December 23, 2024
MERRY CHRISTMAS
And all the best for 2025
A Century of the Red & Black
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The annual digital clock ticked over all four digits at once, for the second time in history and for the first and only time in our lives.
The “Millennium Bug”, a rumoured computer virus on which governments and business wasted millions of dollars - just in case - didn’t fire a shot.
People had been waiting for years for the New Year’s Party to end the century, and they celebrated . . . well, just like any other year, except in Sydney, of course, where they squandered a little bit extra on fireworks, which, according to city politicians, add something to any celebration.
For Old Xaverians, the turn of the decade/century/millennium presented yet another challenge. After winning five LA Adamson Cups in five years, the Red ‘n’ Blacks prepared to go where no club had ever gone before: six flags in six years.
University Blacks had won six consecutive premierships, but these were split by WWII - two before and four after. No small feat, but of course these were the days when many APS alumni, including Xavier’s, played under the spires wearing the Black and Blue.
There was a new President, with Andrew McLean replacing a fourteen-year, very successful incumbent, Robbie Ralph.
Ian Aitken and Terry Peters were additions to the match committee, joining Pat Hawkins and Chris Mortensen alongside two-time premiership coach Tim O’Shaughnessy. Michael Blood was again captain.
O’Shaughnessy prepped his charges for the season, knowing that he had lost nearly half his premiership team of 1999. Just as challenging was the schedule – eighteen games without a bye and then straight into a three-week finals series, all in the cause of allowing Olympic mania and the ‘Cult of Cathy’ to build for September without any other sporting distractions.
The Red ‘n’ Blacks opened their long campaign with a Sunday game against SKOB at Elsternwick on 2 April. Andy Gowers returned to the club from AFL ranks, but began the game sitting on the bench with Michael Blood, a move that many opposition supporters saw as a show of arrogance. Dan Richardson booted five, but the X-Men went down. Blood, despite his bench-start, was named VAFA Player of the Week.
Rumours were flying that former North Melbourne premiership player John Longmire would play in Red ‘n’ Black, but they didn’t get him or need him as they brushed aside a free-scoring MHSOB in Round 2. Adam Jones landed six, and both Andy Gowers and Michael Blood were in great form.
A trip to the Snakepit was next up and the reigning premier was spanked by St Bernard’s. For the third week in a row, the Xavs’ defence conceded more than a century.
Round 4 saw Xavs destroy Uni Blues at Toorak Park. Richardson booted seven and David Landrigan four as the boys returned to top form.
A bigger win was on the cards at Chelsworth Park the next week as Flash Gordon and Dan Richardson booted seven apiece, spurring the Xavs to a massive win over Old Ivanhoe. Coach O’Shaughnessy must have been pleased with the consistency, with Xavs kicking seven goals in each term.
Nine majors from Dan Richardson fired the Xavs to a ten-goal win over Old Trinity in Round 6, with Andrew and Robbie Dillon prominent.
Next up was the traditional battle with Old Scotch. The Cardinals had a big second term and got home by 11 points despite five goals from Adam Jones. Michael Blood, Flash Gordon, Dave Rennex and Tim Fleming were solid contributors, but Old Scotch assumed top spot on the ladder.
David Landrigan notched his 200 as Xavs beat Old Melburnians by four points at Toorak Park. Andrew Dillon and Andy Gowers played significant roles in the victory. A certain Andrew Topakas, who would achieve some notoriety by season end, booted two for the Dark Blues.
Gowers, Fleming and Dave Rennex spurred the team on to a solid seven-goal win at Marcellin in Round 9. Dan Richardson added another four goals to put him equal with Scotch sharpshooter Hawkins on 40.
At the half-way mark, the ladder saw St Bernard’s, with seven wins, a game clear of Old Xavs, Old Scotch, Old Trinity and St Kevin’s. On four wins, Uni Blues and Melbourne High School OB, then Old Melburnians on three wins, Old Ivanhoe two and Marcellin one.
As we commenced the back nine, Anthony “Tonza” Keyhoe played his 200 as Xavs rolled over St Kevin’s, reversing the R1 result. Michael Blood dominated on a return to Moonga Road.
In Round 11, Xavs had fewer scoring shots but still defeated MHSOB at Toorak Park by 21 points. Adam Sassi, John Bowen and Ben Cranage were the stars.
Round 12 featured the return bout with St Bernard’s. It turned into a fizzer after half-time as Steve McKeon booted 11 and Jason Gollant 5 for the Snowdogs as they romped home by 38 points despite seven goals from Dan Richardson.
