Round 18, Saturday 2 September 2023.

Old Melburnians FC vs Caufield Grammarians FC at Elsternwick Park

1st quarter: OMFC 4.3.27 CGFC 0.1.1

2nd quarter: OMFC 8.6.54 CGFC 3.4.22

3rd quarter: OMFC 12.9.81 CGFC 4.4.28

4th quarter: OMFC 14.12.96 CGFC 5.5.35

Goals: Jackson Paine (4), Chance Doultree (2), Ned Nicols (2), James Regan (2), Justin De Steiger (1), Will Nichols (1), Will Richards (1), Stuart Watson (1). 

Best players: Ned Nichols, Dylan Clarke, Josh Freezer, Dan Coffield, Ben Harding and Will Richards.

Seniors.

By Lurch.

Team: Gus Borthwick (4), Dylan Clarke (19), Dan Coffield (7), Nic Daish (33), Justin De Steiger (38), Will Dethridge (26), Chance Doultree (13), Charlie Dowling (28), Josh Freezer (5), Ben Harding (8), Ben Haysman (10), Lachie Haysman (9), Will McIntyre (53), Robbie Morrison (15), Ned Nichols (3), Will Nichols (1), Jackson Paine (Captain, 39), James Regan (27), Will Richards (40), Ed Smart (42), Jack Spargo (24), Stuart Watson (21). 

Tom Cameron, George Hurley-Wellington and Josh Wills were replaced in this week’s team by Ben Haysman, Nic Daish and Will McIntyre. 

In the corresponding game last year, the undermanned OMs had to win to make finals, but fell short. In this game, the undermanned OMs had to win – and win well – and hope that St Kevin’s could beat Old Haileybury – just to stay in Premier for 2024. A win would bring the OMs level with the Bloods on six wins each, but to overhaul their percentage, the OMs needed a win of about 80 points – or St Kevin’s to make up any deficit in beating Haileybury. 

Despite being a game of 9th (OMs) versus 10th (Caulfield Grammarians), the OMs had five wins to the Fields’ one (early) victory for the year and were expected to win – but would it be by enough?

The game was played in near-perfect conditions, under sunny blue skies and a light breeze that strengthened during the game. The 13–14-degree temperatures were said to feel like 9-10 degrees, with SSW and SW breezes registering wind speeds in the mid-teens favouring the northern end to which the OMs kicked in the first quarter. 

One supporter suggested that the first five minutes would show whether the OMs were switched on or not. It was the Fields that burst out of the first centre bounce, and the first to score, with a behind at the two-minute mark. They showed no signs of turning up to go through the motions and roll over for the OMs and were keen to drag the club of their rival Grammar School down to Premier B with them. Those opening minutes showed worrying signs for the more nervous OM supporters: could the OMs be in danger of losing, or not winning by enough?

The breakthrough came when Chance Doultree bombed long from near the centre square. James Regan couldn’t get to the bouncing footy, but it bounced over friend and foe alike…and went through for a thrilling and unlikely goal at the eight-minute mark. Regan soon had a set shot from about a 45-degree angle on the arc from the NE but missed to the right. Play went both ways until Ned Nichols kicked very long from near the centre square. Regan marked close to the NW boundary line, about 15m around from goal, and drilled a check-side goal at the 14-minute mark. Two minutes later, man-of-the-moment Regan marked directly in front of goal, about 25 metres out, and drilled his second goal. It was 20-1. Meanwhile, St Kevin’s worryingly trailed Haileybury 12-25 at T.H. King Oval. 

Play continued both ways and the Fields missed everything in one attempt on goal, but the battle was mostly fought in the midfield. Regan got the footy at the back of a contest in the NW, turned and had time and space, but missed a shot at the open goal from about 15m out. The Fields attacked until the OMs fought back through the middle, putting the footy in Ned’s hands. He ducked and weaved through tight Caulfield traffic, threw the footy on his boot, and scored a fantastic goal a minute before the siren ended a 28-minute quarter. The OMs had a 26-point lead, while St Kevin’s had taken a 36-25 lead. 

The Dark Blues dominated the opening minutes of the second quarter, but a good contest by the Fields in defence frustrated the OMs. Chance Doultree had a snap and a miss from the SW, after which the Fields charged forward and spent some time there, but only managed two behinds. The OMs turned the tide and Justin De Steiger put on a show. He barely got his fingertips to a high incoming ball that couldn’t be marked – by anyone but him. As the ball continued towards the ground, Juzzy took it at a single arm’s length in the most unlikely of marks. He was cool as ice as he kicked long from the SE arc on about a 45-degree angle, clearing leaping defenders on the line. 

