The Amateur Footballer 2025 - Week 21

To all teams chasing finals glory

VAFA’s valued Commerical Partners

Commerical partners are an essential support for our competition. As a not-for-profit Association, every dollar that we receive is invested into support for our member Clubs, umpires and 12,000 players. In 2025, commercial partnership revenue will form approximately 17.5% of our total VAFA turnover.

It was fitting that the annual William Buck VAFA Finals Luncheon, held at Zinc on Friday of last week, was the setting for Wiliam Buck Managing Partner, Adam Kirkwood-Scott, to announce a three-year extension of William Buck’s Premium Partnership with the VAFA.

Having celebrated a 10-year anniversary as a VAFA Partner in 2025, William Buck have committed to continue their partnership with us through to the end of 2028. We have a great working relationship with Adam and the broader team at William Buck, and we look forward to continuing the journey together, ensuring we exceed their needs and expectations.

The William Buck partnership extension is a significant endorsement of the value that the VAFA continues to provide our commercial partners through our servicing, brand reach, and broad network connections. In this current day market, all commercial partnerships need to deliver a strong return on investment for the partner, no longer can their contribution be expected as simply a ‘donation’ towards community sport. Our VAFA partners are well served under the experience of our Chief Commercial Officer, Glen Towers.

Jason ReddickCEO

and our commercial partners to a wider audience than ever before.

Broadcast and Content Manager Jason Bennett has developed and co-ordinated the broadcast of 99 VAFA games in the home and away season, across Kommunity TV, the VAFA website and SEN radio.

Head of Media and Digital Cameron Voss has updated the VAFA Website presentation and content to enhance the user›s experience. As a result, Page views are up 45% on last year, reaching over 4.5 million to end of July, which already exceeds last year›s total.

Cameron has also been responsible for working with our strategic partner Premier Data to produce the wonderful VAFA App that was released last week to great acclaim. We are confident the quality of this App as a one stop shop for all information relating to teams, fixtures, results ladders, stories, and VAFA livestreamed games, will be a huge hit with our VAFA community, and put our commercial partners brands into the palm of our supporters› hands.

We continue to innovate and be at the forefront of opportunities

The William Buck announcement compliments the four-year extension of our partnership with Holmesglen that we announced last year, and multi-year extensions secured with existing partners OSVi, SKINS, MBSS Security Services, Ascot Vale Sports Trophies and A Grade Club Supplies.

In 2025, also welcomed new commercial partners in 2025 Guzman y Gomez, HIT IQ, Big Screen Video, Footy Trips, ISC Sport, Belgravia Apparel, CitiPower, and Sportscover.

This growth in VAFA’s commercial partnerships in what is considered a tough economic market, is a great reflection of our ability to deliver on our partner’s expectations.

There is no doubt that our significant investment in broadcasting and media has extended the profile of the VAFA

The introduction of Dylan Humphries as our social media growth co-ordinator was focused on providing more video content to connect with the younger audiences. We have grown our presence across all streams of Instagram, Facebook, ‹X›, Linked In, You Tube, and Tik Tok. Total social media followers have now reached over 49,000, with over 10.5 million content views in the last 3 months alone.

Externally, we have strategically positioned the VAFA with media partnerships (News Ltd, SEN, My Sport Live, Premier Data) that will continue to grow the exposure of our VAFA competition and continue to deliver associated benefits to our commercial partners.

We continue to innovate and be at the forefront of opportunities that are attractive to existing and new commercial partners, so we can increase the financial return from this important area of our business, and ultimately relieve our stakeholders of financial pressures that may impinge on their ability to sustain and grow their participation in the VAFA.

WILLIAM BUCK PREMIER MEN’S

Jason Bennett

William Buck Premier Men’s Semi Final Preview

After 18 rounds of twists & turns in the race for the Premier Men’s Finals, we’ve finally arrived with four teams all well & truly capable of hoisting the silverware in 3 weeks’ time. This weekend, one team will bow out, another will progress straight through to Grand Final Day, while the other two will move on to the Preliminary Final next week. Here is your preview of William Buck Premier Men’s Semi Final weekend:

Semi Final 1: St Kevin’s v Old Scotch

These two teams have walked very different paths to get to Semi Final Day.

SKOB have constructed a typical St Kevin’s campaign –worked into the season through the front half of the year, then steadily built and refined through the back half to arrive in September primed and ready to peak. Anthony Lynch’s men were 5-5 after Round 10, then peeled off 7 straight wins, with their only loss since June 21 coming to the Snowdogs after they rested 13 senior players in the final round. That was calculated man management from Plugger, but Old Scotch will be keen to test those guys, given they haven’t played a match in 3 weeks. Will they be bursting with energy or a little underdone after such a long layoff?

The Cardinals may have preferred to keep rolling themselves, given their pre-Bye form which saw them come from absolutely nowhere to snatch fourth spot from the Bloods. The reigning champions were three games (plus percentage) behind with just three games to play, but their VFL-listed cavalry arrived just in time and slotted neatly back into their line-up, which subsequently took care of St Bernard’s, Uni Blacks and Old Haileybury in a Pre-Limination Final. They will be without a couple of players who haven’t qualified for finals but have plenty of depth to cover those absences.

KEYS TO THE GAME

* Who gets the game on their terms for longer? They average almost the exact same number of Disposals, but differ significantly in HOW they do it. St Kevin’s are ranked #2 for Contested Possession vs #8 for Old Scotch, who prefer to get their Uncontested game going.

SKOB will be keen to seize control on the inside (Clearances #1 vs #7) and dictate terms from there. Old Scotch will want to get their Intercept game going (# 1 Intercept Marks), led by Charlie Cormack & Jack Brown. They will be keen to use that to gain control on the outside (#1 Uncontested Marks vs #5).

* The Ruck Battle – Billy Coates (SKOB) & Sam Grant (Old Scotch) are two of the competition’s very best and their battle is going to be crucial. As mentioned above, if SKOB can get first use, they can look to control the game from there. They lead the competition for Clearance Win % (71%), with Luke Winter the #1 Contested player in the competition just waiting for Coates’ silver service. But if Sam Grant can help the Cards break even or win on the inside, they’ll have the opportunity to spread and control the outside.

* Strikepower – Both teams are blessed with multiple game-changing forwards that can turn the course of a match in a hurry. Who bobs up when the game is on the line? Will it be Sam Critchley (30 goals), Sam Barnett (29 goals) or Patrick Kerr (25 goals) for SKOB? Or will it be Will Clark (28 goals) or James Tarrant (21 goals from 8 games) for the Cards? These two teams split their home & away meetings in 2025 – Old Scotch unfurled their flag in style with a 14-point win in Round 1, before SKOB turned the tables by 11 points at home in Round 9. They met on Preliminary Final Day last year, when the Cards powered away with a stunning 7-goal-to-1 final term. This year they’ll meet to decide who MAKES IT to Preliminary Day Final. Only one can.

Semi Final 2: Old Brighton v Old Xaverians

These two teams have been the pacesetters all season and finished 3 games clear of the field. The Tonners claimed the minor premiership by 1 game and 2.5%, but, after the disappointment of last September, their season really starts now. They have barely put a foot wrong once again in 2025, collecting back-to-back minor premierships and going undefeated at home for a second straight season, racking up 16 wins and 2 losses once again.

But the numbers suggest that they are a better version of themselves 12 months on. Their attack unlocked even more potency this year, finding an additional 125 points from 2024, while their defence was 80 points superior to last year. Their two losses were to Uni Blacks in a 3-point thriller in Round 9, then a 27-point loss to St Kevin’s in Round 12 as they battled the Tullamarine Flu with a bunch of frontliners holidaying in Europe. Since then, they’ve won 6 straight by an average margin of 45 points and no team – Xavs included –got any closer than 23 points (incredibly that was Collegians, who would be relegated a week later).

Old Xavs entered 2025 on a mission to return to finals action after missing out in agonising circumstances last year. With the Toorak Park renovations complete, they turned their home base into a fortress – just like the Tonners have done at Brighton Beach over the past two seasons. Xavs’ three losses this year have been to the two teams either side of them on the ladder – Old Brighton twice and St Kevin’s once. They sat 4-2 after Round 6, before clicking into gear and winning 8 straight before falling to the Tonners again. They squeaked past Collegians the following week, then tuned up for September with thumping wins over the Uni duo.

KEYS TO THE GAME

* Forward 50 power – These are the Top 2 Attacks in the comp, with Xavs averaging a whopping 100 points per game & the Tonners at 97. No-one takes more marks Inside 50 than these two teams – the threats are everywhere! Xavs have multiple weapons and it’s near impossible to hold all of them down at once. Charlie MacIsaac (49 goals) is the main focal point, but his supporting cast is deadly - Wade Brusnahan (24), Hayden Woodhouse (22), Charlie Knott (20)

and the mercurial Stirling Phipps-Parsons (18 from 9 games). If they get quality supply from the midfield, the Tonners’ defence will have its hands full.

But Old Brighton also boast multiple avenues to goal, any of which can take the game away from you in a hurry. All eyes will be on the team sheet and whether Will Lewis (25 goals from just 5 games) is lining up for the Tonners or Footscray this weekend. But even without Lewis (as Brighton has been for most of the season), they have options aplenty - Ben Pryor leads their goalkicking with 26, along with Jamie Hope (21), Felix Flockart (19), Hamish Dick (16) and young gun Joey Campigli (14 from just 5 games). Joey is the one to watch. Fresh off a third placed finish in Sandringham VFL’s Best & Fairest, he could be the cherry on top of very dangerous Brighton attack this September.

* The Midfield Battle – And what a battle it promises to be! With a deadly attack at either end, who provides the superior supply may ultimately be the deciding factor in this game. They are the Top 2 Disposal teams in the competition (Old Brighton 364 to Old Xavs 350). Led by Harry Hill, Tom Fisher, Finn Campigli and Tom Burnell, the Tonners will look to gain the inside ascendancy via groundball dominance (#1 Ground Balls to #9). Old Brighton also has a powerful Intercept game (#1 for Intercept Possessions), so they can also pressure you into error around the ground.

Old Xavs has a powerful Xavs’ midfield brigade of its own, led by dominant ruckman Alec Spralja. And while they are without midfield stars Sam Fisher, Josh Kennedy and probably Marcus Stavrou, they still have a superb line-up led by Campbell Lane and have repeatedly put teams to the sword through the middle of the ground in 2025.

WILLIAM BUCK PREMIER WOMEN’S

Old Scotch book grand final spot as St Kevin’s edge Kew

The opening week of the William Buck Premier Women’s finals delivered exactly what was expected – tight contests, momentum swings, and three sides now firmly eyeing off the premiership.

St Kevin’s booked a spot in the preliminary final after a gritty eight-point win over Kew 5.5 (35) to 4.3 (27). In a game defined by relentless pressure, Kew’s defensive efforts forced St Kevin’s to stay patient.

St Kevin’s Coach Tom Purcell praised his team’s composure:

“Pleased we stayed calm and composed under the enormous defensive pressure Kew put us under all day. Belief, leadership and better ball movement in the last quarter got us over the line.”

Kew held ascendency on the scoreboard for much of the contest, holding an 11, 9, and then 10-point lead at the three respective breaks.

With the game in the balance late, St Kevin’s showed maturity and class, pulling away in the final term. Holly Kenealy got going early slotting two majors to give the SKOB Saints a lead for the first time in the match. Hannah Smith joined in, kicking one truly, before the Bears hit back to draw the margin back to a single point.

A final goal to sharpshooter Hannah Smith late in the final term was ultimately the sealer that sees the Saints progress through to a Preliminary Final and keep their hopes of a flag alive.

