Round 5 Match Review, 2024

 

Senior Men's Match Report

De La Salle OC          4.1     5.3       6.4       13.5 (83)

Old Haileyburians     1.2     7.5     12.8     13.12 (90)

Goals: S.Loewe 5, W.Abraham 3, D.Seccull 2, M.Sinclair 2, C.Harrop

Best: S.Loewe, B.Seccull, J.Bell, L.Bailey, J.Gasparini, M.Sinclair

Milestone: Liam Kirkwood-Scott (50 games)

 

Round 5 and a crucial clash for our Senior Men as we heading out for an away clash against De La Salle.  This was Liam Kirkwood-Scott's 50th game for our club and we were keen to have our effort reflect that.  The group had set themselves for this game as they are a team that we believe will be one of the teams to knock off later on in September.  Disappointingly we made some crucial errors giving up some easy goals and trailed by 17 points at quarter time.  We needed to reset and play the way that we trained all week and put more pressure on De La. That's exactly what we did as our ability to force turnovers and move the ball quickly to our forwards had us heading into the main break with a lead of 34 points after a six goal to one term.

ln the third quarter we were kicking into a breeze so needed to limit our opponents ball movement and try to force them into error.  Pleasingly our pressure was fantastic all over the ground and after taking our chances in front of goal our lead had stretched 40 points heading into the last change.  The chat at the last break was that we needed to continue to play the right way and it was not going to just happen for us.  We had some chances early at goal which would have killed of the contest but we didn't take them. Suddenly they kicked one and then another and then another goal to get their confidence up.  We made some crucial errors that gave up a few more goals and they had brought the margin back to seven points with five minutes to play.

We responded with Sam Loewe's fifth goal for the day and after they got another one late when the siren sounded we had the win with a seven point margin. Frustrating finish to the day but we will take the lessons out of the last quarter and move on.  De La Salle are very hard to beat at home and it has been a while since we have left there with the four points.

lndividually Sam Loewe was fantastic in his last game before he heads overseas for a work opportunity. We thank Sam for all of his efforts week in and week out for our footy club and wish him all the best.  Our leaders really stood up on the weekend in particular Brede Seccull and Max Sinclair.

Next week it is second vs third as we host Caulfield in what will be the 200th game for Jimmy Paul and 50th for Brede Seccull.  We have a Ladies Luncheon so there will be plenty of supporters around to get behind the boys.  Finally our playing group would like to offer our condolences on the passing of Dennis Carty.  A great person who has done a lot for our club and we mentioned it was important that we honoured the Carty family in how we played.

How the VAFA saw the match:

De La Salle and Old Haileyburians played out a thriller of their own at Waverley Oval, the momentum swinging wildly between two of Premier B’s most impressive squads.  A four-goal-to-one opening salvo from De La was met by a six-goal-to-one response from Old Haileybury, who turned the screws further in the third term, leading by 40 points at the final break.  “Throughout that second and third quarter – it wasn’t so much the in-tight stuff, it was the spread,” said Nick Hyland, with Old Haileyburians' Brede Seccull, Josh Gasparini and Hugo Nosiara able to transition from the contest to the outside with relative ease.

Having been well beaten across the middle quarters, De La Salle responded remarkably, storming home, and doubling their 6.4 (40) three quarter time score in quick time – although Nick Hyland’s men fell just short, going down 13.5 (83) to 13.12 (90).  “Ultimately, we left ourselves too much to do,” said Hyland. “You can’t concede 11 goals to two through the middle quarters and expect to come out on top.” The coach threw caution to the wind at the final break, throwing Trent Shannon and Tom Docherty on-ball while defender Ryan O’Meara went forward, having had Old Haileybury’s Max Sinclair for company in a defensive forward role throughout the affair.

Despite coming up short, Hyland will be glad for the opportunity to test players in new roles, should he need to get creative later in the season.  After an 0-2 start to the season, Daniel Ward’s side has peeled off three consecutive wins and now sits atop a logjam of 3-2 teams in third position. Sam Loewe punted five goals – including the sealer – in what will be his last game of the season, the forward heading overseas for a work commitment. “That was a going-away present for Sam,” said Ward. “He’s gone out with a fantastic performance.”  With positions in the top four already looking to be exceptionally hard to come by, taking a win from the trip to Waverly may be crucial comes finals time.

For full pictorial coverage of the Seniors' match against De La Salle OC go to the Gallery

 

Hearts Match Report

Old Melburnians        2.0     3.2     3.2     4.4 (28)

Old Haileyburians     3.0     3.3     3.3     4.6 (30)

Goals: S.Vudiniabola 2, S.Allan, I.Scaunich

Best: E.Gown, I.Scaunich, E.McCrae, S.Vanderwaal, A.Hetherington, L.Oliver

 

The Hearts emerged victorious in a captivating clash against Old Melburnians in an early kickoff at amateur headquarters, Elsternwlck Park. Despite facing an early onslaught from the opposition, conceding the first two goals within the opening five minutes, the Hearts displayed remarkable resilience and determination. Rather than succumbing to adversity, they embraced the challenge with vigour.

