Pride and Joy

A barnstorming finish by SKOB Seniors - on the back of a half dozen haul from Sam Tucker - saw them sail home for a mighty win over Uni Blues on Saturday. Facing a 29 point deficit at the 20 minute mark of the third term and looking down and out, SKOB rallied to boot 9 goals to 1 from that point - 5 of them to Tucker - to record a vital win away from home. Elsewhere, the Stingers got their season up and going with their first win of the year, the Saints celebrated Pride Game in the best way possible with a pair of wins at the King. The 19s struck back with the Premier and SD1 teams both winning well at Old Rigret. The Academy got the chocs in the Gardiner Creek Derby to make it 7 wins for SKOB, with the Ressies, SD2s and SKOB Dogs all finding better opposition on the day.

Last man gets his Tucker

After a breakthrough win in Round three, the Seniors were on the road to Melbourne Uni to face the undefeated Blues. The game shaped as an early season 8 pointer. A win to SKOB would get them back to even on the ledger and just one game behind the Blues, but a loss here would see the Blues jump 3 games clear of SKOB, so the stakes were pretty high, even at this stage of the season. The Blues came in hot - undefeated so far, and playing exciting footy. SKOB had found some form after a slow start to the year saw them drop their first two. Their strong win last weekend though gave them enough confidence of causing an upset at the campus. Jack Behnk was back in the lineup and he struck early for the visitors. Billy Bryan scored a clever goal after the Blues responded to the SKOB opener, but the Blues responded again. An even first quarter on the ground was reflected on the scoreboard as there was little to separate these teams. Much the same in the second term as the teams went pretty much goal for goal. The twin towers of the Blues were causing some headaches for SKOB but their pressure around the ground limited the opportunities for the home side to stretch out a lead. In red time it was Sam Tucker who struck (a portent for things to come) and the visitors hit the sheds with a slender advantage in a highly entertaining and even contest.

The third term was again even for the first few minutes, but then the Blues went bang - and bang again - and again. A blast of 5 goals in 10 minutes of football was literally a bolt from the blue. The Uni side have shown they can score quickly and devastatingly in all their games so far, but the speed and size of the blue wave caught SKOB somewhat by surprise. At the 20 minute mark of the third term they were facing a 29 point deficit, but SKOB had played some good footy and knew that their chance for momentum would come. Crucially for them, when it did come, there was enough time left in the third to eke away at the almost 5 goal margin. Ged Saunders and then Dougie Kerr (who looks very much at home in just his second game of senior football) both registered majors before Sam Tucker - again in red time - had the final say before teams headed for their huddles. Suddenly a 5 goal margin was now down to just 10 points and it was SKOB now with all the momentum.

A 3/4 time break can sometimes arrest the momentum, but strikes to Behnk and Kerr (both their third each for the game) saw SKOB hit the lead. Blues struck back and it was truly game on. What would come next though was extraordinary. Sam Tucker, who had kicked some vital red time goals in the second and third, took complete control. He booted four goals - the final four goals - of the game as SKOB raced away to a commanding win. The old axiom of the tall guys not getting any shorter as the game gets longer was on display. Tucker was simply unstoppable, finishing with half a dozen majors in a best on ground performance. The win a vital one for SKOB who edge back to 2-2 and just one game behind the Blues. A truly satisfying win for Coach Lynch who credited the depth of his squad for delivering the result. Joining Tucker in the best were Andrew Mathieson, Ged Saunders, Noah Walsh, Jack Behnk and Academy alumni Matthew Canning.  

The Ressies are battling hard, but just can't find the breakthrough. Our man on the ground, Yanni filed his report from the early match.

SKOBs Battle Bravely in Tough Conditions

SKOBs Reserves returned to action, arriving at Melbourne University Oval on what could only be described as a bitterly cold day, but the boys were eager to get on the winners list.

The game commenced with the SKOB boys coming out to a fast start, showcasing eye-catching ball movement and plentiful forward-half entries. The boys’ play was pleasing on the eye, allowing them to gain the upper hand and secure a slender lead, with goals from Luke Mazzeo and Roshan Fernandes.

The second term began with Uni Melb evening up the contest, while the rain started to have a greater impact on conditions. The boys struggled to get their hands on the footy, turning the game into a scrappy affair. Despite this, they continued with their attacking outlook. William Mazzeo kicked a crucial goal from a tight angle and, combined with a snag from Lucas May, helped the boys maintain and extend their margin by two points heading into the main break.

Coming out of the halftime break, the SKOB boys were met with fierce pressure from the opening ball-up. Despite the challenge, the boys continued to compete strongly and never stopped fighting for the contest. The opposition began to gain momentum, with a few crucial 50/50 contests falling their way, and the scoreboard started to reflect it. Even under pressure, the SKOBs boys showed resilience and determination as they looked to wrestle back control of the game, but unfortunately it was not to be.

Despite the result, the boys have plenty of positives to take away and now look forward to their next clash against Caulfield Grammarians at Glen Huntly Park.

Saints Pride on show

Now in its the fifth year, the Saints Pride Game is always a feature on the calendar, and Saturday's celebration was no exception. With the Blues having a Bye, the Greens stepped up and played at Midday with the Golds to follow. Coach Lewis had his Green machine sharp and ready, giving the Saints the Dream start with a big win over South Melbourne. The Saints Gold were next up and they kept the dream going with an equally dominant win over Williamstown CYs. Sarah Withers was on hand to catch the action

Seniors	14.8.92	Defeated	Uni Blues	10.9.69
Reserves	4.9.33	Lost to	Uni Blues	8.11.59
Saints Gold	10.9.69	Defeated	Williamstown CYMS	2.5.17
Saints Green	7.6.48	Defeated	South Melbourne	0.1.1
U19 Premier	17.11.113	Defeated	Parkdale Vultures	6.6.42
U19 SD1	14.17.101	Defeated	Ormond	8.6.54
U19 SD2	4.9.33	Lost to	Parkdale Vultures	6.10.46
Academy	13.6.84	Defeated	Old Scotch	8.10.58
Stingers	9.14.68	Defeated	De La Salle	3.9.27
SKOB Dogs	8.6.54	Lost to	Caulfield Gramm	15.13.103