November 19, 2024
RALPH'S NEW ROLE
O'Shaughnessy is Xavs' Footy GM
A Century of the Red & Black
In the first semi-final of 2001, St Kevin’s ended Old Xaverians’ run of six premierships in a row. This comes to the mind of the more mature each time these clubs meet, and particularly when the game is close. It was yesterday. And as it did 21 years ago, the final term went 35 minutes plus.This time, it was the Claret and Stout who stopped the SKOB’s season-opening skein at six.
Under sunny skies with barely a breath of wind, the crowd came early to Toorak Park in anticipation of seeing something special. And so it began. Charlie MacIsaac rattled the woodwork at the Malvern Road end inside 30seconds, but then the scoring dried up as the two teams jabbed like prize-fighters exploring the other’s weaknesses.
Angus Hart, cousin and ruck opponent of Tom Hart, kicked truly at 9 minutes to give the visitors the lead. As it transpired, it was the onlySKOB for the afternoon, and it lasted just four minutes before Marcus Stavrou steered one through from the scoreboard pocket.
Jack Hewitt marked and goaled, Mick Batten and Xavier Richards did likewise in the second half of the quarter. At the other end, SKOB was becalmed with the pressure coming from Will Hams and Ryan Schoenmakers. It was tough in the clinches, but Xavs were clearly the better team and the quarter time scoreboard showed them with a 20-point lead.
St Kevin’s scored the first one of the second term and the game was suddenly tighter. Mid-term, Richards nailed two in close succession, one of them a confident checkside from the Orrong Hotel corner. He had taken a mark by the point post after some brilliance from Hewitt in the other pocket who won a hard ball and got it on the boot just as he was pushed across the boundary. The Red ‘n’ Blacks, quieted for a while, had established a 25-point lead. Then they stalled again. The Kevins, rarely beaten and never bowed, got two more in time-on and they went to the sheds separated by just two goals.
Xavs’ coach James Byrne asked his team for more in one of the shortest half-time breaks ever. The Red ‘n’ Blacks were back on the park before most afternoon tea patrons had eaten their second cupcake. Richards struck again, but then SKOB goaled twice and should have taken their second lead of the day at nine minutes but for a set-shot missed from point-blank range. Challenged again, the X-Men stepped it up. Again, they squeezed across the midfield and in defence. Up front, it was again Hewitt who set the Claret and Stout alight. At thirteen minutes, a pack formed as the ball came high into the Xavs forward line. Hewy was four deep and somehow got airborne and snagged the mark, before calmly punting through his second. Batten drilled a long raking pass to the leading Richards, who marked and goaled, and then Batten himself marked, was floored, and goaled from the square. Four goals between the teams at the lemons, but there was still plenty to play out.
The Tricolours looked the better team early in the last. They were playing with some abandon, taking the chances it needed to give themselves a shot at the points. By eight minutes, the margin was inside two goals, with SKOB scoring twice. Mid-term, though, Hewitt pulled off two more miracles, snapping goals from each pocket just 90 seconds apart. Xavs were back in front by 23 and the bookies would them into to unbackable odds. But SKOB slammed through two more and the margin was into 11 points as time on commenced. From there until the final siren fifteen minutes later, it was a nail-biting and desperate affair. Ed Delany, who had seemed out of sorts in the opening half, showed some signs in the third term. In the last, he owned the game. The visitors threw it all up against the wall but the Red ‘n’ Blacks held firm. When the home team looked to be mounting an attack, the strong Kevin's defence repelled. At 28 minutes, Hayden Troiani sealed it for the X Men after a 30-metre neck-and-neck sprint after the ball that bounced goalward. Had his boot touched it last? Just before it crossed the goal-line, the Xavs’ speedster ended all doubt by getting a second toe on it.
So Xavs took the points, which they needed more than the visitors did. It was a quality game, tense and pulsating, with some brilliant individual and team highlights. Denis Symeopoulos was in outstanding touch for the X Men all afternoon and Will Goss put in some dazzling and very effective efforts in a polished display. Neither coach was unhappy about his team’s effort, though it was Byrne’s turn to smile this week. In four games time, the teams will meet again at Moonga Road, and we suspect that won’t be the last time in 2022.
In the meantime, Xavs take a trip to Parkville, where Uni Blues have been known to cause some trouble. The league leaders head to Beach Road, where Old Brighton await.
Goal Kickers: X. Richards 5, J. Hewitt 4, M. Batten 2, H. Troiani, M.Stavrou
Best Players: J. Hewitt, R. Schoenmakers, X.Richards, W. Hams, D. Symeopoulos, W. Goss
Kuiy Jiath might have been treated for leather poisoning after his efforts. He led the strong field of Old Xavs players who accounted for St Kevin's in R7.
With Scotch suffering its first defeat against OMs, Xavs remain just behind the league leaders.
A few pics here
Goal Kickers: M. Handley 2, H. Bell 2, K. Jiath 2, T. Simmons, C. Knott, A. Spralja, W. Honan
Best Players: K. Jiath, B. Egan, J. Ayton-Delaney, A. Spralja, C. Knott, H. Bell
A disappointing afternoon for the WOX, as they fell to West Brunswick in a low scoring contest at McAlister.
A very big defeat for the WOX 2s.
Not a lot of straight-shooting, but the Xavs got it done and got out of Dodge.
Goal Kickers: D. Fitzgerald 2, E. Kennedy 2, J. Sassi, E. Niall, W. Stevens, H. MacIsaac, K. Walford
Best Players: W. Stevens, J. Sassi, E. Niall, W. Bowen, S. Noonan, T. McRae
Hampton Rovers survived a strong challenge from the Xavs at Boss James.
Goal Kickers: M. Doherty 2, J. Sandman, W. Exell, J. Nelson, S. Kavenagh, A. Ivak, C. Stepnell
Best Players: J. Peppard, S. O''Shannassy, J. Nelson, D. McCarthy, S. Kavenagh, J. Hansen
PEGS won on the Runway after setting it it up in the first term. It was uphill for the X-Men from there on.
Blacks 67 Reds 89. Yes, a big result in the Derby.
Bridget Wilson's pics are here.
Goal Kickers: C. Westcott 4, S. Stynes 2, P. Goatcher, M. Exell, K. Lowrey, J. Lee
Best Players: W. Bryce, E. Hummerston, P. Cockerill, T. Mantesso, P. Goatcher, D. Condon
Goal Kickers: W. Sheedy 4, N. Harries 3, J. Lowe 2, F. Elwick 2, G. Lachal, E. Ralph, H. Sweeney
Best Players: C. Dunne, J. Lowe, W. Sheedy, H. Berogna, Z. Connor, S. Stanley
Milky Forrest booted seven in a BOG performance as the Menages slammed St Kevin's. The Red 'n' Blacks led all day, but saved their best for last with a seven-goals-to-one final term.
Goal Kickers: J Forrest 7, W. Mantesso 3, J. Hanger, M. Cain, O. Silk, J. Samartzis, C. O''Brien, S. Knox
Best Players: J. Forrest, O. Silk, W. Mantesso, J. Buffon, L. Toohey, J. Norman
Had the bye.
