2024 ROUND 04 SENIOR MEN’S MATCH REPORT

Round 4, Saturday 4 May 2024.

Match Summary 

St Kevin’s Old Boys’ FC vs Old Melburnians FC at T.H. King Oval, Glen Iris

1st quarter:                 SKOBFC        5.3.33              OMFC            2.0.12 

2nd quarter:                SKOBFC        9.4.58              OMFC            5.4.34 

3rd quarter:                SKOBFC        15.6.96            OMFC            7.6.48 

4th quarter:                SKOBFC        17.9.111          OMFC            9.7.61   

Goals: Sam Laube (3), Charlie Dowling (1), Henry Nicholls (1), Ned Nichols (1), Will Nichols (1), Adam Richardson (1), Jack Spargo (1).

Best players: Jeremy a’Beckett, Ben Harding, Ned Nichols, Ollie Tyrer, Jimmy Harrold, Sam Laube.

Team: Jeremy a’Beckett (26), Spencer Anderson (36), Nicky Christian (29), Harry Cudmore (19), Will Dethridge (26), Charlie Dowling (28), Ben Harding (8), Jimmy Harrold (6), Ben Haysman (10), Sam Laube (20), Ed Michelmore (4), Henry Nicholls (31), Ned Nichols (3), Will Nichols (1), Jackson Paine (Captain, 39), Adam Richardson (17), Arthur Rush (58), Jack Spargo (24), Tom Spargo (37) Ollie Tyrer (32), Stuart Watson (21) and Samuel Wundke (7).

Match Report: 

Tom Baker, Lachie Haysman, Robbie Morrison and Will Richards were replaced in this week’s team by Henry Nicholls, Jack Spargo, Ollie Tyrer and Stuart Watson.

Coming off consecutive losses, the OMs faced a St Kevin’s side that was stunned by a 52-point defeat at St Bernard’s. Still missing their fullback, the OMs were now also missing their full forward and three other first-picked playmakers from across the ground.

The game was played on a dry day with a temperature range of 14-16 degrees with a “feels like” temperature of 13-16 and almost no breeze. The game began under a cloudy white sky with a few blue patches. It was a perfect day for footy.

Winning at the first bounce, the OMs went through Ed Michelmore to Will Nichols, who slotted the first goal in play inside 43 seconds. Play then raged both ways for 18 minutes. Although the OMs weren’t hitting the scoreboard, their Herculean effort – especially in defence - kept St Kevin’s scoreless, and it looked like having a scoreless quarter. However, it scored a behind at the 19-minute mark and ran in and goaled a minute later, followed by another from the centre bounce. After a good contest on the western wing, the OMs broke free and hit up Henry Nicholls inside the top of the southern arc, where he threw it on his boot and put it through the open goal square. It was 13-12 at the 23-minute mark but the Skevs goaled two minutes later and added another in play inside the same minute. Desperate defence – especially by Sam Wundke – prevented many other Skevvie attempts, but they broke through for another goal at the 31-minute mark. After playing two-thirds of the quarter so well, it was disappointing to let St Kevin’s back into the game with several easy goals.

The second quarter began badly for the OMs with Skevvie goals at the one and two-minute marks. At 44-12, was it already game over? Another goal followed eight minutes in, but the OMs struck their first blow a minute later, with Ned Nichols inspirationally goaling from a pack about 25m out on a slight angle from the east. It was 50-18, but the opposition goaled again five minutes later. Henry Nicholls took a huge leap to take a fantastic pack mark but missed his set shot to the left from about 30-35m out on a 45-degree angle. Eventually the Dark Blues ran along the NE boundary to give Sam Laube a strong contested mark and a goal from a set shot taken from the NE pocket at the 27-minute mark. A high tackle against Laube gave him a set shot from the same pocket. The siren sounded, and he kicked a critical goal to keep the OMs within cooee of St Kevin’s.

The OMs made a great start to the third quarter, with a win in the middle and a free kick paid to Adam Richardson for being blatantly held. He drilled his set shot in the second minute. It was 58-40, and perhaps the start of a brilliant comeback, but St Kevin’s responded with a behind and then a goal two minutes later, adding another at the six-minute mark. Ned Nichols had an opportunity to break St Kevin’s run but missed his shot at goal. The Skevvies responded with goals at the 14, 19 and 20-minute marks, and at 90-41 it was game over. Following another easy St Kevin’s goal, the OMs won in the middle and hit up Jack Spargo who took on three Skevvies as the ball went to ground. The right size for the 1-v-3 battle, he grabbed the loose ball, snapped and goaled at the 27-minute mark. Stuart ‘The White Ghost’ Watson then had a set shot that taunted the OMs by only just grazing the inside of the right goal post.

With victory out of reach at the last break, the OMs could only work hard to play some good footy in preparation for the following week’s game, and to claw back some percentage. Play initially went both ways before Laube got the footy and snapped his third goal to make it 97-54, seven minutes in, but it was undone by a Skev goal five minutes later, soon after Ben Haysman had missed a set shot from the NW. The OMs got a fast break in the middle but turned it over in a series of errors within reach of goal. Several OMs were now playing with injuries.

Eventually the OMs attacked along the western wing to hit up Charlie Dowling, who was pursued as he ran in from the NW on a 45-degree angle and goaled at the 20-minute mark. St Kevin’s responded four minutes later, and the seemingly interminable quarter mercifully ended after 27 minutes, with any interest in the game long having evaporated.

Starting with a further depleted team, it was always going to be a tough game for the OMs to win, but St Kevin’s later said it was forced to play its best.

The OMs’ best player was Jeremy a’Beckett, in only his second Senior game. Playing at centre halfback, he took eight marks, and everything he did was clean and composed against a quality opposition.

Ben Harding had 28 disposals and stood out for his efficient kicking, and for regularly lowering his eyes to locate and hit targets.

Ned Nichols had over 20 possessions as he displayed all the attributes of becoming an A-grade midfielder, but for some occasional poor finishing.

Ollie Tyrer on debut (see below) came up from the Under-19s and proved to be yet another exciting young OM with 19 disposals and 12 marks playing off the wing. He showcased terrific footy IQ with his positioning in aiding an OM defence under siege.

Jimmy Harrold was given the role of negating St Kevin’s bull-like inside midfielder Luke Winter, and he did a workmanlike job to minimise Winter’s influence on the game.

Sam Laube had limited opportunities and yet managed to kick three goals for a total of 10 to date. Everything he does, he does well.

Debuting for the OMs was Ollie Tyrer. He attended Melbourne Grammar School from 2018-23 and was 2023 Vice-Captain of Miller House. Ollie played in the 1st XVIII every year from 2021-23. He is one of several promising young OMs to have debuted this year, a tribute to their development at Grammar.

This week the OMs (ninth, with one win) take on Fitzroy (10th, with no wins) at the Brunswick Street Oval, for the first time in many years, as Fitzroy came up to Premier A this year. The OMs desperately need to get back on the winner’s list and need your support.

See you there.

Lurch.