Round 17: Saturday, 20 August 2011.
Old Melburnians v Old Carey at the Junction Oval.
Seniors.
1st quarter: OM 6.3.39 OC 4.3.27
2nd quarter: OM 12.7.79 OC 7.4.46
3rd quarter: OM 16.8.104 OC 8.8.56
Fulltime: OM 18.11.119 OC 11.9.75
Goals: Cam Beck (6), Chris Righetti (2), Lachie Bennett (2), Nathan Henley (2), Al Armstrong (1), Tom Paule (1), Karl Lombardozzi (1), Michael Davis (1), Jonno Nash (1), Adam Morgan (1) [note that incorrect results published in the weekend papers have been corrected to the results seen here].
Best: Adam Morgan, Al Armstrong, Karl Lombardozzi, Michael Davis, Andrew Prowse, Cam Beck.
By Lurch.
The day of this must-win last match at the Junction Oval (for 2011) was warm and sunny. How warm was it? It was too warm to wear both an MGS spray jacket and OMFC hoodie, but fortunately not too warm to wear an MGS spray jacket if one stood in the shade. It was very spring-like, and a lot of water was needed to cool overheating engines.
The OMs had to win to give themselves a chance of avoiding relegation. Old Carey had to win to give itself a chance of making the finals. It would all come down to which team needed and wanted it more. With a history of winning classic relegation-defying encounters at the Junction Oval, the OMs - despite their precarious position on the ladder – had reasonable prospects. Not only the elitist Rah Rah of Brahton thought the OMs had a chance, but so too did a number of other commentators on the competition.
It was the OMs who went forward first, showing that they wanted this game more than Old Carey. Although quickly repelled, the OMs soon went forward again, with Michael Davis kicking to the SW pocket, sending the footy bouncing towards goal, where Nathan Henley and two opponents overran it in the goal square, leaving Cam Beck at the back to kick a goal off the ground. Old Carey kicked a goal, and the OMs turned over several chances up forward. Tom Bachet was involved in a lot of the early forward action, doing his best to keep it forward. Henley took a good mark, kicking to Lachie Bennett, but despite being spoiled, Bennett handballed to Al “Army” Armstrong, and he finished off with a goal. Tom Paule, the relegation-defying specialist*, then fought hard against many opponents to get the footy into the goal square, where Chris Righetti, the other relegation-defying specialist*, eventually forced the ball out of the hands of two Carey boys on the ground, and toe-poked through a goal. It was hard, tough stuff, with spirited defence by Old Carey, but not enough to outweigh the desperation of the OMs. The OMs went forward again, and another strong tussle ensued before Beck got loose, turned, snapped, and goaled. It was 24-7. Old Carey then goaled. The OMs came out of defence, Henley took a strong mark in the SE pocket, kicked to the top of the goal square, and Karl Lombardozzi – who returned this game from injury – took a great contested mark and kicked a goal from directly in front. It was 30-13. Old Carey spent some time in attack, and eventually squeezed a goal out of the parsimonious OM defence. The OMs went forward, with a set shot by Michael Davis just falling short in the goal square. When the ball came out, Beck marked it and scored his third goal of the quarter. The OMs went forward again, but Lachie Bennett gave away a chance at goal with a centering kick which was intercepted. Lombardozzi soon marked and his set shot from the same place as Michael Davis’ earlier attempt also fell short. Beck then had a lazy shot at goal on the run and missed. Would these missed opportunities later be rued? Old Carey scored a goal to finish the quarter.
It was a great first quarter effort, with all OMs working well in every part of the ground. The defence was strong, withstanding several lengthy attacks, and the forwards scored five straight goals before missing. The only downside was that some reasonable opportunities in front of goal were missed, and the OMs’ dominance deserved more on the scoreboard.
The OMs made the second quarter their “premiership quarter”. Within minutes of the centre bounce Jeremy Beaumont scored a free kick, sending a bullet-like pass to Righetti on the lead, and he found Henley, whose goal took the scores to 45-27. Old Carey goaled in response, but Adam Morgan, rucking again, grabbed the footy in the centre and kicked forward. A Carey boy sat on Righetti’s head as Righetti fell to the ground, and as Old Carey supporters complained about the resulting free kick, Righetti’s goal restored the margin to 52-34. The OMs fought for the footy up forward, with Bennett eventually getting the footy, kicking, and just missing. Michael Davis then took an uncontested mark, and as Old Carey supporters jeered that he would again fail to kick that far, he kicked a monster goal which silenced them immediately. It was 59-34. Minutes later, Old Carey attacked, was repelled, the OMs attacked, and a kick over the top found Paule at the back. With his nearest opponent having fallen over metres away, Paule, with all the time and space in the world, stood in front of the goal line and kicked the shortest goal in Australian Rules history. Old Carey then goaled and it was 65-40. The OMs went forward again, and Jonno Nash, running towards goal, marked brilliantly as the footy came in over his head, and goaled from directly in front. It was 71-40. A long battle up forward saw Lombardozzi take a set shot but miss. Old Carey then scored a free kick and a free goal, but it was not the last goal of the quarter, as Army sent a trademark long kick forward and Lachie Bennett marked and goaled.