Jamie Kay starred as Xavs eked out a 10 point win at Uni Blues in Round 13. Al Parton and James Hawkins each booted two, accounting for half the Red ‘n’ Blacks’ goals.
Xavs thumped Old Ivanhoe by 162 points in Round 14, with Richardson bagging eight. Adam Jones, lauded by VAFA scribe Brad Beitzel as the most gifted footballer in the competition, also snagged eight. The goal output from the home team by quarters was : 9,8,7,6 respectively.
In Round 15, the Claret and Stout beat Old Trinity at Bulleen by 13 points, with the home team booting four in the last term to make it close.
Andy Gowers booted five and Simon Lethlean was best afield as Xavs beat Old Scotch by 20 points at Toorak Park in Round 16.
Landrigan, Bowen and Andrew Dillon starred and Lachy Ford kicked a valuable brace as Xavs edged Old Melburnians in Round 17.
Chris Ellis was best, but key defender Damian Stoney broke his leg in a Round 18 two-goal home defeat to Marcellin.
Dan Richardson booted 72 goals for the home and away season, a dozen behind Luke Hawkins of Old Scotch.
The final ladder looked like this:
An even first term gave way to a St Bernard’s deluge in the second. Seemingly out of the contest, the Red ‘n’ Blacks poured it on in the third stanza, but couldn’t hold the Snow Dogs. The final term saw Xavs inaccuracy ruin any chance of a meritorious win. Bernies earned the week off, and the X-Men were forced into their 20th consecutive match.
St. Bernards: 5.4 11.6 16.8 19.10.124
Old Xaverians: 6.1 6.3 13.6 15.12.102
St. Bernards: N. Mitchell 7, Jordan 3, McKeon 2, Collins 2, Mount 2, Loughlin 2, Wilkinson.
Best: Mount, N. Mitchell, B. Jordan, L. Gollant, L. Wilkinson, C. Mitchell.
Old Xaverians: Richardson 3, Orlando 2, Lethlean 2, Kay 2, Gowers, Gordon, Fleming, Cranage, Bowen, Sassi
Best: Blood, Sassi, Kay, Ellis, A. Dillon, Brushfield.
Brad Beitzel, writing in the Amateur Footballer, noted the following:
Star of A Section Andy Gowers, returning after two weeks to overcome a calf strain, looked bland against the unfashionable half-back Sam Taylor. "The calf didn't affect me. I had a dirty day," Gowers said.
Xavs are not the most popular team – winners are the benchmark that has to be surpassed - but in my three years of covering the VAFA, Xaverians have been a football factory. They have terrific administration, a highly organised football department and playing depth (they have won four under 19 and two reserve flags during their run of five senior flags in a row).
In each of Xavs' flags, they have averaged six changes in playing personnel. Last Sunday, in the 22-point second-semi final loss to St Bernard’s. 12 of the 21 players from last year's premiership took to Elsternwick Park. Three of those nine losses were Craig Kelly (12 marks at half-back in last year's grand final). Simon Wood (35 possessions in the midfield), and Matt Bourke (eight goals).
A weary Tim O'Shaughnessy, who coached Xavs to their past two flags, said the rebuilding process would start at the team's Monday recovery session. "We are still one win away from the grand final," O'Shaughnessy said.
Garry Foulds pulled off the move of the day when he switched centre half-back Tait Wilkinson, who was beating Jones, to centre half-forward during Xavs' six-goal run in the third term with the breeze to the Glenhuntly Road end. Xavs got to within three points in time-on. He sent Nick Mitchell from full-forward to half-back and it worked superbly. Mitchell picked up possessions to add to his seven goals and the Bernies kicked three goals in time-on, including one to Wilkinson.
Foulds says this is the pinnacle of his coaching career that started in the Goulburn Valley in 1990. "Yes, reaching the A Section Grand Final, the first for the club for 24 years, is the best," Foulds says.
Brad Beitzel’s previewed the contest in the Amateur Footballer:
Old Xaverians' super run is over. The winners of the past five A Section premierships will not be able to overcome their injuries for today's preliminary final against a rampaging St Kevin’s. It is not easy to type these words as it would be sensational to see Xavs equal University Blacks' record of six A Section flags in a row set before and after the Second World War.
The Xavs' medical room is a depressing place: Adam Jones - knee. Ben Coughlan - hamstring, Ted Woodruff - recovering from a broken leg, Dan Richardson - shoulder, Dave Landrigan - back spasms, Chris Ellis - hamstring and Tim Gordon - ankle.
SKOBS and Xavs enjoy a bitter rivalry that stems from their Catholic schools' involvement in the Associated Public Schools sports competitions.
