2024 ROUND 02 SENIOR MEN’S MATCH REPORT
Round 2, Saturday 20 April 2024.
Match Summary
Old Xaverians FC vs Old Melburnians FC at Toorak Park
1st quarter: OXFC 1.4.10 OMFC 2.2.14
2nd quarter: OXFC 2.5.17 OMFC 4.5.29
3rd quarter: OXFC 6.7.43 OMFC 5.8.38
4th quarter: OXFC 12.7.79 OMFC 6.11.47
Goals: Ben Haysman (2), Adam Richardson (2), Charles Dowling (1), Sam Laube (1).
Best players: Jackson Paine, Ben Harding, Ned Nichols, Lachie Haysman, Adam Richardson
Team: Spencer Anderson (36), Tom Baker (2), Harry Cooper (45), Will Dethridge (26), Charlie Dowling (28), Ben Harding (8), James Harrold (6), Ben Haysman (10), Lachie Haysman (9), Sam Laube (20), Ed Michelmore (4), Robbie Morrison (15), Ned Nichols (3), Will Nichols (1), Jackson Paine (Captain, 39), Will Richards (14), Adam Richardson (17), Jack Spargo (24), Tom Spargo (37), Lachie Swaney (16), Lachie Templeton (44) and Samuel Wundke (7).
Match Report
The OM team that defeated the reigning premiers last week was unchanged for this game against the team that had lost by 20 points against 2023 runners-up, St Kevin’s. On form, the OMs looked well-positioned for a win against the Xavs.
Due to redevelopment work, this was the OMs’ first game against the Xavs at Toorak Park since the Dark Blues’ memorable come-from-behind one-point Round 3 victory there in 2022. When the teams last met, at Elsternwick Park in Round 15, 2013, the result was a thumping 108-55 win by the home team. The redevelopment meant that although the oval was finished (complete with plastic fences that were already broken in places), there was only a manual scoreboard without a clock, a barely audible hooter to end the quarters, and a few tables serving as a canteen that did a roaring trade and had – mercifully – hotdogs. The new pavilion only had some of the external walls completed, and everything else was in cramped portables. The OMs, the Skevs and others have all been through the same hardships en-route to vastly improved facilities in recent years.
The game was played in temperatures of 14-16 degrees with a ‘feels like’ range of 12-13 under white clouds with patches of blue, occasional intense bursts of sunshine and a constant SSW breeze of 9-13 km/h that favoured the northern end to which the Xavs kicked first. It was a dry day.
The Xavvers showed that they meant business with a goal inside the first minute. Vice-Captain Ben Harding won at the centre bounce, but the Xavs turned the attack. Sam Laube took a great speccy with nice hang time in the SE pocket but was not given the mark as the ball had been touched. The red and black attacked hard but only scored a behind. From defence the OMs swept up the western wing, with Adam Richardson taking a fantastic juggled contested mark on the boundary. He set up Tom Baker, who marked with a good leap, but missed his set shot from the SW. Ben Haysman had a set shot from the SW boundary line but kicked into the man on the mark. The Xavs then dominated play despite no square inch of the ground going untrampled by both teams. Mercifully for the OMs, the Xavs kept missing, and it was 8-1 at the 16-minute mark. They missed again before the OMs spent some time in attack. It was so congested that about six or more players were in the goal square alone. Dowling, close to that congestion, cleverly kicked out to Ben Haysman in clear space on the boundary line in the SW pocket and he played on and drilled the OMs’ first goal. It was 9-7 at the 23-minute mark. The OMs attacked again. Harding kicked from the SE and Dowling did well to mark amid heavy congestion. Knowing how rare goals were in this quarter, he took his time approaching his kick from a slight angle in the SE and his attention to the task paid off with a goal that put the OMs in front, immediately before the quarter time hooter hooted.
The OMs were fortunate the Xavs were so wasteful in front of goal, as the home team had dominated much of the quarter. The OMs had missed their own opportunities but now had to make the most of having the scoring end in the second quarter.