Once again, the OMs attacked. Captain Jackson Paine marked on the lead, and drilled a 20-25m set shot from the SW on about a 30-degree angle, taking the OMs to 41-3 at the 16-minute mark. It looked like the floodgates were set to open, and that the OMs wouldn’t need St Kevin’s winning margin to help them beat Haileybury’s percentage. The Fields slammed the metaphorical floodgates closed, scoring a miraculous goal that looked more like a behind, as viewed from behind the goal at the other end. The OMs’ response was immediate – from the middle, to Ned, with a goal on the run. Now 47-9 at the 18-minute mark, with St Kevin’s 49 to Haileybury’s 31, the roughly 80-point margin the OMs needed to stay in Premier was still too close for comfort. A dumb free kick was given away in the OMs’ backline, and Caulfield showed its ability to be dangerous, running up the ground for a goal. Not content with one, the Fields goaled from the centre bounce, putting the OMs on notice that they could yet be playing one another in Premier B next year. Caulfield continued to dominate the play until giving away a 50m penalty in defence.

The OMs kicked long, but it went to ground. Juzzy battled an opponent in the SW near the point post, turned, gathered, and dished off to Will Richards. Under intense pressure, Richo ran into goal on an angle and quickly blasted it through at the 30-minute mark for the last score of the quarter. Thirty-two points up, the OMs had only outscored the persistent Fields by a goal. Over at T.H. King, it was 52-32. Without the OMs, St Kevin’s – or both – building up a bigger margin – the OMs were in trouble. 

First out of the middle in the third quarter were the Dark Blues. Jacko received a free kick but memorably shanked his set shot. The leather missile targeted a gaggle of local kids in footy jumpers. They sat on a wooden bench, which they fled a split second before its top wooden slat (about 3”x2”) took a direct hit – and cracked in half! The kids then delighted in pivoting the broken pieces vertically on their bolts to create ‘goal posts’. A good contest unfolded inside the OMs’ arc until Stuart ‘The White Ghost’ Watson got the footy in the NE. At his bustling, creative best, he put a nail in the coffin of his black and magenta classmates’ club at T.H. King as he ran and goaled, then celebrated with his fellow 2011 MGS classmates Jacko and Daishy. Six minutes in, it was 60-22. 

From a stoppage in the NE three minutes later, Jacko received a belated free kick from a ruck infringement, very carefully lined up his set shot on about a 30-degree angle and put it through the middle. The OMs won in the centre, and Jacko outmuscled his opponent and marked. Kicking from about 10m out on a tight angle from the NE, Jacko’s approach was thoughtful, and his kick was perfect. Leading 72-22 at the 11-minute mark, the OMs won at the centre bounce, Juzzy had a snap in play, and only just missed to the right. A tight battle unfolded in front of goal, ending when Ned snapped over his shoulder from about 10m out on an angle. It would’ve brought the house down – had it not only just tickled the inside edge of the right goal post. It was 11 minutes before the OMs had another opportunity, with Juzzy getting the footy out of the middle to Will Nichols, who joined brother Ned on the goalkickers’ list after a snap that just snuck inside the left goal post. At 81-22 the OMs were on their way to making up the percentage on their own, but then missed several opportunities, foiled by the fierce Fields, who turned the tide and scored their first goal of the quarter. 

With a 53-point lead at the final break and St Kevin’s 80 to Haileybury’s 45, the OMs were – at that point, at least – staying in Premier for 2024. However, they could not let up, as what was happening at T.H. King was beyond their control. 

The OMs were first into attack in the last quarter for the season. The White Ghost got the footy forward, where it passed through several hands to Regan. He kicked towards goal, but it fell short and needed Jacko to finish the job, running the last few feet to put it through from the SW inside the first two minutes. Dylan Clarke then set up Jacko in the SE, but his set shot missed to the left. The OMs were unrelenting, with three combining to move the footy across the face of goal via Juzzy to ‘Chang’ Doultree, who finished the job. At the six-minute mark it was 94-28. The OMs’ second-favourite team (for the day, at least), St Kevin’s, was 98-51. With a combined total margin over Haileybury of more than 100, the OMs were safe – barring late comebacks by either trailing side. 

Perhaps aware of this, Caulfield then launched a sustained attack in a last-ditch effort to have their Grammar mates join them in Premier B. However, desperate OM defenders prevented any score. Getting the footy well forward, they were lastly cut off by Will Dethridge, who sent the OMs deep into attack, only for a turnover enabling the Fields to run the length of the ground and finally goal at the 21-minute mark. It was 94-34, and – in Glen Iris – 105-52. The OMs overused the footy before setting up Juzzy with a set shot that he missed from the arc near the SE corner of the centre square. Charlie Dowling, who was quiet by his standards, got the footy in the SW and set sail from inside the arc, but it just brushed the edge of the right goal post. The Fields’ missed set shot was the last score of the game, and the OMs were 61-point winners. What were the Skevvies and Bloods doing?