Due credit to Kew for the pressure applied throughout the contest and creating a real challenge for the 2024 grand finalists.

For St Kevin’s, their reward is another crack at Caulfield Grammarians in this weekend’s preliminary final, with a grand final berth on the line.

Old Scotch claimed the direct ticket to the grand final after edging out Caulfield Grammarians 7.5 (47) to 6.5 (41) in a thrilling second semi-final. In challenging windy conditions, the Cardinals jumped out to an early lead and held off a determined Fields comeback.

Caulfield coach Danielle Di Stefano reflected on the slow start:

“While the windy conditions played a considerable role on the day, we allowed Scotch to get too big a jump on us in the first quarter, which was difficult to come back from.”

Despite the loss, Caulfield will take confidence from their second-half fightback as they prepare to face St Kevin’s in a blockbuster preliminary final.

For Old Scotch, coach Dean Anderson hailed the significance of the win:

“For our program and its people to make another William Buck Premier grand final, in an increasingly competitive competition, is deeply rewarding. We had contributors in all facets of the game… Our captain, Katie Hunter Scott, led by example with her tackling and defensive pressure, whilst managing to find her own ball.”

Anderson highlighted standout forward Mia Cowan, who once again proved a handful in attack, while the team’s resilience under a late Caulfield surge demonstrated their premiership credentials.

Old Scotch now have a week off to reset and prepare for another shot at back-to-back premierships. Meanwhile, Caulfield Grammarians and St Kevin’s will battle it out in the preliminary final, both desperate to join the Cardinals in the big dance.

With all three clubs showing strong form and resilience, the stage is set for an enthralling run to the 2025 VAFA Premier Women’s premiership.

William Buck Premier Women’s Preliminary Final Preview

St Kevin’s vs Caulfield Grammarians

The William Buck Premier Women’s preliminary final sees St Kevin’s and Caulfield Grammarians face off for the right to challenge Old Scotch in the grand final. Both teams come in with belief after gritty performances in the semifinals, and with a place in the grand final at stake, expect intensity from the first bounce.

Cooper Watkins

FINALS RESULTS

Caulfield showed resilience against Old Scotch, finishing strongly after a sluggish start. Coach Danielle Di Stefano stressed the importance of carrying that momentum forward:

“I was really pleased with our ability to respond after half time and finish the game off really strong. We will look to take that into this weekend’s game against St Kevin’s.”

St Kevin’s, meanwhile, grinded out a narrow win against Kew, with their composure in the final quarter proving decisive. Coach Tom Purcell said belief and leadership were critical:

“We’re looking forward to another big clash against Caulfield to try and qualify for the Big Dance.”

Last time St Kevin’s and Caulfield Grammarians clashed it was a nail-biting contest, with SKOB edging out the Fields in a low-scoring 4.3 (27) to 4.1 (25) win. St Kevin’s shared the load up forward with four individual goal kickers, while Ellie McLinden, Isabella Stutt and Sarah Cameron were among their best. For Caulfield, Sarah Kenny was a standout up forward with three goals, supported strongly by Charlie Anderson, Jacinta Baxter and Alicia Myers, who all impressed despite the narrow defeat.

Cooper’s 3 Key Points – Caulfield Grammarians

1. Early Impact – Avoiding a slow start will be crucial after chasing Old Scotch last week.

2. Carry Over Momentum – Their second-half fightback showcased their best football; replicating that energy from the outset is vital.

3. Conversion in Attack – Making the most of forward 50 entries could decide their chances.

Cooper’s 3 Key Points – St Kevin’s

1. Calm Under Pressure – Their ability to stay composed against Kew must carry into this clash.

2. Leadership and Belief – Senior players stood tall last week; they’ll need to lead again.

3. Ball Movement – Quick, clean transitions will be key to breaking through Caulfield’s defensive setup.

WILLIAM BUCK PREMIER WOMEN’S

St Kevin’s:

Kew:

GOALS: St Kevin’s: H. Smith 2, H. Kenealy 2, K. Stanton 1

GOALS: Kew: C. Dyett 3, G. Wyett 1

BEST: St Kevin’s: I. Stutt, K. Stanton, B. Doyle, H. Kenealy, Z. Guss, B. Woolcock

BEST: Kew: Z. Clubb, L. Barr, C. Dyett, L. Rinaldi, A. Melnikas, E. Cafolla

Caulfield Grammarians:

GOALS: Caulfield Grammarians: S. Kenny 2, E. Cleland 1, I. Robson 1, N. Barbara 1, S. Kuo 1

GOALS: Old Scotch: M. Cowan 5, E. Defina 1, J. Mifsud 1

BEST: Caulfield Grammarians: O. Rundle, J. Baxter, C. O’Malley, S. Kenny, M. Hines, A. Myers

BEST: Old Scotch: E. Defina, L. Hart, E. Tassiopoulos, M. Caffry, I. Tuttle, K. Hunter-Scott

PREMIER WOMEN’S RESERVE

Caulfield Grammarians:

GOALS: Caulfield Grammarians: B. Tuszynski 2

GOALS: Fitzroy: E. Boles 1

BEST: Caulfield Grammarians: L. Toovey, G. Casey, T. Heath, B. Connor, S. Misitano, B. Wolhuter

BEST: Fitzroy: E. Mandy, A. Lietz, G. Mcerlain, K. O’Malley, J. Walsh, M. Rodezno

GOALS: Old Scotch: B. Holloway 1, L. Morley 1, A. Theodosi 1

GOALS: West Brunswick: A. Mack 1, R. Friend 1, J. Hooke 1

BEST: Old Scotch: E. Rosenow, E. Crump, G. Kerr, G. Ryan, B. Holloway, L. Morley

BEST: West Brunswick: N. Clarke, M. Mullins, A. Traill, J. Roberts, A. Mack, M. Trompf

PREMIER B MEN’S

Paddy Grindlay

T’s into top flight, Hoers to play Fields

Old Trinity is the first team to graduate from Premier B to William Buck Premier, holding out against both Old Ivanhoe and a strong Preston City Oval breeze on Saturday to win by 17 points. Donald McDonald’s team, kept out of the Grand Final last year by De La Salle in a heartstopping preliminary final, will play top flight footy in 2026 - but before they do, they’ll have the chance of taking the pennant in two weeks’ time against either Old Ivanhoe or Caulfield Grammarians.

The Hoers will get their chance against the Fields, who ran away with things late on Sunday afternoon and took a 50-point win over Old Carey. In Paul Satterely’s first year in charge, the Fields have turned a near-drop to Premier C in 2024 into a chance at promotion in 2025. Here’s how the weekend of finals turned out.

Old Ivanhoe v Old Trinity

The strong breeze blowing to the Bruce Street End made for dissonant styles of ball movement - Old Trinity, kicking with the wind in the first term, pelted the ball long inside 50 at every opportunity while the Hoers, often through star midfielder Billy Murphy, went slow, short and steady through the pockets and flanks.

With five minutes elapsed, Old Trinity star Alex Emery found himself alone at the foot of a goal-line pack, snapping the first goal of the afternoon on his right boot. But despite a ten-minute period of Ts dominance to start the game, Donald McDonald’s side was unable to translate territory control into early scoreboard pressure. Outside of Emery’s goal, Old Trinity kicked a pair of behinds and had another two shots sail out on the full before the Hoers had a shot on goal - a behind at the 12-minute mark.

Boston Dowling broke the run of near misses, drilling a set shot from a free kick directly in front, before Louis Davidson’s weaving run down the grandstand wing laid the path for another Emery snap and score.

Every blade of grass at the Bruce Street End of Preston City Oval was explored by the Hoers’ defenders and midfielders as they searched for a way through the Ts’ defensive press - and when they did progress beyond halfway, the leaping green-and-gold defence was tricky to pass - a flying intercept mark by Old Trinity defender Tom Ferrier an early highlight.

Sam Phillips marauded inside 50 and extended the Ts’ lead to 27 points as the quarter ticked into time-on - a margin that would not be eclipsed for the remainder of the game, and that was eroded minutes later when David Waldron kicked the Hoers’ first, courtesy of a fifty-metre penalty. The Hoers’ defence held off another flurry of entries as the term closed, 21 points the Trinity advantage as coaches Gieschen and McDonald directed their huddles at the break.

Phillips had another say early in the second, involved three times in a chain of handballs that marched the Ts through the centre of the ground and inside 50, but it was Old Ivanhoe’s Waldron with the first goal of the quarter, converting a checkside from the right forward pocket after marking a long Charlie Naish kick to his advantage.

The work of Charlie Naish (who ended up with seven disposals, six inside 50s, a goal and two goal assists for the quarter) was prominent early in the second. He followed his assist to Waldron with a major of his own after pulling down a contested mark on the goal-line, and then set loose Big V Under 19 skipper Charlie Opie by hand, who cut the margin to under a kick with a goal.

Opie kicked another to put the Hoers in front for the first time, Nivan Gill responded for the Ts with a clever snap out of pack, but a Billy Murphy special from the boundary line and Waldron’s third goal saw the Hoers go into the long break with a ten-point advantage. They’d booted six goals to one and, to that point, only two goals of the 12 managed between the clubs had been kicked at the Cramer Street End.

As the saying goes in a game of cricket, you can’t judge a pitch until both teams have batted on it. In this case, you couldn’t judge the wind until both sides had kicked with it.

Old Ivanhoe’s five-goal second term turnaround informed on-lookers of the advantage the Ts needed to build in the third, if they were to feel comfortable defending in the last.

Things started brightly for the green and gold with the wind, Boston Dowling winning a free kick for holding the ball and converting inside the first 90 seconds of the quarter, then marking a clearing Ben Curtain kick minutes later inside 50 and converting to put the Ts back in front.

Jimmy Ingpen continued the Ts’ forward momentum with a goal of his own from a set shot, before the brilliant

Charlie Naish stood up once more. Marking inside 50 at right half forward, he baulked around Ollie Scott and judged the wind beautifully with a running drop punt, kicking a goal that enraptured the Ivanhoe faithful. The noise from the grandstand only increased when Hoer Rohan McKenzie was caught high at the top of the goalsquare at the 11-minute mark - his goal gave the Hoers both the lead back and consecutive majors into the wind.

The Ts needed to get a move on. They won back the lead through a Jack Jenkins goal, but both sides peppered each major opening for 11 goalless minutes afterwards. With minutes remaining in the quarter and the Ts lead at only four points, things appeared well set for the Hoers to ride home on the breeze.

But Phillips involved himself again, unleashing an almighty drop punt from 55 metres out for his second goal. 10-point lead. With the seconds ticking down, Tom Wenn caught Old Ivanhoe ruckman Alex Mirkov holding the ball 40 metres out from the Ts goal. The siren sounded - Wenn converted.16 point lead.

20 goals had been kicked to three quarter time, 16 with the wind, four into it. There would not be another goal kicked with the breeze for the rest of the game. The Hoers amassed 24 inside 50s in the final quarter, the most of either team in a single quarter over the course of the match. They kicked six behinds.

McDonald’s men played the percentages, employing long kicks down the grandstand wing and making use of the ‘dead’ right half-forward flank into which the breeze directed the Sherrin. Ts defender Ben Littlefield (14 disposals and eight rebound 50s for the quarter) drove the ball time and time again from the last line, as Lachie Mulcahy, Charlie Beasley and Tom Ferrier won or halved aerial contests.

