2025 ROUND 17 SENIOR MEN’S MATCH REPORT
Round 17, Saturday 23 August 2025
Williamstown CYMS vs Old Melburnians FC at Fearon Reserve, Williamstown
1st quarter: OMFC 2.3.15 WCYMS 3.5.23
2nd quarter: OMFC 5.4.34 WCYMS 8.11.59
3rd quarter: OMFC 7.5.47 WCYMS 13.14.92
4th quarter: OMFC 12.5.77 WCYMS 21.17.143
Goals: Lachie Haysman (3), Sam Laube (2), Jeremy a’Beckett (1), Charlie Boston (1), Andrew Chirnside (1), Ben Haysman (1), Chris Long (1), Lachie Templeton (1) and Mitch Williams (1).
Best players: Lachie Haysman, Sam Laube, Olly Williams, Thomas Spargo, Will Dethridge, Edward Chantrell
Team: Jeremy a’Beckett (26), Charlie Boston (23), Ed Chantrell (40), Andrew Chirnside (49), Leo Curtis (88), George Derham (29), Will Dethridge (12), Will Dixon (66), Tom Donnelly (38), Ben Haysman (10), Lachie Haysman (9), Oscar Hanisch (27), Jack Kerr (78), Sam Laube (20), Chris Long (11), Campbell Rose (31), Jack Spargo (2), Tom Spargo (37), Lachie Templeton (44), Gus Williams (50), Mitch Williams (51) and Olly Williams (18).
Match Report
The OMs welcomed back Andrew Chirnside, Lachie Haysman and Lachie Templeton and debuted Charlie Boston, Ed Chantrell, George Derham, Tom Donnelly, Jack Kerr and Mitch Williams (more on them later). They replaced Spencer Anderson, Sam Connock, Hugo Dale, Tom Facy, Hugo Hines, Ollie Hurley, Ben Jackson, Will Nichols (Captain) and Adam Richardson.
Still eighth, with seven wins, the OMs took on Williamstown (7 th , eight wins). When they last met in Round 8 the OMs suffered their then-biggest defeat of the season, 56-77. The OMs were unable to make the finals but were safe from relegation to Premier C. Several Under-19s who had been playing well in the Seniors were missing, having played in the first Under-19s final the previous night. A (surely) record nine changes left the OMs with their weakest team of the season. On the other hand, Williamstown was playing for a potential finals’ place and had a stronger team than it did last time.
The game was played on a sunny cloudless dry day under a blue sky with no clouds. It was 14 degrees all game (said to feel like 10) with a southerly breeze of 11 to 15kmh with minor gusts of 22 to 26kmh.
It was the first time in history that the OMs played against Williamstown at Williamstown. The ground was scenic, within cooee of the bay, with the Williamstown Botanic Gardens on the eastern side. It is a very unusual ground, on a northwest-southeast axis with virtually no pockets at the northern end to which the OMs first kicked, with the breeze behind them.
Williamstown dominated from the start of the game, with the OMs barely getting past the centre. Despite that, after Williamstown goaled three minutes in, it was the OMs in attack, with defender-cum-forward Chris Long scoring his first Senior goal at the 10-minute mark. Williamstown hit the goal post with a set shot from about 10m out before goaling within two minutes of the OMs. Although Williamstown was dominating, its standard of play was poor as it went deep forward and muffed numerous opportunities. Lachie Haysman made a very welcome return for the Dark Blues, kicking a torp that bounced through for a great goal at the 17-minute mark. It was 15-13 but a Williamstown goal quickly changed that. Jeremy ‘Jez’ a’Beckett took a nice contested mark in the northwest near the boundary line but his set shot missed to the right. The siren ended a 30-minute quarter in which the OMs had stemmed the tide midway through.
After a tough but missed set shot by the OMs early in the second quarter, Williamstown attacked hard for a long time and eventually goaled in play at the eight-minute mark. At 31- 16 it felt like a critical point had been reached in the game. If the OMs did not fight their way back into the game now, it was probably over. Lachie Haysman then did everything but be the full-back as he kicked out of the centre bounce, ran forward, picked up his own ball, and kicked a stylish long goal on the run. Nine minutes in, it was 31-22. Had the fightback begun? Andrew Chirnside had a nice passage of play that nearly set up a goal, but Williamstown was the team that scored one. A huge Williamstown kick from the centre bounce went very close to goal but was marked by an OM. After a brief contest a short kick found Jez almost directly in front about 35m out and he made it 39-28 at the 18-minute mark. Williamstown goaled two minutes later and let the OMs off the hook by once again hitting the goal post with a set shot. Chirny won a free kick in a contest and with a set shot from the arc, goaled at the 28-minute mark. It was 47-34, but – as always – Williamstown goaled in response, two minutes later. It also marked after the siren, and in a sign of the way things were going for the OMs, goaled for a 25-point lead at halftime.
It was clear that this would be a game in which the OMs would take one step forward only for Williamstown to take two. By now it was more a question of containment than of being able to win it, short of a miracle turnaround against a desperate and much better team.
