The Seniors jumped out early on Saturday, booting 5 goals to zip in the opening term to see off the Uni Blacks and set up a 65 point win in the first muddy conditions of the season. Overnight rain and a couple of curtain raisers turned the centre into its customary TH King gluepot and made life tough for the midfielders. After a smart shot from Mitch Wallis deep on the boundary gave SKOB the early lead, the next 20 minutes or so saw the ball ping from end to end with neither team managing to register a major. Late in the term SKOB were able to turn their inside 50 dominance into scoreboard pressure as they finished the quarter with 4 quick goals (3 to Shaun Kennedy) to put a gap between themselves and Uni Blacks that they were able to build on all the way to the final siren. Kennedy finished with 4 goals as did Harry Wardlaw who was forever dangerous up forward. Mitch Wallis booted another 3.
Up from the under 19s after some recent good form was Jack Palmer who celebrated his first win in the Seniors (having played just once in a loss last season). Coach Lynch is bringing the youth through the Senior ranks more and more and the young players are stepping up at the next level really strongly.
The competition will heat up over the next month of games as all the teams currently at the top end of the table start to play each other. SKOB have a massive fortnight ahead with Old Xavs at Elsternwick Park next week followed by a home game against last year's grand finalists Old Brighton at TH King.
Earlier the Reserves ran out big winners over the Blacks recording their third win of the season as they triumphed by 10 goals at TH King. Hamish Reimers, Tom Pirola, Angus Hart, Ethan Beer, Lucas Mascia (5 goals) and Liam O'Neill up from the Academy were the better players on the day. Coach Clough has his team playing some good footy and but will face a stern test along with the Seniors in the next few weeks. They've shown so far that they are more than ready for the challenge that awaits.
There was drama aplenty in the Academy squad game following the Seniors. Our man at the ground captured all the action in his report:
"Billy Joel sang about it but The Academy lived it on Saturday evening at THK - the lights went out on Broadway.
Despite having nearly a third of the prior week’s team not playing due to a combination of promotion and rotation coaches Ollie and Krusher were still confident with the named starting line up given the strength and depth of the squad. Fighting hard early and bringing an intensity you’d expect playing on your home deck in front of family and friends The Academy was again left rueing a few wasted opportunities up front and went to 1/4 time with a score line not reflective of the pattern of play, one goal down. To make a positive out of a negative, in the opening 10 minutes of Q2 the young Academy team was given a lesson that, in senior football, a partial drop in intensity is deadly. The Cardinals banged on 4 goals quickly. But for the rampaging efforts of Joshy Peake and the surprise find in Maxy U half time could not come quickly enough.
Refocusing and showing character they knuckled down to work, committed that, no matter the difference, they could work their way back into the game. With Zander Diestke reimposing himself around the contest and Maxy ‘Cheese’ Mulcahy lifting a 5 goals deficit soon became 3. Conscious that Skob had 6 on the bench to the Scotchies 3, The Academy were confident of finishing strongly. Get back to 2 or 3 goals at 3/4 time and it would be game on.
And then…..
Blick….
With 10:56 left in the 3rd quarter the lights went out. Not a king hit behind play. Not a shirt front. The lights went out. Like seriously.
But for the glow of the scoreboard it may as well have been a camp out at Silver Creek on OAP as 40 players from both teams stood on a darkened THK looking for directions from coaches who were desperately thumbing the coaching manual for assistance from a page that doesn’t exist. Unable to restart, the match was abandoned with the Scotch being awarded the win.
Frustrating but, looking for a positive, The Academy got an early finish and all got home to watch Kate at The Coronation."
Saints come a cropper at the hands of the Cardinals
The Saints Gold had their first defeat of the season when newcomers to Premier Women's Old Scotch had the better of them in a high quality encounter at Camberwell on Saturday twilight. The match pitted arch rivals - the Joyce twins - on opposing sides
SKOB looked to be in control at the half time break, but after then were completely shut out by Old Scotch who blanketed the Gold team holding them scoreless as they recorded a two goal win. A bitter pill to swallow for one side of the Joyce family, but one to inspire for the return clash later in the season. Sarah Betts, Tayla Nichols, Emily Condon, Charity Russell, Elyce Hay, and of course Bree Doyle were named in Tom Purcell's best.
The Saints Blue went down to Old Scotch in the curtain raiser. Having brought in a number of new players to the team this year they are taking some time to settle and found Scotch too strong on the day. Missing their key forward who is out for the season, the Blues are finding it hard to kick a big score but are striving each week to improve and are starting to show that the next win is just around the corner. Remi Fiorentini, Molly Howard, Dominique Garcia, Brigie Snell, Brook Stringer and Eliza Doble all tried hard for Coach Strauss.
Our Saints Green were short on numbers but not enthusiasm despite the chilly conditions at Old Rigret on Saturday. Winter has well and truly arrived and the Green Machine were boasting a number of players who are brand new to the game. Their positive attitude was infectious despite being outclassed by a bigger and stronger Melb Uni outfit and they fought out the game right to the end. Better players were Sophie Matthews, Georgia McEwen, Sofia Zielonka, Molly Harrington, Gemma Toohey and Bella Stephenson
19's keeping things ticking
The under 19 Premier team had a hard fought win out at Crawford Oval against Uni Blues, going on to win a slog by 28 points in heavy conditions. The Under 19 Premier boys are at the top of the ladder having won their last 3 games after an opening round loss. it's still very early on in the season but the signs are good for our next generation of SKOBBERS. On Saturday the better players were Nick Tonge, Sam Jones, Jack Romanin, Billy Bryan and Oli Doyle in what was described as a solid team effort across the board.
A barnstorming second half saw the Div 2's come from behind and snatch a thriller against Parkside at Pitcher Park. This is always a tough place to come and play footy and even harder to walk away with the 4 points, but SKOB led by Liam Kinsella (4 goals), Jeremy Bourke, Liam Hepburn, Angus Kerr, Henry James and Matt Carter managed to do just that and jump to third spot on the table in a tight competition.
Our Div 4's experienced the heartache of a 1 point loss to Old Paradians after a desperate battle that literally went down to the wire. Just a point in it at 3/4 time and again at the finish as the young SKOBBERS just couldn't get over the line. They would be bitterly disappointed but will dust themselves off and have another crack at it next week as only they can do. Like all our teams they have a great attitude and love their footy and playing for SKOB. Captain Tom Whelan again led from the front and was more than ably supported by Matt Buckeridge, Patty Shaw, Oliver Garlick, Joey Kerr and Pat Jones.
Home Game v Old Brighton - Proudly Supported by Salt Financial
May 20 will see the much anticipated Grand Final replay from 2022 when Old Brighton come to TH King in a massive clash with Top 4 implications on the line. Come along and join us at the pre-match luncheon - brought to you by Salt Financial. It's gonna be huge.
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