2018 - Blacks Wrap Up - Round 3

Seniors

The University Blacks travelled to Caulfield full of confidence and ready to take on a determined Ajax side. After coming off two good wins against Mazenod (Round 1) and Parkdale (Round 2), the senior side was fully focused on making it three from three.

Both sides showed a mark of respect before the game got underway, with the reserves teams joining their respective senior sides to pay tribute to the ANZAC’s.

The game was given an early highlight with Lochie Dornauf living up to his ‘Hollywood’ nickname by taking another massive screamer, which he followed up with the first goal of the game. A quick centre clearance following from this goal again put the Blacks into attack, with Hugh Curnow getting on the end of some kick hands and booting the second goal for the Blacks and the game.

It didn’t take Ajax long though to prove that they were going to be a difficult prospect to beat as they worked themselves back into the contest. The Blacks were let off by some inaccurate kicking from the Ajax team as both sides went into the quarter time break locked at 13 points a piece.

The second quarter continued in the same fashion as the first quarter had ended, with both teams battling hard but neither side able to make any real impact on the scoreboard. After 13 minutes of play Ajax managed the first score of the quarter with a well-worked team goal to put the Blacks behind for the first time in the game.

The Blacks responded to that goal in less than 30 seconds, with a beautiful Joshua Steadman tap finding a moving Harry King who put the ball forward for the Blacks resulting in a John Vrodos goal. The Blacks used this momentum to push ahead with two goals from Huntington, another major from Dornauf and a crafty dribble goal from youngster Lachie Haysman. By this stage the Blacks found themselves up by 25 points, but a lapse late in the quarter allowed Ajax to peg it back with the Blacks leading by two straight goals heading into half time.

Another lapse at the start of the third quarter allowed Ajax to put two more goals on the board to cut the Blacks margin to only 2 points. We had ourselves a tight, tense game!!

THEN THE FLOODGATES OPENED!

The Blacks went on to kick nine unanswered goals in the third quarter with Dornauf adding to his long list of ‘Hollywood’ highlights with a falling snap goal from a tight angle on the boundary. The tight game that was upon us earlier in the third quarter was nowhere to be seen and the Blacks headed into the three quarter time break up by 57 points.

The fourth quarter continued the bloodbath with the Blacks kicking another six unanswered goals to further extend the margin. Huntington was wearing the badge of ‘Junk Time Superstar’ with honour, telling all who’d listen that a ‘goals a goal.’ Curnow was given the chance to extend the margin over the 100 point mark, but with the shot drifting across the goal face the Blacks had to settle for a 97 point victory.

Campbell Moorfield continued his outstanding season barely losing a one on one contest, while Haysman continued his meteoric rise as a young gun of the competition. Sam Bennett and Bede Mahon also demonstrated their class throughout the game picking up plenty of possession and putting the Blacks into attack many a time. Louis Vescio has found his home in the Blacks forward line with his harassing causing many turnovers, while Huntington and Dornauf continued their big bags of goals this season.

All eyes turn to a mouth watering clash with long term rivals Monash at home next week.

Uni Blacks 22.14.146 defeated Ajax 6.13.49

Goal Kickers: L. Huntington 7, L. Dornauf 5, J. Beasley 3, J. Vrodos 2, L. Haysman, H. Curnow, L. Vescio, S. Bennett, M. Burt

Best Players: C. Moorfield, S. Bennett, B. Mahon, L. Vescio, L. Huntington, L. Haysman

Reserves

Like the senior team the reserves team went in to the matchup against Ajax seeking a third win and hoping to build upon some decent form the week before against Parkdale.

The Blacks came out full of running and piled on five goals in the first quarter to Ajax’s none. A partuclar highlight was the first goal of the game, which was a long-range effort on a slight angle from big man Miles Rowland.

The second quarter was more of the same with the Blacks still keeping Ajax goalless, while adding three more to their tally. This saw the Blacks head in to the half time break up by 46 points with some strong efforts from Doug Arnold, Scott Dadswell and Zach Harris.

