2024 round 14 Senior Men’s match report
Round 14, Saturday 3 August 2024
University Blacks FC vs Old Melburnians FC at Melbourne University
1st quarter: UBFC 3.3.21 OMFC 1.4.10
2nd quarter: UBFC 5.5.35 OMFC 3.4.22
3rd quarter: UBFC 7.6.48 OMFC 5.5.35
4th quarter: UBFC 10.11.71 OMFC 7.5.47
Goals: Ned Nichols (5), Harry Cooper (1), Ed Michelmore (1)
Best players: Charlie McKay, Jeremy a'Beckett, Sam Wundke, Ben Harding, Ned Nichols
Team: Jeremy a’Beckett (26), Spencer Anderson (36), Andrew Chirnside (24), Nicky Christian (18), Harry Cooper (32), Charlie Dowling (19), Oscar Hanisch (54), Ben Harding (8), Lachie Haysman (9), Sam Laube (20), Charlie McKay (21), Ed Michelmore (4), Charlie Nairn (38), Ned Nichols (13), Will Nichols (1), Jackson Paine (Captain, 39), Will Richards (15), Adam Richardson (29), Lachie Swaney (41), Lachie Templeton (44), Gus Williams (33), Sam Wundke (7).
Many players’ jumper numbers were different for this game as clash jumpers were worn.
Match Report
The OMs welcomed back Andrew Chirnside and Charlie McKay, who replaced Will Dethridge and Jack Spargo.
Following two wet games, this one was played under a leaden but dry sky with southerly to south-south-westerly breezes of 6-7km/h that rarely gusted into the double figures. It was 13 degrees throughout the game (said to feel like 10-11). The centre was a bog, and as is usual at Uni, much of the ground was muddy and slippery except for the southern side.
This was a must-win game for both teams, with the OMs eighth on the ladder, two premiership points clear of Blacks in ninth, in the relegation zone. The University oval has rarely been a happy hunting ground for the OMs, and Blacks looked to make the most of that considerable home ground advantage.
The game got underway at a frantic pace that was strongly contested, congested and scrappy. Jackson Paine eventually marked and took a set shot from the NW but was offline. Blacks then went coast-to-coast and goaled at the three-minute mark. They kicked two behinds, and an OM marked on the last line to deny them another score, and sent the OMs forward. Harry Cooper had a long set shot from the SW that missed to the right, and Blacks once again went coast-to-coast for another goal. It was 14-2 after nine minutes. Jacko missed another set shot from the same position seven minutes later, with Blacks responding with a goal to make it 21-3 at the 18-minute mark.
In response the OMs attacked, and Nicky Christian had a set shot miss but the OMs remained forward. Blacks were frantic in their defence, with Charlie Dowling amid everything, eventually getting the footy out of the toughest of contests to Ned Nichols, who snapped and scored the OMs’ first goal at the 26-minute mark. Will Richards was injured in the second half of the quarter and his day ended early.
It was not a great start by the OMs. Inaccurate with their set shots taken from angles, they were – quite unlike last week against St Kevin’s – not manning up their opponents, who got out of defence too quickly and easily for quick goals. The OMs were fortunate that Blacks were also inaccurate despite the fairly still conditions.
For the first seven minutes of the second quarter, it was mostly the OMs attacking, but the Blacks flooded the forward line to deny any opportunity at scoring. Blacks then dominated the next six minutes and although the OMs defended strongly, Blacks broke through for a goal to make it 29-10 at the 13-minute mark. Streaming out of the middle, a handball found Ned, and he ran in from the SE and goaled. Two minutes later, Dowling and friends combined in the NE pocket to hit up Ned, who ran, steadied, and goaled. Now 29-22, the OMs were right back in the game, all off Ned’s blue boot. Around this time, the OMs lost crucial big man, Adam Richardson, to have only two left on the bench. Blacks goaled from directly in front to make it 35-22 at the 21-minute mark. They launched wave after wave of attacks, all of which the OMs defended, finishing with a Blacks’ set shot that fell short and was stopped on the line as the halftime siren sounded.
It was a tough situation at halftime, with two players down, and Blacks controlling the air in a low-scoring game in which they answered every OM challenge.
The OMs came out first in the third quarter. Play went both ways within their forward line until Ed Michelmore got the footy, ran so far that he was lucky not to be pinged, wheeled around, snapped and goaled, two minutes in. Ned then got the footy in the NW pocket, threw it on his boot, and scored his fourth goal two minutes later. Incredibly, it was now 35-34, and the OMs spent a long time attacking, but were unable to add to their score. Blacks eventually went up the ground for a goal at the 23-minute mark, and it was 42-35. Charlie McKay was doing great things in defence, including a great save in front of goal. However, the OMs turned it over in the SE pocket and Blacks goaled from the goal square at the 29-minute mark.
At three-quarter time the OMs were 13 points down (which in the context of the game was more like 30 points), and, to make matters worse, had lost Mich to injury, leaving only one on the bench. Blacks, meanwhile, had a fully stocked bench. It would take a miracle….
Dowling had a set shot early in the final quarter from the SE but missed everything to the left. Blacks threatened for a while without scoring. Jacko kicked to a goal square contest in which players had several goes at scoring a goal as elusive as finding a golden ticket in a Wonka Bar…until the OMs’ designated goal sneak for the day, Ned, put it through. It was 48-41, seven minutes in. Blacks scored a behind after which the OMs worked along the southern boundary and Cooper marked in the SE. His kick was magnificent, sailing through the dead centre of the tops of the goal posts to leave the OMs only two points adrift, 49-47, at the 11-minute mark.
Blacks missed a certain goal two minutes later to keep the OMs’ hopes alive. They attacked for a long time, adding another point, but 22 minutes into the quarter they goaled from directly in front. It was 57-47 and the OMs had been unable to get into their half. It looked like it might be game over. It became very dark, and the lights were turned on. A Blacks’ goal at the 25-minute mark put the result beyond doubt, at 63-47. They completely dominated the game and scored a final goal four minutes later.
It was a tough game, and but for the OMs losing three players, it had potentially been a winnable game. The first quarter was one of missed (set shot) opportunities, and costly loose play that gave Blacks a head start. Blacks played a simpler, more effective game with long kicks enabling quick transition over the muddy ground and more scoring opportunities (21 to 12) whereas the OMs overused the footy with handballs that gave Blacks time to clog up the forward line, prevent scoring opportunities and force more turnovers. They also had more talls who dominated the air. To their credit, the OMs fought out the game far better after the first quarter, and - in the end - the loss of three players was probably the primary reason for the result.
Charlie McKay played his best game for the OMs. He was a Dark Blue Rock of Gibraltar at half back, where he intercepted many of Blacks’ entries.
Jeremy a'Beckett was put into the ruck after Adam Richardson’s injury, and he won lots of the footy around the ground.
Sam Wundke continued his good form as the deepest defender. His spoiling efforts were terrific.
Ben Harding amassed 28 disposals in a brave effort after earlier copping a massive hit.
Ned Nichols sprained his ankle, forcing him out of the midfield and up forward, where he kicked five clever goals to give the OMs a chance.
Blacks’ win enabled them to leapfrog the OMs into eighth place, with the OMs now in the relegation zone again, in ninth. Next week the OMs return home to play 10th-placed Fitzroy, which beat the OMs last time. If this game is not won, the chances of remaining in Premier in 2025 will become very remote, with the remaining games being against Old Scotch (home, currently third), University Blues (away, currently sixth) and St Bernards (away, currently seventh, and not yet safe from relegation).
Support for the OMs at this week’s game is critical to their chances of success and Premier survival.
See you there.
Lurch.