APS Round 6: Friday 12 June 2009 at Scotch College.
MELBOURNE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 13.9.87 lost to Scotch College 15.1. 91.
By Lurch.
Best: Sam Goddard, Tom Hywood, Alex Keath, Jackson Paine, Harry Macciolli, Luke Mitchell.
Goals: Sam Goddard (3), Steven May (3), Alex Keath (2), Tyrone Bean (1), Henry Hanlon (1).
Reigning APS premiers, MGS, had the daunting task of taking on Scotch at Scotch last Friday. Grammar’s last win on enemy soil was in 1999, when OMs Steve Greene and Mark Hawkins helped wrench the Cordner Eggleston Cup from Scotch.
MGS, like the reigning AFL premiers Hawthorn, has not had a great season. However, there was some hope, as Grammar’s form had been improving, and Scotch, after a strong start, had suffered a few losses.
The conditions were terrible, with a wind so icy it made Saturday’s conditions seem tropical. Scotch had the wind in the first quarter, but also much greater intent. Shortly before quarter time, with the scores 30-1 in Scotch’s favour, it looked like the game was headed the way of too many others in years past. Grammar managed one goal late in the quarter. Big men Paine (#39) and Keath (#9) stood up during the quarter. Paine is a big and talented Year 10 with strong marking power, and Keath is tall and light-framed, with good skills at both ground level and in the air.
Grammar kicked 4.4 in the second quarter to Scotch’s 4.1, although during the quarter the margin blew out to 33 points. Premiership player and former Geelong College boy Sam Goddard lifted his work-rate, with support from Hywood, May and Mitchell; the latter two being likely future AFL draft prospects.
Perhaps the most important change of the third quarter was the move of Lurch and Jono Tucker behind the MGS goals, following which Grammar goals began flowing more freely. Keath and Paine were again important this quarter, with Captain Luke Mitchell being threatening up forward. Ted de Fegely, whose grandfather was a Scotchie, was an impressive fast-running midfielder. MGS’s intensity and accountability was now at a level missing for most of the first half. By now there was real interest in the game, and few bothered to look at the first (and hopefully last) male streaker at the Cordner Eggleston – a Scotch boy in a red mankini.
Six minutes into the last quarter, MGS did the seemingly impossible, and hit the lead by a point. The huge MGS crowd was at a fever pitch. It was unfortunately too good to be true. Scotch lifted its intensity, kicking three goals in about as many minutes. Grammar responded, kicking two goals to reign in the margin. One of the goals came from an awesome mark by Captain Mitchell, who seemingly took off too early, soaring above his opponent, bringing down the footy only as he was falling to the ground behind his opponent. The boys in Dark Blue also had several missed opportunities in front of goal, including a check-side shot at goal that was too tight, and gave only a point, and a seemingly unstoppable charge towards goal that became muddled, bogged down, and was ultimately reversed by Scotch.
The siren sounded with Grammar about to take the footy out of Scotch’s forward line, and only a four point margin – in Scotch’s favour.
It was an extraordinary game, with Scotch’s 15.1 in windy conditions being exceptional. Was it too much to ask Scotch to miss one more? MGS could just as easily have kicked one straighter, but the reality was effectively giving Scotch a one quarter start made the task impossible in the end. It was a fast-flowing game, and in the end Grammar almost accomplished what many thought unlikely. That MGS came so close despite the odds, and yet failed, was particularly heartbreaking. However, the talent coming through Grammar’s ranks gives hope that Scotch will meet with defeat next time, on Grammar soil.