That game was still in play. All Dark Blue players remained on the ground as live scores were refreshed on mobile phones. Eventually a great collective cheer erupted. That game was over. St Kevin’s had won – 108-58. The Bloods were stranded on six wins, with the OMs joining them. Their respective final percentages were 75.14 to 76.76. The OMs had stayed in Premier – by the closest margin in over a decade. 

Ed Smart was chaired off. The South Aussie boy is going home. Debuting in the OMs during the disrupted 2021 season, he played 36 Senior games and kicked 11 goals, often featuring among the best players for his work in defence and elsewhere on the ground. 

Worryingly chaired off was Josh Freezer. Any suggestion that it was his last game was not entertained by any OM supporter. It is hoped and expected that he will be chaired backwards onto the ground in 2024. 

The OMs’ version of the Grammar Games Song was sung with great gusto for only the sixth time this season. Six – sometimes seven – wins usually stave off relegation, and in this year that number, and the right percentage, saw the OMs finishing eighth on the ladder. 

Ned Nichols was the OMs’ best player, finishing off an outstanding month of footy with electric speed and movement in the midfield, from which he kicked two clever goals. 

Dylan Clarke racked up an incredible 42 disposals in a fantastic team role that ensured that the OMs won clearances and the contested footy. He played a significant part in the OMs’ strong finish to the season. 

Josh Freezer completely negated Jules Dobosz, Caulfield’s best player. The tall Taswegian has kicked goals in most games for his struggling team this season – but not against ‘Fridge’ and the OMs in this game.

Dan Coffield was equally outstanding, teaming up with Fridge to keep the Fields to a low score.

Ben Harding had yet another game of stats surpassing 30 at the end of an outstanding debut season for the OMs. The Scotch (Perth) boy’s efforts were even more impressive as he played with a syndesmosis injury. 

Will Richards warmed up during the game to make his second half particularly impressive. The young bloke’s skills and effort have been showcased in his debut Senior season, rarely failing to be among the best players, which bodes well for his and the OMs’ futures. 

There was much to be said and many people to thank in the rooms after the game at the end of a tense and emotional match, and a very difficult season. Losing some of the best players early to season-ending injuries, with 11 succumbing to broken bones, was unprecedented. May the OMs discover dairy products and partake liberally of them in the off-season! More players were unavoidably used in the Seniors than in any other Premier team – 54 of them – varying from young OMs in the Under-19s to solid Reserves’ players to old chargers dragged out of semi-retirement. 

Jackson Paine had a baptism of fire as a new Captain, with so many challenges beyond his control. Despite that, he led by inspirational example, with courage against the odds, and improving his own game when it was needed most. With so many players lost to injury, he was used all over the ground, and needed to be cloned. Good at getting the footy, his kicking for goal could be wayward, and yet in the last four games he kicked 13 of his 22 goals for the season, including three lots of four. Like several blokes, he was carrying injuries into the final games, but took that to the next level. In this last game, he went in with a torn quad, syndesmosis, and a few other injuries, made obvious when he could be seen struggling to get up off the ground – yet he top-scored with four crucial goals, including nailing some tough shots. 

Coach Paul Satterley (and his helpers) pulled off a miracle in getting the OMs over the line. Not too many games ago, the OMs were at a very low ebb, and struggled to kick a handful of goals in a game. Doubting their own ability, they would handball in circles until their frustrated opponents took the footy away and kicked goals. During games Satts has recognised when changes are needed and has been quick to make them, as well as being prepared to try blokes in unfamiliar positions, sometimes with great results. He has delivered consistent and clear messages that the team had been failing to pick up. Several games ago, he finally got the boys to use that wonderful intuitive and potent weapon called ‘the first option’, and suddenly the OMs went from a moribund team to one that – despite being undermanned – produced quick, slick, potent and exciting movement. 

Most blokes playing for the OMs attended Melbourne Grammar School and that weight of numbers gives the team its character. Satts has had several seasons with them. After the game he spoke about how much he admires the qualities of the young men MGS has produced and given to the OMFC. Of the many things said, one that was greeted with particularly enthusiastic and heartfelt applause was Satts’ announcement that next year, the youngest of his brood of four, Jack, is to become a Melbourne Grammar boy. 

See you (again!) in Premier, in 2024.

Lurch. 

P.S. A game this important needed frequent note-taking!