It was disciplined, committed football, delaying a final quarter goal until the 20-minute mark - and to the elation of the Ts faithful, it came from the boot of Hugh Beasley and established a 19-point Old Trinity lead. The work had been done - Beasley’s goal was the only one of the last quarter. 12.12 (84) to 9.13 (67) were the final scores at Cramer Street, the Ts back up to William Buck Premier after being relegated after a three-win 2022. Not since 2009 has Old Ivanhoe featured in the VAFA’s top flight.

For the third time this year, it’s an Old Trinity win over Old Ivanhoe - those wins coming by 37 points (in Round Nine), 12 points (in Round 17) and now by 17 points. Only Old Camberwell (by 11 points in Round Five) and Old Geelong (by seven points in Round 16) have also been able to defeat the Hoers this season.

WHAT THEY SAID

Old Trinity coach Donald McDonald

On being the first side up to William Buck Premier, and into a Grand Final

“You’ve got to just worry about the Grand Final. I know last year, playing in the preliminary final, we were playing for a spot in A Grade - I was thinking more along those lines than anything else. When we didn’t achieve that goal, we had to go back and reset. I think B Grade’s been tough again this year, the level of competition - so to finish top two and then to beat a really good Old Ivanhoe side on the weekend is fantastic.

“It’s given us the opportunity to get up to A Grade - in the short term, it’s just all about competing as well as we can in the Grand Final.”

On the rundown of the game against Old Ivanhoe

“It’s always funny with the wind - you can kick 1.10, and kick yourselves out of it. I think we kicked 4.4, they got one (goal) into it. I thought maybe we needed to get a bit more scoreboard pressure than we did in that first quarter, and then in the second quarter I thought they were red-hot. Their pressure in particular was spot on, they played really well. At half time, I thought, ‘geez, we’re in a bit of trouble here.’”

The third quarter was good - they still kicked goals into the wind, which was pretty significant. They missed a couple of chances in that last quarter, but I think our guys were fantastic, to hold them out like they did. Some of our defenders were amazing, the way they stood up was just awesome to see. It was pretty symbolic of the year, really - we’re been in situations where we’ve been right in a game where it’s up for grabs, and we’ve found enough to get our noses in front when it mattered.

“Collectively, as a group, the side did the job - I don’t know if I could single any individual out. I thought the whole lot of them were committed to it. As a back six they were terrific

Old Ivanhoe coach Jarrod Gieschen

On the last quarter

“The last term was disappointing. We had 24 inside 50s to their six, and could only manage six points. We obviously didn’t use the footy as well as we did in that second quarter, and we were able to kick six goals.

“Credit to Trinity, they defended the ground really well and kept it on that defensive side, and protected the lead exceptionally well. They’ve got a really good, mature team that was able to execute really well in that last quarter, and it was really disappointing for us to get a run on like we’re capable of doing - but we learn from it, and we move on.”

On young gun Charlie Naish

“He’s definitely got all the attributes you’d want from a footballer, and he has the ability to change the game in bursts. We rely on Charlie sometimes for energy, and he certainly a couple of times sparked the boys … in that last quarter he was jumping at everything, but just couldn’t get one to stick. He certainly stood up - he’s only 20, Charlie, so to see a young player stand up like that on a big day was really pleasing.

PREMIER B MEN’S

On what he’s expecting from Caulfield Grammarians

“They’ve got talent across every line. They play for each other, and they’ve been in brilliant form. I thought they handled the conditions exceptionally well … I think we both will be expecting another windy day at Preston. Now that we know what we’re up against, I’m sure both teams will play a bit differently this week.

“From our perspective, we’ve just got to bring that pressure that we brought against Old Trinity for three quarters, because it was pretty impressive, the way we were able to execute. There were a lot of positives about the game at the weekend, so we’ll focus on that too.”

Caulfield Grammarians v Old Carey

To decide Old Ivanhoe’s opponent in the preliminary final, Caulfield Grammarians took on Old Carey in the first semi final, once again at Preston City Oval, on Sunday afternoon. As fiercely as the wind blew on Saturday, it was far meaner and far more unsparing on Sunday, once again blowing to the Bruce Street End of the ground and frequently ensnaring a perfectly reasonable drop punt sent along the grandstand wing and ripping it out of bounds on the full, and then bouncing off towards the Upfield Line.

The lesson was straightforward for Paul Satterley’s Fields and Luke Giles’ Panthers - play contest-to-contest down the grandstand side without the breeze and do anything but with it. Old Carey had the first usage of the gale and chalked up 22 inside 50s to nine but found it difficult to keep the ball from hurtling into the ‘dead pocket,’ which conversely suited the Fields just fine.

Bede Waters opened the Panthers’ account at the nine-minute mark, rewarding his side after an extended stint inside 50 with a quick snap through the centremost uprights, greeted by a roar from a very vocal crowd that followed Old Carey’s forwards from end to end. Shots at the face of goal were very tricky to manage - a 50-metre penalty awarded to Tadhg McCarthy made life easier, the Panther kicking the second goal of the term. The mood in the crowd though was that the Fields had avoided early punishment, going goalless but trailing by only 13 points at the first break.

In the quarter time huddle, Fields coach Paul Satterley could be heard imploring his side to avoid the Bermuda Triangle of sorts at right half-forward, but as keenly his players tried to create width, the Panthers responded with tight, contested football to bleed off the breeze’s advantage. The Fields generated 12 scoring shots from 21 inside 50s with the wind but managed only three goals - and critically, the Panthers kicked one of their own, an inch-perfect set shot from Lachy Godden from the left forward pocket. Luke Kelvie found 19 of his 31 disposals for the match in the second term and Isaac Ellwood’s

Access Team Lists on PlayHQ via VAFA.com.au

creativity and dash into the gale was first-class - the Panthers going to the break seven points down and with a critical third quarter ahead.

But in the third, the Fields’ victory was secured. One goal was kicked apiece as the Fields’ flankers - Matt Clarkson across half-back and the likes of Jack Atkinson and Tom Williams across half-forward - worked their run and carry into the game. With a +10 inside 50 differential for the quarter, the Panthers kicked 1.6 and found themselves trailing at the final break

With few levers to pull, the Panthers went one-on-one behind the football early in term, opening up space for the Fields’ forwards to work into. Atkinson and Jared Freeman kicked a goal apiece in the opening 10 minutes to establish an insurmountable three-goal lead, before ‘party time’ began in earnest.

After three scrappy and at times turgid quarters of football, the match was rent apart. Caulfield Grammarians had kicked four goals to the three-quarter break: they sent nine through in the final quarter. Tom Williams and Will Vesely added two apiece to the cheers of the healthy travelling crowd, but the loudest applause was saved for defender Ryan Pietsch, who kicked his first goal at any level since 2021 and was duly enveloped in a broiling mess of astonished, delirious teammates.

The 13.18 (96) to 6.10 (46) scoreline hardly tells the story of the game, but Paul Satterley’s team won’t care - they’re through to a preliminary final and will take on Old Ivanhoe for a spot in the Grand Final, and in William Buck Premier for the 2026 season.

It’s the end of the road for Luke Giles and his Panthers, but the 2025 season has been a clear success, and a promise for more for the years to come. Not only has Old Carey earned a second year in Premier B after winning the 2024 Premier C flag, it’s been able to make the leap into a very competitive mix at the top of the table straight away.

WHAT THEY SAID

Paul Satterley - Caulfield Grammarians coach

On his pride in the group

“I always tell them how much I love and enjoy coaching them. I just feel like they’re such a coachable (group), a great bunch of young fellas. I think they’ve shown that they give their all every game. Credit to them, again they showed a lot of maturity in how they went about it.

“I thought we defended super well against what was probably an eight-to-ten goal breeze, crazy conditionseven to kick a goal into it in the third was pretty telling.”

On his half-forward line

“The likes of Tommy Williams, Jack Atkinson, Connor Cooke - he’s been a star all year - the three of them in particular, I think their speed was quite telling, not only when they had it offensively but their pressure.

“We looked threatening, even when we were kicking into the breeze, I thought our leg speed was an advantage we had over them when we got it forward of centre.”

On Ryan Pietsch’s goal

“I always reckon it’s a great reflection on when there’s a bit of care in the group, when they’ve got acute awareness of a teammate that’s never kicked a goal … when you’ve got that sort of awareness, it’s reflective of the team-oriented group you’ve got. I think his teammates enjoyed it more than he did.”

On Old Ivanhoe

“We played them in Round One, and they really whacked us that day. We played them in Round 10 at home, I think we led at three quarter time. We were pretty undermanned that day, I thought we competed super hard and got within 20 points. Billy Murphy got a hold of us, he kicked two really good goals late in the game that probably iced it for them, and Patrick Naish was allowed to run around and have 46 disposals.

“This time around, we’ve won eight of the last nine … I don’t think we could be better positioned. I think all of the pressure’s on them - they’ve pretty much held first or second position for the entire year. We’re excited about taking them on. Win, lose or draw, they’ll know they’ve played a game of footy.”

Luke Giles - Old Carey coach

On the loss

“The lead obviously blew out late - we evened up in front of the ball knowing that we had to kick three or four goals. It probably blew up in our face a little bit, but ultimately didn’t really matter a whole heap. We went into the weekend … (knowing) we were never going to be defined by whether we won or lost. It wasn’t necessarily a free swing, but our season had been given a tick already.

“For us, we don’t walk away feeling like that’s a moment we’ve built up and failed in … we walk away knowing that they’re probably 20% ahead of where we are, so there’s no confusion on where we sit in the pecking order.

I’m happy for ‘Satts’ (Paul Satterley) and Caulfield - they’re a likeable side. ‘Satts’ has done a really good job with them from where they were last year to this year.

FINALS RESULTS

PREMIER B MEN’S

Caulfield Grammarians:

Old Carey:

GOALS: Caulfield Grammarians: T. Williams 3, O. Lowe 2, W. Vesely 2, J. Atkinson 1, J. Iverson 1, J. Freedman 1, M. Clarkson 1, R. Pietsch 1, J. Hutchings 1

GOALS: Old Carey: I. Ellwood 2, L. Godden 1, T. McCarthy 1, B. Waters 1, C. Grummitt 1

BEST: Caulfield Grammarians: N. Sutherland, M. Clarkson, J. Ellwood, T. Williams, S. Mcinerney, C. Eerhard

BEST: Old Carey: I. Ellwood, T. Warren, L. Kelvie, J. Alexander, M. Wooffindin, B. Andrews

Old Ivanhoe:

Old Trinity:

GOALS: Old Ivanhoe: D. Waldron 3, C. Opie 2, c. naish 2, R. McKenzie 1, W. Murphy 1

GOALS: Old Trinity: B. Dowling 3, A. Emery 2, S. Phillips 2, N. Gill 1, J. Jenkins 1, H. Beasley 1, J. Ingpen 1, T. Wenn 1

BEST: Old Ivanhoe: c. naish, H. Reid, W. Murphy, T. Mclean, N. Reeves-Smyth, J. Agrotis

BEST: Old Trinity: S. Phillips, J. Ingpen, H. Thompson, L. Davidson, B. Littlefield, B. Curtain

PREMIER B MEN’S RESERVES

Fitzroy:

Old Geelong:

GOALS: Fitzroy: T. Strachan 2, R. Richardson 1, W. Roberts 1, C. Holdsworth 1, S. RobertsLovell 1, M. Bombardieri 1

(54)

GOALS: Old Geelong: J. Green 1, H. Atkins 1, E. Johnstone 1, J. Colgrave 1, D. Morgan 1, K. Kemp 1

BEST: Fitzroy: T. Strachan, M. Davie, R. Kelly, A. Hogan, W. Hodgman, C. Holdsworth

BEST: Old Geelong: S. Jess, J. Dunstan, J. Green, E. Johnstone, B. Parks, H. Atkins

Ivanhoe:

Trinity:

GOALS: Old Ivanhoe: T. Kellock 2, D. Davies 1, M. French 1

GOALS: Old Trinity: O. Manton 2, J. Heath 1, N. Davey 1, H. Taylor 1

BEST: Old Ivanhoe: L. Bray, D. Teele, N. Stratov, D. Steele, N. Sivakumar, S. Daniel

BEST: Old Trinity: C. Dytor, J. Francis, T. Rasdell, N. Davey, L. Milner, L. Chiaramonte

On the off-season, and what might be next

“We know what we look like in the back half of the ground … in front of the ball, we look good, but we’ve got a little bit of work to do. Another tall would be great, but we know we’re close.

