Fist of fury
A thumping fist from a ruck throw in deep into time on in the First Semi Final from Billy Coates propelled the ball thirty meters towards the goal line where it trickled over to the roars of the crowd and proved the deciding point in a thrilling match at Trevor Barker Oval
on Saturday. It was fitting that the final act be at the hand of the inspirational SKOB ruckman who willed his team over the line in the most unlikely of comebacks - SKOB reversed a 31 point deficit from half way through the third quarter - and will now go on to contest the Preliminary final next week for a chance to make the Premier Grand Final. Earlier, our Under19s were gallant in defeat to Old Xavs. The margin just five points at the end of a magnificent contest that pitted two evenly matched teams. The result however has been overturned due to Xavs playing an ineligible player and forfeiting the match, meaning that SKOB are into the Under 19 Premier Grand Final.
Proving a point
You could not have asked for a better day to play finals football on Saturday. There was nary a breath of wind, the ground was in perfect condition and the sun was out and smiling on fans and players alike. Strangely, the game was scheduled for a 2:30pm start, which meant that both teams had long warmups in between the Reserves finishing just after 1:30 and the bounce an hour later. With SKOB stationed at the far end and Old Brighton - who seemed to be enjoying the lion’s share of supporters given the game’s location and the fact their Reserves were in action - at the Northern end, the two teams made the most of their spacious warm up and cracked in right from the word go when the game finally
commenced. Billy Coates winning the first clearance as a portent to what was to come. Both sides were applying physical pressure, but it was SKOB who struck first (and second) with young Doug Kerr marking strongly and converting to give his opponents an early headache. Brighton were able to steady and score a couple to the non-favoured end. There was some breeze, but really only minimal, and when Kerr doubled his tally to make it four in the opening quarter of his first Senior final, SKOB had a two goal cushion which was about par given the slight breeze to the northern end.
The tonners were first to strike in the second, but SKOB soon matched it via a tremendous snap from Billy Bryan who converted from the tightest of angles. With ten minutes played, the status quo had not changed much and SKOB were still enjoying their two goal buffer. What transpired over the next 15 minutes though, can only be described as a pure
onslaught from Old Brighton. They clicked into gear and suddenly, SKOB could not get their hands on the ball. Brighton were moving the football at pace, clunking marks in their forward line, and converting at 100% - they simply could not miss. 7 goals in the blink of an eye, and the cushion SKOB had enjoyed up until now was popped mercilessly by a Tonner Tsunami. Only the half time siren could save SKOB who seemed to have no answer to the barrage from Brighton. The tonners scored 45 points in a row and went to the sheds with a commanding 29 point lead at the main break.
SKOB supporters made a hasty retreat to the bar at half time and many looked to be settling in for the afternoon, not expecting their team to be able to summon a response to the devastating spell of football from the Tonners in the second quarter. Sam Tucker, in his first game back from 10 weeks on the sidelines kicked an early goal but the tonners matched it and had the ball parked deep in their territory as they built the lead out to a game high 31 points with 8 minutes gone in the third. Yes, SKOB had the slight breeze with them, but they would need to kick at least 5 unanswered to be any chance of turning for home with a semblance of hope. But the defence held up and SKOB started winning clearances again. Jack Darmody snapped truly and the roar in the bar signalled that fans should get outside and help spur on their team. Will Pfeiffer - playing his best game for SKOB to date - made it back to back goals, and Jack Mahony converted a set shot to rev up his team and give them belief that they were right in this. After a period of end to end exchanges, Doug Kerr got on the end of a long ball forward. His kick was a classic helicopter off the boot, but it went straight and SKOB were absolutely right back in it with plenty of time left in the third term. Jack Behnk then hauled in a courageous pack mark and booted truly to cut the margin to just two points. SKOB had booted 5 unanswered and were seriously challenging. Brighton stepped up the pressure and found a forward on the lead who kicked truly to put the margin back out over a goal, but to also remind everyone that you could still score at the far end. Two late misses to the tonners saw them turn for home with a 10 point lead and the wind at their back in the last - but SKOB were not done yet.
