Tough Day at the Snakepit as Bernard’s Fall to Reigning Premiers
St Bernard’s returned to the Snakepit in Round 7 for a highly anticipated clash against reigning premiers Old Scotch, with extra motivation in the air as club stalwart Michael Caven celebrated his 100th senior game. Hopes were high for a tight contest — but the game told a different story.
Scotch came out firing, piling on six unanswered goals to open the match and setting the tone early. Bernard’s found themselves immediately on the back foot, struggling to gain control or momentum. Watson finally got the home side on the board at the 20-minute mark of the first term, but the damage was done — Scotch took a commanding 51-point lead into quarter time.
There was a noticeable lift in intensity from St Bernard’s in the second quarter, with improved pressure and forward entries. However, the surge was short-lived. Scotch continued to capitalise on their chances, consistently outworking the boys in transition and at stoppages.
Despite the scoreboard pressure, individual efforts stood out. Luke Said brought his trademark run and drive through the midfield, while Harrison Schumann worked tirelessly on the wings to create space and link up play. Up forward, Watson was a lone spark, kicking five goals in a spirited performance against a disciplined Scotch defence.
The contest exposed some clear areas for growth for the Bernard’s outfit — particularly in centre clearances and transition defence. Still, there were positives to take away. Karan Bharathi's relentless work rate and willingness to present as a target throughout the day was a highlight, showing his value in the side.
St Bernard’s: 1.0 2.4 5.5 8.7 (55)
Old Scotch: 9.3 13.7 17.11 20.15 (135)
Goals
St Bernard’s: M. Watson 5, D. Sullivan 1, F. Shannon 1, L. Papley 1
Old Scotch: W. Clark 5, J. Tarrant 5, A. Jones 2, J. McCorkell 2, H. Brown 1, B. Easton 1, A. Franetic 1, A. Jelbart 1, F. Morrisby 1, A. Symons 1
Best
St Bernard’s: Karan Bharathi, Harrison Schumann, Luke Said, Matthew Watson, Fergus McNicol, Nicholas Conlan
Old Scotch: Angus Jones, Charlie Cormack, Angus Symons, Max Suttle, Jake Torney, James Tarrant
The heavy loss sees St Bernard’s slip to 4-3, with the opportunity to bounce back next week against a red-hot Old Haileybury side, who’ve impressed in their first year back in A Grade. The boys will regroup, reset, and come out with a renewed edge in Round 8.
Written by: Hannah Juricskay