“As frustrating as getting beat in a final is, one side ends up winning the premiership. For every other team, you’ve got to ask yourself, ‘are you better off than you were in Round One in the home-and-away season?’ That’s what you have to gauge it off. We know that we’re in a much better position than what we were in March.

“We’re proud that we were able to go up (from Premier C) and do something that’s unusual, to come up and play in a final. I’m sure over the next couple of days, the boys will start to see it a bit more clearly, what they’ve been able to do, and be proud of what they’ve done.”

Next week, it’s back to Preston City Oval on Saturday afternoon. The Hoers and Fields will fight for the right to take on Old Trinity from 2:30pm, with tickets available at the gate.

PREMIER B WOMEN’S

Lauren Atkinson

Tonners go back-to-back

Old Brighton has claimed the 2025 Premier B Women’s premiership in emphatic fashion, defeating Old Melburnians by 23 points in a highquality Grand Final at Coburg City Oval.

The Tonners, who finished the home-and-away season atop the ladder, saved their best for last, overcoming early nerves and a spirited Omlettes outfit to secure the premiership, 9.6 (60) to 5.7 (37).

The opening quarter saw Old Melburnians kicking with the breeze, but the expected advantage never materialised. Nerves were high and the contest was scrappy, with the ball rarely exiting cleanly as both sides brought finals-level intensity.

Old Melburnians drew first blood through Sally Peers, who snapped truly after taking a strong mark in the

pocket. Old Brighton capitalised on a brief lapse from the Omlettes to respond through Tiger Doultree, leaving them just one point adrift at the first break.

Tonners coach Andrew Grant praised his side’s ability to absorb the early pressure.

“With the wind going down to one end and OM’s kicking with it in the first quarter, it was a great effort to keep them to one goal and also kick one ourselves. I was really happy with our pressure in the contest which didn’t allow OMs to get their running game going,” he said.

The second quarter was where Old Brighton really stamped their authority. With the breeze at their backs, they piled on four unanswered goals, turning a tight contest into a commanding lead.

Katie Grant opened the term with a strong mark and set shot conversion, and from there the floodgates opened. Scout Howden kicked her first of the day, before Sienna found space, even taking a bounce before slotting a long-range goal.

India Tait capped off the quarter with the goal of the day, spinning through traffic, to give Old Brighton a 28-point lead at half time.

Despite the scoreline, Old Melburnians backline fought tirelessly, with Em Fraser and Steph Barnett going to war in an attempt to cut off the Tonners’ repeat entries.

The third quarter saw Old Melburnians lift their intensity again. They dominated territory and locked the ball inside their forward 50 but struggled to convert. Sophie Fraser finally broke through with a composed set shot, and Olive Mclean looked lively but couldn’t execute under the immense Old Brighton pressure.

The Omlettes trimmed the margin back to 18 points at the final change, but going against the wind in the final term, a comeback was going to be a tough ask.

FINALS RESULTS

PREMIER B WOMEN’S

Old Melburnians:

BEST: Old Melburnians:

Coach Nic Stephens rallied his side, urging them to throw everything at the game. However, Old Brighton were also clearly on a mission, knowing they only had one quarter left to play before they could lift the premiership cup. They struck within the first minute of the term, Courtney again finding space and finishing cooly.

The Omlettes would have been forgiven for dropping their heads after this, but instead, they dug deep, getting the ball to Ellen Williams inside 50 for a set shot. In a rare miss by Williams, the ball went wide for a behind.

Despite the clear lift in energy from Old Melburnians, Old Brighton were still finding new ways to cause damage. Scout Howden kicked two majors, the first from a free kick and the second a brilliant snap from 40m out, followed by a goal to Lucy Grant which saw the margin stretch out to a game-high 40 points.

The Omlettes surged late, slotting three majors in a fiveminute run to bring the margin back to a more respectable 23 points, but they had left their charge too late – Old Brighton were crowned the 2025 premiers.

For Old Melburnians, the loss was tough, but the fight was admirable. Nic Stephens reflected on the season with pride.

“I really couldn’t have been prouder of that fourth quarter from our girls. We asked them to give it one last charge even against the wind in the last and they gave it their absolute all. I think other than the second quarter it was a pretty competitive game and the fourth really showed how well both teams stacked up against each other,” he said.

“This game and season meant so much to this team and I’ll forever be proud of each and every girl that’s pulled on the jumper for us this year for what they all did to try and get us over the line.”

Stephens highlighted the efforts of first-year player Macy Tyrrell, who starred on the wing, repeatedly finding herself in the right spots and putting her body on the line, as well as the performance of skipper Gee Dunlop, who led from the front.

For Old Brighton, the win was a fitting end to a season where they led the way throughout.

“The club has been so proud of this group this year – we have overcome many challenges in 2025, particularly with personnel, and winning the premiership is testament to the group’s resilience,” Grant said.

“This game and season meant so much to this team and I’ll forever be proud of each and every girl that’s pulled on the jumper for us this year.”

While Grant was emphatic that every Old Brighton player contributed to the win in a team effort, it was Scout Howden who was awarded the Claire Messent Best on Ground medal for her performance – strong in the air and on ground all day.

The win marks Old Brighton’s first Premier B Women’s premiership and caps off a dominant season where they finished top of the ladder and proved themselves the benchmark of the competition. Old Brighton have gone back-to-back, building on their Division 1 Women’s Premiership glory in Season 2024 with the Premier B Women’s flag in 2025. Watch out for the Tonners come 2026...

Old Brighton:

GOALS:

S. Fraser 2, O. Mclean 1, S. Peers 1, G. Phelan 1

GOALS: Old Brighton: S. Howden 3, S. Courtney 2, K. Grant 1, I. Tait 1, T. Doultree 1, l. grant 1

BEST: Old Brighton: S. Howden, J. Tait, K. Grant, G. Buckley, A. Grant, S. Grant

Harrison McIlwaine

Jackas’ joy & a Beauy blitz –Premier C Men’s Semi Final Review

Beaumaris are through to Premier C Grand Final Day, while St Bede’s/Mentone Tigers stormed home but just fell short of a Preliminary Final.

Here’s Semi-Final weekend of Premier C in review:

1st SEMI FINAL – AJAX 7.16 (58) d. ST BEDES/ MENTONE TIGERS 8.5 (53)

The Tigers and Jackas battled for third spot all the way to September, and that battle continued all the way to the final siren of their cut-throat First Semi Final at a blustery Trevor Barker Beach Oval.

AJAX had use of the breeze in the opening term and rocketed out of the gates, kicking two goals in the opening 75 seconds to jump out to a handy lead early.

The Jackas would go on to post 7 scoring shots to 1, but unfortunately, they left some points on the table, booting 2.5 to 0.1 to only lead by 16 points at the first break.

When Remy Spicer booted the opening goal of the second term INTO the breeze for AJAX, the Tigers needed an urgent response. It took them another 10 minutes, but Tom Garside’s goal - followed by another to Jake Ryder five minutes later – stabilised the situation for St Bede’s/ Mentone, with the margin back to a manageable 10 points entering time-on.

The Tigers finished the term strongly, and goals to Liam Bowles and Noah Hughes handed them their first lead in the shadows of half-time and they headed to the major break having got themselves back into the contest and 4 points up.

The Jackas needed to seize back the initiative with the wind in the third quarter, and Max Herzel duly obliged to put them back in front 3 minutes in. But a goal into the gale from Ben Murphy saw another lead change 7 minutes later, and it was time for AJAX to make the most of the conditions.

They peppered the goals in the second half of the third term but couldn’t find the middle. A string of 5 consecutive behinds was finally snapped by a Justin Vogel at the 31-minute mark and the Jackas headed to the

final break with an 11-point lead – the First Semi Final delicately balanced, given the Tigers would come home with the wind.

As they did in the second term, AJAX struck first into the breeze in the last quarter as Max Herzel booted his third of the afternoon to extend their lead to a handy 17 points.

Darcy Fountain responded 2 minutes later to bring the Tigers back within 2 straight kicks as another period of stalemate ensued. We would wait another 9 minutes for a major, and it was St Bede’s/Mentone Big V gun Jack Behnk who delivered it to reduce the margin to just 5 points and the game was well and truly alive with 15 minutes to play.

Another 12 agonisingly tense goalless minutes followed before the Tigers finally got the goal they had been searching for. Liam Bowles nailed a superb set shot from the pocket to hand St Bede’s/Mentone a 5-point lead at the 25-minute mark, but that advantage was short-lived.

A quick kick inside 50 was marked by Toby Sheezel 35 metres out and he nailed the set shot to restore AJAX’s lead at the 27-minute mark. Despite St Bede’s/Mentone’s desperate late efforts, the Jackas hung on to claim a thrilling victory and progress to Preliminary Final Day – at least a step further than their Semi Final of 2024.

Heartbreak for the Tigers, who enjoyed a strong season after being relegated back to Premier C in 2025 and have consolidated for an assault on the title in 2026.

Lachie Buszard (AJAX): “A really tough day for footy with the blustery gale-force winds at Sandy meaning the game was essentially played in one half.

“It was a very even contest at half-time, then we were wasteful in the third, kicking 2.9 with the wind to keep them in the game.

“A huge last quarter effort to kick two goals into the wind proved the difference and we were able to hang on.

“Our captain Kane Nissenbaum was huge in the second half, as were Lewis, Israel and Herzel.

“Given we are the fourth-rated side, a prelim is a free hit for us against a side with ex-AFL and current VFL-listed talent.”

Brad Berry (St Bede’s/Mentone Tigers): “The game was decided by under a kick, so a bounce of ball one way or other can easily bring a different result. It was a typical final, and credit to both sides. The pressure was next level.

“Both sides defended magnificently against the wind. We were able to handball our way through them but didn’t take a couple of red-hot chances in the third quarter. In the final term, the Jackas were able to capitalise.

“Twenty minutes in, we thought we had them. Play stopped for a stretcher break and we wish the injured player a speedy recovery. Momentum shifted and you get those little moments in footy.

“I expect Lachie would agree that not one of the 44 players left anything out there. There had to be a winner and a loser. His boys will have a decent crack at Parkside next week.

“For us, Max Sullivan probably had a career best game. We had a great mix of young & old in our best – Lucas Ritter down back, Jack Hellier in high HF role. Jake Ryder – I’d hate to play against him. He was probably our best mid on the day.

“2024 was a year of learning for us in Prem B and we had to re-establish our very young list against seasoned bodies. We got good momentum from the end of last season, and we had 104 senior players & two Under 19s teams on the track over summer. We rebuilt a place where players want to come & be, with a ‘one club’ mantra.

“I feel like we’re right on target to keep progressing next year in our goal to return to Premier B. It’s gonna take us another 12 months, but we’re in good shape to do it, with player retention, ongoing development and another 12 months into our young bodies. Hopefully our Reserves can win the premiership and we can build from that also.

