leaders had a great firs half, but came out loud iand added nine goals to three in the third stanza. Just for measure, they added seven to none in the final term.
Midfielders Hayden Troiani and Josh Cumberlidge were slick performers, taking advantage of the arm-chair ride offered by Ben Moyle in the ruck and other talls around the ground.
This march to the sea concludes next week with a clash against the third-placed Old Brighton, who lost to mid-table St Bernard's by the tracks today.
BEST: Hayden Troiani, Josh Cumberlidge, Makuc Mahommed, Ben Moyle, Charlie Whitehead, Edward Kennedy
GOALS: Edward Kennedy 4, Harrison Bell 3, Ed Delany 3, Daniel O'Loughlin 3, Julian Soccio 3, Josh Cumberlidge 2, Matt Exell 2, Charles Holmes 2, Jeromy Lucas 2, Bailey Whelan 2, William Egan 1, Ben Scala 1
There was little joy for the WOX as the traditionally powerful Marcellin took them down hard at Bulleen.
BEST: Molly McCarthy, Alessandra Libertone, Melissa Poulton, Tess McCarthy, Amelie Menegola, Hannah Ryan
GOALS: Amelie Menegola 1, Jess Slupecki 1
Holding a narrow advantage at the lemons, Old Xaverians charged home stronger to defeat Caulfilleld Grammarians in the early game at Glen Huntly Oval.
Xavier Austin was best and he was well assisted in the win by a large number of teammates who broke the team's three-week losing streak.
Harry Warfe booted two goals in the win, which sees the X-Men in sixth position.
BEST: Xavier Austin, Charles Anderson, William Allen, Darcy Pelz, Matthew Sheehan, Ted Hansen
GOALS: Harry Warfe 2, Xavier Austin 1, Gerard Forrest 1, James Godde 1, Charlie Hall 1, Alby Hewitt 1, Lachlan Mallett 1, Tom Scalzo 1
Preston was too sharp for the U2s, winning by 53 points at Stradbroke Park.
BEST: Gus Levinge, Jeremy Dalton, George Pick, Patrick Kennedy, Hugo Stevenson, Tom Senyard
The Premier Thirds crushed St Kevin's by 61 points at Toorak Park in the early game. The Red 'n' Blacks scored just two points in the opening stanza, but by the half had assumed a lead they would never relinqush.
Sam Asdagi was best afield, continuing his run of sparkling form, while Will MacIsaac chimed in with five goals to the X-Men to a big win.
BEST: Sam Asdagi, Oliver Tehan, Will MacIsaac, Jack Hansen, Will Stevens, Oliver Britten-Jones
GOALS: Will MacIsaac 5, Jez Alexeyeff 1, Sam Asdagi 1, Oliver Britten-Jones 1, Tom Davine 1, Patrick Gilmour 1, Tom Lowe 1, Atticus Scally 1
The Menages rolled over Uni Blacks at JJ Holland, winning by a massive 108 points.
There is a three-way premiership points tie for second spot. Next week, should the Menages beat the OX U23s, they will likely finish in second spot should St Kevin's beat Trinity.
BEST: Will Honan, Max Murphy, Thomas Beaton, John Kenny, Kieran Ellis, Nick Nunan
GOALS: Will Mantesso 5, Kieran Ellis 4, Will Honan 3, Thomas Beaton 2, Murray Francis 2, John Kenny 1, Mitchell Newton 1, Ky Lowrey 1
Paul Connors' and Andrew McLaughlin's first-placed U23s held off a determined Will CY team to win comfortably by 34 points at Stradbroke Park. Frankie O'Callaghan booted another five and Ned Lyons was best afield in the victory.
BEST: Ned Lyons, Sam Noonan, Oliver Sheehan, Joshua Camilleri, Edward Logan, Francis O’Callaghan
GOALS: Francis O’Callaghan 5, Aaron Ivak 2, Sam Noonan 2, Will Troy 2, Joshua Camilleri 1, Tom Egan 1, Edward Logan 1, Xavier McIntyre 1, Oliver Sheehan 1, Thomas Wood 1
