Round 17, Saturday 26 August 2023.
University Blues FC vs Old Melburnians FC at Melbourne University
1st quarter: UBFC 2.2.14 OMFC 3.5.23
2nd quarter: UBFC 9.5.59 OMFC 6.6.42
3rd quarter: UBFC 15.9.99 OMFC 8.8.56
4th quarter: UBFC 15.9.99 OMFC 12.13.85
Goals: Jackson Paine (4), Lachie Haysman (3), Justin De Steiger (2), Gus Borthwick (1), Chance Doultree (1), Will Nichols (1).
Best players: Ned Nichols, Lachie Haysman, Jackson Paine, Tom Cameron, Jack Spargo, Chance Doultree.
Seniors.
By Lurch.
Team: Gus Borthwick (4), Tom Cameron (33), Dylan Clarke (19), Dan Coffield (44), Justin De Steiger (38), Will Dethridge (36), Chance Doultree (2), Charlie Dowling (25), Josh Freezer (5), Ben Harding (8), Lachie Haysman (9), George Hurley Wellington (40), Robbie Morrison (15), Ned Nichols (20), Will Nichols (1), Jackson Paine (Captain, 39), James Regan (29), Will Richards (3), Ed Smart (58), Jack Spargo (32), Stuart Watson (21), Josh Wills (6)*
* Players wore bumble-bee clash jumpers, mostly with numbers not usually worn by them
Ben Haysman (10), Sam Kelly (38), Will McIntyre (53) and Adam Richardson (56) were replaced in this week’s team by Gus Borthwick, Tom Cameron, Dylan Clarke and Chance Doultree.
This game was played under grey, dry skies albeit in reasonably bright conditions. It was cool, but the breeze was negligible.
Although the OMs were first out of the middle, play soon went both ways, with Uni eventually working up the ground for the first goal, three minutes in. The OMs again won at the centre bounce, giving James Regan a set shot from about 25m out, directly in front, but he missed to the left, kicking to the western end. When the OMs next came out of defence, they worked along the northern wing and into the SW pocket, with Lachie Haysman and Charlie Dowling working well to set up Justin De Steiger, who took a few steps before hurriedly kicking the OMs’ first goal at the nine-minute mark. Uni responded with a goal from the centre, and it was 13-7. Regan had a more challenging set shot from about the arc in the SW on a 45-degree angle, missing to the right, before Dylan Clarke missed a set shot from the NW. The accuracy angels clearly weren’t on the OMs’ side.
Keeping the footy in attack, the Dark Blues won a free kick in the middle, hit up Ned Nichols, and he ran towards goal, kicked, and scored. His brother Will then won a free kick in the middle, had a Blues’ player run across the mark, and the resulting 50m penalty gave Will a goal from about 20m out, directly in front, giving the OMs a 13-16 lead at the 26-minute mark. Uni threatened but scored two behinds. The OMs cleared along the southern wing. Captain Jackson Paine got the footy on the boundary of the SW pocket and had a hurried kick for a near-impossible attempt on goal that missed. Soon afterwards, from a stoppage in the NW, Paine got the footy and snapped a fantastic goal. The OMs won in the middle just before the siren sounded, nine points up. As pleasing as that was, with double the scoring shots of Uni, the OMs should realistically have scored 7-1 or 6-2. The opportunities were there, but sorely needed better conversion against a quality opponent.
Uni was first into the fray in the second quarter before the OMs had a crack, but it was Uni that goaled 1:25 into the quarter and again three minutes in, to take a 26-23 lead. Across at the Old Haileyburians vs Old Xaverians game – which played a role in whether the OMs would remain in Premier A or be relegated to Premier B – the Bloods led the Xavs 45-20, putting the pressure the OMs to win this game against all expectations. Uni goaled again at the four-minute mark. Its goals were coming far too easily and were extremely damaging. The OMs finally went forward but were rebounded – only as far as Tom Cameron, who intercepted the defensive kick and set up Paine, who took a contested mark. He took a very careful approach to his set shot from the NE and it paid off beautifully, slotting the goal from about a 45 degree angle around 25m out. It was 32-29 at the six-minute mark.
The OMs broke free, Chance Doultree ran through the NE, unleashed from about 30m on an angle, and scored a great goal to give the OMs a 32-36 lead. A good hard contest on the southern edge of the centre square gave Lachie Haysman a free kick with a 50m penalty the icing on the top, and at the 13-minute mark his goal extended the lead to nine points. The OMs let Uni get free on the northern wing and it kicked towards the open goal square. An OM chased after the footy but was too late to stop it. Two minutes later Uni added another. The OMs occasionally got forward without having any real opportunity to score, and at the 26-minute mark all-too-easily let Uni goal again for a 52-42 lead. Uni missed an opportunity two minutes later, but not long afterwards, the OMs allowed Uni to roll the footy through for yet another easy goal. Although the OMs were more accurate this quarter, they were very costly in allowing Uni to easily score goals either side of the OMs’ three goals, effectively going to sleep against a dangerous opponent.