The first quarter was fantastic. The second quarter was even better. The OMs ran, moved the ball quickly with long kicks, did not over-possess it, and supported one another. Old Carey could move the ball quickly and effectively too – but only when it got it, which was not that often. The OMs dominated the quarter, had confidence, and won their own luck on the right side of the umpires’ whistles.
The OMs expected Old Carey to come out hard in the third quarter, but there was little fight left in the Carey boys, although scoring did become a bit harder for the OMs. Paule had a set shot early in the quarter from the SE pocket, landing it in the goal square. The footy came out, and eventually Beck took a mark and scored a set shot goal. Minutes later Morgan marked and goaled and it was 92-46. The Carey boys spent some time in attack, but only managed two points before Army got the footy, ran towards goal, bouncing several times, and kicked into the goal square where Henley poked it through for a goal. It was 98-48. Bennett then marked and scored his second goal. The game became lacklustre for some time as Old Carey spent some time in attack without achieving anything against the might of the Dark Blue Rock of Gibraltar. Eventually Old Carey scored its only goal of the quarter, and soon afterwards a Carey boy was running into an open goal when the siren sounded – too soon for Carey, and too soon for the goal to be registered!
With a 48 point three-quarter time margin the OMs seemed safe, but nightmares about the 40 point lead which vanished in the game against St. Bedes meant that no-one would consider the game won until it was won. Within minutes of the first bounce Michael Davis sent the ball forward, and in a tussle Beck pounced and kicked his fifth goal. Jeremy Beaumont sent the ball forward with a long kick, accompanied by the ubiquitous snake’s hiss of his supporters, and despite a being spoiled, Beck kicked a clever grubber near the NW point post which screwed around and went through for his sixth and final goal. It was 119-56, and the OMs were done with scoring for the day. Old Carey then scored its second goal for the second half (such was the OMs’ dominance up until then). It then kicked another goal – or so it thought – as although the OMs’ defenders could not touch it on the line, a push in the back was paid against Old Carey. The game then became very dull, as the result was not in doubt, and although the OMs still contested, Old Carey scored two more goals in “junk” time before the siren announced the confirmation of a great victory by the OMs.
The joy of victory was tempered by the news that the hated enemy – Old Scotch – had pulled off an unfortunate miracle win against Uni Blues at the normally impenetrable Uni ground by two points after trailing for most of the game. With the expectation having been that Old Scotch would probably not win again, and that one win by the OMs would save them from relegation, this now meant that the win against Old Carey – as great and as important as it was – was not enough, and that one more win, and some good luck is required to avoid relegation – more on this later.
It was a great team effort which won this game, but a few deserve special mention. Due to De Steiger’s season-ending injury, Morgan again successfully carried the ruck duties as one of few big men on the ground for the OMs. Army yet again put on a good display of his improved and more consistent form, and provided strong drive into the forward line. Lombardozzi’s return from injury was very timely, as he brought his skill and tenacity into the game, adding considerably to the OMs’ attack. Michael Davis continued his recent good form with another valuable effort, providing quality supply, and Andrew Prowse retained his reputation as the General of the OMs’ defence, which did outstanding work all day, and which almost completely choked Old Carey’s attack for most of the second half. Beck contributed six handy, varied and entertaining goals, with his three in the first quarter instrumental in setting the OMs on a positive course for the rest of the game, which was over by half time.
Old Haileybury, which fell victim to the Dark Blues last week, has now been relegated to Premier B for 2012, barring another win and an enormous percentage-boosting victory next week. After this week’s amazing results, three teams are in line to fill the one remaining relegation position. Old Trinity, on 5.5 games, plays Uni at Trinity. Old Trinity is always hard to beat at Trinity, especially – no doubt – in a relegation decider, but Uni will again be fighting to retain fourth position – not that it bothered doing this against Old Scotch though. Old Scotch, also on 5.5 games now, but with a better percentage, plays De La Salle at Old Scotch’s home at Camberwell. De La is a game behind Uni, and must win to play finals, but after Old Scotch’s effort against Uni, it could do anything, and must win (if the OMs and/or Old Trinity wins), playing a relegation-decider at home. Finally, the OMs, still in ninth place with 5 wins, play new ladder leader St. Bedes-Mentone at Mentone. Leading by half a game over Collegians, St. Bedes will no doubt want to keep top spot, but will be playing against an OMs’ side desperate to win and avoid relegation. The simple equation is: the Old Melburnians must win, and hope Old Trinity or Old Scotch or both lose. With winnable games lost during the season, it should not have come down to this, but now there is no choice but to defeat the ladder leaders, and pray that other relegation contenders lose their home games.
Lurch will not be present, missing his second OMFC game since 2008 as he is attending a wedding in the country (how’s that for terrible timing?), but wishes the OMs well in what he hopes will be a memorable Dark Blue victory, providing a chance to regroup and attack 2012 with vigour in the top rank.
* For anyone in need of inspiration, footage of the end of the OMFC’s relegation-defying 2007 game against Ajax can be found on YouTube.