An uncharacteristically flat looking SKOB Seniors were floored by a slick Scotch outfit at TH King on Saturday. SKOB were never in the hunt all day as Scotch dictated terms from early on right through to the finish. Earlier the Reserves had a strong win to maintain their spot on the table. Over at Old Rigret the Saints Gold were dominant against Collegians - winning by 111 points. The Blues dropped a game to the Lions but remain in the four. The Greens started the day with a win at West Brunswick to finish the season top of the table and earn a week off in the first round of the finals. At Basil St the U19 Premier team made short work of De La - winning by plenty, but the Academy found Old Xavs too strong in the second semi and will need to go through the Prelim final to meet them again. It was the same story for the Stingers who started well but were overhauled by Xavs and need to win the repechage for another chance. The U19 Div 2’s had another top four shaping win, knocking off St Bedes away to continue their late season run of good form. Overall it was 5 from 9 for SKOB this weekend.
Scotchies steamroll flat SKOB
On a glorious Saturday with weather almost finals like, SKOB Seniors have put in a flat performance and were outclassed all day by a Scotch outfit that had come to right the wrongs of many a trip to TH King in the past. The Cardinals have not had a great record at this ground and SKOB’s ability to strangle their opponents and limit scoring opportunities has long been a feature of the dominance that the home team has enjoyed at the ground. At game time however, SKOB did not have that dominant air about them and their body language suggested that perhaps they were not at their buzzing best to take on a challenger who had come with plenty of purpose. Angus Hart started proceedings well enough for SKOB but the visitors then piled on the next seven goals over the next quarter and a half to really put a stamp on the contest. The home team were unable to get their hands on the football, and when they did were not as assured in the ball handling as they have been in the past. The pressure put on by the visitors was up in the red levels and SKOB were finding it hard to get their game going at all.
A late rally in the back half of term two saw SKOB claw back a bit of the margin and when the two teams hit the sheds for the long break it was not quite all over - there was still another half to go after all. The first ten minutes of the third term saw the ball mostly parked in the SKOB attacking 50, but they were unable to hit the scoreboard as the well drilled and set up Scotch defence held them out. A narrow miss to SKOB was then taken coast to coast for a Scotch goal and instead of being 20 points down and within reach, SKOB were 31 behind, which became 37 a minute later when the visitors scored another goal and any hopes of a comeback were extinguished then and there.
The Cardinals were playing the ground as well as any visiting team in recent memory and had dominant players across the board. As the teams changed ends for the final time the result was academic and there wasn’t much to play for - two goals to the visitors to start the last might have spelt a real avalanche, but SKOB showed some mettle and responded with two of their own with a later goal to Liam Gunson giving some respectability to the scoreboard, but in reality it was as convincing an 8 goal margin as you could get. Scotch simply too good on the day. SKOB will get a break now to reset, and that might have come at a good time, before the final three rounds. With the double chance still firmly in their own hands, SKOB can control their destiny, and will need to find some spark as they head into the business end of the season.
Best for SKOB were: Jack Darmody, Lachlan Farrugia, Callum Jones, Jack Andriske, Liam Gunson and Luke Winter
Ressies take another step
With second spot in the balance, the SKOB Ressies made their mark and put a gap between themselves and Scotch, winning a tight battle in the early game at the King. Knowing that a slip at this point in the season could cost them as it would put Scotch just a game behind, Coach Clough had his boys ready for the contest at hand. They took control in the first term and never let the Cards get any closer than 2-3 goals throughout the contest. A feature of the reserves all season has been their ability to run out games over four quarters, and again on Saturday they proved stronger at the death, registering the only two goals in the last as their defence remained rock solid right to the finish.
Best for SKOB were Tom Davidson, Vlad Stevancevic, Harry Kirkwood, William Cooper, Hamish Reimers, Christian Woolrich
Not quite enough herbs for Academy at Basil
A big crowd gathered in the early spring sunshine to watch the best two teams in the Thirds comp battle it out at Basil St Reserve. Such was the word about town of a tense showdown in the offing, the members bar at the Malvern RSL cleared on 2pm start time as fans rushed to get the best vantage point from the Basil Terrace. Whether it was nerves brought about by the big occasion or simply the added heat of a final, SKOB couldn’t get the radar going in the first half. A return of 1.6 from the same amount of scoring shots as their opponent (4.3) meant they faced a deficit at the half that was always going to be hard to haul in. As the heat of the day saw the players from both teams tire and scoring pick up in the second half, it was the Xavs team that showed greater efficiency up forward and they put the foot down in the third term, rattling home 6 goals to 2 and putting the game to bed as the teams approached the final change. A four goal final term from SKOB will give them some heart, and some confidence, as they head into next week’s knockout against Scotch - a team that ended their finals campaign 12 months ago. They have the game to take them to the big dance, just need to find their best in the prelim and get themselves another crack.