Uni dominated the start of the third quarter until goaling after six minutes, adding another a minute later. One OM supporter declared it was game over at 71-42, and with another goal added at the nine-minute mark, he was probably right. Playmakers Ben Harding and Gus Borthwick came off the field to make a comeback seem even less likely. When Uni goaled again, it was 85-42 and looked utterly hopeless. However, the OMs won at the centre bounce and gave Paine a set shot from the arc in the SW that missed to the right and dropped short. Josh Wills kicked it back towards goal, where Haysman was there to mop up and slam it through. Two minutes later, Uni goaled to undo the OMs’ good work, making it 91-48 at the 22-minute mark. The OMs won in the middle and charged forward. A mass of players formed on the south side of the arc, and when advantage was given to the OMs, they were all stagnant while Haysman – seemingly unnoticed by anyone – quietly played on and goaled.
Ned got the footy, ran through the SW and kicked towards the open goal but the footy spiralled off his boot and missed to the right. Uni then ran the footy up the ground for a goal. Robbie Morrison limped off the ground. Smart then decided it was his time to shine. He was in front of the pavilion and in front of the videographer. He leapt vertically, high into the air, reached out with one arm, as if posing for the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling, dragged the footy in with one hand, spun around, and returned to the ground. He successfully executed a spectacular entry for his highlight reel. Soon afterwards the poor quarter mercifully came to an end. In two quarters the OMs had let Uni score 13 goals to five – not because Uni was that incredibly good – but largely due to a lack of defensive pressure across the ground. Most of Uni’s goals were not hard-fought, but easy, and a couple at least were just plain arsey.
The game seemingly lost, all the OMs could do was to reduce the deficit to limit the percentage to be made up in the final game next week in the hope of overhauling Old Haileybury to trade spots in the relegation zone. It took five minutes for either side to score in the final quarter. Not surprisingly, it was the OMs missing a set shot again – Doultree, from the NE. Meanwhile, the Xavs had narrowed their deficit against the Bloods to trail 65-51, giving the OMs some faint hope the Bloods might yet lose. In a contest, Paine watched his opponent unintentionally kick the footy out on the full as he stumbled towards the boundary line. Paine took his set shot from the SE boundary line, about 20m around from goal, and just snuck his kick inside the left goal post for a welcome goal. Now 99-63, the OMs went again, with a kick for goal in play touched on the line. They went again, coming through the NE into a contest, where Dowling got it to Paine, who snapped a goal. 99-70. The OMs stormed through the middle, Camo kicked to Regan, and his set shot looked to everyone – including Uni Blues’ supporters – to be a goal. Everyone but the goal umpire thought it was a goal. Once again, the OMs gradually built momentum, but a shot in play cruelly hit the goal post. Meanwhile, the Bloods were 77-57.
The OMs kept coming, Borthwick got the footy on the NE boundary line, about 15m from goal, and kicked perfectly. It was 99-78 at the 21-minute mark, and with the OMs totally dominant, questions began to be asked about whether they could now win the game. Three minutes later Haysman’s set shot from directly in front missed to the left. A few minutes of stalemate followed, eating up valuable time that seemed to end any chance the OMs could overhaul Uni. The quarter was getting very long in the tooth when Borthwick kicked from near the SW corner of the centre square. De Steiger, in a contest, got around his opponent, and slammed through what turned out to be the last goal of the game, as the siren sounded soon after it returned to the centre.
There were mixed feelings after the game – or at least Lurch had them. It was a loss, and Old Haileybury had beaten the Xavs, to go one game ahead of the OMs, with one game to go. Compounding the loss was the fact it was ultimately only a 14-point loss – so near yet so far. On the other hand, the OMs had kept Uni scoreless in the final quarter, while kicking (an admittedly wasteful) 4.5. This – like the first quarter – had shown what the OMs can do – when they are switched on. The game was lost primarily through the OMs going missing for large parts of the second and third quarters, allowing Uni to do its damage, and by missing too many ‘gettable’ goals. If the OMs had won, they would be almost certainly safe from relegation. At least the narrow margin brought down the difference in percentage compared with Old Haileybury.
Ned Nichols’ standout game resulted in 30 disposals for the OMs’ Seniors for the first time. Had he been more accurate in front of goal it could’ve been a memorable day.
Lachie Haysman played a quality game in what has been a very solid season. He applied terrific midfield pressure and was efficient in kicking his three goals.
Jackson Paine continued to show incredible resilience as he has done in every minute of every game. He kicked four outstanding goals.
Tom Cameron returned to the team and provided plenty of run and dash from half back. He provided a good balance of impactful inside and outside running.
Jack Spargo gave away plenty of height against former competition best and fairest Ayce Cordy yet worked hard and well to give the OMs the win in the clearance battle.
Chance Doultree returned to the team for his first game since breaking his hand and he hit the ground running. He played at half forward, with mostly excellent field kicking, although his single goal should have been one of two or three goals.
Next week the OMs play September footy – unfortunately not in the finals – just a surprisingly late finish to the season. They return home to take on Caulfield Grammarians (10th, with one win). On paper, the OMs should win, and win well enough to overhaul Old Haileybury’s superior percentage, but they cannot afford to be complacent, as the Fields will be sure to want to drag the OMs down to Premier B with them. The outcome is only partly in the OMs’ hands. The Bloods travel to T.H. King to take on St Kevin’s, which last week lost there against Collegians. Going into the finals, St Kevin’s will want victory as a springboard – against Haileybury boys fighting relegation. If the Bloods win, the OMs go down, regardless of the result at Elsternwick Park.
See you there.
Lurch.