Round 12 Match Report
Round 12, Saturday 18 July 2026
AJAX FC vs Old Melburnians FC at Gary Smorgon Oval, Albert Park
1st quarter: OMFC 6.0.36 AJAX 3.4.22
2nd quarter: OMFC 10.3.63 AJAX 3.7.25
3rd quarter OMFC 12.5.77 AJAX 6.11.47
4th quarter: OMFC 14.9.93 AJAX 9.12.66
Goals: Jack Spargo (6), Freddie McIntyre (3), Hugo Dale (1), Lachie Haysman (1), Henry Nicholls (1), Ned Nichols (1), James Venus (1)
Best players: Jack Spargo, Freddie McIntyre, Harry Cooper, Ned Nichols, Spencer Anderson, Lachie Templeton
Team: Jeremy a’Beckett (26), Mac Anderson (76), Spencer Anderson (4), Louis Bunting (19), Harry Cooper (23), Lucas Cossettini (39), Louis Dalgleish (13), Hugo Dale (15), George Derham (29), Lachie Haysman (9), Hugo Hines (22), Freddie McIntyre (24), Henry Nicholls (25), Ned Nichols (3), Sam Seccull (28), Jack Spargo (2), Tom Spargo (1, Captain), Lachie Templeton (16), Miles Tyrer (17), Ollie Tyrer (32), James Venus (20) and Henry Yuen-Williamson (34).
Match Report by Lurch
AToby Callaghan, Charlie Canty, Nicky Christian, Harvey Coleman, Will Dethridge, Ben Haysman, Will Preston, Luca Reid and Gus Williams were replaced by Lucas Cossettini, Hugo Dale, Hugo Hines, Freddie McIntyre, Ned Nichols, Sam Seccull, Jack Spargo, Tom Spargo, and Henry Yuen-Williamson debuted – more on him later.
It was a perfect winter’s day for footy, with cloudless blue skies and bright sunshine that thousands of Melburnians had needlessly fled. The game temperature ranged from 15-18 degrees (said to feel like 13-16 degrees) forcing Lurch to reluctantly unzip his Moncler. It was the season’s most windless day, with a breeze of 2-11km/h and ‘gusts’ of 9-15km/h. The breeze began as a northerly and became a westerly, south-westerly and west-south-westerly – for what it was worth - which was nothing. It was a dry day, but the hard surface had uneven grass.
What a difference (more than) a few return airline tickets make! The OM team that took the field showed in the opening minutes that it was nothing like the teams of the past three weeks. From the beginning the play was spirited, quick, clean, structured, positive and very good. The OMs won at the opening chuck up and kicked to the south with the strongest breeze of the game. Play went both ways until Jack Spargo slotted a set shot after two minutes’ play. Although the OMs continued to do most of the attacking, they could not create scoring opportunities due to AJAX’s strong defensive efforts. The pace was quick and the pressure was high. Eventually Hugo Hines’ great work on the eastern wing saw him break free and kick towards goal with the footy bouncing to Jack Spargo, in the clear, and from the southeast he put it on the boot and goaled for a 0-12 lead at the 10-minute mark.
Freddie McIntyre was dumped in a tackle, and when the tackler remonstrated, Freddie walked 50 long paces with his short legs to goal from the goal square It was 0-18. AJAX’s goal from the centre at the 14-minute mark was its first score, which told the story of the OMs’ dominance. Ollie Tyrer’s fantastic smother on the western halfback flank preceded great defensive work by Spencer Anderson whose free kick sent the OMs deep forward. Ned Nichols snaffled the loose ball and in his trademark style ducked and weaved, straightened up and slotted a goal from about 25m out, directly in front.
After rushing an AJAX attempt at goal, the OMs did well to get forward and keep it there until AJAX’s defence faltered and Jack Spargo received a free kick. He slotted his third for the quarter to make it 8-30 after 22 minutes’ play. AJAX goaled against the play six minutes later but from the midfield the OMs set up McIntyre, who received a free kick for an over-the-shoulder effort, and drilled it from about 25-30m, directly in front. It briefly gave the OMs a 16-36 lead as AJAX goaled from the middle at the 31-minute mark with the siren sounding soon afterwards.
It was an awesome start by the OMs, taking a good early lead with positive, well-structured footy and faultless scoring through an overdue return to sensibly hitting up blokes directly in front of goal.
McIntyre chalked up goal No. 3 inside the second minute of the second quarter. Jack Spargo was hit up perfectly and scored No. 4 from four attempts three minutes later. After AJAX kicked into the man on the mark on the eastern wing the resulting kick found Hugo Dale in the northeast. It was the hardest shot for goal the OMs had had thus far, but he nailed it to give the OMs an impressive ninth straight goal at the six-minute mark. AJAX had lots of the footy but only had rushed or missed attempts. James Venus looked to repeat his debut game effort with a snap at goal, but he put the first blemish on the OMs’ goal-scoring copybook as it rolled through for a behind. The OMs kept it forward, and Lachie Haysman goaled in play from the northeast within a minute of Venus’ attempt. At 24-61, with the OMs’ score comprising 10 goals 1, was this already game over?