St Kevs' first win ever over Xavs in A Section was in May last year and it drew a reaction like that of winning a flag. Ironically, it was at Elsternwick Park. Since then Xavs have won two of the three contests including the latest, which was at St Kevins' Toorak campus, by four goals.
St Kevs have done well considering they have played all around Gardiners Creek this season because their home ground, Ausdoc Oval, has been under renovation.
The SKOBBERS, in only their third season of A Section since inaugurating in 1947, are looking for their first berth in an elite grand final. Their form is the best out of the three finalists, having won seven in a row.
A COUPLE of sub-plots in the preliminary final, Michael Blood, captain of Xavs, did his schooling at St Kevin’s and he played in his first senior game with the SKOBBERS before transferring to the A Section Old Melburnians and then to Xavs. How ironic would it be if St Kevins' coach Mike McArthur-Allen, who took Ormond to five A Section flags in six years - the fourth-best in Amateur history – was to be at the helm of the opposition that stopped Xavs' attempt to equal the most successive A Section flags?
Xavs defeated St Kevin's by four points in a heart-stopper. SKOB led early, but Xavs clawed their way back to lead by a point a half-time.
Then both teams kicked four goals in the third term to set up a final quarter epic.
Old Xaverians: 2.3 7.4 11.6 15.8.98
St Kevins O.B: 5.2 7.3 1 1.8 14.10 .94
Goals: Jones 3, Ellis 3, McQueen-Parton 2, Ireland 2,. Ford 2, Fleming, Deane-Johns
Best: Blood, Landrigan, A Dillon, Ellis. McQueen-Parton, Ford.
Beitzel duly reported:
Lachie Ford provided the gutsiest moment of the season when he rose from the SmokeFree Wing during the third quarter at Elsternwick Park. His example helped lift Old Xaverians into their sixth consecutive A Section Grand Final after St Kevins suffered back-to-back preliminary final devastation. Ford, who returned this year from Werribee to his old club, Xavs the reigning champs.
He had a mark spoilt by Marcus Olive in an attempt as subtle as his peroxided hair. Olive, 26, was a surprise selection, playing in his first senior match since a knee reconstruction after round six of 1999 . The ruckman looked fit despite his only game a fortnight ago in the reserves. Xaverian supporters jeered Olive, who had already been sent off for 15 minutes in the second term for charging, in which time Xavs kicked three unanswered goals.
They went silent though when Ford pushed away the trainers and, like a foal taking its first steps, got to his feet and gave off a handpass to Andrew Dillon whose field kicking was superb.
Olive came back to hurt Xavs - not physically- this time on the scoreboard . The brilliant ruckman went to full-forward in the last term and he nearly turned hero kicking two goals but missing another after strong leads, even stronger marking and powerful kicking to finish with four for the game .
Earlier Tim Fleming got the first goal of the match from a free kick off the ball with barely a possession between the teams. It set the battle of these fierce rivals.
St Kevins were left four points in arrears after a match that had little working space for the players.
Backs David Landrigan Andrew Brushfield Andrew Dillon
Half-Backs James Hawkins Andy Gowers Adam Sassi
Centres Lachlan Ford Ben Cranage John Bowen
Half-Forwards Chris Ellis Adam Jones Simon Lethlean
Forwards Damien Orlando Dan Richardson Tim Fleming
Followers Michael Blood Jamie Kay Robbie Dillon
Interchange Tim Gordon Lucien Deane-Johns Al McQueen-Parton
(Author unknown)
1 - Michael Blood Big, strong and can run all day - the inspirational captain and VAFA All-Star back-pocket proves a point to the State selectors week in, week out. Can he "go to the well" a sixth time?
2 - Tim Fleming Dynamic half-forward. Combining his career as an advertising executive with his football and duties on the catwalk.
4 - David Landrigan Dashing backman and finals veteran. "Lano', just as the TV show "Lano and Woodley", is classy and cool down back.
7 - Simon Lethlean Ungainly rover with freakish skills. Overcame a disappointing performance in State team to become a pivotal player at the season's end.
9 - James Hawkins Noted for his aerial work, Hawk is likely to run with Byrne again on the wing.
10 - David Rennex: Missed Prelim through injury. Important, bullocking on-baller in great form.
11 - Adam Jones The "Trent Hotton" of the VAFA. Criticised during the year for his ‘jocular attitude". Out to impress.
12 - John Bowen veteran of five premierships. Tall, athletic and versatile, JB has overcome injury and age to be a stalwart in the backline. Watch for him to go forward - has been in rare goalkicking form.
13 Chris Ellis Huge impact last week with three second-half goals from full forward. Sought the sanctuary of an A Grade club and returned to Xavs after predicting the demise of OMs .
