Prince Alfred finetune for state knockout grand final and intercol with thrashing of Rostrevor
Prince Alfred begins a blockbuster week of college footy in the best possible fashion as it prepares for the state knockout grand final and intercol in the same week.
- Future AFL draft prospects lead PAC to big win
- One-sided result in battle of traditional college rivals
- St Peter’s stun Sacred Heart in college footy battle
The Reds prove way too strong for Rostrevor, Sacred Heart beat the Vics and Westminster conquers Mercedes.
Here is our wrap of college footy’s round 11:
PRINCE ALFRED 15.12 (102) ROSTREVOR 8.5 (53)
Prince Alfred College began a blockbuster week of college footy in the best possible fashion as it prepares for the state knockout grand final and intercol in the same week.
The Reds will play three games in seven days, the first of which was a 49-point win away over Rostrevor in the Messenger Shield last Saturday.
PAC were set to take on Henley High in the state school knockout grand final for the third-straight season on Tuesday, August 20, after press time.
It will then play rival college St Peter’s in the annual intercol clash this Saturday.
Reds coach Marty McKinnon said his side “wouldn’t have it any other way” ahead of its two biggest fixtures of the year.
“It’s a big week, we think we’ve prepared well and in terms of the knockout final we’ll be better off for having that run on Saturday and being tested the way we were,” McKinnon said.
“The opportunity to play in these big games means you’re having a relatively successful season and you’re there at the pointy end.”
PAC and Henley have won one state title each the past two seasons and McKinnon said they would be facing a side which “bats pretty deep in terms of identified talent”.
He was also well aware of the challenge St Peter’s would present, with the Saints taking the prized scalps of Sacred Heart and Rostrevor so far this campaign.
Last Saturday, Rostrevor burst out of the blocks by kicking the first five goals of the match as they kept Prince Alfred scoreless in the opening term.
The hosts maintained the rage to lead by four goals at the main break before the Reds booted 12.4 to just two points in the second half on their way to the 15.12 (102) to 8.5 (53) victory.
Kysiah Pickett starred all day on the ball for Prince Alfred, James Boralse booted seven goals while Karl Finlay was also solid.
Rostrevor coach Ron Fuller said his side could not maintain its strong early intensity as the opposition wore them down.
“We started the game very well but when they got on top and had more time and space, we couldn’t keep up,” Fuller said.
Rostrevor’s season is finished, with the school having a bye in the final round.
ST PETER’S 14.13 (97) IMMANUEL 9.7 (61)
St Peter’s will enter its intercol with Prince Alfred this week in winning form after defeating Immanuel by 36 points at home last Saturday.
The hosts were too strong, prevailing 14.13 (97) to 9.7 (61) away.
Ruckman Chris Bawden, state under-18 squad member Jordan Moore and Austin Forbes were best for Immanuel.
Immanuel coach Troy Clements was proud of his side’s fighting character.
Clements knew the battle would be tough as St Peter’s finetuned for its intercol with PAC.
But he said his players rose to the challenge and played well despite the result.
“All credit to the St Peter’s boys,” Clements said.
“They fielded a full-strength side and they’ve got a lot coming up in their program in the next few weeks.
“I was big on telling our boys that we had a challenge on our hands because they (St Peter’s) would’ve been using our game as a dress rehearsal for their intercol against PAC.
“But in saying that, I believe my boys really challenged them.
“We wanted to try and force repeat stoppages and really challenge them at the contest and try to play a really attacking style of football and I think we did.
“The score that we put on the board is probably the highest we’ve kicked against those bigger teams all year and our accuracy was OK.
“We were really happy with out effort and really impressed with the character of our boys.
“We really stepped up and our physical approach on the football was probably the best all year.
“I was super proud of them.”
Immanuel plays Scotch away in the final round this Saturday.
SACRED HEART 8.6 (54) ASSUMPTION COLLEGE 5.6 (36)
Sacred Heart travelled to Victoria to take on Melbourne’s Assumption College and returned home with a strong 18-point win.
Hearts trailed by five points at quarter-time but slammed on five goals to the hosts’ one to in the third term claim the 8.6 (54) to 5.6 (36) win.
Captain Beau McRae won the best-on-ground medal for the Hearts in the annual game against Assumption.
Max Fitzgerald, Zac Dumesny and Will Day also played exceptional games for Sacred Heart, according to coach Jon Symonds.
Lachlan Stoddard was Hearts’ leading goal kicker, finishing the match with three.
Symonds said his side ended the game with a depleted line up after three players went down with injuries but that made the win even more special.
“It was a really pleasing effort,” Symonds said.
“Some of the guys are a bit sore, heading to the end of the year, and we lost three (players) during that last quarter.
“So we were sort of on our last legs and just defending as grimly as we could.
“But we got there and led by our skipper.
“He was hard and tough and really important for us in the clearances and defended well in that last quarter as well”.
The win comes a week after Sacred Heart beat Rostrevor in the intercol.
WESTMINSTER 15.16 (106) MERCEDES 4.1 (25)
Westminster recorded an 81-point win against Mercedes at home on Saturday.
The hosts proved too strong, prevailing 15.16 (106) to 4.1 (25).
Westminster coach Ian Cox said the result was the perfect preparation for the college’s intercol with Pembroke at home this Saturday.
Riley Wilsdon was best-on-ground for Westminster, booting five goals.
“The boys played really well and it was nice to kick a good score,” Cox said.
“We’ve had a pretty good year even though we’ve only won three games and tied one.
“We’ve been solid for most of the year.
“But I was really pleased with how the boys went about it (against Mercedes) and it was a really good effort by all of them.
“I think we got a good contribution from everyone, all our young boys and the older heads all played well.
“Riley has looked like he would kick a few goals so to kick five was good for his confidence.
“We had a good spread of goal kickers, too.”