The OMs spent quite some time forward, but two consecutive set shots went out on the full. Lachie Templeton received a free kick on the intersection of the northwest boundary and the arc but kicked to Lachie Haysman, who hit up Jack Spargo, taking the fast incoming footy on the chest in a nice pack mark. His set shot from the northwest about 25-30m out for No. 5 did not look good off the boot and missed to the left. The quarter was soured by the loss of quality midfielder Louis Dalgleish, who was knocked out by friendly fire at the 21-minute mark in a big pack, although it was a welcome sight to see him walking off the ground with assistance several minutes later. The OMs were down to 20 by halftime, with debutant Henry Yuen-Williamson leaving the field injured in the game’s opening minutes.
At halftime the OMs were in a winning position but desperately needed to make the win a very big one, with every percentage point critical in the battle for the top four. AJAX is also renowned for its comebacks at home, so there was no room for complacency.
True to form, AJAX goaled in the second minute of the third quarter and then battled in the middle for another five minutes until running into an open goal. It was 63-32 and Lurch noted that the OMs had to respond then before the rot set in. Year 11 MGS 2nds player Venus then flew the Dark Blue flag, doing as he did in the last round by goaling in play, albeit this time blasting the footy in from about 15-20m, directly in front. It was 38-69 at the 10-minute mark. Dale then hit up Jack Spargo nicely, but his set shot (which could have been goal No. 5 – or 6 if he’d scored the earlier one) also missed to the left. The OMs were only briefly forward but had no other opportunities. AJAX ran up the ground and goaled. Although it was 47-70, the signs were worrying. Dale marked and gave Miles Tyrer a set shot, but he missed too. When McIntyre received a free kick from the western boundary he went long to a pack where the footy went off hands and eventually into those of Jack Spargo, who threw it on the boot and goaled at the 28-minute mark for No. 5. The siren sounded as the footy returned to middle.
The OMs’ 2.3 for the third quarter was disappointing and the opposite of what was needed. It was only through a combination of good work and good luck that AJAX’s 3.4 had not been more damaging. There was still the final quarter left to boost the percentage.
Although the OMs were first forward, AJAX goaled first, seven minutes in. Jack Spargo missed a set shot from the northwest, but Harry Nicholls’ nice long set shot from the northeast gave the OMs a 53-85 lead. AJAX responded with a goal from the centre, but Nicholls’ snap from the northeast lacked the accuracy of his set shot. Jack Spargo then marked and scored No. 6 from the northwest at the 27-minute mark. AJAX negated it with a goal from the centre then rushed one. The siren at the 32-minute quarter ended a game that simply petered out.
It was a very welcome win, played exactly as it was meant to be played by the OMs – especially in the first half. The second half was disappointing, with only two goals per quarter rather than growing the lead. A combination of jetlag, lack of match fitness and perhaps expectation anxiety after the accuracy of the first half were all likely explanations for the game fizzing out.
The rendition of the OMs’ Games Song was sub-par with some attempting to sing it for the first time – or trying to remember how to sing it. For Reserves’ Captain George Derham it was his first chance to sing the song in four games over two years. The only way to improve on it is to win more games.
Jack Spargo was the OMs’ undisputed best player. His six goals were his best effort in senior footy since his seven for the MGS 1st XVIII. He was the OMs’ best target, worked hard as always and is a great competitor. Had he kicked straighter in the second half he could’ve had closer to 10!
Freddie McIntyre is a small forward who made his footy comeback with one warm-up game in the Under-19s before returning to the Seniors with a burst of productive energetic competitive footy that propelled the OMs to an early lead with three first half goals.
Harry Cooper was the perfect match-up for AJAX’s talls, nullifying them and sending more than a few penetrating long kicks out defence.
Ned Nichols returned from holiday and made an immediate impact from halfback into attack. He reads the play several moves ahead, knows where to go and speeds away from his opponents.
Spencer Anderson continued his good form from the previous week, carrying and kicking the footy in equal measure off the wing.
Lachie Templeton is the OMs’ midfield strength as a creative in-and-under player. In the absence of Nicky Christian, and with the early loss of Louis Dalgleish, he carried a heavier load but still shone through.
Making his Senior debut was Henry Yuen-Williamson, a current Year 12 at Melbourne Grammar School. A Rusden boy, he has played in the 1st XVIII since 2025 and last year debuted for the OMs in the Under-19s.
After three consecutive losses and sinking to sixth on the ladder with a huge hit to their percentage, the OMs’ sixth win from 12 games lifted them to fourth and gained some percentage back with much more needed. They sit a game and more than 10 percentage points behind AJAX (2nd) and De La (3rd), but only above Camberwell (fifth) by percentage with the next two clubs a game behind but with higher percentages that could leapfrog the OMs with a win if the OMs lose this week’s game against Old Geelong (8th) at Como Park.
Sitting just outside the drop zone on four wins, the OGs will be desperate to increase that gap while the OMs must string together consecutive wins to cement a place in the top four. In their Round 5 clash the OMs won 87-74 after having a bigger lead during the game but also fighting back from losing it in the second quarter. Last week, at Como Park, the OGs played out a 68-all draw with Beaumaris – a team that has twice beaten the OMs. This is a game that cannot be taken lightly.
See you there.
Lurch.