14 - Damian Stoney Likely to miss.
15 - Lachlan Ford Dashing wingman who played State footy this season. Very dangerous around goals.
16 - Andrew Gowers Captain of VAFA Rep side in 2000. Struggling with injury and may be best suited across half-forward.
17 - Dan Richardson Old Xavs leading goalkicker this season. Missed Preliminary Final through injury. Would be a welcome addition.
18 - Tim Gordon Ready to return. “Flash" has impressed all both on and off the field.
21 - Al McQueen Parton Promising youngster who turned last week's game with late goals when placed at full-forward due to injury. Probably turn his hand to coaching after this season.
22 - Pat Barrett Classy crumbing forward who has made a successful return to football and the senior side.
27 - James Drake 6'5" and still growing. "China" will play anywhere, anytime. with anything. Have an ale with him at the Inkerman Hotel after the game.
28 - Ben Cranage Prolific possession winner who has been tagged closely in both finals. Looking forward to a match up with Luke Gollant today.
29 - Stuart Skidmore Deceptively small. Current U19 B&F who had an impact around the packs last week.
31 - Damian Orlando Returns from Carlton’s VFL team. Attacking midfielder with great skill.
32 - Andrew Brushfield Reliable full-back who provides great run from the backline. Enjoying his return to football after a sojourn overseas.
33 - Adam Sassi This wily veteran has been in excellent form this year At half-back, 'Saffo was among the best again last week, despite being likened to the "wild man from Borneo".
36 - Lucien Deane-Johns Important addition to the Xavs forward line with his pace and crumbing ability,
41 - Andrew Dillon "Father Time' of Amateur footy - over 200 games, five senior premierships. State player. Reliable and honest, despite working as a solicitor with the AFL.
42 - Ned Ireland Deserved inclusion last week and caused headaches up forward with his great hands and pressure at ground level. Will relish an opportunity today.
43 - Ted Woodruff The Xavs vice-captain has been pushing for selection for weeks. Proven performer at this level, in fact, at all levels.
47 - Jamie Kay Favourite for Xavs B&F and favourite among supporters. Rugged and reliable. "Cassius" provides great drive through the midfield.
49 - Rob Dillon Shrugged off Tony Shaw comparisons to become a consistent ball winner and longer kick. Expect a dour battle with Ben Jordan today.
St Bernard's vs Old Xaverians met in an epic Grand Final. It ended in a knockout win to the champs, who defended their title for the sixth consecutive year.
Tim O’Shaughnessy had this to say:
2000 was a history breaking year for Old Xavs.
No other team had won six A grade Premierships in six consecutive years. It is doubtful whether it will be done again. It’s always tough to win a flag and 2000 was the toughest.
The Grand Final was the 21st consecutive game we’d played, as there no byes that year because of the early finish due to the upcoming Sydney Games.
After the home and away season, it was straight into finals. One night at training, Melbourne great Garry Lyon came out for a chat. He pointed up to the red brick house where there was a light on and a lone occupant. “What’s happening up there?” he asked. “That’s Brother Rod Reynolds, saying a Rosary for us,” I said. “Geez coach, you blokes leave nothing to chance do you?” Lyon remarked.
And we couldn’t leave anything to chance if we were to win our sixth on the trot.
If twenty straight weeks, including two rugged finals weren’t enough, we received the devastating news on Wednesday prior to the Grand Final of the tragic death of the 18 year-old sister of our courageous little man Stuart Skidmore.
It suffices to say that anticipation around the club was replaced immediately by shock and then grief. To paraphrase another coach: if you were there, no explanation is necessary. If you weren't, none is adequate.
My discussions with team leaders about the way forward produced no definitive solutions. There was no right or wrong approach in the face of such a sickening occurrence.
We mulled cancelling training on Thursday but went ahead in the end, though it was obvious from the minute we took to the track that all hearts and minds were elsewhere.
As we struggled to cope with the horror, we knew that Sunday’s game was one we had to win.
But could we?
St Bernard’s had dominated us all season, convincingly beating us both times in the home and away season, and then by 22 points in the second semi-final.
There was some pretty thick ice to be broken, so I told the boys an old story to try to lift spirits.
Twenty years prior, the American tennis player Vitas Gerulaitis had faced Jimmy Connors in a tournament semi-final. Connors had beaten him 16 times in a row, but Gerulaitis won this one. In the press conference afterwards, he was asked about his mindset before the clash. “Was I the underdog? No, I was very confident, because nobody beats Vitas Gerulaitis 17 times in a row."