“We certainly have the right chemistry in our group – there’s already a sense of unfinished business from 2025.”

2nd SEMI FINAL – BEAUMARIS 13.23 (101) d. PARKDALE VULTURES 7.8 (50)

The two standout teams of Premier C locked horns for a place in the Grand Final and guaranteed promotion to Premier B in 2026.

Beaumaris seized the early initiative, dominating both on the ground and in the air in the opening term (16 Clearances to 5 and 6 Contested Marks to 0 against the #1 Contested Marking team in the comp).

Yet the Sharks failed to convert those advantages into territorial dominance (11 Inside 50s to 9) or scoreboard

pressure – they actually trailed by 8 points at the first break after kicking 0.6 to the Vultures’ 2.2.

But Beauy didn’t fret their lost opportunities and remained focused on building dominance on the back of winning disputed ball. Led by ruck Callum Heath, the Sharks were holding a clear edge in contested footy.

In the second term, their intercept game also started to gather steam, particularly in the air as they hauled in 8 Intercept Marks for the quarter with a solid defensive structure behind the ball which allowed them extended periods in their front half.

Darcy Brown was battling hard for the Vultures, collecting 11 disposals and 4 Rebounds for the term, but it was an indication of how much the ball was living in Parkdale’s defensive zone.

Yet the reward continued to elude Beaumaris, as they added a further 2.8 for the term to head to the major break 2 points down despite having generated 16 scores to 8.

PREMIER C MEN’S

The contest tightened in the third quarter as Parkdale evened up the ruck and clearance battles. Beaumaris still held the edge in disputed ball around general play, driven by their intense pressure (16 Tackles to 8 for the term).

It was 3.4 to 2.3 the Sharks’ way, leaving the Second Semi delicately poised after Jai Florent’s classy running goal from 45 metres out at the 24-minute mark saw Beaumaris head to the final huddle with a 5-point lead.

But just as a thriller looked likely, the Sharks’ found another gear, finally converting their contested dominance into scoreboard dominance.

All elements of their game clicked together neatly and they completely controlled the final quarter, racking up 19 Inside 50s to 3 on the back of winning first possession, taking territory, then locking the ball into their front half.

The Vultures were pinned on the ropes as the Sharks hunted and pressured them into submission with 20 Tackles to 7, despite the disposal count being virtually even (+2 to Beauy).

The result was 13 scores to 2 as Beaumaris snatched the Grand Final ticket and scampered away with it, ramming on 8.5 to 1.1 in a scintillating quarter of football befitting a team racking up its 16th straight win.

The final margin blew out to 51 points, with 36 Scoring Shots to 15 an even more telling reflection of the Sharks’ dominance, and they will return to Premier B in 2026 after being relegated by less than 2% at the end of last season.

Ruck Cal Heath was dominant with 20 disposals (18 contested), 6 contested marks, 43 hit-outs, 10 clearances, 7 Inside 50s and a goal.

It was only Parkdale’s second loss of the season – both to Beaumaris – and Owen Lalor’s men will need to dust themselves off and regroup quickly, ahead of a Preliminary Final appointment with the Jackas.

Josh Bourke (Beaumaris): “We have the utmost respect for Parkdale and the way they go about it. I couldn’t be prouder of how our group went about it.

“In close games like that, when you’ve got the run of play but aren’t quite converting, it’s easy to get panicky. I thought we held our nerve and stuck to our plan really well. Honestly, it would be hard for me to name a single player who didn’t have significant moments for us.

“We knew the ruck battle we would be crucial, in establishing some control in the midfield. We thought Heath was huge in there. Both teams have forwards who can hit the scoreboard, so we certainly talked about trying to win the Inside 50 count and control the game in our front half.

“Once we got the ball in our front half, we set the ground up really well. If we give our fwds constant supply they will score. We also tried to manage their mids in transition as they have the ability to run fwd and hurt you.

“It’s a huge achievement for the club. We know how difficult it is to go down and bounce straight back up, but we set ourselves for that 12 months ago and have been fully committed to it ever since. The most exciting thing for me as a coach is that this group just keeps getting better every time they play together—that’s rare.

“For much of 2025, it looked like AJAX and Parkdale had the edge on the competition, so we know whoever wins through will be up for it.

“We’ll certainly enjoy the chance to freshen a few players up and sharpen some elements of our game. Internally, we’re incredibly driven to finish the year well, and no doubt we’ll also get right behind both our 19s (Grand Final) and Ressies (Prelim Final), who have huge games this weekend.”

Owen Lalor (Parkdale Vultures): “It was a bad day at the office for us. We were beaten in contested disposal, beaten in clearance, beaten in ground ball and we were beaten up.

“Full credit to Beauy – they were awesome. They were unbelievably quick on the outside – the quickest team in Premier C. Then they were very strong on the inside - their contest work was really good. Their pressure was elite, and our turnovers were really high as a result. But they kept a low turnover count themselves.

“It’s a classic cliché, but we’re now looking for our boys to respond and improve significantly in key areas that are needed to win finals. We’ve got to move on quickly and remind ourselves that we’ve won 17 games for a reason.

FINALS RESULTS

PREMIER C MEN’S

Parkdale Vultures:

(50) Beaumaris:

GOALS: Parkdale Vultures: K. Day 2, L. Bailey 2, H. Lynch 1, J. Edwards 1, L. Castle 1

(101)

GOALS: Beaumaris: M. Harms 3, J. Cusack 2, K. Dyer 1, B. Seers 1, J. Taylor 1, J. Pepper 1, J. Florent 1, C. Heath 1, J. Trew 1, J. Haeata 1

BEST: Parkdale Vultures: K. Colella, O. Green, M. Emmanouil, J. Ricco, L. Bailey, Y. Hopkins-Gamble

BEST: Beaumaris: T. O’Rourke, C. Heath, B. Seers, J. Florent, M. Harms, C. Linehan

St Bedes/Mentone:

(53)

GOALS: St Bedes/Mentone: J. Behnk 1, D. Fountain 1, L. Bowles 1, J. Ryder 1, T. Garside 1

GOALS: AJAX: M. Herzel 3, R. Spicer 1, J. Vogel 1, T. Sheezel 1, N. Spitz 1

BEST: St Bedes/Mentone: M. Sullivan, L. Ritter, J. Hellier, N. Hughes, J. Ryder, P. Tyquin

BEST: AJAX: K. Nissenbaum, M. Herzel, j. israel, H. Davis, J. Wrobel, R. Israel

PREMIER C MEN’S RESERVES

GOALS: St Bedes/Mentone: T. Aughterson 1, T. Grech 1, B. Goodchild 1, N. Henricks 1, L. Carey 1, J. Whitelaw 1, A. Barba 1, E. Hall 1, G. Kelly 1

GOALS: AJAX: J. Parasol 2, R. Simon 1, L. Siegel 1, J. Fibishenko 1, T. Kavallero 1, Z. Aron 1

BEST: St Bedes/Mentone: J. Miller, K. Thomson, T. Grech, C. Duffy, S. Barca, B. Goodchild

BEST: AJAX: J. Parasol, R. Light, T. Kavallero, M. Lincoln, J. Fibishenko, Z. Aron

Parkdale Vultures:

GOALS: Parkdale Vultures: J. Hesline 3, L. Farnbach 2, J. Vorbach 2, C. Williamson 1, J. Noske 1, L. Vorbach 1, J. Hardeman 1

GOALS: Beaumaris: T. Spencer 2, C. Reynolds 2, M. Cartwright 2, W. Skinner 1, J. Weightman 1

BEST: Parkdale Vultures: J. Noske, L. Vorbach, T. Long, B. Macdermid, B. Fenech, J. Hesline

BEST: Beaumaris: O. Phillips, J. Gorman, J. Ward, C. Reynolds, T. Spencer, L. Tedde

“Okay, we didn’t handle the pressure first up and were beaten by a very good side. But our guys have no fear. We’ll get over things and move on. We’ve got a great group of mates here and they’ll all fire up again this week.”

And so, it will be Parkdale & AJAX meeting in a suddendeath final for a second straight season. In 2024, it was the Vultures by 44 points in the First Semi, before Parkdale fell 7 points short of the Grand Final the following week.

So, in 2025 will it be:

• AJAX turning the tables on the team that ended their 2024 campaign; or

• Parkdale Vultures erasing last year’s Prelim disappointment?

Beaumaris awaits the winner of what promises to be an absolute beauty!

PRELIMINARY FINAL

FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME

VAFA Awards Night

Tickets are now on sale to the VAFA’s Night of Nights! The VAFA Awards Night is the biggest night on the calendar for the Association at large.

It is a night to recognise the talent our competition has to offer across all sections and award the individual success of our Best & Fairest winners, as well as our Leading Goal Kickers, and much more. We will again be presenting Clubs with their Premiership Flags at the VAFA Awards Night. We will also be taking a trip down memory lane to relive the highlights from the season and induct our newest VAFA Life Members.

From the Team at the VAFA, we would like to congratulate the entire VAFA Community on a fantastic 2025 Season and look forward to celebrating with you at the VAFA Awards Night!!

Wattle Park – Community Club of the Month

Wattle Park AFC has been named the VAFA Club Connect Club of the Month for August in recognition of their strong display of the VAFA’s core value of Inclusive & Community. The club has worked closely with the VAFA across a wide range of initiatives, with a strong focus on player wellbeing and long-term growth. This year, Wattle Park placed a spotlight on mental health, actively engaging with the Tackle Your Feelings program, as well as identifying priorities around inclusivity and the growth of women’s football.

FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME

The VAFA has crowned more Premiers as the Finals Series kicks on.

Congratulations to all teams who have won a Premiership and best of luck to all those yet to play in the 2025 VAFA Finals Series.

Premier B Women’s – Old Brighton

PremierBWomen’sOldBrighton

Division 1 Women’s – Glen Eira/Old McKinnon

Division 2 Women’s – La Trobe University

Division 3 Women’s – St Mary’s Salesian

Division 4 Women’s – Westbourne Grammarians

Holmesglen Under 19 Division 3 Men’s –St Bedes/Mentone Tigers Visit the VAFA website to

Finals.

HOLMESGLEN U19’S REPORT

Callum Farquhar

Old Brighton through to decider as Uni Blues reverse 2024 elimination final result

Holmesglen Under 19 Premier Men’s was at its prolific best on Saturday as the opening weekend of finals kicked off in emphatic fashion.

Old Brighton booked its ticket into the grand final for consecutive season after defeating minor premiers St Kevin’s

However, it didn’t come without the requirement of resilience as SKOB kicked off the final well and truly on their terms.

St Kevin’s’ Fred Noble nailed two of the opening four for the green, blue and gold but the Tonners remained composed, leading by seven at quarter-time, and when Noble kicked his second early in the next term, Old Brighton didn’t flinch to make a response.

Deemed their “best quarter for the year” by coach Travis O’Donohue, Old Brighton clicked into gear defensively and offensively, nailing five goals in the term while restricting St Kevin’s to just one.

It opened up a 32-point halftime margin that supporters were not prepared to see coming, given the pair of clubs’ thrilling encounters during the home and away season.

“We spoke pre-game about wanting to bring high pressure and we managed to execute that really well, causing front half turnovers that we were able to capitalise on,” O’Donohue said.

In the second half, the intensity was raised a notch at Elsternwick Park, but Old Brighton had its eyes set firmly on placing one hand on the premiership cup.

The goals between both sides were split in the third term, with the margin unmoving, requiring a herculean effort by Paut Greenham’s boys to get over the line.

SKOB would kick the opening two of the last quarter, but as Old Brighton did all day, they responded and continued to hold a 32-point lead until the final siren, 13.8 (86) to 8.6 (54).

