: Seniors Report - By Lurch.

With the prospect of relegation to C Grade, and a last round game against fellow relegation contenders Ajax, a win would have secured our place in B Grade for 2008. It was not to be.

On recent form, the Old Melburnians were likely to win this game against Uni Blacks, who have had a form slump. That it was played at Melbourne University on their family day and club history book launch should have had no effect. The fearsome thousand-strong Uni crowd of which we had been warned did not materialise. Controversial decisions against Uni Blacks frequently failed to draw a murmur from the chatting masses, which were soaking up the sun.

Needing clash jumpers for this game, the OMs were given one box of jumpers – which turned out to have one team’s worth of jumpers in two different colours and designs. A motley crew took to the field for the OMs, and if it was a spectator’s nightmare to work out who was who, it was little easier for the boys on the field.

Uni jumped away from the beginning, working harder than the OMs, of whom they were clearly wary. There were two Uni goals on the board before Marty “Moose” Kennon broke the flow with a goal. Bennison then beat his opponent to take a successful set shot at goal. Standing the mark was a fellow Old Melburnian (OM 2002), who, like Bennison, was an MGS prefect and Morris House man, but of the two, only Bennison is true to the Dark Blue….

Uni responded with two further goals before “Shep” Panton goaled, and Moose followed up with another. Uni goaled again to take a five point lead at quarter time. Yet again, one or two chances at goal had gone begging, and with seven shots each the OMs could have been in a better position if they had been more accurate.

The second quarter was one of those horror quarters when the OMs could not buy a goal (although it was looking increasingly likely that Uni had bought something else). There were fewer opportunities to score, and they all went unfulfilled, whilst Uni scored 4.5 for the quarter. The siren sounded with Nick Russell taking a set shot from near the boundary, but it went the way of his team mates’ earlier kicks.

By half time it was clear the OMs’ team game was not coming together. Uni had numbers and when they got the ball they moved it cleanly and quickly. The OMs also moved the ball well when they got it, but it was not often enough that they had possession, and all too often Uni players vastly outnumbered Dark Blues at contests. Chris Righetti flew the Dark Blue flag by taking on 6 or 7 Uni Blacks, but as admirable as his personal endeavour was, it said much about the problems with the OMs’ team game.

There was little scoring by either side early in the third quarter. After a while, Willo scored a goal, but Uni had already put one on the board. Shortly afterwards, Funky Farquharson slotted one on the run, and had two to his name by the end of the quarter. Not only had he scored two, but he had also shut down Uni’s dangerous Number 19, Matthew Kempton, who had kept Uni’s scoreboard ticking over in the second quarter.

Starting the last quarter with a 25 point deficit, the margin was theoretically not insurmountable. However, goals had not been easy to come by, and a marked shift in the way the Dark Blues were playing the game was required if they were to win it. It started promisingly enough, with Moose scoring after the ball came quickly out of the centre in the first seconds of the quarter. It was one of too few successful clearances from the centre. However, Uni’s response was quick. Late in the quarter Moose’s fourth goal came up as he crumbed a loose ball and soccered it through in heavy traffic. A final attempt on goal was due to good work on the wing to Russo, who threaded traffic beautifully before sending a pinpoint pass to Funky. The siren sounded, and Funky took a set shot, directly in front, from about 45m, but failed to convert.

Hamish Turner made a return to pre-concussion form to use his hardness at the ball to good effect. Although Ned Morrison was unsuccessful in front of goal, he was otherwise in his usual excellent kicking mode around the ground. Josh Russo’s ability to get the ball and direct it well was shown at its best in several creative bursts including the last passage of play. Ty Menzies, whose season was recently considered over due to injury, put in a good effort in support of the other running players. Funky continued his excellent recent run of form by giving his all and doing the jobs required of him. Benno yet again played his little heart out and kept his opponent quiet, to the delight of all OMs.

Ajax had a narrow win over Melbourne High, which had earlier this season beaten Ajax for their sole win of the season. Ajax will face the Dark Blues at the Junction Oval in the last game of the season on Saturday. The loser will join Melbourne High in C Grade in 2008. So tight has this season been that until recent rounds, more than half the B Grade competition faced the prospect of relegation to C Grade, and yet teams like the OMs had a mathematical chance of making the final four. The Old Melburnians are a proud club, and as the game against Beaumaris showed, play their hardest when their backs are against the wall. Anyone who loves and cares for the Dark Blues should come and cheer them on at the Junction Oval on Saturday.

Tags: Ed Farquharson, Hamish Turner, Josh Russo, Ned Morrison, Tom Bennison, Ty Menzies