2025 ROUND 12 SENIOR MEN’S MATCH REPORT

Round 12, Saturday 5 July 2025

Old Ivanhoe Grammarians FC vs Old Melburnians FC at Chelsworth Park, Ivanhoe

1st quarter:                OMFC 1.0.6 OIGFC 6.1.37

2nd quarter:              OMFC 5.1.31 OIGFC 8.1.49

3rd quarter:               OMFC           9.4.58           OIGFC            12.4.76    

4th quarter:               OMFC            13.6.84            OIGFC           15.7.97

Goals: Jeremy a’Beckett (2), Oliver Hurley (2), Nicky Christian (1), Tom Facy (1), Lachie Haysman (1), Sam Laube (1), Ned Nichols (1), Will Nichols (1), Matthew Payne (1), Jack Spargo (1), Noah Yze (1).

Best players: Nicky Christian, Noah Yze, Matthew Payne, Lachie Haysman, Oscar Hanisch, Sam Laube

Team: Jeremy a’Beckett (26), Spencer Anderson (36), Nicky Christian (21), Will Dethridge (12), Tom Facy (46), Tom Gleeson (61), Ben Haysman (10), Lachie Haysman (9), Oscar Hanisch (27), Oliver Hurley (55), Max Jane (16), Sam Laube (20), Freddie McIntyre (7), Ned Nichols (48), Will Nichols (Captain, 1), Matthew Payne (6), Jack Spargo (2), Tom Spargo (37), Fletcher Teelow (42), Gus Williams (50), Olly Williams (18) and Noah Yze (13).

Match Report

The OMs welcomed back Tom Facy, Fletcher Teelow and Gus Williams and debuted Oliver Hurley, Max Jane and Freddie McIntyre (more on them later). They replaced Albert Brown, Leo Curtis, Hugo Dale, Hugo Hines, Chris Long and Sam Seccull.

The Old Melburnians (fourth, six wins) took on Old Ivanhoe (first, nine wins). When they last met in Round 3 the OMs lost by a mere three points. This time, the OMs came into the match with three consecutive wins – but also six changes.

Played in 15–17-degree temperatures said to feel like 12-14 degrees in a mostly north- northeasterly breeze of 9-11 km/h with gusts of 15-32km/h, it was a dry day but for a shower late in the second quarter.

Lurch being unable to attend this game, what follow are some of the key moments of the game that he noticed in the match video.

Chelsworth Park Oval is on a southwest-northeast axis. Old Ivanhoe had the benefit of the very advantageous wind in the first quarter, kicking to the eastern (pavilion) end. Despite that advantage, it took six minutes to score the first goal, but four more goals soon followed, and with a lead of 31-0 the Hoes completely dominated the OMs. Not until the 27-minute mark of the first quarter did the OMs strike through Jack Spargo, goaling in play from directly in front. The Hoes, though, responded with a goal from the centre.

The second quarter gave the OMs the wind advantage. Freddie McIntyre’s intercept gave him a free kick that he sent to Jeremy a’Beckett, and he finished the job with a set shot goal in the opening minutes. It took eight minutes of battling Ivanhoe before a kick out on the full gave Tom Facy a free kick in the right pocket, which was marked by Noah Yze, and he goaled. Another eight minutes passed and from a stoppage Lachie Haysman tackled a Hoe, won the free, and goaled from the right pocket. It was now 37-24 and the OMs were back in the game, but Ivanhoe responded with two goals to regain a 25-point lead. Late in the quarter, Nicky Christian marked and was infringed, receiving the benefit of a 50m penalty that he converted to leave the OMs with a three-goal deficit at halftime.

