2025 ROUND 14 SENIOR MEN’S MATCH REPORT
Round 14, Saturday 2 August 2025
Old Melburnians FC vs Old Trinity Grammarians Amateur FC at Elsternwick Park
1st quarter: OMFC 1.2.8 OTGAFC 2.6.18
2nd quarter: OMFC 4.4.28 OTGAFC 5.11.41
3rd quarter: OMFC 7.6.48 OTGAFC 7.13.55
4th quarter: OMFC 10.10.70 OTGAFC 11.13.79
Goals: Adam Richardson (4), Ben Jackson (3), Ben Haysman (1), Ollie Hurley (1), Matthew Payne (1).
Best players: Oliver Williams, Jack Spargo, Lachie Templeton, Ben Jackson, Ben Haysman, Nicky Christian
Team: Spencer Anderson (36), Wilbur Brown (14), Nicky Christian (21), Hugo Dale (23), Will Dethridge (12), Charlie Dowling (25), Tom Gleeson (61), Ben Haysman (10), Lachie Haysman (9), Oscar Hanisch (27), Hugo Hines (77), Ollie Hurley (56), Ben Jackson (54), Chris Long (11), Ed Michelmore (4), Will Nichols (Captain, 1), Jackson Paine (39), Matthew Payne (6), Adam Richardson (17), Jack Spargo (2), Lachie Templeton (44) and Olly Williams (18).
Match Report
The OMs welcomed back Hugo Hines, Ollie Hurley and Jackson Paine. They replaced Albert Brown, Sam Laube and Ned Nichols.
The Old Melburnians (eighth, six wins) took on the Old Trinity Grammarians (second, 10 wins). When they last met in Round 4, the OMs played what was probably their poorest game of the season, with the 80-63 score flattering them. Last week the T-Boys had a shock loss against Old Carey and the OMs lost to the Caulfield Grammarians by nine points: both teams sought redemption.
Played on a dry, sunny winter’s day under a blue sky with a few white clouds, it was 11 to 13 degrees (said to feel like 8 to 10). It often seemed that there was no breeze at all, with southwesterlies and west-southwesterlies of 11 to 15kmh (‘gusting’ up to 20kmh) playing almost no role in the game but giving the northern end an imperceptible advantage.
The OMs kicked to the north and dominated the opening four minutes. Hugo Dale marked in the northeast pocket and kicked to a contest in front of goal, where Adam Richardson received a free kick, goaling from about 25m. There was a great sense of urgency, and the OMs looked really switched on. It was generally free flowing with good contests when needed. Trinity was long in attack, but the OMs defended hard. It took until the 21 st minute for Trinity to goal, taking a 7-10 lead. Oscar Hanisch missed a set shot from the northeast, Trinity missed another easy set shot, the OMs were unable to capitalise when they got forward, and Trinity managed to goal at the 31-minute mark.
It was a hard-fought first quarter, with the OMs battling against a very strong opponent. They did a great job in defence, with their pressure playing a role in the T-Boys’ inaccuracy, but it was a constant battle to contain them.
The OMs came away from the first bounce of the second quarter to set up Ben Jackson with a neat mark. He slotted his set shot from almost directly in front in the first minute. Play went both ways until Trinity scored an end-to-end goal at the four-minute mark. The OMs spent some time in attack getting held up by Trinity until Trinity turned it over in the southeast pocket. Richo got the loose ball, ran towards goal, threw it on the boot and screwed it through to make it 20-25 at the eight-minute mark. After winning in the middle, Ben Haysman was tackled but received a free kick and goaled from directly in front, giving the OMs a 26-25 lead, but Trinity goaled from the centre bounce.
Trinity battled against the OMs’ hard push for another goal. The Dark Blues cleverly shared the footy around until Jackson Paine marked it, but he unfortunately missed his set shot from almost directly in front. After a long time attacking, Trinity goaled at the 26-minute mark to finish the quarter 13 points ahead. The OMs remained fortunate that a combination of their own defensive efforts and Trinity’s inaccuracy was keeping them in the game, but goals were very hard to get in the face of Trinity’s resistance.
Olly Williams went into the midfield from the start of the third quarter and the OMs were first into attack. A set shot fell short but was marked by Richo on the goal line, and he finished the job with his own set shot, three minutes in. Trinity now attacked hard for some time, but the OMs gave it nothing. When the OMs eventually turned defence into attack it was Ben Jackson kicking from the back of a pack who sent the footy through the empty goal square. At the 12-minute mark it was 40-41. The T-Boys tried putting more distance on the OMs but missed scoring a goal that was there for the taking. It took their inaccurate score to 5.12, then made it worse with a set shot that hit the goal post.
