Round 11 Match Review, 2026

 

Senior Men's Match Report

Old Scotch                 2.0       9.2     13.4       19.5 (119)

Old Haileyburians     3.8     5.11     8.14     10.17   (77)

Goals: C.Goonewardene 2, K.Mountford 2, B.Seccull 2, J.Blight, L.Giliam, M.Kirkwood‑Scott, D.Seccull

Best: N.Higgins, B.Seccull, B.Findlay, K.Mountford, L.Riley, L.Wood

 

The Senior Men were left to rue missed opportunities, with inaccurate kicking proving costly in a hard-fought contest against Scotch. The Bloods were outstanding around the contest in the opening stages and controlled much of the play early, but were unable to convert their dominance onto the scoreboard. A string of missed chances allowed Old Scotch to stay within striking distance before they gradually worked their way back into the game.

Despite the disappointing result, there was plenty to like about the effort and competitiveness shown by the group throughout the afternoon. Wingman Noah Higgins produced his finest performance of the season and was deservedly judged best on ground. His work rate, composure with the ball and ability to cover the ground made him a constant influence from the opening bounce to the final siren.  Ruckman Brodie Findlay stood tall all day, giving the midfield first use and leading by example. His physical presence around the stoppages lifted those around him, allowing some of the club's younger players to walk a little taller as they continued to take the game on.

In the midfield, Brede Seccull and Lachlan "Handsome" Riley battled tirelessly all afternoon, refusing to take a backward step and continuing to compete despite the mounting scoreboard pressure.  Down back, Liam Wood threw himself into every contest, repeatedly putting his body on the line and doing everything possible to repel the Scotch attack.  Up forward, youngster Keegan Mountford was the Bloods' most dangerous target, providing a strong contest and looking the most likely to trouble the scorers.

While the result didn't fall Old Haileyburians way, the effort, intensity and willingness to compete were evident throughout. Had the Bloods made better use of their early opportunities, the story could easily have been very different. With greater composure in front of goal, the signs remain encouraging as the group prepares for another important challenge next weekend.

How the VAFA saw the match:

Old Scotch continued their rise up the ladder with their third win in four matches, claiming victory over Old Haileyburians to jump a game clear of the drop zone.  The Bloods dominated proceedings in the opening term, racking up 18 Inside 50s to nine and generating 10 shots to two. But unfortunately for the visitors, they couldn’t finish their work, booting 3.8 to 2.0 and opening up a 14-point lead that could have been much greater.

The Cardinals lifted in the second quarter, hitting a lot more targets and controlling the ball more as a result. They flipped a -16 Disposal Differential into +28 in the second term, kicking the last six goals of the first half as they slammed on 7.2 to 2.3, transforming a 14-point deficit into a 15-point half-time lead.  Old Scotch’s ability to punish Bloods’ errors was telling, with five of their seven second-quarter goals coming directly from Old Haileyburians turnovers.

Brodie Easton extended Scotch’s lead to 21 points early in the third term, before Brede Seccull lifted the Bloods with two goals in as many minutes to bring it back to a single-digit margin.  The Cards then kicked again with goals to Angus Jones and Cooper Lean midway through the term, and when James Tarrant added another at the 28-minute mark, they had cracked the margin out to a game-high 27 points.  Mitch Kirkwood-Scott pulled a goal back to give Old Haileyburians a boost as they headed to the last change with a 20-point deficit.

The early minutes of the final term would prove decisive; the Cardinals’ forward-half pressure punished the Bloods as they slammed on three goals in four minutes to effectively put the game to bed in the blink of an eye as the lead ballooned to 38 points.  The final term proved to be a free-flowing affair, with Old Scotch ultimately pulling away with 6.1 to 2.3 and run out 42-point winners after kicking 17 goals to seven after quarter-time.

Ruck Brodie Findlay was tireless for the Bloods, collecting 25 disposals (ALL contested), 62 hit-outs and a whopping 15 clearances as the Bloods finished +17 for stoppage wins (52-35) but were unable to convert those into scores due to inaccuracy (finished with 2.8 from Stoppages).  Lachie Riley was at the coalface all afternoon, finishing with 27 touches (15 contested), eight tackles and 11 clearances, while Noah Higgins made an impact, continually driving it forward to create opportunities for the Bloods.

It’s a critical win that sees Old Scotch move a game ahead of the Bloods, who slide down into the drop zone for the first time this season.  The Bloods have now lost six of their last seven, and the bye comes at a critical time for them to refresh and regroup. Next up, they’ll face their old Premier B rival Old Trinity – win that, and they will leapfrog the T’s to safety. Given they will face all the Top 4 teams in the run home, it looms as a vital four points up for grabs.