The third quarter was more hotly contested with Ajax starting to get a foothold in the game, but neither side was able to take over control and assert their dominance. Ajax managed to kick their first goal of the game, while the Blacks added two more to their tally.

The final quarter was somewhat disappointing with the Blacks missing the chance to really bury Ajax and instead trading four goals apiece with the opposition, however coach Linc Merlo was happy enough to take the four points for the 54 point win. Tom Cousins, Stepehen Flight and Rowland stood out all game for the Blacks and were integral to the team’s third win on the trot!

Uni Blacks 14.13.97 defeated Ajax 5.13.43

Goal Kickers - . Kimpton 2, C. Turner 2, M. Rowlands 2, T. Cousins, J. Fuller, J. Tunbridge, A. Hayward, S. McKenzie, T. Peyton, D. Arnold, Z. Harris

Best Players - T. Cousins, S. Flight, M. Rowlands, D. Arnold, S. Dadswell, Z. Harris

Phoenix

The Phoenix team faced the daunting prospect of St Bernards at the Snake Pit in the bid for their second win of the season. St Bernards got the early jump in the first quarter adding four goals, while the Phoenix could only manage two. The 13-point lead towards St Bernards was not an insurmountable one though and the Phoenix felt that they were right in the contest.

St Bernards though continued on in the same fashion in the second quarter and extended their lead at the half time break to 21 points. Phoenix coach Mick Farrell gave the boys plenty to think about during the half time break and had the lads ready to attack hard in the second half. The third quarter was all the Phoenix, with St Bernards only able to add one solitary point to the scoreboard while the Phoenix added five goals and six behinds to their half time tally. The Phoenix would be slightly disappointed that they only managed to get in front by 14 points come the three quarter time break.

The question posed by all was could the Phoenix continue in the same vain as in the third quarter and take the coveted win against St Bernards. Alas it was not to be and unfortunately the Phoenix were overrun by a meager 5 points. Ed King was massive all day for the Phoenix, while Michael Kelly, Declan Foott and Jaxon Hickey provided the team with plenty of run and drive all game.

Phoenix 8.13.61 defeated by St Bernards 9.12.66

Goal Kickers - D. Restrepo , W. O''Brien, E. King, J. Di Nezza, J. Petherick, R. Cleary, E. Etheridge, M. Kelly

Best Players - E. King, M. Kelly, D. Foott, J. Hickey, J. Di Nezza, E. Etheridge

U/19s

The Under 19’s didn’t have to wait too long for the famous University derby against the University Blues. Both sides approached the match full of hope with both clubs experiencing much more joy in the U/19’s than in previous years.

The first quarter was tough, tight and contested. Everything that a good derby match should be. As the first quarter drew to an end the Blacks found themselves down by only 4 points and with plenty more to build on.

The floodgates opened somewhat for both teams in the second quarter with goals proving more easy to come by. The Blacks kicked three goals in the second quarter, but with the Blues kicking four goals in the quarter the Blacks still found themselves 13 points down at half time.

The third quarter again was extremely even between both sides and the margin at three quarter time had only extended by a solitary point with the Blues taking a 14 point margin in to the final break.

This group of young Blackers though would not be denied and did the club proud by fighting tooth and nail at every contest in the last quarter. Then the moment arrived, late in the game, less than a goal down and a shot at goal from a tough angle! Time seemed to stop still as the ball sailed through the air and then HIT THE POST! That was it and the game ended with the Blacks down by 3 points to our archrivals.

All players should be congratulated for representing the club in such fine fashion! Sam Laube showed his goal kicking ability dobbing three goals, while Luke Sevior again appeared in the best alongside Cooper Direen and Max Gray.

Uni Blacks 11.10.76 defeated by Uni Blues 11.13.79

Goal Kickers - S. Laube 3, M. Gray 2, J. Reynolds 2, T. Bennett, C. Welsh, D. Taberner, J. Saliakos

Best Players - L. Sevior, C. Direen, S. Laube, M. Gray, D. Taberner, J. Flynn