An early goal to SKOB would give them belief and bring the crowd right into the game. Opportunities came, but Billy Bryan’s shot just drifted wide, then Doug Kerr kicked one from a goal mouth scramble, or so they thought, The umpires conferred and gave a rushed behind, much to the chagrin of the fans behind the sticks. Then Brighton had two chances to seal the game - they missed them both - and the tension stepped up yet another couple of notches. It was a real finals scrap now. SKOB surged the ball forward where a handpass shot out of the pack and into the hands of Ollie Gill. The temptation would have been to throw it on the boot, but Gill took a step to steady and guided the ball through the big sticks - SKOB were now just four points down with momentum and time on the clock. Another goal might just seal it - or they could just kick 5 behinds - there was time.
Jack Behnk had the next chance for SKOB, but his set shot drifted wide. 3 points the difference - but there was time. Ollie Gill could not match his heroics from minutes before, and his shot too drifted wide for another behind. 2 points the difference - but there was time, right? The ball was parked in SKOB’s forward half, but the Brighton defence was holding up brilliantly. Every SKOB advance seemed to be picked off by the tonners, but they couldn’t get the ball out of their back half. Another snap at goal looked to be drifting wide and the Brighton defender had it covered for a mark, but chose instead to play safe and punch it through for a behind. It made the difference just a point - but was there still time? SKOB launched wave after wave of attack, and Brighton resisted. Finally the tonners got out the back and were charging toward goal, but they left the ball behind, SKOB scrambled desperately and got the ball to the wing, where they could set up again. Another long bomb into the forward line and the pack descended on the ball. The umpires threw it up and Billy Coates drew an infringement free in the ruck. A chance to win it for the big man, but alas, his shot drifted wide. Scores were now even - could there possibly be time? From the kick in, SKOB turned it over and the ball fell to Behnk who passed it to young Archie Dollman playing with a maturity beyond his years - but the ball would not sit, bouncing cruelly from his grasp a la Stevie Milne in the drawn Grand Final of 2010. From the resultant throw in deep in the forward pocket for SKOB, one last chance. Billy Coates smashed the ball from the ruck, belting it 30 meters toward the SKOB goal. It skipped by Sam Tucker who shielded his opponent from stopping the trajectory of the oval ball and it trickled over the line for a point - SKOB were in front - is there any more time? Brighton went straight down the middle from the kick in, but SKOB turned it over. Ben Mansfield kicked deep into the pocket and before Brighton could clear again the siren rang. SKOB had won an incredible match by a single point.
As the bell rang out, players collapsed to the ground with exhaustion, both sides having given their all in an encounter that will live long in the memory of all the players and supporters. It merely buys SKOB one more week, but keeps them alive in Season 2026, and they move on to the Preliminary Final against Old Xavs next weekend. A tremendous effort from SKOB who rallied back from a seemingly impossible position to claim victory in the most dramatic of circumstances. For SKOB the better players were William Pfeiffer, Billy Coates, Doug Kerr (5 goals) , Cam Hodges, Liam Gunson and inspirational captain Tom Jok.
A twist in the tale
Our Under 19 Premier team went down in a close match with Old Xavs on Saturday. It was a tremendous game of football played between two evenly matched teams, but the result has been reversed on account of Xavs playing an ineligible player. SKOB had started the match sprightly and were the better team early on. Nick Nankervis providing a real spark up forward and proving a headache for the Xavs defence. At the first change, SKOB led by a goal and extended this to three after a clever snap over his head from Tom Egan then another goal to Nankervis gave them a handy break. Xavs hit back twice before the main break and at the half SKOB were just three points up. It was Xavs who started the second half strongly, booting the opening two goals to make it four unanswered, but SKOB would not lay down as big forward Darcy Hepburn then Jack Morice goaled to wrestle the lead back for SKOB as they changed ends for the last time. Nankervis slammed home a long bomb right at the start of the final term to give SKOB an eight point advantage, but again Xavs rallied to take the lead back. Nankervis booted his fourth to edge SKOB in front until a long bomb from Xavs saw the lead change for the final time as the clock ran out.
With the result reversed, SKOB will play Old Brighton in the Grand Final next Saturday.
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