First out of the middle in the second quarter were the OMs, who rushed towards goal, but in a congested fight for the loose ball it was knocked into the base of a goal post by a Xav. The OMs persevered and Richardson took a set shot from a free kick on the arc on about a 20-degree angle from the NE. His goal gave the OMs a 10-21 lead. When the Xavs next got in front of goal they took an inordinate amount of time setting up their set shot but missed yet again. They were, however, dominating in the air, with a tall team that read the ball and took it cleanly, and they had greater numbers in most contests. Dowling won a clever free kick and took it from the eastern point post, almost managing to thread it through. Keeping the footy forward gave the OMs another chance, with Laube winning a free kick and taking his set shot from the NE about 40 metres out and dobbing it to give the Dark Blues an 11-29 lead. In the context of a very low-scoring game, it was a significant lead, and gave some hope that the OMs could build on it. However, six minutes later the Xavs goaled against the tide. The OMs were heading goalwards when the hooter sounded.
Two quick Xaverian goals at the start of the third quarter, with a miss after them, levelled the scores in minutes. Another goal gave the Xavs a 36-30 lead, and after nine minutes of play, they led 42-30. It was quite the red and black blitzkrieg as they had their own ball and about 50 players on the ground – or so it seemed. When the OMs finally had a look at their end, Richardson marked in front of goal. Like Dowling, he took his time, taking great care with his kick from about 15-20m from the NE to make it 42-37. The OMs went again, and for some time the play was very heavily congested and contested. Lachie Haysman got boot to ball out of a pack with a booming kick that flew through the goal posts, but it was devastatingly deemed to have been touched off the boot. Although trailing, and with the Xavs having completely dominated the quarter, the OMs were within five points at the last change and had the breeze at the scoring end in the last – if they could capitalise on it against the red and black tide.
Harding had an early snap and a miss in the fourth quarter, with the Xavs responding by running the footy up the ground for a goal. They added another three minutes later and yet another two minutes later to make it 61-39 at the eight-minute mark. Was it game over? Richardson did his best to make it otherwise, with a huge leap and mark in the NW pocket, coming down hard, and getting up very sore. He kicked towards goal, but it was punched through. A 50m penalty against the OMs put Xavier on the goal line, and with a goal and the score at 67-41 at the 19-minute mark, it was obvious that it was game over for the OMs, who were struggling to get a look at their end. Robbie Morrison took a great leap and marked in the NE, but the Xavs quickly cleared the footy out with quick, slick movement up the western wing. Ultimately turned back without scoring, the OMs now combined well to get the footy to Ben Haysman near the western point post. He played on and goaled. It was 73-47 but the Xavs goaled from the centre, and did so again from the resulting centre bounce, with the hooter calling time on the game soon afterwards.
It was a tough day at the office for the OMs. Making the most of limited opportunities early, they did well to increase their lead at half-time. However, the Xavs came out on a mission, and four goals without a goal in response at the start of the third quarter set up their win. The Xavs controlled the play and were able to move the footy better more often than did the OMs. Their 10 goals to 2 goals in the second half tells the story, as does the improvement in their accuracy: in that half it was 10.2 to 2.6, with 6.0 in the final quarter. Coming off a high after beating the reigning premiers the previous week, the OMs will probably learn more from this loss than they did from that win and be a better team for it.
The OMs’ best player was Captain Jackson Paine. In a heavily contested game made for him, Jacko led from the front. He showed good form around the ground, with 13 tackles and six marks.
Vice-Captain Ben Harding was another who led by example, giving the OMs opportunities from the middle in a standout performance that netted 35 disposals and 10 centre clearances.
Ned Nichols showed more of his 2022 form, hunting the footy in his new role. Despite battling a corky, he collected 28 possessions.
Lachie Haysman was moved back into his usual midfield position after halftime to generate some much-needed spark. He got lots of touches and was very clean with his finishing.
Adam Richardson made another very good contribution as he is increasingly consistently imposing himself on games. His two goals were valuable and the towering mark he took was memorable but sidelined him for the remainder of the game. Fortunately, he has been cleared to return this week.
This week the OMs (sixth) take on a good challenge in the form of unbeaten Brighton (third). The Tonners have played both games at home, beating Uni Blues (100-70) and Uni Blacks (60-51).
The Round 3 game is being played at home at Elsternwick Park.
See you there.
Lurch.