2025 ROUND 1 SENIOR MENS MATCH REPORT
Round 1, Saturday 5 April 2025
Old Melburnians FC vs Old Carey Grammarians FC at Elsternwick Park
1st quarter: OMFC 5.4.34 OCGFC 1.1.7
2nd quarter: OMFC 7.7.49 OCGFC 9.5.59
3rd quarter: OMFC 9.10.64 OCGFC 10.7.67
4th quarter: OMFC 13.11.89 OCGFC 14.10.94
Goals: Jackson Paine (4), Adam Richardson (3), Ben Jackson (2), Sam Laube (2), Albert Brown (1), Luca Reid (1)
Best players: Jack Spargo, Adam Richardson, Jackson Paine, Sam Laube, Ben Haysman, Arthur Rush
Team: Jeremy a’Beckett (26), Albert Brown (29), Wilbur Brown (19), Nicky Christian (21), Harry Cooper (23), Charlie Dowling (85), Ben Haysman (10), Lachie Haysman (9), Ben Jackson (54), Sam Laube (20), Ed Michelmore (4), Will Nichols (Captain, 1), Jackson Paine (39), Matthew Payne (6), Luca Reid (22), Adam Richardson (17), Arthur Rush (7), Jack Spargo (2), Tom Spargo (37), Lachie Swaney (16), Lachie Templeton (44) and Fletcher Teelow (42).
Match Report
The OMs welcomed Albert Brown, Wilbur Brown, Nicky Christian, Charlie Dowling, Ben Jackson, Matthew Payne, Luca Reid, Arthur Rush, Tom Spargo and Fletcher Teelow, who replaced Spencer Anderson, Will Dethridge, Ben Harding, James Harrold, Jarrod Lienert, Chris Long, Charlie McKay, Ned Nichols, Henry Nicholls and Sam Wundke.
The game was played on a dry sunny day. There was a south-westerly breeze of about 15km/h and the game was mostly played in 17-degree temperatures.
This game pitted the OMs (relegated from Premier A) against Old Carey (promoted from Premier C) for the first time in many years. A very different OMs team took to the field under new coach Nathan Brown, who was also the old coach, having coached the OMs from 2012 to 2019, including taking the OMs to the 2015 Premier B grand final, after which they remained in Premier A. The 10 team changes from the last team for 2024 were due to injuries, transfers and young players earning their places, including four debutants (see below for more on them).
Although Carey was first into attack, it was the OMs – kicking with the breeze to the northern end – that scored first, hitting up Jackson Paine, who got rid of his opponent to mark and drilled his set shot from the NE about 25m out. The OMs won the centre bounce. “Jumping Jack” Ben Jackson – who can leap vertically onto an opponent’s shoulders from a standing start – was unable to mark in a pack, but subsequently controlled the footy, threw it on his book in the NW for a booming kick from about 40m out, and scored exciting goal at the seven-minute mark. After a battle for the footy, Paine sent a free kick to the top of the goal square, where Ben Jackson flew, knocked the ball down to Sam Laube in the goal square, and he won a free kick for high contact, and slotted the goal. The OMs attacked again, with Paine and Ben Haysman in the action, but it was Albert Brown who marked inside the arc and dobbed his set shot from the NW to make it 24-0 at the 14-minute mark. Carey had an offline set shot to put its first score on the board two minutes later. Adam Richardson dragged in a fantastic one-handed mark on the boundary line, but his tight set shot from the NW went across the face of goal. Paine marked and missed from the NE. Richo marked almost directly in front and from inside the arc slotted a set shot for a 32-1 lead at the 22-minute mark. Carey goaled in play three minutes later, but the Dark Blues responded from the centre bounce to give Richo a mark, but he missed his set shot to the right from about 20m out, and Ben Jackson also missed a set shot before the 31-minute quarter concluded.
It was a fantastic start to the game and the season. The OMs played with lots of fight and energy and totally dominated Carey. The only downside was that a few very gettable opportunities at goal were not cashed in.