Responding with unwavering tenacity, the Hearts orchestrated a stunning turnaround, showcasing a level of tackle pressure unseen in the season. This relentless defensive effort paved the way for a spirited comeback, as they notched three consecutive goals to seize a narrow lead of three goals to two by the end of the first quarter. The remainder of the match evolved into a fierce back-and-forth struggle, with the midfield of Eloise McCrae, Bella Scaunich,  Ella Gown, Serene Vudiniabola, and Kate Langford-Jones tirelessly dictating the tempo of play. Their collective efforts ensured dominance in the territorial battle, constantly thrusting the ball forward and keeping the pressure on the
opposition.

The burgeoning talents within the team continued to blossom, with players like Lulu Atkins, Eliza Main, and Alizza Hetherington demonstrating remarkable composure and contributing significantly to the team's cause. The experience of Lauren Oliver and Gracie Vanderwaal down back and Bridget Hanrahan and Rachael Hobbley up forward certainly help the calm the team.

Heading into the final quarter with the scoreboard finely poised at 3.2 to 3.3, the Hearts faced another test of character as old Melburnians swiftly notched an early goal. However, instead of faltering, the Hearts dug deep, displaying remarkable resilience and resolve. ln a thrilling climax to the match, it was the Hearts who ultimately prevailed, clinching victory with a late goal from the diminutive Sienna Allan. With the scores deadlocked untll the dying moments, the Hearts' relentless pressure eventually paid dividends, securing a narrow two-point lead courtesy of two crucial behinds.

This hard-fought triumph serves as a testament to the unwavering belief and fighting spirit of the Old Haileyburian Hearts. With this pivotal win, they propel themselves into the positive side of the win-loss ledger, boasting an impressive record of three wins and two losses. As they continue their campaign, buoyed by newfound confidence, the Hearts are poised to tackle whatever challenges lie ahead with renewed vigor and determination.

How the VAFA saw the match:

The Round kicked off at Elsternwick Park, the home of the VAFA and the home of Old Melburnians who hosted fellow south-east rivals Old Haileyburians. It was a low scoring affair on an early Saturday morning, only indicative of the evenly matched nature of these two sides. A tight tussle makes for exciting football and in this matchup, every goal counted.  Old Melburnians kicked off their campaign early thanks to the likes of star player Clare Fraser who kicked the Omelettes two goals for the first quarter. She finished the match with further accolades, booting 3 goals and outright earning best on field recognition for her side. Old Haileybury responded with three of their own straight kicks in the opening term.

The Omelettes fought their way back into the contest to trail by just 1-point at half time. This was followed by a scoreless third quarter with everything to play for heading into the fourth.  Both sides were hungry for the four points and despite OM’s firing to take an early lead in the fourth quarter, it was Haileyburians who turned the table in the dying minutes to steal the game by a mere two points.

One half of the Hearts captain duo, Isabella Scaunich, led from the front for her side and was aptly in the best for the day finishing with a goal of her own. The ever consistent in front of goals, Serene Vudiniabola kicked two majors, and Ella Gown was once again best on for the winning side.

 

Men's Reserves Match Report 

De La Salle OC          6.3     8.8     12.9     14.11 (95)

Old Haileyburians     0.1     2.2       4.3          8.3 (51)

Goals: J.Adams 2, S.Connolly, B.Oakes, P.Paleologos, S.Stefanakis, N.Traficante, A.Williamson

Best: J.Vaughan, T.Sennitt, P.McPhee, L.Wood, P.Gleadhill, J.Gillon

Debuts: Callum Bond, Will Buddick

 

Under 19's Match Report

Old Haileyburians     4.3     7.4    9.5     11.8 (74)

Old Xaverians 2        2.2     5.5     7.5       7.7 (49)

Goals: L.Riedel 2, B.Yates 2, J.Connell 2, A.Russell 2, T.Antonis, J.Black, G.Hendrie

Best: L.Riedel, G.Kokoros, X.Scott, I.Johnson, H.Whitaker, A.Russell

 

This week the U19s took on arch rivals Old Xaverians in a tough, hard fought game. We got our heads in front early and although we jumped out to a three goal lead during the first quarter Old Xavs where able to kick one late and draw the margin back to two goals and that is where it stayed right up until ten minutes to go in the match. Game ending injuries to Ethan Hardeman, Jack Tuffley, Ed Cassidy and Matt Cowell put everyone under the pump and leaving only one on the bench.

At half time we talked about digging deep and having pride in our efforts and although we didn't win the quarter, we were able to break even and we went into the 3/4 time break two goals in front. We made some significant changes to our line up with James Connell and Jake Black going back across half back and intercepting everything. We could see that our mid-field were out on their feet heading into the last quarter, Tom Antonis had run himself into the ground and Alex Russell coming back from a five week break was cooked but we talked about not letting all our good work in the first three quarters go to waste.

Jack Kennedy and Bailey Yates were super up forward presenting at every contest down the line and when we Liam Riedel marked strongly in the goal square and converted the wind was taken out of the Old Xavs sails and we were able to relax a bit on the bench. This team plays a good brand of football and has some future senior football stars, they have great belief in the way we play and such a positive attitude that they never think they are out of the game.