Against the odds with injuries, Blacks hold off talented St Bedes

The University Blacks long awaited return to the Uni Main oval was finally completed on Saturday, with a pair of wins in the 1s & 2s, whilst the Phoenix almost completed a miraculous comeback to go down by a couple of points, and the Unders were left ruing some first quarter mistakes after going down by a couple of goals.

A hamstrung Seniors outfit recorded a famous victory on Saturday. Playing without a bench in the second half, they managed to fight off a relentless St Bede’s side to record their second win of the season.

The game couldn’t have gotten off to a better start for Blacks skipper Jordan Quaile, who finished off a neat chain of kicks with a set shot from 40 that was never in doubt. Lou Vescio and Alastair Robbins soon recorded goals of their own, and the latter marked a Daniel McCullough shot on the goal line minutes later to steal his second. St Bede’s steadied, however, kicking the last two of the first to peg the margin back to 13.

The second quarter was marred by injuries for the Blacks. Ernest was ruled out early with a hamstring strain, and shortly after kicking a goal, Mumford suffered a head knock in awkward marking contest. They were followed by Mitch Rodd and Matthew Goyder whose respective hamstring and groin strains left the Blacks without a bench.

Early chances in front of goal were wasted and the quarter was a tight back-and-forth affair. Despite being ahead on the scoreboard, the Blacks were under siege, their depleted bench and wasted opportunities apparently adding to the confidence of a persistent St Bede’s outfit. The momentum of the match was hanging in the balance, and a timely third goal for Robbins gave the Blacks a three goal lead and the slightest bit of breathing room.

Three goals to St Bede’s in the first ten minutes after the break cut the Blacks lead to just 3 before the home side were able to clamp down and stem the bleeding. The third quarter was a high-pressure affair, with neither team willing to give an inch. It was best characterised by a series of about ten repeat stoppages on the Pavilion Wing in the later stages of the quarter, each of which felt more like a rugby scrum than the open play we have come to expect from the higher VAFA grades.

Captain Quaile was playing inspired football, pulling off a remarkably half-volley, turning on a dime to avoid the tackle, and setting up a play that eventually led to a much-needed goal by Xavier Vearing. However, a free kick was awarded in the St Bede’s goal square on the 3-quarter time siren, to uproarious protest by the crowd, which again cut the lead to 3.

A St Bede’s goal in the opening minute of the last quarter gave them their first lead of the game, and sent a hush over the home crowd as they began to suspect their boys had run out of legs. But as always, the Blackers dug deep and found a second wind. Nick Hey snapped his second of the game, before Quaile found Jack Charleston who gave the Blacks a 9-point buffer.

For the next ten minutes, the air was thick with tension as battered bodies and steeled spirits from both sides charged tirelessly into one another. The Blacks were bookended by their twin towers of Robbins up forward, who, with defenders hanging off him, managed to either win or bring every contest to ground, and Moorfield, the stalwart in defence, who time and again soared out from packs to snare crucial intercept marks.

Something had to give, and as the sun was setting behind the Pav, it did. A magic minute by Louis Vescio broke the game open – he kicked his second from a set shot which capped off a coast-to-coast kicking chain, and mere seconds later launched a bomb on the run from 55 for his third. The icing on the cake was a quick snap from a cramping Fawcett, and while St Bede’s would kick one late, it was little consolation as the Blacks ran out 22-point victors. 

The Reserves ran out 50-point winners over St Bede’s in a game which could have been much uglier on the scoreboard but for inaccurate goalkicking.

The match began as a bit of an arm wrestle, with neither side really settling until Andrew Yates coolly slotted a set shot from 40 metres out at the ten-minute mark for the game’s first goal.

From there, the Blacks willed the rest of the first quarter their way with strong defensive pressure and consistent courageous efforts. None embodied this more than new recruit Matt Corney, who took a brave back-with-the-flight mark and slammed the goal home from 50 without breaking stride to double the Blacks lead.

He then forced a turnover from a kick in against an opponent a foot taller than him (although most would have been) which ultimately led to a Harrie Lahy goal. The back line held firm against all of St Bede’s attacks, led by young Xavier Chalkley who took several strong contested grabs, keeping the visitors to just one behind in the opening stanza. 

St Bede’s lifted their intensity in the second, forcing the game back to its initial arm wrestle state. The term was characterised by repeat stoppages, and while the Blacks could occasionally link up some nice kicking chains to weave through the St Bede’s defence, they failed to capitalise on their good work. Both sides wasted the few chances they got, with over twenty minutes passing before St Bede’s registered the only goal for the quarter, their first for the match. At the main break, the Blacks were 15 points the better.