Guy Martyn (Old Haileyburians): “Probably one of the more frustrating games I’ve been involved in. We lost by 42 points, but a lot of the key stats suggest we did enough to be right in the contest. We finished +17 in clearances, +11 Inside 50s and had more scoring shots, but ultimately our inability to execute going inside 50 and convert our opportunities cost us.

“We absolutely dominated the first 45 minutes of the game. At one stage, it felt like we were 5.11 to 8.1 and just not making the most of our control. In the first quarter alone, it was 3.8 to 1.0, and they barely had an inside 50. In a competition as even as this one, you have to make the most of your momentum because you’re not going to have it for four quarters.

“The biggest difference was their ability to punish our mistakes. They kicked 15.2 from our turnovers and were incredibly efficient when opportunities came their way. We did a lot right in getting the ball forward and creating chances, but our execution by foot, our finishing in front of goal, and their ability to rebound and score off turnover were the factors that decided the game.

“Brodie Findlay was enormous in the ruck. He finished with 25 possessions, all contested, and had 15 clearances in a huge individual performance. Brede Seccull and Lach Riley were also strong around the contest with 10 and 11 clearances respectively, while Noah Higgins was probably our classiest player on the day with his decision-making and ball use.

“It’s disappointing to head into the bye off that result because it feels like a missed opportunity. We’ve got seven games left, with a mix of winnable games and some tough challenges.”

For full pictorial coverage of the Seniors' match against Old Scotch go to the Gallery

 

Hearts Match Report

Old Yarra Cobras 2     0.1     2.1       3.1       3.2 (20)

Old Haileyburians       5.0     7.0     10.0     13.2 (80)

Goals: R.Barbakas 3, S.Phillips 3, T.Baxter 2, A.Montebelli 2, J.Bettess, G.Folwell, R.Hartney

Best: J.Bettess, T.Baxter, C.Irving, R.Barbakas, L.Connell, S.Phillips

 

The Hearts responded in perfect fashion on Sunday, producing an impressive victory over Old Yarra to remain firmly in the hunt for a finals berth. While the Cobras may have entered the game at the bottom of the ladder, they were far more competitive than the final scoreboard suggested. The difference was our ability to make the most of our opportunities early, with accurate kicking giving the Hearts the perfect start and allowing us to build scoreboard pressure.

Although Old Yarra brought plenty of experience and skill to the contest, our youthful enthusiasm and speed around the ground proved decisive. The Hearts consistently won the ball in transition, spread hard and punished the opposition when chances presented themselves.
Captain Jas Bettess once again set the tone from the opening bounce. Despite being one of the smallest players on the ground, her fearless attack on the contest and relentless tackling inspired her teammates and ensured the pressure never dropped.

Behind the ball, the defensive group stood tall all afternoon. Lexie Connell, Meg Cooper, Ivy Compton and Ruby Hartney continually repelled the Cobras' attacks, giving the midfield first use and providing the platform for the forwards to go to work.  At the other end, Tess Baxter, Reanna Barbakus and Gypsy Folwell capitalised on the team's strong ball movement, while midfielder Shay Phillips was rewarded for an outstanding all-round performance by pushing forward to kick three goals. One of the biggest highlights of the day belonged to Amy Montebelli, who celebrated a memorable milestone by kicking the first two goals of her senior football career.

It was a terrific team performance built on pressure, speed and selfless football, with the Hearts' accurate kicking proving a major factor in an important percentage-boosting win as the season heads towards the business end.

How the VAFA saw the match:

Old Haileyburians have returned to their winning ways joining Parkdale and Hawthorn on 36 points.  A fast start by Hearts set the game up, kicking five goals to none in the first. Both Reanna Barbakas and Shalyn Phillips kicked three goals really set up the victory. While April Jones kicked two of her team’s three goals for the Cobras.

Old Haileyburians coach David Lappage was pleased with his team’s performance.  “The Cobras were better than the scoreboard suggested. We just kicked accurately which got us the jump on them. Our youth and speed were too good for their age, experience and skill.”

He also mentioned some individual performances he was impressed with.  “Our captain, little Jas Bettess led the way from the first bounce laying countless tackles and the backs led by Lexie Connell, Meg Cooper, Ivy Compton and Ruby Hartney were solid allowing Tess Baxter, Reanna Barbakas and Gypsy Folwell to go to work kicking goals up forward. Their accurate kicking made a huge difference.”

 

Men's Reserves Match Report 

Old Scotch                 4.4     6.6     8.9     9.13 (67)

Old Haileyburians     0.0     2.0     3.1       5.3 (33)

Goals: J.Kennedy 2, B.Dann, O.Fairbairn, S.Stefanakis

Best: A.Bonwick, Matthew Cowell, E.Hardeman, S.James, W.Hardeman, J.Waring

Debuts: Bailey Dann, Oscar Fairbairn