The third quarter proved to be a perfectly-even battle between the two top four teams. The OMs struck first in the opening minutes, going from end to end to Jack Spargo, who got the footy over the top to Matthew Payne and he ran into goal from the right pocket. Ivanhoe responded in kind minutes later before Oliver Hurley was hit up by Gus Willliams and went on to kick his first goal in his Senior debut from directly in front. Following an Ivanhoe goal, Ned Nichols laid a tackle that gave him the footy, and he found Sam Laube in front of goal. Laube’s goal made it 62-50, but when Hurley was pushed out in a contest and won a free kick, his second goal made it a one goal margin. The Hoes then steadied the brown and white ship with two goals and two behinds to take a 76-56 lead, with the OMs scoring two behinds to finish the quarter where they started: three goals behind.

In the final quarter the OMs were first into attack, scoring a behind before a stoppage in front of goal gave Ned the opportunity to steal the footy, spin around at the left of the goal square, and put it through. Ivanhoe then thought it had scored a countering goal, but it was deemed to have been touched. Will Dethridge started an end-to-end play that resulted in a long kick finding a’Beckett, who wasted no time in kicking long to (and through) the empty goal square, where the footy was followed by Laube in case he needed to finish the job. A behind by the OMs made it 77-72: the OMs were well-placed to topple the league leader at its own ground, a third of the way through the quarter. However, Ivanhoe responded with a goal.

Enter Captain Will Nichols. From a stoppage in the right pocket he sharked a Hoe’s hit out, gathering the loose ball, throwing it on his boot, and goaling from directly in front. It was 83-78….but the Hoes responded with a goal and a behind. Jack Spargo’s intercept enabled him to kick to Facy, who kicked a skilful set shot from the boundary line in the right pocket. It was now 90-84 and the game was still alive – with time to spare – at the 24-minute mark. However, a free kick at the centre bounce enabled Ivanhoe to hit up a forward and score a critical goal. The Hoes attacked again, but the OMs rushed a behind. From then on play went both ways with lots of desperation by both sides, albeit more of the play was in Ivanhoe’s half. The siren ended a 32-minute quarter with a 13-point loss to the OMs. Few teams get that close to Ivanhoe.

Nicky Christian continued his great form, ticking every box as a defender. He defended hard, won the footy, and was creative with it.

Noah Yze was very competitive in the midfield despite Ivanhoe’s dominant ruckman. He got lots of inside and outside ball, and his kicking was first class.

Matthew Payne was full of energy: both on the ball and up forward he gave the OMs life. The Payne Train was definitely on track as he defended or created as circumstances required.

Lachie Haysman continued to show that he does well wherever on the ground he is put (as does his brother Ben).

For an Under-19, Oscar Hanisch was excellent as he played on the wing and half forward. He was fantastic in gathering the loose ball and in using it creatively.

Sam Laube is perhaps the OM marked the most by opponents every week, but he competes extremely hard in every contest and is at his best when connecting with goal.

On debut were Oliver Hurley, Max Jane and Freddie McIntyre.

Oliver Hurley attended Melbourne Grammar School from 2005 to 2017 and was in Bromby House. He played in the 2017 1 st XVIII. Oliver debuted in the OMs’ Under-19s in 2017 and played in the 2019 Under-19 premiership. Since then, he has played in the Reserves with the exception of a few Thirds’ games. Ollie made his Senior debut in his 90th game for the OMFC.

Max Jane attended MGS from 2012 to 2024 and was a member of Creese House. He played in the 2024 1 st and 2 nd XVIII. Max has played in the OMs’ Under-19s since 2024.

Freddie McIntyre attended MGS from 2019 to 2024, becoming a member of Bruce House. He played in the 2024 1 st and 2 nd XVIII. Freddie has played in the OMs’ Under-19s since 2024 except for one Reserves’ game this year.

The competition has byes for the next two weekends. The OMs (now back to fifth, with six wins) return to Elsternwick Park on 26 July 2025 against Caulfield Grammarians (fourth, seven wins) looking for redemption following their 80-76 Round 5 loss due to fatal inaccuracy. The team has improved in leaps and bounds since then.

See you there.

Lurch.