St Bede’s came out flying in the third quarter, kicking a goal in the opening minute. They arguably should have kicked 3, and could have easily snatched the lead in their early flurry, but were their own worst enemies in front of goal.

Yates continued to be tenacious in his tackling pressure. Some spectators even commented that he must have had “about 900 tackles”, and while the team at Champion Data might not have agreed, there was no doubt that his efforts, as well as a strong mark and resultant goal from Gus McKinna helped steady the ship.

The ball was locked in the Blacks forward 50 for much of the quarter after that, and a pair of goal square tap-ins from Gray and Turner were the reward. As was the story of the day, the Blacks were also wasteful in front of goal, which largely kept the visitors in the contest.

The final quarter was far more open, and the Heart & Souls let their class shine through. A pair of goals from Corney, including a neat snap from 40, were joined by singles from Perks and Captain Cousins as the Blacks blew the margin out. The game was neatly summed up in one play late, in which Yates grabbed a touched-off-the-boot kick on the 50m arc, shrugged off the tackle, completed a quick one-two with McKinna and finished truly.

The Phoenix were welcomed back as expected to the Crawford Oval; with a rare dry deck and locked change rooms. The first quarter started with an interesting introduction to the Crawf by Captain Rohan Cleary that left a few heads scratching. Confusing enough that allowed OM’s to get a jump on the Phoenix in the opening 20 minutes, resulting in five goals to zero at the first break.

A few harsh yet encouraging words were spoken by Cal Farrell and the intended game plan was reiterated into the fresh faced team. A 180 degree turn that even some of the more seasoned players hadn’t seen before occurred from the second quarter where run and carry became the norm. Led by debutant Winston Twigg, and ably supported by Blake Cooke and Joe Smith in the midfield, the Phoeni changed the trajectory of the game. Over the next 30 minutes Max DePina started getting fantastic delivery in the forward 50 and converted from the ‘Coffey’ and ‘Farrow’ pockets to the likes that hadn’t be seen since the those players graced the Crawf years ago.

Heads were down and fingers were being pointed amongst the OMs team late in the third as the Phoenix finished up the quarter only 2 goals behind. The fourth quarter see-sawed between OMs and the Phoenix.

With incredible goals from Jack Tossol (just ask him), Daniel Mount and David Restrepo, the team managed to grab the lead late into the closing minutes. However a scrambled goal in the last few minutues from OM’s allowed them to grab the lead, and after a few unlucky misses late, the Phoenix just fell short by a single point.

Shout out to the first class ‘blackline’ lead this season by Poole and Hayward who were the starting point for the passage of football played in the final 3 quarters, which allowed the side to have a chance to snatch the game. Next week the Phoenix take on historic rivals St. Kevin’s at TH King where the boys will be looking forward to finally locking in their first win.

At the time of publishing, the VAFA was yet to post the box-score on their website, apologies.

We again have been lucky enough to have been supplied with a light-hearted recount of the Unders match on Saturday!

“Saturday dawned around the time the sun came up.  Not long after, the Blacks U19s hit the Main, played on 95 times from marks, handed out a crunching 87 tackles and generally pressured, harassed and contested vigorously with a slick Trinity outfit.  After Trinity got the jump with four goals in the first Blacks applied the clamps, conceding only a miserable three thereafter. 

It was solid defence all round however and despite various valiant charges forward the Blacks couldn’t hit the scoreboard often enough to get the chocolates.  Besides they were aiming at the goals.

Sam Ackland-Evans played another cracker and threatened the world record for most marks in the first 5 minutes with approximately 16.  In the midfield Jack Cassidy, James Connelly and Lachie Wooding provided terrific drive.  Up forward Nick Caris drew an “ooh” and later an “aah” from the spectators with a couple of crunching pack marks whilst Tom St Clair snagged a couple of sausages (sans onion variety).  Jack Reddrop and Darcy Harmer were irrepressible down back whilst across the ground the whole team competed ferociously.

 Meanwhile eight Blacks players pulled on the Brunswick jumper and helped get the boys over the line in a four point thriller, leaving the Brunswick / Blacks combine undefeated."

This weekend, the Seniors and Reserves will face a serious test; trekking to the Dairy Bell to take on the aspiring and highly talented, De La Salle. Meanwhile, the Phoenix will be a short drive up Waverley Road at TH King, squaring off against historic rivals St. Kevin’s, whilst the Under 19s are “away” against the Uni Blues at the Crawford Oval – the first edition of the newly minted and designated “Munners Cup”… further details to follow on Friday!

Enjoy your week and go Blacks!