2009 Grand Final - Reserves (Old Melbourne)
22 September 2009
The Grand Final
Bazzle’s Two’s went into the Grand Final very much the underdogs, with Old Melbournians being the most dominant team in the VAFA, having not lost a game all year, finishing with a percentage of almost 300. With the wind again blowing sea-ward out at Elsternwick Park, the score-board end was the scoring end, with the Blacks going with it in the first. A modest return of 2 goals to 1 gave the Blacks the lead into the first break, with Bazzle’s 1/4-time speech leaving the Black Bear with a tingle down the spine, and more than one observer wishing he could get out there into the heat of the battle.
The second quarter was the reverse, resulting in the score at half time being 3-a-piece. During the break Hayden Torney congratulated Andrew on his wonderful second-term goal, kicked from the impossible angle on the boundary line, into the wind. Torns responded with “I don’t remember kicking a goal”. A quick investigation revealed that Torns had been concussed at some stage before kicking the ridiculous goal, and had lost the ability to create memories. An affliction that spread throughout the entire team over the following 2 days.
In the third term Tom Napier had a trick of his own to pull out of the hat, using the wind to his advantage to thread a delightful set shot from three rows back in the grandstand. The crowd of Blacks supporters who had toughed it out in the rain behind the goals were thrilled for long enough to almost get the feeling back into their extremities.
Starting the final term 3 straight shots behind, kicking into the breeze, the Black Men had a massive task ahead of them. Pull it off, and it would be a win for the ages… again. The boys were obstinate, fighting hard right until the end, but Old Melbourne were simply too good, and we wish them well in A-Grade in 2010.
Scants was stoic all day across half-back, helped admirably by Julia McVilly and Hamish (John Anthony) Guthrie. Matt Thompson was rugged on the ball, with Mick (B&F) Battista owning his wing and Mr Nick Budois fighting like a brave (like a brave!) all day.
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
OLD MELBURNIANS 1.3 3.7 6.8 9.9-63
UNI BLACKS 2.2 3.2 5.4 7.4-46
OLD MELBURNIANS
Goal Kickers: T. Cudlipp 4, P. Kennon 2, E. Mitchell, T. Oman, A. Littlechild
Best Players: T. Horne, T. Cudlipp, P. Kennon, A. Waddell, C. Jenkins, T. Oman
UNI BLACKS
Goal Kickers: M. Battista 2, T. Napier 2, A. Torney, T. O''Halloran, J. Forte
Best Players: E. Scantleton, J. McVilly, H. Guthrie, M. Thompson, M. Battista, N. DuBois
Black Bear’s Bad Decisions…
Sat, 10.30pm - Attempting to simultaneously wrestle Jimmy Fuller, Kizza Prestige and Ben Walch, resulting in some ad-hoc redecorations of the Clyde front-bar. Apologies to Spud. Thanks to Brick for the Sunday-morning carpentry job.
Sun, 2.20am - Walking into Yah Yah’s.
Sun, 3.15am - Seeing D Battens facebook update and thinking it was a joke.
Sun, 2.45am - Walking into Alia.
Sun, 11.45am - Getting out of bed.
Sun, 5.55pm - Accepting the challenge from Dubois for a “punch-off” resulting in a severely bruised left arm, and sore right wrist.
Sun, 9.30pm - Purchasing a slice of three-day old pizza from Intersection Café.
Sun, 9.34pm - Dropping the slice of three-day old pizza on the pavement while walking from Intersection Café to The Tankerville.
Sun, 9.34pm - Stepping backwards onto the slice of three-day old pizza on the sidewalk between Intersection Café and The Tankerville.
Sun, 9.35pm - Eating the slice of pizza.
Black Bear’s Good Decisions
Sun, 9.38pm - Not going into The Tankerville.
Let’s get a big crowd along to the Presentation Night this Friday to finish the year off with a bang, before we watch The Mighty Saints crush the pussy cats on the MCG on Saturday.