Snowdogs Storm Home to Seal A-Grade Future
On Saturday, St Bernard’s marched into the final round of 2025 with everything on the line — A-Grade survival, pride in the jumper, and a chance to finish the season on their own terms. Their opponent? Third-placed St Kevin’s. The stage? A heaving Snakepit, full of anticipation.
Early on, it looked grim. Kevins were sharp, outworking the Snowdogs around the contest and punishing every mistake. Despite Nick Tonge’s spark — booting the first two goals and bringing raw energy up forward — St Bernard’s trailed by three goals at half time and were struggling for rhythm. The scoreboard read danger, and few could see what was about to unfold.
Then came the turn. The third quarter belonged to the Snowdogs. Led by midfield bull Jackson Hately — fresh off last week’s heroics and again racking up 42 disposals — the Snowdogs seized control. His run, class and relentless work rate, combined with Ethan Schumann’s clean hands and vision, flipped the midfield battle. Centre bounce dominance turned into a flood of forward entries, and with it came belief. Six goals in a blistering quarter lit up the Snakepit, the contest swung, and the roar grew louder with every score.
By the final term, the place was shaking. Sauro stood tall in the ruck, an immovable presence who finished with 64 hitouts. Ben Huggard’s versatility was immense — shifting between ends, shrugging tackles, and booting two goals of his own. Up forward, Matthew Watson was deadly efficient, slotting four majors, while Tonge kept the fire burning, adding another two to also finish with four. Every tackle, every clearance, every mark sent a surge of noise from the hill.
The final siren sparked pure eruption. Players and supporters alike knew this was more than just a win — it was a statement. A reminder of what this group can achieve when heart, hunger and unity collide. Pride in the jumper. Pride in the fight. Pride in the club.
Final Scores
St Bernard’s: 3.0 (18) | 3.6 (24) | 9.10 (64) | 16.12 (108)
St Kevin’s: 4.4 (28) | 6.7 (43) | 8.8 (56) | 10.14 (74)
Best
St Bernard’s: J. Hately, E. Schumann, M. Sauro, N. Tonge, B. Huggard, M. Watson
St Kevin’s: E. Mahoney, O. Gill, W. Pfeiffer, B. Mansfield, T. Jok, G. Delimitrou
Goals
St Bernard’s: M. Watson 4, N. Tonge 4, C. Vague 2, B. Huggard 2, L. Alessio 1, J. Hately 1, K. Bharathi 1, L. Di Lizio 1
St Kevin’s: E. Mahoney 4, P. Kerr 2, O. Gill 1, T. Davidson 1, T. Williams 1, J. Ball 1
This victory sealed St Bernard’s place in A-Grade for 2026 — a testament to the resilience, grit and growth shown all season. For every supporter who filled the hill, cheered, clapped, and roared their team home, this one was for you. The journey doesn’t end here. In fact...it’s only just beginning.
Written by: Hannah Juricskay