The league’s leading goalkicker Lucas May was held goalless by a high-pressure Tonners defence, with O’Donohue lauding his back six’s work.

“They were outstanding all day,” he said.

“It made life really hard for St Kevin’s’ key forwards.”

The win means Old Brighton advance to a grand final from a semi-final win against the opponent that defeated them in 2024, albeit the Tonners will have its sights set on a second straight flag rather than reversing history.

University Blues will be rapt with its result as it defeated Old Scotch under lights at Elsternwick Park to return serve to the club that defeated them in an elimination semi-final last year.

In 2024, Scotch defeated the Blues by 15 points, and with the exact same ladder positions it appeared to be deja vu.

It was largely inaccuracy that kept Old Scotch alive in the contest through the first half, as University kicked four goals but 11 behinds, while the Cardinals’ 50 per cent strike rate in front of the sticks had them trailing by 14 at the main break.

Uni Blues coach Steve Boakes conceded the score sheet had him concerned given Scotch’s ability to win games from behind, but it was fear for nothing - the twilight game at Elsternwick Oval suited the Blues’ dash and dare with slick foot skills, and while the conversion rate was out of whack, University had enough entries and scores that it was unproblematic.

The third quarter was when the Blues ripped the contest away from the Cardinals, kicking four goals to one to extend their lead to 32 points.

FINALS RESULTS

HOLMESGLEN U19 PREMIER MEN’S

St Kevin’s:

Old Brighton:

GOALS: St Kevin’s: B. Palmer 2, G. Saunders 2, L. Edwards 2, T. Fernandes 1, J. Morice 1

(86)

GOALS: Old Brighton: A. Langworthy 3, C. Dowe 3, C. Richardson 2, l. robinson 2, J. Carr 1, T. Keyte 1, O. Goodger 1

BEST: St Kevin’s: P. Harmon, B. Palmer, G. Saunders, J. Gambaro, L. Edwards, T. Bromhead

BEST: Old Brighton: A. Langworthy, J. Lohan, Z. Travers, M. Szonyi, C. Dowe, S. Fanning

Old Scotch:

University Blues:

GOALS: Old Scotch: T. Farrer 4, N. Macmillan 1, K. Greville 1, A. Sellers 1

In a similar scenario to the SKOBS and Old Brighton clash, the Blues and Cardinals matched each other around the contest in the last, with the margin dipping slightly to 31 as the final siren sounded, 7.10 (52) to 11.17 (83)-

Blue Donovan Shier was strong up forward with four majors, as was counterpart Sam de Steiger.

Beakes commended his side and coaching staff for trusting the game plan, choosing to back in the club’s talent instead of tagging Old Scotch’s superstars.

“We aren’t a tagging side, and we trusted our structures to limit opportunities for Scotch’s midfield to supply their talent forward group,” Boakes said.

“Our backs stood tall when they were under pressure.”

As attention turns to a blockbuster preliminary final against St Kevin’s, Beakes knows it won’t be a one size fits all approach for his squad.

“We will have a different approach to next week’s match versus St Kevin’s,” he said.

“The group are keen to give it our best shot.”

The Blues have defeated St Kevin’s just over a fortnight ago in round 17 in a gripping seven-point win, but SKOBS comfortably got the job done in Round 12.

For the Blues, the scenario remains the same - win or go home.

And for St Kevin’s, they’ll have to complete the hard route to premiership glory.

But after finishing runner-up to Old Brighton in 2024, who took the path they currently face, there’ll be belief in the group that the ship can be turned around.

GOALS: University Blues: D. Shier 4, S. de Steiger 3, W. Richter 1, C. Hogan 1, T. Hill 1, R. Fowler 1

(83)

BEST: Old Scotch: T. Farrer, A. Sellers, R. Neville-Smith, G. Coldwell, G. Furphy, W. Genovese

BEST: University Blues: W. Richter, W. Furphy, R. Fowler, W. Hawker, S. de Steiger, S. Lucardie

VAFA PODCASTS

Listen to the Official VAFA Podcasts now on the VAFA Website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts & YouTube.

DIVISION 1 MEN’S

Raj Johnston

Pirates book their grand final spot with a commanding victory

Ormond’s opponent for the Division 1 Men’s Grand Final has been decided, with Old Peninsula convincingly defeating Kew by 56 points and ending the Bears season.

Going into this match, there wasn’t a whole lot splitting these two sides on previous form. Old Peninsula finished the home-and-away season in 2nd with 14 wins, 4 losses and a percentage of 158.03%. Kew weren’t far behind, finishing in 3rd spot with 12 wins, 6 losses and 131.23%.

The two occasions these sides met during the homeand-away season told vastly different stories. In Round 9, Kew was the big winner (55 - 131), whilst in Round 18 it was Old Peninsula who banked the big win (50 - 129). This preliminary final match-up was bound to find a victor in the set of three.

There were many factors and questions to consider surrounding this game. Firstly, this final was to be played at the Box Hill City Oval, meaning no side had a home ground advantage. Secondly, the weather conditions were going to be influential given there was plenty of rain and strong wind lurking around on game-day on Sunday. Could this favour Old Peninsula whose home ground is near Port Phillip Bay and might be more accustomed to these conditions?

Thirdly, and pertinently, was team structure and lineups. Since their last encounter at Victoria Park two weeks ago, both sides had some changes to their 22. Old Peninsula captain George Fletcher made his return after being absent from that clash, having not played since Round 13. Kew similarly had multiple changes from the side that last played the Pirates.

The siren sounded at 2:00pm and the first quarter was underway.

Both sides found a plethora of scoring opportunities in the first quarter. Kew drew first blood with a goal five minutes into the game before Old Peninsula responded with William Crowder finding luck in front of goal. That chain of events repeated with both sides managing to get the footy inside 50 and each record another goal, with just one point separating the two sides halfway through the first.

What followed was a number of behinds before a late goal to Old Peninsula in the dying stages gave the Pirates a valuable 5-point lead at quarter-time. On a day with weather conditions such as this, every point is crucial - a 5-point margin cannot be underrated.

QT: Old Peninsula 3.3.21 leads Kew 2.4.16

The pace of the game changed in the second quarter as Old Peninsula broke away and did not give Kew much of a look in.

The Pirates kicked four unanswered goals to dominate the play in this term and continue to build their lead. Despite Kew’s efforts to remain competitive, they were outplayed by the Pirates and would be thankful their deficit at half-time was not larger given the Pirates recorded seven behinds this quarter.

HT: Old Peninsula 8.10.58 leads Kew 3.6.24

Two early goals to Big V representative player Bailey Payze got the Pirates crowd excited as their lead ballooned to a massive 46 points.

The Bears were not going to go down without a fight, and to their credit, lifted throughout this third quarter and had many more periods of success.

Much like the second quarter, the middle stages of the third quarter saw team defences prevail with no goals scored for about ten minutes.

Kew kicked three consecutive goals to bring the margin back to a workable 26 points, but the Pirates quickly responded with two late goals of their own. Going into the final change, Kew trailed by 30 points. Difficult, but not impossible.

3QT: Old Peninsula 12.10.82 leads Kew 7.10.52

Both teams broke from their huddles, and it was time for the fourth quarter. The ultimate prize was waiting for the winner - a ticket to the Grand Final, along with promotion to Premier C in 2026. With a five-goal buffer, Old Peninsula would’ve fancied their chances of holding on but would’ve been well aware that Kew would give this their best crack.

The Pirates got the first goal of the term thanks to Bailey Payze before the game hit somewhat of a stalemate by way of scoring. However, once the Pirates found the goals at the thirteen-minute mark, they only lifted from there, and followed up with another two majors to take their lead to an insurmountable 56 points.

Whilst Kew managed one more goal, the damage had been done as the Pirates cruised home to the finish line to book their spot in the Grand Final, along with promotion to Premier C next year, thanks to their commanding 56-point victory.

FT: Old Peninsula 17.13.115 defeated Kew 8.11.59

William Crowder and Bailey Payze, two of the Pirates most consistent performers, both starred with four goals each, whilst Max Waters, Lachie James and Michael Gledden were amongst the best performers for Kew.

A disappointing end to the season for Kew to go out by such a big margin, however all in all, the Bears would be delighted at how well they performed this season and know that they have what it takes to be a serious challenger once again in 2026.

After all has been said and done, it’s fair to say that the two most worthy sides have qualified for this year’s Division 1 Men’s Grand Final. Ormond have been undefeated all season whilst Old Peninsula dropped just four games during the home-and-away season. Both sides have shown an abundance of skill execution, talent, confidence and promise, which will hold them in good stead for the Grand Final.

Will Ormond complete the fairytale and tick the last box on a perfect season? Or will the match-hardened Old Peninsula, having gone the long way to the Grand Final, upset Ormond hearts and rise to the top on the day?

Their previous encounters say it all…

R4: Ormond won by 12 pts

R12: Ormond won by 4 pts

FR1: Ormond won by 17 pts

From their three matchups this season, Ormond’s average winning margin was 11 points.

This promises to be a thriller!

GRAND FINAL TIP

Ormondv Old Peninsula

DIVISION 1 WOMEN’S

Annie Ireland

Season long favourites secure premiership glory

After being the favourites leading into the season, and for the majority of the season, Glen Eira/Old McKinnon have secured premiership victory. Having beaten the Monash Blues in week one of finals, the Gryphons were perfectly poised to run out victorious and lift the premiership cup. However, the Blues also had the potential to bounce back given they knew what areas of their game plan needed improvement.

An evenly contested first quarter, both sides went into the quarter time break even on nine points. However, the second quarter belonged to the Gryphs and was ultimately where the game was won as they kicked three goals and held the Blues scoreless.

The tides of the game turned once again in the third quarter, with the Blues kicking a goal and holding the

Gryphons scoreless, with the margin narrowed to just 14 points at the final change. However, another two goals to Glen Eira in the final quarter ensured that they were the Premiers.

Captain Gemma Strangio was best on ground for the Gryphs, marking her tenth consecutive appearance in the best to round out an extremely impressive season. Mia Zielinski was equally impressive and ultimately one of the main factors in leading her team to victory, slotting four of the Gryphon’s six goals. Lily Fitzpatrick and Cecilia McIntosh were also strong contributors with a goal apiece, whilst Aleesha Whittle and Grace Curran rounded out the best.

For the Blues, Tiarna Jericho capped off a strong season to be their best, with Emily Conroy and Johanna Dallas rounding out the top three. Samantha Rodgers had two goals, whilst Rhiannan Hetherington kicked one.

Both teams will now look to the off season to reset, albeit no doubt Glen Eira will be deservedly celebrating for a little while and come back for a strong season 2026. After a second consecutive premiership, the Gryphs will be looking for the three-peat next season.

As for the Blues, they impressed immensely after moving from the Premier Women’s Competition, slotting in comfortably to be one of the competition heavyweights for much of the season. They will no doubt come back bigger and better next season.

It has been an exciting 2025 for the Division 1 Women’s Competition and we look forward to seeing even more growth next year.

DIVISION 2 MEN’S

Lincoln Tracy

St Mary’s snaps South Melbourne’s seven-game streak to make Grand Final

St Mary’s Salesian have bounced back from their narrow semi final defeat last week with a 23-point win over South Melbourne Districts in blustery conditions at Elsternwick Park.

21 of the 22 goals were kicked at one end of the ground, with the two teams kicking a combined 1.3 going against the wind. The victory guarantees the Saints promotion to Division 1 in 2026 and sets up what should be an entertaining first versus second Grand Final next weekend.

