2025 ROUND 5 SENIOR MEN’S MATCH REPORT
Round 5, Saturday 10 May 2025
Old Melburnians FC vs Caulfield Grammarians at Glen Huntly Oval, East Caulfield
1st quarter: OMFC 2.3.15 CGFC 2.1.13
2nd quarter: OMFC 5.5.35 CGFC 9.2.56
3rd quarter: OMFC 8.13.61 CGFC 10.4.64
4th quarter: OMFC 10.16.76 CGFC 12.8.80
Goals: Ben Jackson (3), Ben Haysman (2), Ned Nichols (2), Lachie Haysman (1), Jackson Paine (1), Adam Richardson (1).
Best players: Jeremy a'Beckett, Ned Nichols, Tom Spargo, Charlie Dowling, Lachie Haysman, Leo Curtis
Team: Jeremy a’Beckett (11), Albert Brown (13), Nicky Christian (33), Leo Curtis (18), Charlie Dowling (24), Oscar Hanisch (88), Ben Haysman (10), Lachie Haysman (26), Ben Jackson (8), Sam Laube (14), Chris Long (57), Ned Nichols (2), Will Nichols (Captain, 1), Jackson Paine (5), Matthew Payne (67), Adam Richardson (32), Arthur Rush (21), Jack Spargo (29), Tom Spargo (16), Lachie Swaney (60), Lachie Templeton (31), Fletcher Teelow (19).
Note that the mostly different jumper numbers were due to the OMs wearing ‘bumblebee’ clash jumpers given Caulfield’s dark blue and white.
Match Report
The OMs welcomed Leo Curtis, Oscar Hanisch, Sam Laube and Jackson Paine who replaced Ed Michelmore, Charlie Nairn, Luca Reid and Gus Williams.
The game was played on a dry sunny day of 17 to 18 degrees (said to feel like 14-16) with south-south-westerly and later southerly breezes of 11-15kmh gusting only up to 15 to 19kmh.
Due to earlier matches, this game did not start until 2:45pm. The OMs kicked with the breeze to the northern end. Play went both ways with points scored by both teams before Ben Jackson goaled within the first 10 minutes. Open, very evenly matched play (which typified the game) continued in both directions until Caulfield goaled at the 17 and 19-minute marks, both from the same position in the southeast for a 13-9 lead. The OMs won in the middle, hit up Jackson, and he goaled in play a minute later from the northwest for a 13-15 lead. Tom Spargo saved a certain goal and denied Caulfield another with a mark on the last line.
The Fields scored in the opening minutes of the second quarter. Adam Richardson received a free kick in the goal square and put it through, five minutes in, to retake a 20-21 lead. Caulfield responded with a long kick for a goal two minutes later, and another two minutes after that. Although the OMs got within range of goal, a tackle and free kick turned it over, and the Fields goaled to make it 38-21 at the 13-minute mark. The dark blue and white Caulfield tide was strong, and although the OMs got forward, it was the Fields that goaled to make it 44-21 a minute later. This time the bumblebee boys won a 50m penalty in the southwest, from which Ben Haysman kicked a set shot goal from the arc. Caulfield goaled two minutes later and added another with a huge bomb in play to make it 56-28 at the 25-minute mark. Was that goal the sealer, or only the beginning of the end? The signs were ominous.
Matt Payne set up Ben Jackson with a neat pass from the southwest, but his set shot missed to the left. The OMs stayed in attack, hit up Jackson again, and he goaled in play. Jack Spargo received a free kick from a high tackle but missed his set shot to the right and then the siren ended the 32-minute quarter. As they have done in each game this season, the OMs played only part of the second quarter, conceding a damaging 7.1 and missing reasonable opportunities in scoring 3.2 – but were also clearly outplayed.