We felt that way about St Bernard’s. Nobody beats Old Xavs four times in a row. We’d possibly sowed a few seeds of doubt in the second semi when we came back very hard after they smashed us in the first half. We believed we weren’t far away if we played at our best, though that was a tough assignment given the circumstances.
One advantage we did have was our 11 senior premiership players, many of them already multiple winners. Bernies hadn’t won an A Section flag since 1975, though they had a couple of veterans who had played in their B Section premiership in 1991.
On the downside, we were missing ten of the 21 who had played in the ’99 Grand Final. Still, we’d managed that all year and now it was down to one, last, desperate challenge.
The Reserves lined up for a Grand Final too, against Old Scotch. The boys had a win, which buoyed our spirits some.
But after the anthem, it was the Bernies who got out of the blocks quickly, establishing an early lead. A couple of late goals got us back on level terms. We played a very good second quarter, with brilliant games from Ben Cranage and Adam Sassi and the eventual Jock Nelson Medallist, Adam Jones.
At half-time we had a 10-point lead. However, St Bernard’s outplayed us in the third to open up a 13-point lead at ¾ time.
My memories of the huddle at the last break are a mass of Xavs supporters and the intense look in the eyes of every one of our players. I am not sure what I said, but it wouldn’t have mattered. Our boys had come to win.
An early running goal from Simon Lethlean was the start we wanted, but St Bernard’s steadied. The St Bernards skipper Nick Mitchell had a shot to extend their lead, but he missed.
Every team has kick-in drills. We were no exception. At this critical stage, Andrew Brushfield belted a long one. Michael Blood and Johnny Bowen both flew, with the latter getting a huge punch that found a racing Lachie Ford, who handpassed to Andy Gowers, who ran in and kicked a great goal. Easy. All season, we had practised the knock-on from a long kick-in. Finally, in this game, it worked.
A few minutes later, with the score at 15-5-95 to our 14-10-94, Mitchell had another shot. ‘First to 100 wins’ as Bluey Connellan and Rick Foley always tell me, so it was a critical shot. He missed again. After a five-minute arm wrestle where there were no additions, Tim Fleming snapped a crumbing goal to bring up our ton.
We followed up with a couple more goals and then the flood gates opened. Big quarters in grand finals are the stuff of dreams. This one delivered nine goals and six behinds. Fleming, Al Parton and Dan Richardson ran amok. We even had some minutes to fill our boots and enjoy the win before the final siren sounded.
Victorian Amateur Football Association A Section Grand Final wrap by Brad Beitzel, Amateur Footballer scribe and Sunday Herald Sun journalist.
Beitzel’s full piece is reprinted here with his kind permission (he granted it ten years ago but has probably forgotten).
Old Xaverians 22.14.146
St. Bernards 16.05.101
Kevin Sheedy’s Midas touch helped Old Xaverians last Sunday equal the VAFA record of winning six consecutive A Section premierships.
During the build-up to his preliminary final against Carlton, Sheeds recorded a personalised video message for Xavs as they headed for their sixth Adamson Cup.
Sheeds’ message to Xavs was not to think of the five flags they had won, but ‘another opportunity awaits’.
“At Essendon, we are in a similar position in that we could reflect on the past, but all that matters is now,” Sheedy said.
The tape was shown at an emotional team meeting on Thursday night.
The club was mourning the sudden death 24-hours earlier of senior mid-fielder Stuart Skidmore’s sister.
Training was cancelled and former Xavier College principal Father Stoney addressed the team.
Sheedy’s son Sam is a student at Xavier but he felt awkward helping out Xavs because one of his favourite players, Garry Foulds, was coaching the opposition St Bernard’s.
Sheeds wasn’t to know, but the Bernies, chasing just their second A Section flag in four attempts since 1963, had Geelong coach and former Sheedy assistant and Essendon premiership player Mark Thompson address them on Friday.
MICHAEL Blood, captain of Xavs during their dominance of the Amateurs since 1995, had a unique look in his eyes forty-five minutes after his club had a final quarter blitzkrieg.
Xavs kicked 10 goals to one to record a 45-point victory over St Bernards in the 2000 A Section Grand Final at Elsternwick Park to win, 22.14-146 to 16.5-101.
It wasn’t the 12 stitches to a wound above his left eye, picked up during a clash with team-mate Jamie Kay in the second quarter, that made his eyes look menacing.
Blood’s eyes were piercing during the traditional Channel 31 interview with the premier captain.
In the same interview for the past two years, Blood’s eyes were dream-boat blue. He was that relaxed.
This year they had turned to a shade of destroyer grey.
Blood’s look can be explained by Xavs’ challenges in 2000.