The Bloods were kicking with the breeze in the opening quarter and could have set themselves up nicely for the remainder of the match with 10 scoring shots to none, but only registered three goals (Austin Murphy, Zaron Smith, and Jay Engellenner) to give themselves a 25-point lead at first break. It took St Mary’s until the eleventh minute of the second quarter to register their first goal of the game through their captain Nathan Evans, before Zac Gucciardo, Angus Molden, Hudson Ryan, and D’Arcy Grant also hit the scoreboard to give the Saints a seven-point lead. However, Jonno Timms converted from short range in the shadows of half time to cut the margin to a solitary point.

Molden’s goal – his first in senior footy for 2025 –came from long range and was the result of a tactical move from St Mary’s coach Clay Tait. “We ended up playing Molden – who is normally our full back – at the same end of the ground for pretty much the entire game,” Tait explained. “When we were against [the wind] we pushed someone forward and played him spare, and then knowing South Melbourne were going to play a spare [when we had the wind] we played him forward. He’s a very good contested mark and can kick it about 60 without the wind, so with the wind he was able to kick the goal from 65 or 70 metres out from a set shot.”

South Melbourne were more efficient going forward in the third compared to the first, finishing the quarter

with 5.0 to 0.1. Murphy gave the Bloods the lead in the ninth minute of the term with his second goal of the day, with Harrison Mcintyre, Zephyr Howson, and Foley all kicking true to take a 28-point lead going into the final change. At this point it was simply a question of whether the buffer was big enough to hold off the Saints – who had the wind behind them – in the fourth quarter. St Mary’s chipped away at the lead through Jacob McElroy (two goals) and Hamish Macmillan, before Nick Dekas’ first goal since Round 16 levelled the scores in the twentieth minute. The Bloods got their noses back in front with a behind, but St Mary’s Trent Ryan goaled less than a minute later to take back the lead. Ryan would kick two more for the quarter, with Dekas adding a second to hand South Melbourne their first defeat since early July.

Tait was pleased with his side’s ability to switch between two distinct mindsets throughout the game. “We decided to basically sacrifice the first and third quarters. We kicked it to what we thought was the defensive side of the ground – it was about making it as hard as possible for them. They obviously had a lot of scoring shots [in the first], but a lot of them were from the hardest spot on the ground to kick a goal. And then when we had the wind, our whole emphasis was to get the ball out to the other side of the ground. I wouldn’t say it was easy kicking goals, because with that wind everything was hard, but it was easier.”

Speaking to his charges at the half time, Tait emphasised the need to put themselves in a winning position by being withing five goals at three-quarter time. “At three-quarter time I spoke about what we’ve spoken about all year, in that we were confident in knowing the way we can move the footy and the way we can score. And given how strong that wind was, we just needed to stick to it. Once we got our tails up it was game on, and it would have been very hard to defend,” he said.

FINALS RESULTS

DIVISION 2 MEN’S

DIVISION 2 MEN’S RESERVES

GOALS: South Melbourne:

GOALS: St Mary’s Salesian: J. Dannaoui 3, L. Spinazzola 2, M. Flora 2, N. Alexopoulos 1, M. Rao 1, M. Herbert-Morgan 1, N. Bainbridge 1, A. Howell 1

BEST: South Melbourne:

BEST: St Mary’s Salesian: N. Bainbridge, M. Douglas, L. Mcandrew, M. Herbert-Morgan, M. Flora, L. Turnbull

Outgoing Bloods coach Nick Abbott was disappointed to have another finals campaign cut short without the chance to play in a Grand Final but should be commended for making a preliminary final after not starting pre-season until two weeks before Round 1, dropping the first four games, and using more than 50 players over the course of the season. “What I’m proud of is [that] we’ve had guts who were perennially in and out of the seniors and reserves over the last couple of years but who ended up being key senior players for the entirety of this year,” said Abbott, highlighting the efforts of defensive duo Ben Hunt and Athan Stamatelatos.

Abbott also praised the efforts of captain Thomas Foley, who finished with 43 goals from 20 games despite playing as a defender for the early part of the season. “He’s grown a hell of a lot as a captain, and he’s someone who could go and play at a higher level. But he loves the club, and that’s what endears him to us so much. That’s why I think he’s been not only a great player, but he’s grown as a great leader,” he said.

The 2025 Division 2 Men’s season will conclude with Old Yarra Cobras and St Mary’s facing off in the Grand Final at Carey Sports Complex on Sunday. The Grand Final will be the fourth time these two teams have played this year. The Saints had the better of the Cobras on both occasions during the regular season, winning at Ferndale Park in front of a home crowd by seven points in Round 8 before completing the sweep with a 23-point victory at Koonung Reserve in Round 15. However, Old Yarra got their revenge in the semi final at Preston City Oval a fortnight ago, winning by the slimmest of margins to progress straight through to the Grand Final.

Tait will need to come up with a plan to minimise the impact of Rory Chipman, who was named among Old Yarra’s best in all three games this year, as well as figuring out how to stop Eoin Hanrahan, Elliot Brandon-Jones, and Dylan Lea (all named in the best twice). Old Yarra will also be hoping to regain leading goalkicker Jack Hall, who missed the semi final due to injury. Hall has kicked five goals across the two regular season matchups between, with Jackson Lesko and Benjamin Moakoski also contributing with five each across recent matchups.

From Old Yarra’s perspective, coach Nathan Monaco will need to be prepared to deal with Hudson Ryan and Jack Contencin, who were among St Mary’s best in each of their encounters his season. Contencin has been particularly damaging on the scoreboard for the Saints (nine goals in three games), receiving good support from Trent Ryan (six goals from three games) and Jacob McElroy (five goals from two games). Tait also named Joshua Salloum in the best players twice and will be another one for Old Yarra to keep their eyes on.

GRAND FINAL TIP

Old Yarra Cobrasv St Mary’s Salesian

DIVISION 2 WOMEN’S

Lachie Moir

The year of the Trobers

La Trobe University has recorded one of the greatest victories in the club’s history, edging out Parkside by just three points in a thrilling Division 2 Women’s Grand Final.

They came into the game as underdogs, against a red-hot Parkside team who had won 11 straight games on the bounce. Coach Samantha Greene was stoked with her team’s triumph, taking nothing away from the team’s huge achievement. “I couldn’t be happier for the team, it’s been a long time coming that’s for sure”, Greene said.

La Trobe have struggled with injuries this year and were pumped to finally get a full team on the park in the Grand Final. Greene was especially proud of Kate Bond who has battled courageously through injury this last month. “KB picked up a knee injury before the first final and actually didn’t train for the month, just getting herself up for the games. It’s a huge effort, especially if you look at the coaches votes for all 4 finals,” Greene exclaimed.

The Trobers matched up extremely well on Parkside throughout the contest, with Greene conceding they went to work on their game plan during the week. “They’re a super well-balanced team and we learnt a lot from our first match against them. The club films all our games, so we spent a lot of time analysing that last game and working on match ups”, Greene said.

La Trobe were just able to nullify the damaging ball movement that we have come accustomed to with Parkside over the last few months, winning the game on pressure and defence. The last thing you want to do against a side like Parkside is let them get on a roll and score with ease. La Trobe were able to take the game up to the Devils and cover their spread immensely.

In what was an extremely frustrating and shattering day for Parkside, it doesn’t take away their incredible performance in the back half of this year. Winning 11 in a row and in convincing fashion is an incredible feat, something that we may never see again in this division.

What was often their greatest strength also becoming a weakness for the Devils, as the depth of their playing list made consistent team selection a challenge. As the

Grand Final is the premier game of the season, the club faced the difficult challenge of not only selecting the best possible side but also balancing the desire to reward players for their contributions throughout the year.

What stood out most on the day, however, was the belief and resilience of the Trobers. Despite Parkside mounting several surges in the second half, La Trobe refused to give in, with their defensive structures holding firm under relentless pressure. Every contest was fiercely fought, with players throwing themselves into tackles and putting their bodies on the line. When the siren sounded the ground erupted in jubilation. The premiership not only capped off a remarkable season but also represented a defining moment in the club’s history - one that players, coaches and supporters will remember forever.

As the year draws to a close, it’s worth reflecting on what has been a truly outstanding season of Division 2 Women’s football. A huge thank you goes out to all clubs, coaches, and participants for their effort, insight, and dedication across the year, their contributions have been much appreciated.

Congratulations once again to La Trobe University on securing the 2025 premiership in dramatic fashion. With such quality across the competition this year, the future of Division 2 Women’s football looks incredibly bright heading into next season.

GRAND FINAL RESULTS

DIVISION 2 WOMEN’S

DIVISION 3 MEN’S

Nick Quinlan

Bulls hold their nerve to make the Grand Final

And then there were two.

In the preliminary final between North Brunswick and Wattle Park, it was the Bulls who booked their spot into the Grand Final with a thrilling three-point win over the Animals at Elsternwick Park.

Coming into the match, the Animals were arguably favourites, having won their previous home and away matches against the Bulls.

But North Brunswick, off the back of their commanding win against Richmond Central in the elimination semi-final, were certainly capable of pulling off a minor upset.

It was a defensive battle to start proceedings, with the Animals managing to get the first goal through their captain, Harry Davis.

But the Bulls managed to go score for score with Wattle Park, which would see the game tied at 13 apiece at quarter time.

The second quarter was also low scoring, with only six scoring shots for the quarter. Out of that, the Bulls took the lead by seven points going into halftime.

A three-goal run in the third quarter would open up the game for the Bulls as they lead for a then game high lead of 21 points at the final break and looked on their way to booking their ticket to the big dance.

However, Wattle Park would come home strong to put the North Brunswick under pressure.

The Animals managed to get the first two scoring shots, which both went for behinds, before Luke Russell kicked a goal for the Bulls to put the margin to 25 points.

From there, Wattle Park had the remaining seven scoring shots but were unable to take the lead.

In the end, the Animals’ wayward kicking would set them back as they finished the final quarter with three goals and six behinds. Had they been slightly more accurate, they would have likely found themselves facing off for a premiership.

And following that loss, Wattle Park’s season is officially over as they finish having gone out in straight sets.

Having been relegated from Division 2 this season, the Animals would be disappointed that they have not gone back up on the first time of trying, especially after starting the season 6-0 and winning their last seven games of the home and away season to earn a double chance.

But going into next year, they will certainly be the favourites to claim the premiership and use the example of North Brunswick and Power House of responding from their poor finals performance to motivate them for success.

For the Bulls, this victory sees them redeem themselves from last year’s finals failure after finishing 1st before going out in straight sets.

With North Brunswick winning, the Grand Final matchup is now locked in with the Bulls set to take on Power House in the decider.

Both teams in last year’s final series went out in straight sets after finishing 1st and 3rd respectively. And with new coaches at the helm this season, both teams once again found themselves 1st and 3rd.

But this time, they were able to avenge their previous failure and have given themselves a shot at winning it all.

In the regular season, both sides have beaten each other, which means it’s anybody’s to win. In their first clash, North Brunswick managed to break Power House’s undefeated start to the season with a dominant third quarter, helping them get across the line by seven points.

In their last match against one another, Power House managed to get out to a 43-point lead at halftime despite the Bulls rallying to bring the margin to 12 points.

For Power House, this win would see them lift their first premiership since 2006 and their first in Division 3 since 2000.

For North Brunswick, they would claim their second premiership in three years, but their first in Division 3 since 1974, when it was known as the F Section, should they be victorious.

Whoever wins, it should be an exciting and close match to conclude the 2025 VAFA Division 3 Men’s Season out at Preston City Oval on Sunday.

