St Bernard’s Battle the Elements in a Tough Day Against Caulfield
After a week off due to the public holiday, St Bernard's travelled out to Caulfield to take on Caulfield Grammarians. With some big outs, team changes and some awful weather scheduled, there was a challenge set for Bernard's to try come home with the 4 points.
With the advantage of the breeze in the opening quarter, St Bernard’s were unable to fully capitalise with Caulfield controlling large periods of the contest. It wasn’t until the final ten minutes of the first term that saw St Bernard's begin to find some rhythm, lifting their intensity around the contest and making the most of their opportunities going forward. Thanks to some inconsistent shots at goal from Caulfield it meant that Bernard's held a three goal lead heading into the first break.
Despite the late surge in the first quarter, the rest of the game belonged to Caulfield, who were able to dictate play for extended periods of time and apply constant pressure around the ground. St Bernard’s battled hard but found it difficult to gain sustained momentum as the visitors controlled territory and possession. Most of Bernard’s inside fifties were either too shallow or able to be intercepted by Caulfield's defence.
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As the match progressed, the conditions deteriorated significantly with rain arriving making ball movement and clean skills increasingly difficult. The wet weather turned the contest into a hard-fought battle with both sides forced to adapt to slippery conditions and heavy ground.
Heading into the final term, St Bernard’s were only 14 points down however the dream ending couldn’t compute as Caulfield took control in the final quarter and extended their lead as the rain continued. Unfortunately, as we approach the half way point of the 2026 season, St Bernard’s have struggled to travel and play away games to the same level as when they are at home.
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Among some of the stronger performances was Jordy Farrell, whose return to the seniors side after an extended break was much anticipated. His work rate, speed and drive throughout the day was an important factor in keeping the team in the game for as long as possible. Willem Vaessen built on his abilities after his debut, continuing to find his position in the side. Dylan Gwynne had another standout performance, his ability to find the ball this year has brought his game to another level as he piled on another 30+ disposal game. The best of the day was Lachlan Papley whose pressure in the forward line was a standout, he tackled hard and used his speed to force opposition turnovers.
St Bernard’s now look to re-group and return home with some renewed energy as they prepare for their next challenge against Uni Blues, who are coming off a win against the competitors front runners in Old Brighton. St Bernard’s need to hope for a strong back end of the season having only the 2 wins so far and come together as a group to ensure they can keep the A Grade dreams alive.
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SCORES
CAULFIELD 1.4 10, 7.8 50, 10.11 71, 16.13 109
ST BERNARDS 4.3 27, 5.3 33, 8.9 57, 10.9 69
BEST
Caulfield Jack Webster, Patrick Fairlie, Julian Dobosz, Oscar Roberts, Jack Ellwood, Archie Loughnan
St Bernards Lachlan Papley, Jordan Farrell, Willem Vaessen, Dylan Gwynne, Mitchell Hughes, Matthew Watson
GOALS
Caulfield J. Dobosz 3, J. Wallace 3, J. Ellwood 2, A. Loughnan 2, H. Sandilands 2, P. Fairlie, E. Gibb, J. Moren, T. Williams
St Bernards M. Hughes 3, M. Watson 2, J. Farrell, B.Foley, D. Gwynne, F. McNicol, L. Papley
Written by Hannah Juricskay