APS ROUND 1: Xavier (8.12.60) lost to MGS (9.10.64) at Xavier College, Saturday 19 April 2008.

By Lurch, with thanks to Ben Hanisch.

Goals: May (2), Ah Chee (1), Bennett (1), Hale (1), Vickers-Willis (1), Goddard (1), Mitchell (1), Shaw (1).

Best: Long, Marangon, Macciolli, Ah Chee, Carter, Keath, Goddard.

It’s a big year for footy at MGS, which, along with perpetual foe Scotch, played the first recorded game of Australian Rules football 150 years ago this year. It is also MGS’s 150th anniversary, so every effort is being made to celebrate it with success in every area of endeavour. The Dark Blue Twenty (plus a few more in this modern era) could not have started the season better, with a rarer-than-hen’s teeth victory against Xavier at Xavier.

The game was intense from start to finish, with the fired up MGS boys taking a while to settle into the game. MGS was winning the hit-outs but Xavier was winning the ball at the stoppages. The MGS boys ran hard through the midfield, with 2008 MGS School Captain Charlie Shaw and Alex Carter taking on Xavier and running the ball up the corridor. The backline was under siege all day, with Marangon, Heenan and Long standing up to Xavier’s intense pressure. Luther Ellis (brother of Hawthorn FC player and OM 2006 Xavier Ellis) and 2008 1st XVIII  Captain Jack Macciolli directed the play admirably, with Macciolli winning his individual battle with gun Xaverian player Sibasado, and in coach Ben Hanisch’s opinion, possibly deciding the contest.

Grammar was 9 points down at the last break. An amazing last quarter was played by the boys in Dark Blue, who lifted their efforts to even greater heights in an effort to defeat the school responsible for so often defeating MGS in recent years. Ah Chee’s aggressive play contributed much to the game all day in the forward line, and Goddard stepped up to provide support, helping inspire their Grammar brothers. Jordan Tunbridge and blond bombshell Nick de Steiger continued dominating the hit outs, and the midfield began winning the ball. Angus Lapin lifted his efforts to play his best for the day, whilst Hale and Alex Keath provided great run on the wings.

May crumbed a handy goal to give the Grammar boys a sniff of victory, which was strengthened when Ah Chee floated through the worst kick of the day. An incredible individual effort by Hale delivered what would be the last goal of the day, with three minutes remaining. MGS fought desperately to hold on to the narrow lead, with none more desperate in their efforts than Captain Macciolli. With 40 seconds remaining, Bennett marked a fantastic pass, and with the ball in safe hands, Grammar won its first game at Xavier since 2004, and only its third since 1972. The boys in black and red had had their chances, but failed to kick accurately in the face of intense pressure from the MGS boys in the last quarter. The support off the field was as intense as the play on it, with Grammar’s rallying drum, Surdo, the subject of Xaverian attacks, which were repelled by the Dark Blue defenders of the MGS faith.

On 3 May 2008 Grammar takes on Geelong College at Todd Road. College, fresh from a 10 goal pounding of its foe Geelong Grammar School in the local derby, has often been a bogey team for Grammar, even when down on form. Surprise wins by College against Grammar in 2004 and (less so) in 2007 mean MGS will have to play its best footy to ensure it remains on the path to premiership glory for the first time since 1995.