GRAND FINAL TIP

DIVISION 3 WOMEN’S

Elly Kirlis

St Mary’s crowned champions in mouthwatering clash

The Grand Final for the Division 3 Women’s competition saw Ormond host St Mary’s Salesian in a tightly contested match that will be a Grand Final to remember. With Ormond having the week off, St Mary’s headed into the game off the back of a three-point victory over Old Camberwell.

With both teams evenly match throughout the first three quarters in regulation time, it was St Mary’s that found a way in extra time to secure the Division 3 Women’s flag.

The first quarter was a grind, with the Saints kicking two goals for the quarter: St Mary’s holding an eightpoint lead.

Ormond opened up their scoring encounter in the second term, with goals from Nellie Smyth and Bo Fox, giving Ormond the lead in the early stages of the second quarter.

St Mary’s hit back on the scoreboard late before half time, shifting momentum back in their favour with a goal by Georgia Crowley to keep the Saints within striking distance, trailing by a single point.

The Saints regained ascendency in the third with a 2-goal to 1 premiership quarter turning a marginal deficit into a five-point advantage at the final change.

In a topsy turret last quarter that provided plenty of nerve-racking moments; Courtney Gaze-Persson got going for Ormond to take back the lead early in the term. Have it known, that would be the last goal of the game and from there on, it was a grind defensively with both teams giving it their all.

Two behinds late in the quarter by St Mary’s drew the game at 35-all, forcing the game into extra time.

Extra time was much the same in the last quarter with both teams giving it their all, grinding it out for every contest.

A behind by Georgia Cropley in the early stages and a late behind in the second half was enough to seal the victory for St Mary’s Salesian.

Georgia Cropley was best on ground for St Mary’s, whilst Lucy Dobbyn, Ella Wallace and Georgia Smith all kicked their goals.

For Ormond, Hannah Foran played her part well kicking two goals. Bo Fox, Courtney Gaze-Persson and Nellie Smyth all played their roles well.

It was a Grand Final spectators could only hope for as these two evenly matched power houses went head-tohead for the fourth time this season.

St Mary’s Salesian fought valiantly all season long, dropping just one home and away match, taking out the minor premiership, fighting back in the Prelim after going down in the Semi, all the claim the 2025 Division 3 Women’s Premiership.

FINALS RESULTS

DIVISION 3 WOMEN’S

Mary’s Salesian:

GOALS: Ormond: H. Foran 2, b. fox 1, N. Smyth 1, C. Gaze-Persson 1

GOALS: St Mary’s Salesian: G. Cropley 2, E. Wallace 1, L. Dobbyn 1, G. Smith 1

BEST: Ormond: H. Foran, C. Gaze-Persson, b. fox, I. Di Lecce, E. Mason, E. Balassis

BEST: St Mary’s Salesian: L. Dobbyn, E. Wedrien, C. Dawson, E. Wallace, E. Roos, A. Jones

DIVISION 4 WOMEN’S

Sebastian Tehan

Westbourne clinch Division 4 flag!

After 18 enthralling weeks of Division 4 Women’s football, the Old Yarra Cobras and Westbourne Grammarians met in the Grand Final on the first Sunday in September. It was only right that the firstplaced Cobras faced off against a high-flying thirdplaced Westbourne, two teams in red-hot finals form.

As expected, the first 5-minutes of the contest was a tight-tussle for clean possession. Kensley Ward broke the deadlock with the first major of the Grand Final for Westbourne. The ball was in the right hands again soon after, as Ward made it an early double in the first term kicking truly to give her side a 12-point advantage mid-way through the first quarter.

The scoring wave continued for Westbourne but squandered three-more opportunities in front of goal. A handy 15-point lead was opened for Westbourne at the first break.

The slow-starting Cobras was short-lived, with a couple of deep forward-50 entries resulting in a couple of minor scores. However, the contest tightened up again with repeat stoppages characterizing much of the second quarter. No further scoring was done for the second term, with the Cobras trailing by 13-points at the main break.

When the game was on the line, Westbourne’s leaders were incredibly influential. Jazmyn Mathers, Ashleigh Pearson, and Montana Dumesny provided some much-needed run for their side, allowing for Emilia to kick truly to start the third quarter strongly. Dumesny found herself in the right place at the right time to split the middle and extend Westbourne’s lead to a game high 27-point lead. With the game beginning to feel out of touch, Old Yarra’s Hilary Donelan hit back with a goal of her own to cut the margin to 21-points at three quarter time.

21-points was not an insurmountable task for the Cobras. This task was made easier with an early fourth quarter goal at the scoring end of the ground. Opportunity was coming thick and fast for the Cobras, who were full of belief that they could make a late charge at the flag. Despite having four shots on goal to Westbourne’s zero, only points were registered for the Cobras.

It was a case of what might have been for the Cobras who left their run a little too late in the end. Agony for Old Yarra, ecstasy for Westbourne! Westbourne Grammarians are the Division 4 Women’s 2025 champions!

Westbourne have been one of the dominant teams all year and got their taste of redemption in the Grand Final after losing to Old Yarra only two weeks ago. The Cobras finished on top of the ladder and just fell at the final hurdle.

Can’t wait to see what’s in store next year for a significantly improving division four competition!

FINALS RESULTS

4 WOMEN’S

HOLMESGLEN U19 RESULTS

HOLMESGLEN U19 DIVISION 1 MEN’S

Parkdale Vultures:

Old Melburnians: 3.3

(87)

(38)

GOALS: Parkdale Vultures: B. Lamble 4, L. MacKenzie 2, W. Reeves 2, J. Burgess 1, C. Sells 1, J. White 1, W. Finch 1

GOALS: Old Melburnians: H. Hines 3, O. Tyrer 1, W. de Zoete 1

BEST: Parkdale Vultures: J. Burgess, J. White, r. bowles, L. MacKenzie, W. Reeves, D. Jackson

BEST: Old Melburnians: O. Tyrer, F. McIntyre, M. Michaca, H. Hines, M. Jane, J. Richardson

HOLMESGLEN U19 DIVISION 2

MEN’S

GOALS: Kew: B. Walter 2, J. Pereira 2, R. Meeuw 1, M. Holland 1, O. Di Marzo 1

(57)

GOALS: University Blacks: C. Thornton 1, T. Ramsdell 1, J. Enticott 1, S. McNamara 1, S. Litras 1, J. Thomson 1, O. Davies 1

BEST: Kew: M. Holland, R. Meeuw, J. Pereira, B. CAHIR, J. Reid, F. O’Donoghue

BEST: University Blacks: E. Peucker, S. McNamara, P. De Luca, F. Watson, F. Nelson, J. Enticott

HOLMESGLEN U19 DIVISION 3 MEN’S

St Mary’s Salesian:

St Bedes/Mentone 2:

(36)

(50)

GOALS: St Mary’s Salesian: M. Skinner 1, L. Greening 1, N. Shinnick 1, A. Kenny 1

GOALS: St Bedes/Mentone 2: L. Cartwright 1, N. Mccolough 1, R. Francis 1, K. Dancey 1, S. Taylor 1, R. Jewitt O’Reilly 1

BEST: St Mary’s Salesian: B. Thomas, o. hobday, X. Higgins, Z. Thurman, F. Hopkins, G. Micallef

BEST: St Bedes/Mentone 2: N. Mccolough, L. Davoren, W. Zakic, L. Cartwright, M. Weir, F. McNamara

SHARPSHOOTERS

SHARPSHOOTERS

Bailey

Jack

David

THIS ROUND’S GAMES

WILLIAM BUCK PREMIER MEN’S – SEMI & PRELIMINARY FINALS

Premier

DIVISIONAL MEN’S – GRAND FINALS

Knee

Knee problems

Hip problems

Hip

Shoulder problems

Shoulder

Foot & ankle problems

Foot & ankle

Sports injuries

Arthritis surgery

Arthritis surgery

Trauma & limb reconstruction

Trauma & reconstruction

Hand, wrist & elbow surgery

Hand, wrist & elbow surgery

Fractures & broken bones

Fractures &

Joint replacement surgery

Joint

MILESTONES

100

Kane Nissenbaum (AJAX)

100

200

VAFA congratulates the following players on reaching these incredible milestones. Well done!

This week we celebrate Kane’s 100th game for AJAX. The ultimate competitor, Kane hates to be beaten – and rarely is. His ability to kick on both feet, his strength to stand up in tackles, and his trademark sidestep make him a nightmare for opponents. Off the field, Kane is one of the most committed figures at the club, always putting the team and AJAX first. His leadership was recognised when he was deservingly voted co-captain in 2025. True to character, his focus this week is simple: leading his side to a preliminary final win and chasing premiership glory. Congratulations on 100 outstanding games Kane!

Chris Roach (Ormond Coach)

Roachy joined Ormond through the juniors. He has been very active assisting the junior club with coaching and other responsibilities. He has also been very active on the committee of the senior club assisting with social functions and with more technical areas of the club. He has captained the seconds for the past few seasons and has also captained the Thirds. Congratulations from everyone at Ormond on reaching this milestone.

The Old Ivanhoe Grammarians Football Club is proud to celebrate a major milestone for one of our most dedicated and dynamic players! Michael’s journey began in 2010, straight from school, and he made an immediate impact by playing in an Under 19 Premiership and debuting in the senior side — all in his first season! Known for his explosive pace and evasive skills, Michael is a true on-ball weapon and never shy in front of goal, having slotted 176 goals over his 16-year career in the purple and white. A highlight in VAFA history came in 2019, when Michael took to the field alongside both his brother Adrian and father Morris — a rare and special moment for the Del Monte family. We honour not just a great player, but a true clubman. With 200 games to his name, Michael Del Monte now officially becomes a Life Member of the Old Ivanhoe Grammarians Football Club.

Please send milestones to media@vafa.com.au by 5pm Tuesday, including a brief description and photo.

Michael Del Monte (Old Ivanhoe)

WILLIAM BUCK PREMIER

PREMIER B MEN’S

181260048112.42

Carey 181170044110.28

Williamstown CYMS 181080040120.22

Old Camberwell 181080040111.66

Old Geelong 18 99003699.58

Old Melburnians 187110028102.33 Fitzroy 18315001274.54

Hampton Rovers

181710068173.58

181620064216.28

Bedes/Mentone 181350052125.21 AJAX 181260048147.25 PEGS 181080040100.23

Glen Eira /

McKinnon 18711002883.18 Marcellin 18711002874.97 Mazenod 18414001676.14 Parkside 18414001657.85 Prahran 1801800048.23

PREMIER B MEN’S RESERVES

181170044116.87

18711002897.49

18611002473.06

18513002067.81

DIVISION 1

1811700455.28

188100032100.93

18512002077.84

WILLIAM BUCK PREMIER WOMEN’S

Caulfield Grammarians 171520160292.22

Scotch 161420256327.09

161330252170.08

Kew 16 880232 115.46

West Brunswick 16 880232 103.23

Fitzroy 17710012873.08 Old Geelong 16511022071.97

Williamstown CYMS 17512012051.26

Beaumaris 1741211446.75

B WOMEN’S

15510012077.4

150150109.08

WILLIAM BUCK PREMIER WOMEN’S RESERVES

2 WOMEN’S

1611502425.82

Beaumaris 161330052226.99

Vultures 161240048180.84

Melburnians 161240048164.1 Old Haileybury 161150044131.11

Old Carey 161060040108.09

St Bernards 161060040100.83

Williamstown CYMS 16 880032 159.79

Old Trinity 16 880032 106.17

Old Brighton 2166100024141.82 University Blues 216 69002490.29 Fitzroy 16412001668.71

THIRDS