Round 13, Saturday 22 July 2023.
University Blacks FC vs Old Melburnians FC at Melbourne University
1st quarter: UBFC 2.9.21 OMFC 1.0.6
2nd quarter: UBFC 8.12.60 OMFC 4.0.24
3rd quarter: UBFC 12.16.88 OMFC 5.2.32
4th quarter: UBFC 13.21.99 OMFC 5.4.34
Goals: Ed Michelmore (2), Ben Haysman (1), Jake Nicholas (1), Josh Wills (1)
Best players: Ben Harding, Stuart Watson, Will Richards, Josh Freezer, Lachie Haysman
Seniors.
By Lurch.
Team: Dan Coffield (43), Nic Daish (33), Justin De Steiger (19), Will Dethridge (69), Josh Freezer (20), Tom Fuller (40), Ben Harding (8), Ben Haysman (10), Lachie Haysman (9), George Hurley-Wellington (32), Will McIntyre (38), Ed Mitchelmore (7), Robbie Morrison (15), Jake Nicholas (61), Jackson Paine (1), Will Richards (13), Jock Roysmith (4), Ed Smart (2), Jack Spargo (36), Nick Voyage (25), Stuart Watson (21), Josh Wills (6).
Note that these were clash jumper numbers, most of which are not the player’s normal number.
Mac Anderson (68), Oscar Dowd (48), Mitch Golby (38), Hugo Watkin (52) and Hunter Watkin (11) were replaced in this week’s team by Will Dethridge, Ben Haysman, Ed Michelmore, Jack Spargo and Nick Voyage.
Rare, good news for the OMs was that Jake Nicholas – who at the end of the last game looked set to join the ranks of the long-term injured – did a Lazarus and resumed his usual place in the ruck.
As for the last game, proceedings began under sunny blue skies with a few white clouds. It later became grey and dark but remained dry. Temperatures ranged from 10 down to 9 degrees, said to feel like 7 to 8, with the breeze an almost non-existent north-easterly, becoming NNE and later ENE, all in single digit wind speeds. The ground resembled a muddy cow paddock in places, particularly near the northern boundary.
Uni Blacks dominated from the beginning and were the first to score a goal, two minutes into the game. A minute later the game was terribly and prematurely over for Jock Roysmith, who was taken out by friendly fire. Jock was out cold for several minutes. He was fortunately able to head home under his own steam later in the quarter. Blacks continued to dominate, but were incredibly wasteful in front of goal, keeping the OMs in the game. The OMs strung together some possessions and when Jake Nicholas was knocked down while marking on the SE boundary line, he received a free kick. His booming set shot was online, and at the 24-minute mark he slotted the OMs’ first goal – and his first goal for the Seniors.
The OMs had an opportunity to reset for the second quarter and punish the Black’s shocking inaccuracy, but it was the Blacks that goaled inside 31 seconds into the quarter. They added goals at the three and 10-minute marks to lead by 40-6. Another goal followed, while the OMs were unable to get close to scoring. Eventually Ed Smart won a free kick in the NW and started a chain of possessions that ended with the newly returned and very suntanned Ed Michelmore, who ran in from the SW, threw the footy on the boot from about five metres out, and finished off with the OMs’ first goal of quarter.
At the 21-minute mark it was 52-12. As the OMs weren’t having much success with their structure, Lurch commented that fast breaks from the middle were their best chance of scoring. From the centre bounce the Blacks’ ruckman won the hit-out but Ben Harding sharked it and kicked the OMs deep into attack, where Ben Haysman soon got the footy and drilled it from the SW pocket. The OMs pressed ‘repeat’, winning from the centre bounce as Jack Spargo stood his ground and beat Blacks’ ruckman. A few possessions later Michelmore received the footy on the lead out of the SW pocket and drilled his set shot from about 20m. It was quick, exciting OM attacking at its best, breathing life into an otherwise flat game, and getting the margin under five goals. Unfortunately, the Blacks then took back control and scored another goal before halftime.
Six goals down at halftime, the OMs were getting few things right. They had fallen into their bad habits of overusing the footy by hand, not taking the first option, turning it over, giving away needless free kicks and not matching the Blacks’ aggressive play. A big response was required to completely turn the game around, as staying in Premier A for 2024 was at stake for both teams.
The lights were on early in the third quarter. Although the OMs were first into attack, they were prevented from scoring, saved a goal from being scored against them, but then watched Blacks score multiple goals. It was 82-24 at the 20-minute mark when the OMs finally got back into attack. George Hurley-Wellington was being blatantly held near the SE point post but had to kick to avoid being pinged for holding, only managing to bounce it through for a behind: the OMs’ first miss of the game. Maintaining the offensive, several OMs combined to give Josh Wills a set shot from just beyond the edge of the centre square, directly in front. Not a big bloke, the South Aussie boy’s smooth, easy-flowing action should be watched by everyone who wants to learn how to score a long goal with the footy going through at post height! It was a magnificent sight to behold.
There was nothing worth reporting for the first 20 minutes of the final quarter, as it was a stalemate. Captain Jackson Paine then laid a great tackle to win a free kick, and launched a long set shot from the NW, but it dropped short and was cleared out by the Blacks, who scored the only goal of the quarter at the 22-minute mark. Although the OMs had worked harder in the second half to dry up the Blacks’ scoring, the Blacks’ regular shots at goal (mostly offline) made the deficit feel worse than it was. It was hard to watch.
The whole team was flat with few playing their best footy. The three-goal burst in the second quarter was the only quality period of play by the OMs, who could not otherwise get their game into gear. There is some genuine talent in the playing group, some experienced, many quite inexperienced at Senior level, and Reserves’ players filling the gaps. With a season of horrendous injuries and significant team changes every game, there has been no opportunity for this ever-changing team to play together as a Dark Blue Twenty [Two] and become a cohesive group: that will come with time once the tide of injuries ebbs away. Given their circumstances, the OMs were unfortunate to run into one of the competition’s two in-form teams, with the Blacks’ win against the OMs being their fourth in a row, with earlier victims including St Kevin’s and the Xavs.
Ben ‘Hardo’ Harding is both a ball and an opponent magnet, gathering over 30 disposals despite also being the target of very close attention.
Stuart ‘The White Ghost’ Watson maintained his terrific recent form having turned back the clock. Spectators enjoy his fearless attack on the ball combined with his constructive run and carry.
Will Richards shines on the field as much as his mega North Face puffer. With his superb fitness he has been making his mark in the Seniors, and runs games out to the end.
Josh ‘Fridge’ Freezer continued his good form as an experienced and reliable defender. He was one of the busiest OMs on the field as he faced down the Blacks’ barrage.
Lachie Haysman had a quieter day than in his last game but had a consistent high work rate on a poor day for most OMs.
The loss – coupled with Old Hailebury’s win over Caulfield Grammarians – sent the OMs from 8th place down to the relegation zone at 9th. This week the OMs travel to Brighton Beach Oval to take on Old Brighton – a venue at which they have not won since some distant time before 2006. The OMs scored an amazing victory against Old Brighton in Round 8 but go into this game a much-depleted team. Brighton has also gone backwards and is now 6th on the ladder. However, its home ground is Kryptonite to the OMs, who will need to muster all of their super powers to overcome it. The OMs need to win up to three of the remaining five games to stay in Premier A in 2024. Still to come are the Old Xavs (5th, home), St Kevin’s (4th, away), Uni Blues (2nd, away) and Caulfield (10th, home).
See you there.
Lurch.