Coming out of the midfield, the OMs set up Wilbur Brown, who snapped around his body from a pack in the northwest pocket, but it was touched through. A Trinity defender kicked the footy back into play to a teammate who missed it on the northwest boundary line, and from the stoppage Richo got the footy and drilled his set shot to retake the lead, 47-43 at the 21-minute mark. Four minutes later Trinity goaled to lead again. Lachie Templeton missed a set shot on an angle from outside the arc in the northwest pocket, and Trinity goaled at the 28-minute mark to finish the quarter only seven points ahead.
It was a tense final quarter with the game there to be won – by the eighth-placed team against the second on the ladder. The OMs were first out of the middle, snapping for goal inside the first minute only to have it touched. Five minutes later, Paine snapped from the southeast pocket and hit the goal post. Two minutes later, Trinity goaled, and from a free kick at the 12- minute mark goaled again with what was probably the sealer, with the score 50-67 and the OMs looking unlikely to find those three goals in time. The OMs shared the footy around until they could get a shot at goal – which Chris Long missed – and when Trinity goaled at the 19-minute mark it was game over.
The OMs, though, weren’t about to give up. A turnover gave Templeton the footy and he dished off to Matthew Payne, who put it on the boot from the southwest for an inspiring goal. Inside the same minute, though, Trinity goaled from the centre to make it 57-79 at the 21- minute mark. It attacked hard in search of another goal, but the OMs took possession, ran and handballed up the ground, kicking to Ben Jackson, who beat his opponent, wheeled around close to the boundary line in the southeast, and slotted it from a tight angle, only just clearing defenders on the goal line. It was 63-79 at the 26-minute mark. The T-Boys rushed an OM shot at goal, then the OMs stopped Trinity’s attempt to score. After multiple stoppages in the OMs’ forward line, Ollie Hurley won a free kick and goaled from about 20m out in the southeast pocket at the 32-minute mark. To anyone watching, it all seemed a futile effort, with time about to run out, but the OMs did not give up. Unfortunately, though, the siren went two minutes later with the OMs deep forward and – like last week – nine points in arrears.
On the one hand it was yet another narrow, frustrating, disappointing loss: one of six under 10 points this season, two of which were against top two teams. On the other hand, it was a loss by an undermanned, mostly young and inexperienced team that lacked Trinity’s size and talent, but which led Trinity several times and with two more straight kicks or some other luck would have defeated it. The OMs still have the third highest percentage. They have the fourth best defence and the fourth best attack. The only missing part is the wins. If those six narrow defeats were reversed, the OMs would currently be on top of the ladder. The largest loss has been 21 points, and the average losing margin is 9 points.
Yes, the OMs need to improve in several ways, particularly going forward. They have already improved a lot over the season, but unavoidable injury and avoidable travel have hampered them. For all the setbacks, there is a lot of upside: a young, promising improving team with some genuine talent that is within cooee of making its mark on the ladder. Furthermore, the season isn’t over yet….
Oliver Williams was the OMs’ best player in only his sixth Senior game. After doing the job in defence he had fun in the middle in what was his breakout game. The OMs need two of him.
Jack Spargo worked hard against two quality ruckmen all day. He has a tenacity that reminds one of the OMs’ great ruckman-warrior, Nick De Steiger.
Lachie Templeton did a good job up forward as he continued to improve since his return from injury.
Ben Jackson played one of his better games, as shown on the scoreboard.
Ben Haysman had a great battle on the wing against Louis Davidson, one of the competition’s best.
Nicky Christian was one of many players who did well in defence in what has been a good year for him.
Despite the loss the OMs remain eighth. They can still mathematically be demoted to Premier C in 2026 and although they can no longer finish on top of the ladder, finals remain possible: the OMs are two wins out of the Top 4 with four games remaining.
Next week the OMs go to Gordon Barnard Reserve, Balwyn for the first time since 2009 to take on Old Camberwell. When they last met in Round 6 the OMs (then as now eighth on the ladder) the OMs beat the-then leader-leading Weller boys, 90 to 61. The Wellers are now sixth, with one more win than the OMs. For the OMs to have any chance of playing in the finals, they must win this game which – at the least – would confirm their place in Premier B for 2026.
See you there.
Lurch.