2024 round 15 Senior Men’s match report
Round 15, Saturday 10 August 2024
Old Melburnians FC vs Fitzroy FC at Elsternwick Park, Brighton
1st quarter: OMFC 1.2.8 FFC 5.3.33
2nd quarter: OMFC 4.5.29 FFC 6.7.43
3rd quarter: OMFC 7.10.52 FFC 11.9.75
4th quarter: OMFC 10.15.75 FFC 11.12.78
Goals: Sam Laube (2), Jarrod Lienert (2), Ned Nichols (2), Oscar Hanisch (1), Ben Haysman (1), Will McIntyre (1), Henry Nicholls (1).
Best players: Ben Harding, Sam Wundke, Will Dethridge, Jarrod Lienert
Team: Jeremy a’Beckett (26), Spencer Anderson (36), Andrew Chirnside (49), Nicky Christian (29), Harry Cooper (23), Will Dethridge (12), Charlie Dowling (25), Oscar Hanisch (54), Ben Harding (8), Ben Haysman (10), Lachie Haysman (9), Sam Laube (20), Jarrod Lienert (22), Will McIntyre (53), Henry Nicholls (31), Ned Nichols (3), Will Nichols (1), Jackson Paine (Captain, 39), Lachie Swaney (16), Lachie Templeton (44), Gus Williams (33), Sam Wundke (7).
Match Report
The OMs welcomed back Will Dethridge, Ben Haysman, Jarrod Lienert, Will McIntyre and Henry Nicholls, who replaced Charlie McKay, Ed Michelmore, Charlie Nairn, Will Richards and Adam Richardson. A slew of injuries forced many changes that yet again unavoidably unsettled the line-up.
This game was played on a dry, sunny, spring-like day with south-south-westerly and SW breezes of 15km/h calming down to 6-7. It was 14-15 degrees throughout the game (said to feel like 11-14). Unlike some recent away games, the ground was in great condition.
Like last in week’s game, both sides were battling to avoid relegation. Fitzroy came in with the confidence of having beaten the OMs in their previous match. Lurch arrived late, in the second half of the first quarter (don’t rely on public transport….), having missed the game’s first goal, by Jarrod Lienert, in his second game for the OMs. Fitzroy, kicking with the wind to the north, responded minutes later, and then went on a spree, with four more goals at increasingly smaller intervals as the quarter neared its end. Fitzroy was doing everything right while the OMs mirrored their first quarter of the previous week, mostly letting their opponents have the game on their own terms. Fitzroy was given a big head-start in this crucial game.
The OMs started positively in the second quarter, bursting out of the middle and giving Sam Laube the footy. He ran, kicked, missed, and put a point on the board within 13 seconds. Although Fitzroy went into attack, it didn’t do any real damage before the OMs came again, with Will McIntyre marking and taking a set shot from the arc in the NW on about a 40-degree angle. It was a beautiful kick, goaling at the 11-minute mark. The OMs attacked again, with Ned Nichols slotting a goal in play three minutes later to make it 21-35. Henry Nicholls snapped a behind before Fitzroy ran up the ground to goal and increase its lead to 23-41, 19 minutes into the quarter. The OMs’ attack was thwarted, then Fitzroy ran into goal and missed. This time the OMs set up well, kicking to the western wing then going through several players to Lachie Haysman, who centred with a long kick across the ground to his brother, Ben 10. He finished the job with a nice set shot goal from just inside the arc at the 23-minute mark. Fitzroy was held to one more behind before the half ended.
It was an improved quarter, but the OMs did not make the most of their opportunities in front of goal. They remained in touch but needed to lift the pressure on Fitzroy – and kick straighter.
The OMs had a perfect start to the third quarter, winning at the opening bounce, with Charlie Dowling hitting up Laube, who drilled a set shot goal from directly in front inside the first minute. However, the OMs then turned it over in defence, giving Fitzroy a goal and a 35-50 lead at the five minute-mark. Ned won a free kick for his tackling, and drilled a set shot goal from directly in front three minutes later. Play went both ways for the next six minutes until Fitzroy ran in and goaled. It threatened again, but missed, giving the OMs the chance to work their way forward.
From a stoppage in the SW pocket, Captain Jackson Paine tapped down to Laube, who hit up Oscar Hanisch as he ran across the ground at parallel to the goal. He skilfully snapped across his body for an exciting goal. It was 49-57 but at the 22-minute mark Fitzroy goaled and added another a minute later from the centre bounce, maintaining its ability to respond to every OM challenge. An OM attempt was rushed, after which Fitzroy ran up the ground for yet another goal to make it 50-75. Jeremy ‘Jez’ a’Beckett had a long set shot from the SE at the 30-minute mark but missed to the right.
At the last break the OMs were further behind than at halftime but had the scoring end, and a chance to save the game. They dominated the first five minutes but wasted them, peppering the goals for a return of three frustrating behinds. Jez took a nice leap and marked in the NW but play then went both ways. Willy Nichols snapped and missed as the OMs had most of the play in their half due to lifting their intensity – similar to the last quarter against St Kevin’s. After a tough battle in the NE, Laube kicked from the boundary line to Lienert to give him a set shot from a lesser angle. It cleared leaping defenders on the goal line. It was 62-77 at the 16-minute mark. The OMs had to get a move on, as time was fast running out.
Continuing their offensive, the OMs had success two minutes later after Laube receive a free kick for a high tackle and drilled his set shot from directly in front. It was 68-77. The OMs had all of the momentum, but Fitzroy slowed things down as play went backwards and forwards on the western wing. Eventually Henry Nicholls marked and took a set shot from inside the arc in the NW, goaling at the 28-minute mark. It was 75-77, but how much time was left to find that last goal? Play went both ways, and it was ‘game over’ when Fitzroy received a free kick up forward. The siren sounded and it kicked a behind.
The importance of this loss won’t be known until the end of the season. This game against the bottom team was the OMs’ best opportunity to score one of the (at least) two wins they probably need to remain in Premier in 2025. The next game, in a fortnight, is at home against Old Scotch, which knocked off second-placed St Kevin’s, with Uni Blues (away) and St Bernard’s (away) to follow (pick the easy games among these….). The OMs gave away the first quarter and never recovered from that. The final quarter saw them bring their best intensity and effort, dominating the quarter, and drying up Fitzroy’s scoring. However, as in the St Kevin’s game, they failed to capitalise on the time they spent forward, with inaccurate kicking wasting winning opportunities in front of goal. The wins they desperately need will only come from four quarter efforts, not letting their opponents run freely, and more care with the location of and execution of their scoring shots.
Ben Harding was the OMs’ best player. With 41 disposals (31 contested) and 21 clearances, he could not have done much more to try and get his boys over the line.
Sam Wundke continued to play a big role in defence, leading the way with his one percent efforts.
Will Dethridge returned to the Seniors and returned to form, with the defender negating one of Fitzroy’s best players.
Jarrod Lienert was used at both ends depending on which team had the momentum. He kicked two goals and intercepted anything he could at the other end.
This weekend there is a bye, before the last home game of the season against Old Scotch (third) on 24 August 2024. There was good support for the OMs at the Fitzroy game, but even more will be needed to help the OMs achieve what most would think impossible – a win against the form team of the competition.
See you there.
Lurch.