The OMs were first out of the middle in the third quarter, with Matt Payne having a shot in play from the northeast that missed. Caulfield then missed an unmissable goal. Ben Jackson had an opportunity as he ran across the goal face, but he was tackled. The OMs persevered, and Ben Haysman snapped from the northeast and put it through at about post height. It was 56-42 after five minutes’ play. The OMs were playing with much more energy and were dominating the play. Lachie Haysman, inspired by his brother, then nailed a set shot three minutes later to close the gap to 56-50. Charlie Dowling kicked from the midfield to set up Ben Jackson with a set shot that missed to the left. He kept at it, taking a great leaping pack mark, but missed to the right.
The Fields were getting rattled as the OMs continued to dominate the quarter. When a Field ran into goal, an OM defender chased him down. Caulfield fought hard for a while and eventually goaled in play at the 17-minute mark for a 62-52 lead. From a battle in the northeast the footy came out to Ned Nichols, who snapped out of the big pack for a goal three minutes later, with claims that it had been touched being rejected. An OM defender marked on the last line. A 50m penalty kick was marked by Jackson Paine at the top of the square, but his kick for goal was smothered. Matt Payne missed a set shot on about a 40-degree angle from the arc in the northeast and Lachie Swaney’s set shot banana from about 10m around on the northwest boundary line was too tight. It was 62-61. Would the OMs win the game with points rather than goals? Caulfield had a set shot that was touched through, and the siren sounded after 31 minutes.
For all their dominance of the quarter, the OMs had kicked a wasteful 3.8 with the southerly breeze at their backs that should instead have given the OMs the lead. The scene was set for a tense final quarter.
The OMs won at the first bounce with Payne incorrectly tackled, winning a free kick, and goaling from his shot inside 30 seconds for a 64-67 lead. Play went both ways until the Fields ran into goal. Ned’s tackle won him a free kick, and he goaled from the top of the arc to regain the lead, 72-74 at the 11-minute mark. He soon had another set shot from near the top of the arc but missed to the left. Richo marked on the southeast boundary but only scored a behind from his banana. It was 74-75 at the 18-minute mark. The lights were turned on during the quarter, but the enhanced daylight – particularly in the southwest corner – was quite dim. A minute after Richo’s miss the Fields ran up the ground and goaled. It was 80-75. Play was now mostly dominated by Caulfield, and the OMs only managed another behind before the low-scoring quarter ended after 27 minutes with the OMs four points adrift.
As the OMs walked off the ground, some of them commented on the scoreboard showing the Dark Blues’ 26 scoring shots to Caulfield’s 20. That was the single most obvious reason for the loss: the opportunities to win – and to win comfortably – were there but were not taken. The OMs’ trademark 2025 second quarter nap was just as damaging in this game as in all the other losses this season. It was the OMs’ third sub-goal loss – in games that all could and should have been won. Turnovers were particularly noticeable in this game, and although neither team (both very young teams) played particularly well, when it mattered most, in the fourth quarter, Caulfield was cleaner. The win was the second of the season for Caulfield’s new coach – the OMs’ former coach – Paul Satterly, who had an advantage in knowing most of the OMs.
Jeremy a'Beckett was the OMs’ best player. Still an Under-19, he has been getting better every week and played his best game this year, with his intercept marks a highlight.
Ned Nichols played a lively game with good clearance work and some time up forward.
Tom Spargo had a good battle with a big full forward who is really good player in this competition. Undersized, Tom stepped up to the challenge.
Charles Dowling was ‘a little Energizer bunny’ down back. He has really good balance as a footballer and does not go to ground.
Lachie Haysman has been building up to what was his best game of the year. Committed to his training, he tackled and defended very well, giving great run and used the ball well.
Leo Curtis has been very consistent in the Reserves and earned his call-up. He can play every line and did a really good job on a damaging running defender.
Next week the OMs (now eighth) return home to take on the might of new ladder leader, Old Camberwell, which last week accounted for former ladder-leader Old Ivanhoe, which the OMs almost defeated. It will be the first game against the Wellers since about 2008. What the OMs need to do to win is no mystery – they just need to do it. Despite being inexperienced, missing many key players to injury and having an unavoidably unsettled and different team every week, they have been within reach of victory in every game. Come and show your support.
See you there.
Lurch.