They must have seemed to have numbered 2000 for the coaching panel headed by Tim O’Shaughnessy, who picked up his third flag as coach.
Xavs had 11 players from the 1999 premiers represented at Elsternwick Park in the seniors last week.
It was the most changes from any of their premiership teams.
In 1996 there were nine changes from 1995, in 1997 five changes from 1996, in 1998 seven changes from 1997 and in 1999 nine changes from 1998.
Out from the successful 1999 team this year were: Sam Tucker, Ted Woodruff, Richard Coughlan and Bryan Hilbert, who played in last Sunday’s reserves premiership, Matt Bourke - eight goals - retired, Collingwood premiership player Craig Kelly - eight marks at centre-half back - temporarily retired as is Simon Wood who had 35 possessions, Ben Coughlan with a hamstring injury, David Rennex a biceps tear and Damian Stoney a broken leg.
Also in the reserves on Sunday were senior premiership players Anthony Keyhoe and Luke Hannebery.
Ominously, they should all be available next year.
These player losses were one of many burdens for the coach of the past two flags.
Mid-season, 19-year-olds Richard Coughlan, along with his senior teammate Lucian Deane-Johns and Michael Allen retired for various reasons.
“This was a big set-back,” O’Shaughnessy said.
“Those guys were the future.
This was one of the moments when doubt crept into the Xaverians’ makeup but champion clubs answer with resolution.
Maybe it was O’Shaughnessy’s affinity with youth, he is a PE teacher at Melbourne Grammar, that got Richard Coughlan and Deane-Johns back. The latter played in the senior premiership.
Last Saturday morning 26 hours before the grand final, after a light training session, a pale O’Shaughnessy revealed another issue he had been tackling.
Tim’s father Bryan O’Shaughnessy died five weeks earlier following complications with stomach cancer.
Xaverians are family-based and bereavement is shared by all.
With confidence, Tim O’Shaughnessy said: “This grand final will be the toughest test during our (Xaverians) run”.
Xavs have only lost two 2nd semi-finals since 1995 - in 1996 and the other a fortnight ago to the Bernies, by 22 points.
After turning with two wins and seven losses in 1996, the Xavs came from behind to defeat Collegians by five points.
How deflating was that for the only remaining foundation club of the VAFA?
In 2001, the Lions will play in C Section for the first time since the VAFA started in 1892, after having been demoted twice in four years.
St Bernard’s coach of the past four years, Garry Foulds, an Essendon premiership player and All-Australian, was also feeling the pinch of an Old Xaverian grand final defeat.
On Tuesday he was asked about coaching next year and Foulds replied: “I’m not sure. I’m having a few days to think about it”.
“I’d like to if I could,” Foulds said.
Foulds might want to consider these figures before he makes a decision.
The other clubs Xavs who have defeated in the grand finals have not excelled.
University Blues, who lost by 78 points in 1995, played in the first semi in 1996 and have not re-appeared in them until this year and they have had four coaches in that time; Scotch, which lost in 1997 by five points and 1998 by 61 points, has had a change in coach and hasn’t played in the past two finals series; last year, Old Melburnians, who lost by 51 points, have had a change of coach and are appealing their relegation to the VAFA Executive.
This year’s campaign by Xavs is given more credence with 2000 being compressed.
At least in 1996, Xavs had three weeks rest throughout the season - two during the home-and-away and the other in the first week of the McIntyre Final Four system played over four weeks.
In 2000 under a three-week format there was only one week’s rest on offer and that was for the winner of the second-semi. The first and second semis were played on the first Sunday of the finals so as to cater for the Olympics. An ageing and injured Xavs list could have done with the break.
The Bernies reported the second-semi was the toughest physically of the season.
St Kevin’s, who lost by four points to Xavs in the preliminary, were exhausted too.
Using his exercise physiology skills refined at Collingwood during its 1990 premiership, O’Shaughnessy was able to freshen up his team.
The club’s fortitude and self-belief kept the players’ attitude primed.
This was exemplified by the veteran Blood who dominated the ruck in the definitive last quarter in which Xavs outscored the Bernies by 59 points.
Blood, one of the most decorated players in VAFA history, should have a medal named in his honour when he retires.
It should be for the player of the A Section finals series, such have been his performances over the six series.
A particular inspiration for this concept comes from Blood’s mid-fielder Adam Sassi, 27, during the 2000 campaign. While Sassi won’t receive one for his deeds of the past three weeks, they are recorded here. A member of the first three Xaverian premierships, Sassi retired in 1998 after hamstring complications. He came back last year but those hamstrings kept on twinging.
