Old Xaverians Outclass Undermanned Bernard’s in Round 12
St Bernard’s made the trip to face ladder-leaders Old Xaverians for Round 12, still battling through a tough stretch with a heavily depleted side.
It was a perfect winter’s day for football, but the first quarter was anything but smooth for St Bernard’s. Old Xaverians dominated from the outset, moving the ball cleanly and capitalising on turnovers, while Bernard’s struggled to register a score. It wasn’t until five minutes into the second term that Fergus McNicol broke through with the team's first goal of the day.
From there, Bernard’s began to show more spark. Their pressure lifted noticeably, and players like Angus Ryan started to take the game on — breaking tackles and pushing the ball inside 50 with purpose.
Despite the scoreboard pressure, the tall timber for St Bernard’s stood tall. Matthew Sauro was tireless in the ruck and pushed forward to slot two strong goals. Down back, Tom Sullivan backed up his impressive Round 11 performance with another strong showing, consistently nullifying Old Xav’s aerial threats. Up forward, Matthew Watson was a reliable target and converted his chances well, finishing with two majors.
The second half saw the game slip further from Bernard’s reach as the toll of consecutive tough matches showed. But even as the margin grew, Ethan Schumann never stopped fighting. His leadership and attack on the contest in the midfield was unwavering, providing a consistent presence through the middle in what was a challenging day for the team.
With the final siren, St Bernard’s were defeated 137 to 56. The team now heads into a much-needed double bye — a valuable chance to reset, recover, and regroup ahead of a crucial clash with De La Salle at home on Saturday July 26.
Final Score
Old Xaverians: 5.5 35 | 7.10 52 | 16.13 109 | 20.17 137
St Bernard’s: 0.0 0 | 3.3 21 | 4.5 29 | 8.8 56
Goals
Old Xaverians: J. Gangi 3, H. Woodhouse 3, N. Guiney 2, O. Duncan 2, C. MacIsaac 2, M. Stavrou, C. Westcott, S. Ralph, W. Brusnahan, W. Goss, C. Holmes, B. Scala, E. Kennedy
St Bernard’s: M. Sauro 2, M. Watson 2, D. Iermano, F. McNicol, H. Schumann, O. Liberatore
Best Players
Old Xaverians: M. Stavrou, J. Feneley, T. Dunne, N. Guiney, A. Trigar, C. Westcott
St Bernard’s: E. Schumann, T. Sullivan, M. Sauro, A. Ryan, H. Schumann, M. Watson
Written by: Hannah Juricskay