VAFA ROUND 21_Col.indd - Victorian Amateur Football Association

THIRDS
BLACKS AND DARK BLUES GO THROUGH
Richard Hummerston
Sportscover Arena was the main stage for both
games this week as the curtain fell on the seasons
of Uni Blues and St Bernard’s.
The clash between Uni Blacks and St Bernard’s
kicked off the first ever finals series for Thirds
Football. Before the bounce, Uni Blacks were
clear favourites as they had triumphed over
Bernies in the two prior meetings, one of them by
more than 100 points. What unfolded surprised
even the most optimistic Snow Dog fan, but in
the end, there was disappointment.
With the first bounce just marginally after dawn,
it took 15 minutes and some magic from Thomas
Whale until the goals started flowing. Going into
the first break with a two goal buffer and stifling
the dangerous David Kavanagh, many thought
the last three quarters would be a mere formality
for Uni Blacks.
That was until James Mount and Andrew
Cianter developed a severe case of leather
poisioning and the Bernies went into the rooms
down by only a kick.
Leading by three goals at the last break, victory
looked certain for the Blacks. However a speech
better than Al Pacino’s ‘inches speech’ fired the St
Bernard’s boys up and had them slotting the first
two of the last quarter. Alas for the brave dogs,
usual suspects Paul Kelly and Jeremy Nettlefold
ensured that the Blacks were victorious, thus
sending them to the preliminary final to face the
loser of next weeks 2 nd semi-final.
Old Melburnians comfortably accounted for
Uni Blues, owing to an incredible seven goal
third quarter. Ed Hughes earned best afield
honours while Dave Marshall did his best for
the vanquished.
This week in the second semi finals, I’m selecting
Old Xavs to defeat De La Salle to advance to
another Grand Final, while Banyule will be
victorious over St Kevin’s.
PREMIER THIRDS LAST ROUND PREMIER B THIRDS
SEMI FINAL 1
OLD MELBURNIANS 2.1, 6.5, 11.7, 14.11 (95)
UNI BLUES 1.1, 5.5, 7.6, 8.10 (58)
GOALS, OLD MELBURNIANS: E. Hughes 4, W. Harris 2, T. Healey 2, J. Vagg
1, A. Clark 1, A. Gregory 1, T. Harrison 1, C. Righetti 1, N. Peters 1 UNI
BLUES: W. Hartnell 3, A. Christensen 1, J. Heinz 1, D. Marshall 1, B.
Hutchison 1, W. Girdwood 1
BEST, OLD MELBURNIANS: E. Hughes, D. Osmond, N. Peters, M. Lugg, J.
Gooley, J. Vagg UNI BLUES: D. Marshall, J. Clifford, J. Heinz, O. Lade, W.
Hartnell, D. Hayter
SEMI FINAL 1
UNI BLACKS 4.3, 4.5, 7.8, 8.9 (57)
ST BERNARDS 2.1, 3.3, 5.4, 8.5 (53)
GOALS, UNI BLACKS: T. Whale 3, K. Stark 2, R. Read 1, S. Lane 1, J. Clarke
1 ST BERNARDS: D. Kavanagh 2, J. Stapleton 1, J. Creasey 1, A. Johnston
1, g. Breheney 1, L. Baird 1, J. Mount 1
BEST, UNI BLACKS: P. Kelly, J. Nettlefold, T. Smith, J. Banting, K. Stark, J.
Young ST BERNARDS: J. Mount, A. Ciantar, J. Evans, N. Weir, J. Stapleton,
J. Flannery
THE AMATEUR FOOTBALLER 2010 19