This year Sassi did a rigorous pre-season only to pull out at the start after another upper leg problem. Perseverance is a wonderful quality and by the second half of the year, Sassi was getting game time. A score of men has etched their name on an invisible honour board during VAFA grand finals that have been played in Heidelberg, St Kilda, Swan St Richmond and Elsternwick Park.
Adam Sassi, with 25 possessions, joins the group that includes Phil Kingston, Phil McLaughlin, Peter Cox and Bernie Dunn as great finals players. He was the Xaverians go-to-man when defeat loomed in all three finals. Sassi looks like Zorro with his long brunette moustache and zig-zag pack breaks.
Even if his hair is thin, his torso stocky and his away-shorts grey he is a hero to the Xaverian supporters isolated by their continual success. At a team meeting on the eve of the grand final Sassi referred to his and Xaverians’ challenges this year by stating: “I would give up all three of my premiership medals to win this (2000) flag”.
It inspired many of the players to write Adam’s name on the back of one hand and Stuart (Skidmore) on the other.
THE Xavs coaching panel of Tim O’Shaughnessy, Pat Hawkins, Ian Aitken, Terry Peters and Chris Mortensen worked key match-ups to their advantage.
Simon Lethlean, who has suffered from a leg injury since the South Australian match in May, took Adam Merrington deep into a forward pocket. Merrington had battled a calf strain for a month and, it was revealed after the game, had a broken finger.
The best player of the season rarely showed his trademark of breaking the back lines he was removed so far from the contests.
Lethlean set up a few early plays but his mark on the game came in the last quarter when he had numerous possessions including the first of Xavs’ ten last-quarter goals.
The normally effervescent Lethlean has looked demure in recent weeks but his on-the-run major at the two-minute mark of the last quarter to reduce the Bernies’ three-quarter time lead to seven points started a chain reaction.
Andy Gowers, who played in his first flag since Hawthorn’s 1991 premiership, was suffering a broken right hand but he worried the young Steve McKeon out of vital marks at centre-half forward.
Foulds moved McKeon, whose second half of the season was marred by a stint in hospital with an infection in his hand’s webbing, to defence in the last quarter but Gowers followed and he put his team in front with an experienced goal at the seven-minute mark.
Moments before this, the magic evaporated from Nick Mitchell’s left foot when he missed two set shots from in front at 35 metres.
You could smell the attitude of Xaverians.
Mitchell has averaged six goals a game this year and Dave Landrigan, the only Xav in this group to have tasted grand final defeat, got the gig on him.
Landrigan played in the 1991 B Section Grand Final which St Bernards won 5.5-35 to 4.3-27. An awkward kicking style caused Landrigan to be dropped from the 1996 team and it looked to be his nemesis this campaign too.
Ironically, with Mitchell’s kicking being below par, Landrigan’s was confident.
On balance it was time for the Bernies to miss as they had kicked at 88 per cent during their seven-goal third term. Mitchell kicked two of three goals in the first term and took the Bernies out to a three-goal lead with the breeze.
Xavs got the same lead in the second quarter and the Bernies twice in the third term.
It wasn’t until Dan Richardson kicked his fifth goal, his best in the grand final run, at the 21-minute mark of the final term that buffer was broken for the first time in the match.
Richardson’s centre-half forward Adam Jones had a terrific tussle with Tait Wilkinson.
Three first-half goals from near the arc gave Jones, with 11 marks, the nod for his first Jock Nelson Medal for the Best on Ground.
Other eye-catching performances:
For Xavs: Ben Cranage - he had 41 possessions in last year’s finale and he picked up 37 last Sunday including two goals across the centre; Lachie Ford, 26 possessions, was the linkman for all quarters; Xavs’ John Bowen, 24 possessions, came to the fore during the second half.
For Bernies: Ben Jordan - recruited from B Section at North Old Boys, Jordan kicked their only goal in the last quarter at the 27-minute mark and it was unusually in slow motion for this pocket dynamo; Danny Byrne - his sprints from the circle to the arc - then to finish with five goals was inspirational;
Against any other side in the VAFA, the Danny Byrne goals early in the third term would have been knockout strikes. They were reinforced by Bernard goals to Chris Davis, Merrington and McKeon to give the minor premiers a 14-point lead at the 16-minute mark.
Then again, there has only been one other team like the Old Xaverians and that was University Blacks.
They too won six consecutive A Section premierships except their run was interrupted by World War II (1938 - 1949).
In 13 months, we should see a new king of Amateur Football.
For half a century it’s been Uni Blacks.
In September 2001, Xavs should win an unprecedented seventh flag in a row with this group that is to be bolstered by the Xaverian football factory.
