IN THE FAST LANE
Wingster on board.
Beginning this week, Old Xaverians will field eleven teams in the VAFA competition, with the admission of a second Red 'n' Blacks team to the U23 competition.
President Matt Cosgrave said that the decision to add the team was made from necessity.
"We have a lot of players who have been rotated in and out of the U23 team due to our huge numbers. This will ease that problem. Our second U23 team is a fitting reward to so many of our young men who don't just want to play footy, but are desperate to play Old Xavs footy," said Cosgrave.
"We are delighted that Paul Connors has agreed to coach this team. Paul has for a number of seasons been working behind the scenes on ways we can enhance players' progression through our ranks. We view the U23 comp as vital in the development of players graduating from the U19s who aren't quite ready for senior football and we are delighted to expand opportunities for our players in this fashion."
The second U23 team will play all of its games on the road, with a clash against St Bernard's first on the agenda.
It will not meet Tim Delany's OX U23 team unless it reaches the finals.
Old Xaverians, with nine men's teams, is now the VAFA's largest men's club. Xavs and St Kevin's -with eight men's teams and three women's - are the largest overall.
The proposed schedule for the remainder of the U23 minor round is as follows:
Round 8 - Saturday 29 May
Old Scotch vs. Old Xaverians 1 Camberwell 9:20am
St Bernards vs. Old Xaverians 2 Walter Street Reserve 12:00pm
Round 9 - Saturday 05 June
Old Xaverians 1 vs. Old Trinity Stradbroke Park 11:40am
St Kevins vs. Old Xaverians 2 Righetti Oval 2:00pm
Round 10 - Saturday 19 June
Old Xaverians 2 Bye
Old Geelong vs. Old Xaverians 1 Como Park 9:20am
Round 11 - Saturday 26 June
Old Xaverians 1 vs. Old Scotch Stradbroke Park 11:40am
University Blues vs. Old Xaverians 2 Crawford Oval 11:40am
Round 12 - Saturday 03 July
Old Scotch vs. Old Xaverians 2 Camberwell 9:20am
Old Xaverians 1 vs. St Kevins Stradbroke Park 11:40am
Round 13 - Saturday 17 July
Old Xaverians 1 vs. Old Geelong Stradbroke Park 11:40am
St Kevins vs. Old Xaverians 2 T H King Oval 2:00pm
Round 14 - Saturday 24 July
Old Xaverians 1 Bye
St Bernards vs. Old Xaverians 2 St Bernards College 11:40am
Round 15 - Saturday 31 July
Collegians vs. Old Xaverians 2 Harry Trott Oval 9:20am
St Kevins vs. Old Xaverians 1 Righetti Oval 2:00pm
Round 16 - Saturday 07 August
Old Xaverians 1 vs. Old Geelong Stradbroke Park 11:40am
University Blues vs. Old Xaverians 2 Crawford Oval 11:40am
Round 17 - Saturday 14 August
Old Trinity vs. Old Xaverians 2 Daley Oval 11:40am
Old Xaverians 1 Bye
Round 18 - Saturday 21 August
Old Geelong vs. Old Xaverians 2 Como Park 11:40am
St Kevins vs. Old Xaverians 1 Righetti Oval 2:00pm