BEST: Daniel McCarthy, Jack Romanin, Max Mulcahy, Sam Doyle, Edward Bourke, Joshua Peake
Stingers get stung, but have another life
The Stingers faced a mountain to climb at Toorak Park on Saturday morning. Their opponents Old Xavs had not dropped a game in the regular season and were deservedly hosting on their own deck. This seemed not to bother the Stingers in the early going as they slammed through the first three goals of the contest. Alas, this seemed to awaken the sleeping giant who, although took a while to get going, eventually overhauled the young SKOB outfit and ran away with the game in the second half. Like their Academy club mates, the Stingers will need to progress through the prelim to earn another crack at Xavs, but they’ve now had a taste of finals experience and will certainly be better for the run, so will approach next week’s assignment with some confidence.
The best of the stingers were Zach Close, Sam Close, Oliver Phillips, Hugo Read, Noah Montague and Jimmy Hill
Scintillating Saints feast on Lions
For this scribe it’s hard to recall seeing as clinical a performance as that put on by the Saints Gold in the second quarter at Old Rigret. Facing the Lions of Collegia who were striving to hold down a top four spot, the Saints absolutely barnstormed their way to 8 goals - all crafted out of centre square brilliance and half back turnover rebound. It was a ruthless performance from the Saints who put together arguably their best quarter of the season. With forwards Kate Stanton, Holly Kennealy and Hannah Smith all cashing in on the feast provided by the midfielders, the Saints were unstoppable, with the half time siren the only impediment to their relentless onslaught. The brains trust were certainly impressed with what they were witnessing from their vantage point at Old Rigret.
Such is the desire from the team to keep going, the Saints put on another 7 goals to 1 in the second half to finish 111 points to the good and put a serious dent into Collegians finals hopes. They still have a few things to work on and some challenges ahead, but the Saints Gold are looking serious. Best: Kate Stanton (4 goals), Scarlett Dunell, Emily Eaves, Tess Cattle, Holly Kenealy (5) and Bree Doyle
Blues get the wobbles but have time to steady ship
In the early game the Blues, were up against Collegians who came into the match in second spot on the ladder. It was always going to be a tough ask for the Blues who are just starting to get their lineup back together and settled after a few absences for injury and travel. The lions had conceded only two goals in their entire last 5 games, so SKOB were always going to be up against it. Having said that, the Saints went one better by the time the first siren sounded, kicking three in the opening term. It was the Lions who had all of it in the second quarter and it was then that they put the winning gap on SKOB. After a fighting third quarter the Blues were in with a chance as they turned for home, but Collegians ran out the game better and came away with a solid win at the finish. The Saints still hold fourth spot and play West Brunswick (5th) next week in a game that will pretty much decide the final top four spot. So it's all in their hands. Best for the Blues were Grace Mills, Steph Chong, Isabella Hoal, Rachael Wilson, Katelyn Brandenburg and Molly Howard.
Greens live the dream, finishing top after Home and Away
Squeezed between the temporary change rooms at MCalister Oval in Brunswick, the Green Machine looked right at home and ready to have their final tune up before the finals. With their spot at the top of the table not in jeopardy there was a danger that the Greens might have had a lull on the final day of the regular season, but any thoughts of that danger were dispelled in the opening quarter as the Greens set the tone and went on to record a comfortable win. Jess Mounas and Steph Augustes were sharks in front of the big sticks, booting seven between them as the Saints went about their business in a very professional manner. It's a final five in Div 4 so they get the week off as they prepare for the Second Semi in a fortnight.
The greenest this week were Jess Mounas (4 Goals), Genevieve Holden, Stephanie Augustes, Lucy Straford, Zahra Mannix and Molly Harrington
Late season streak continues for 19's
The 19's Premier had an earlier start this weekend, playing the undercard to the Big Semi final in the Thirds comp at Basil St. It seemed to bother them not as they quickly dispatched a plucky De La outfit that had come into the game with some strong form behind them - despite their spot on the ladder. As we have reported, the top of the Premier tree is keenly sought by 6 teams still in the hunt. There's no margin for error, and SKOB certainly were not about to make one. A couple of players who boast senior experience ran riot up front for SKOB, booting an even 10 between them. Zane Greenham and Elliot Mahoney have SKOB running through their veins and they were too slick for the De La lads who battled hard but couldn't stop the St Kevin's onslaught. A 96 point win doing nothing to harm the percentage for SKOB which may well prove crucial as the season enters its final fortnight.
Best were Zane Greenham and Elliot Mahoney (both with 5 goals apiece), Conor Lynch, Samuel Jones, Benjamin Palmer and Liam Hepburn
Divvy 2's are shaping things up
One team that certainly doesn't seem to want the season to end are our Div 2 under 19's who are having somewhat of a late season surge. Last weekend they knocked off the fourth placed team, and then did them a favour by knocking off the fifth placed team this weekend - and on the road to boot. Showing great spirit and a strong desire to finish the year well, Coaches Jacko and Krusher have the boys humming. Facing another couple of top four teams in the final fortnight, the SKOB Div 2's have put the opposition on notice. Once again best afield was the Duffman - Sebastian Duffy with James Hunt, Edward Harmon, Matisse Kerr, Alexander Smith and Paul Parakilas all strong contributors.
Our Div 4’s had a bye this weekend
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