Seniors – Tie With Trins
In a blockbuster game at Bulleen, nothing could split University Blues and Old Trinity when the final siren rang. The green expanses of Marles were in perfect condition and the weather gave a taste of spring. Blues had to win to ensure that they remained in the four while OTs had to win to make sure that they avoided the drop. Blues’ supporters were slightly nervous after the previous week but when the Blues kicked the first goal, a sense of relief went through the Blue and Black camp. The Hedgeburners then proceeded to pile on the next five goals before the Blues snuck through two late ones to make the score respectable at quarter time. First-year Blue, Sam Toulmin was playing well, finding the ball and threading his way through traffic to set up forward forays. The Blues improved in the second term to go into half time two points in front. Some solid and aggressive extraction efforts from Charles Shaw gave the Blues first use in contested situations, while Jeremy Mugavin made a welcome return as he found plenty of the ball and used it well. The Old Trinity canteen ran short on food due to the assembled masses, and their appetites could only be sated with an exciting second half. Luckily the players delivered. The third term was a goal-for-goal affair as neither side could get a run. As soon as it looked like the momentum was swinging one way, the other side responded. Brilliantly running and dodging players was Mick Monteith as he looked to weave his way toward goal. Mark Paterson bobbed up in the forward line to kick a pair but with a quarter to play, the scores were level. In the tight final quarter, Jack Watts stood tall as he has done all season. He pulled in some solid marks to go with his two earlier goals. Captain Matt Torney also led from the front and when Pat Smith kicked his third goal, it looked like the Blues might win. But Old Trinity would not lie down, a goal and a couple of points had the scores back level. Play was frenetic in the final moments and both sides had chances to win. The siren beat them both. Despite the tie, both sides were pleased to find that results had fallen their way. The Hedgeburners remain in Premier section for another year, and the Blues take on Old Xaverians in next week’s elimination final. Make sure you get down to Elsterwick Park at 2pm on Sunday to see them in action.
University Blues: 14 – 10 – 94
Old Trinity: 14 – 10 – 94
Best: J.Watts, C.Shaw, M.Monteith, S.Toulmin, J.Mugavin, M.Torney
Goals: P.Smith 3, J.Watts 2, M.Paterson 2, S.Chadwick 1, J.Mugavin 1, S.Toulmin 1, P.Hayes 1, C.Shaw 1, A.Lowcock 1, R. McMahon 1
Reserves – Slow Start But Strong Finish
To finish off the home and away season, the Mighty Uni Blues Twos came up against a lowly Old Trinity outfit who sat in the lower reaches of the ladder. Coach Baumgartner was hoping and expecting a rout as the Blues tuned up for a finals campaign but the Hedgeburners had different plans. In a see-sawing first half, Old Trinity took the game to their highly-fancied rivals so much so that the margin never extended into double figures. Only three points separated the sides at the quarter time break and the Blues extended that to eight points when the bell rang for half time. Albert Weddell was at his accumulative best as he pulled the ball from the reaching fingertips of his opponents and disposed cleanly to a team-mate. Meanwhile, in the forward line Will Hartnell was looking to wrest the lead in the competition goal-kicking from a Xaverian as he went hunting majors. After some introspection in the long break, the Blues came out and did a demolition job not dissimilar to the one done on my brother’s place during the week. The wrecking ball of Hayden McDonald ran hard from half back to split packs and deliver some solid bumps on the men in green and gold. On the wide wings, Brant Laidlaw found his way back to form linking between and over the lines to deliver to the likes of David Withers who kicked two. By the final break the lead had jumped to 33 points and could have been larger if not for some wayward kicking. The Blues stepped up again in the final term and piled on the goals. James van de Pol put his name forward for a senior recall with two goals and plenty of the pill, and Mick Steinbach did likewise with three goals in a dangerous game up forward. Hartnell finished the day with five goals and ended in second place for the season, while Bennett Merriman and Quinton Gleeson each kicked a double. The Blues ended the game comfortably in front but the 76 point margin did not tell the story of the first half. The Blues end the home and away season on top of the ladder and next Saturday take on Old Xaverians in the 2nd Semi Final. Be at Elsternwick Park at 11:40am to see this Mighty team in action.
University Blues: 17 – 16 – 118
Old Trinity: 6 – 6 – 42
Best: A.Weddell, M.Steinbach, L.Michell, J.van de Pol, H.McDonald, B.Laidlaw
Goals: W.Hartnell 5, M.Steinbach 3, D.Withers 2, B.Merriman 2, J.van de Pol 2, Q.Gleeson 2, J.Maxwell 1
Thirds – Tune Up For Finals
It is not often that the University Blues Tertiary Team gets to play football on lush grass like that at Trinity. Crawford Oval is the spiritual home, but the Blues were excited to run out against the bottom side on a perfect winter’s morning. But the big ground had its drawbacks. The game seemed to lack a touch of intensity as players spent the first quarter chasing the ball into space all over the ground. Old Trinity were able to goal a couple of times on the rebound as the Blues’ defenders were caught out of position. Gradually, however, the Blues got on the march. Daniel Parkinson (2 goals) proved slippery through the middle of the ground, and he sped from the contests to deliver the ball forward. Up forward, the Blues had a wealth of options but Andrew Walsh started the game with a bang. The big full-forward kicked five in just under a half of football and as he rested just before half time, he was quite pleased with his accuracy. The Blues led the Hedgeburners by 50 points during the long break but all thought that they could improve their game. The third quarter was the most hotly contested of the game as all players came out firing. Old Trinity were playing their last match for the season and threw themselves at the ball. For the Blues, Rory Kennedy ran hard to receive the ball all over the ground and disposed thoughtfully to give his forwards every chance. Both teams battled to score goals in the third term as defenses took over. For the Blues, Will Robinson, Liam Quin and Dan Gumley were impassable and at one stage Quin slipped forward to bomb a 60m goal as if to show the forwards how it is done. Old Trinity ran out of legs in the final term and the Blues piled on the goals. Walsh finished with six and when he tried to kick a seventh Jared Crawford bobbed up to take a hanger in the goal square. Crawford then duly dobbed his fifth in an outstanding display. Billy Girdwood kicked three and Max Allen and Jason Clifford two each in the 106 point victory. The Blues finished the home and away season fourth on the ladder and next week take on De La Salle. The elimination final begins at 9:20am on Sunday at Elsternwick Park. Go Blues.
University Blues: 23 – 9 – 147
Old Trinity: 6 – 5 – 41
Best: D.Parkinson, M.Allen, W.Girdwood, R.Kennedy, A.Walsh, J.Crawford
Goals: A.Walsh 6, J.Crawford 5, W.Girdwood 3, M.Allen 2, D.Parkinson 2, J.Clifford 2, L.Quin 1, R.Kennedy 1, W.van de Pol 1