Xavs’ Tim O’Shaughnessy: “We weren’t sure how the two-week break would affect St Bernard’s. Because we had been there and St Bernard’s hadn’t, maybe it would give them more time to think about it.”
Bernies’ Garry Foulds: “We weren’t concerned about trying to beat Xavs for the fourth time this season (also for a fifth time in a row). Xavs had beaten us 14 times in a row prior to our win last year.”
Twice O’Shaughnessy said at the presentation: “Nothing like this will ever happen again”. On this O’Shaughnessy meant: “I couldn’t see six in a row being won again, certainly not in my lifetime (the record has stood for 51 years). This doesn’t mean we can’t win seven next year”.
Foulds: “Xavs ran well in the last quarter. We were taken by surprise. Xavs have a lot of self-belief that has been built up over a number of years.”
Fifty-four men have played for Xaverians during their six premierships.
Michael Blood, John Bowen, Andrew Dillon and Dan Richardson have played in all six.
Paul Tuddenham (1995), Craig Kelly (1999), Jason Taylor (1998), Ben Buckley (1995) and Andy Gowers (2000) have all played in premierships after AFL careers.
Daniel Donati (1996) at Richmond, Anthony McDonald (1995), James McDonald (1996) and Andrew Leoncelli (1995) at Melbourne have gone on to AFL careers after playing in Xaverian flags (indicated in brackets).
Nick Perrett, Luke Gollant, Jason Gollant and Shane Byrne were all members of the Bernies’ 1991 B Section premiership team which had defeated Xavs 5.5-35 to 4.3-27.
Xaverians have now made the past eight A Section final series and the club has won 19 of 24 flags on offer for the seniors, reserves, under 19s and Club 18 over the past six years.
The Reserves were chasing their sixth flag and came up against Old Scotch in the second semi-final. It was a close tussle but the Red ‘n’ Blacks kicked away in the final term.
Old Scotch: 2.3 4.4 8.6 9.7.61
Old Xaverians: 3.5 4.7 10.8 15.10.100
Goals: Ireland 4, Woodruff 3, Stean 2, McQueen-Parton 2, McWhirter, Keyoe, Freer
Best: Lechte, McQueen-Parton, Skidmore, Barrett, Tucker, Keyhoe.
Grand Final day was big for Chris Mortensen’s Twos, as the X-Men again cleaned up Old Scotch in their Grand Final.
It was a scrappy affair, with conditions quite greasy at times. But all’s well that ends well. OX 11.14-80 to Scotch 8.11-59.
Here’s some final quarter action.
The 2000 Grand Final was a stunning contest between two quality teams.
Many impartial observers might nominate the 2015 contest as the greatest: St Bernard’s 17.11.113 Old Trinity 15.15.105 as superior, and they might have a reasonable argument. But that contest was played in the shelter of Princes Park, in perfect conditions, with an extra man per team and a more relaxed season schedule. And it went to the wire. Bernard’s won on points.
In 2000, two heavyweights traded punches for three quarters and then the Old Xavs knocked out the Bernies in the last. The fights we remember most often end up with someone on the canvas, and that day, the Snow Dogs were battered in the end.
Looking back with some statistical hindsight, 2000 was an amazing home and away season.
Comparisons between 2000 and the past nine seasons 2011-2019 reveal how much the game has changed since in the ensuing years.
Defensively, things have changed a bit too.
The coaching tactics in 2000 echoed the Tommy Hafey preference to win by kicking more goals than the other mob rather than the Malthouse mantra of stop, stop, stop. Zoning, floods and other dour tactics have benefitted backline players, but have put a muzzle on forwards.
Xavs’ premiership run stopped at six.
In 2001, the Red ‘n’ Blacks lost to St Kevin’s in the first semi-final. Kevs scored a late one in the last quarter, which went over 35 minutes.
In 2002, the Xavs lost to St Bernard’s in the Grand Final. Danny Byrne, who kicked five of the Snow Dogs’ goals in 2000, was the star as Bernies won 20.15.135 to 15.14.104
In 2003, one scholar on the sports forum BigFooty opined: The empire is crumbling in every respect. Xavs have crashed out in the last two final series, as the veterans move into retirement, Club 18, or middle tier law firms . . . . the well is pretty much dry at Toorak Park. Players such as Ford, Brushfield, Orlando, and Ockleshaw are all that remains between the former power and a descent into B grade.
Wrong.
Later that year, under Michael Sholly, the Red ‘n’ Blacks broke the drought, turning the tables on the Snow Dogs. About half the 2000 team was still around to make significant contributions in that premiership.
Further premierships in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2016 underlined the club’s strength and resolve to compete.