Williamstown took three minutes to score the first goal of the third quarter. At 66-34 was it the sealer? Gus Williams took a nice mark and kicked to Long, directly in front of goal, but that was the northern end with football magnets inside the goal posts, and he duly hit the post just like Williamstown. Tom Donnelly marked Williamstown’s defensive kick and gave Lachie Haysman a diving mark and a third goal from directly in front. At 66-41, six minutes in, with the OMs attacking hard, was this a comeback in the making? A long OM set shot from the northwest boundary line missed everything and Williamstown goaled to make it 72-41 at the 11-minute mark. It was game over, beyond doubt. The OMs could now only hope toavoid an Old Camberwell Grammarians-style thumping. Williamstown goaled five minutes later then kicked an arsey goal in play from the southeast boundary line. Sam Laube won a free kick but then got put down as Williamstown disputed the decision. The umpire escorted Laube to a point 50m closer to goal and at the 28-minute mark he made the unusual scoreboard play its usual music as it added his goal.
At the last break, 45 points down, the OMs could only hope to claw back the margin and gain some respect. They began in attack, with Mitch Williams and Long combining to hit up Lachie Templeton who wheeled around, ran and goaled. Lachie Haysman won the clearance and hit up brother Ben, who marked and goaled from about the arc to make it 92-59 after three minutes of play. Aware that several teams had made barnstorming comebacks in the final quarter to beat Williamstown, could this be a miracle in the making? Williamstown’s goal three minutes later suggested it was not, but Laube’s set shot goal from about 20m asked why not? It was 98-65 but Williamstown scored a trademark goal in response and another at the 12-minute mark. The OMs briefly went forward until Williamstown won at a stoppage, ran up the ground and goaled at the 18, 20 and 22-minute marks. Before the last goal the OMs had been deep forward until getting a free kick paid against them. It was 137-65 when Donnelly took a nice mark and kicked perfectly to Charlie Boston, whose neat set shot from near the southeast boundary gave him a goal in his first Senior game as a nice memento. Mitch Williams liked what he saw, wanted one for himself, took a clean mark and with textbook set shot from about 30m out, directly in front, earned his own memento. It was 137-77 when the siren ended a 32-minute quarter, but Williamstown rubbed salt into the wounds with a goal after the siren.
No-one expected the OMs to win this game. Undermanned like never before, with nine changes including six players on debut, against a strengthened Williamstown with finals ambitions, the outcome was preordained. The OMs did not have the cattle to make the difference. The 66-point loss was the second-worst of the season, behind the 71-point loss to Old Camberwell, and above the 21-point loss to Williamstown last time.
Lachie Haysman was the OMs’ best player. He played a superb game against a quality opponent, scoring three goals from the midfield and playing in both directions.
Sam Laube had a great game, initially playing as a high half-forward before going forward and hitting the scoreboard. He did it all, with good efforts to win the ball, linking up and helping out where he could.
Olly Williams played on a classy forward on a day when Williamstown had 30 more inside 50s. He did a good job of containing his opponent.
Thomas Spargo – like all OM defenders in this game – saw lots of the footy while doing a sound job on his forward opponent. He was also creative from the backline.
Will Dethridge continued his good form in defence, showing what he can do. He defended desperately but also launched the OMs back into attack.
Edward Chantrell had a solid debut as he worked hard in defence and had some nice moments.
Six players debuted for the Seniors.
Charlie Boston attended Melbourne Grammar School from 2012 to 2024 and was Captain of Creese House. He played in the 2023 and 2024 1 st XVIIIs, the 2021-24 Tennis teams and competed in the 2022-24 Athletics teams. Charlie joined the OMs this year in the Under-19s.
Ed Chantrell attended MGS from 2016 to 2021 and was in Bruce House. He played in the 2021 2 nd XVIII and in 2022 played his first games for the OMFC.
George Derham attended MGS from 2007 to 2019 and was in Rusden. He rowed in the 2019 2 nd VIII and was a member of the 2018 and 2019 2 nd XVIIIs but played his first games for the OMs in 2018. George played in the 2019 Under-19s premiership.
Tom Donnelly attended MGS from 2007 to 2019 and was a Witherby boy. He played in the 1 st and 2 nd XVIIIs in 2019. Tom played in the 2019 Under-19s premiership.
Jack Kerr attended MGS from 2015 to 2020 and was in Rusden House. He has played for the OMs since 2021.
Mitch Williams (no relation to brothers Gus and Olly Williams) played for Kenilworth in the Adelaide Footy League until mid this year when he joined the OMs.
After a tantalising but equally frustrating season in which the OMs showed they could take it up to any team – despite always missing several key players – and could have played in the finals but for a few more straight kicks or a few players back, they look with relief to the final game of the season against Fitzroy at W.T. Peterson Oval, North Fitzroy. The OMs’ two losses against the Lions last season dragged them down to Premier B with Fitzroy. This season, Fitzroy has already booked its place in Premier C for 2026 with only two wins, and ninth place on the ladder. Anything could happen.
See you there.
Lurch.