Against the breeze the OMs were first into attack in the second quarter but took until four minutes in for Paine to slot his set shot from the SE to make it 41-8. Carey responded with a goal from the centre. Luca Reid kicked in play for what could have been his first Senior goal on debut but the footy was touched by Carey just before the goal line. Carey’s spread was better on the rebound, and it responded with a coast-to-coast goal. It was 42-20 at the eight-minute mark. Carey had really stepped up its efforts this quarter and was dominating the clearances. It attacked for some time before goaling in play at the 13 and 17-minute marks to make it 42-39. The OMs finally responded from the centre, with Reid kicking towards the open goal to score a debut Senior goal, but Carey goaled at the 21, 22 and 32-minute marks to end the 35-minute 52-point quarter with a 49-59 lead. The only light on the horizon was the OMs’ stronger defensive effort that slowed down Carey’s scoring later in the quarter.
With the breeze in the third quarter, the OMs were first into attack with Laube scoring a behind in play. Carey responded with a goal at the six-minute mark for a 50-65 lead. The OMs tried again, and so did Laube, with a snap from the NW that was also offline. Finally, Paine slotted a set shot from directly in front at the 12-minute mark, with Laube following up with a great contested mark in the NW and taking a set shot from just inside the arc. As he went back to take his kick, Lurch told visiting former OMFC Under-19s coach and one-time resident OMFC comedian Anthony ‘The Tone’ Conti that Laube’s pre-set shot preparation is the best that one will see, and Laube proved it by nailing it. It was 63-65 at the 17-minute mark. A frantic lengthy battle ensued until Ed Michelmore kicked across to Lachie Templeton, who missed his set shot to the right while kicking from directly in front. Carey had a couple of misses of its own to finish the quarter three points ahead.
Carey had the breeze in the last quarter. After the Dark Blues missed attempts at goal, Carey goaled seven minutes in to make it 65-80, and things weren’t looking good for the OMs. Carey added another two minutes later. Was it the sealer? A long OM bomb for goal fell short and missed to the left, but Paine was there and marked it. He took his set shot from beside the point post and put it through. It was 71-88 at the 14-minute mark. Following some confusion, Ben Jackson casually walked in through the goal square and scored truly two minutes later. The OMs were back in the game, and had a frantic battle in attack, but were unable to add to the score. Carey broke the deadlock by goaling in play at the 22-minute mark in what felt like a certain sealer. However, the OMs weren’t done. Richo took a contested mark in the goal square and put it through with a set shot. Play then went backwards and forwards between the OMs’ goals and the western wing. Charlie Dowling got the footy up high in one hand while being tackled yet did really well to get it on his boot and kick it to Richo, who marked and scored another set shot goal. At the 29-minute mark it was 89-94 with about 15-20 seconds left in the game: enough time for a clean break from the centre bounce and a winning goal. However, the ball went out to the eastern wing and the siren sounded, giving Carey a five-point win.
After a brilliant first quarter by the OMs that gave Carey a baptism of fire in Premier B, Carey owned the centre clearances in the second quarter, with the OMs failing to lock Carey down, losing the lead for the rest of the game. The OMs had their chances but ultimately lost the game by being less accurate than Carey and finishing with only one left on the bench.
Jack Spargo was the OMs’ best player, providing drive from the middle and led from the front all day.
Adam Richardson gave all that was asked of him.
Jackson Paine was consistent and gave his team a spark.
Sam Laube was moved all over the ground, worked well, and got better as the game went on.
Ben Haysman was consistent all day.
Arthur Rush was given a job that he did well.
Four boys debuted in the Seniors in this game:
Wilbur Brown attended Melbourne Grammar School from 2015 to 2024 and was a member of Creese House. He was a member of the 2023 and 2024 1st XVIIIs and debuted for the OMs in the Under-19s in 2024.
Matthew Payne attended MGS from 2021 to 2022 as a member of Witherby House. He played for the 2022 1st XVIII. Matthew played for the Western Jets in the NAB League, for Peel Thunder in the WAFL in 2023, and in 2024 he played for the Palmerston Magpies in the Northern Territory Football League.
Luca Reid attended MGS from 2020 to 2024 and was a member of Ross House. He was a member of the 2023 and 2024 1st XVIIIs and of the Athletics team from 2022 to 2024, with the 2024 team winning.
Fletcher Teelow attended MGS from 2019 to 2024 and was a member of Bruce House. He was a member of the 2023 and 2024 1st XVIIIs and was its Vice-Captain. Fletcher also played for the Sandringham Dragons in 2024.
This week the OMs (seventh) return to Elsternwick Park to take on Old Geelong (third), which Coach Brown coached until last year. It beat Fitzroy (also down from Premier A with the OMs) 90-60 last week, so it should be a good challenge for the OMs.
See you there.
Lurch.