VAFA: Old Paradians maintain unbeaten Division 2 record with stirring win over Whitefriars

An injury-hit Old Paradians produced a stirring final quarter to maintain its unbeaten record in VAFA Division 2 with a four-point win over Whitefriars on Saturday.

Whitefriars’ Marlon Simbolon vies with Old Paradians’ Jake Plunkett for possession on Saturday.

THIS one was for the skipper.

An injury-hit Old Paradians produced a stirring final quarter to maintain its unbeaten record in VAFA Division 2 with a four-point win over Whitefriars on Saturday.

The Raiders lost captain Chris Kandilakis with a fractured cheekbone and centre-half-back Michael Bellizia to concussion in the opening quarter of the top-two clash.

Kandilakis was taken to hospital after a head clash with a teammate and is facing a lengthy stint on the sidelines as he awaits surgery.

Yet without its captain and one of its defensive generals, Old Paradians came from 22 points down at three-quarter-time to record a 9.13 (67) to 9.9 (63) victory.

“The boys really just lifted for the captain,” assistant coach Steven Fazekas said.

“I think that is why we were down for the first half. After seeing Chris go off covered in blood and getting into an ambulance.

Marcus Nolan climbs high to reel in a mark for Old Paradians on Saturday.

“Then we lost our centre half-back with concussion in the first quarter, so the boys were a bit down.

“We got them up and going to do it for the captain and they all got up for it. It was probably the best win I’ve had at the club.”

Fazekas praised the resilience of the club’s midfielders in the final-quarter fightback, which was led by David Huntley, Michael Boundy and vice-captain Warren Jeffrey.

“It just shows how much endeavour the boys have got. It was an amazing effort,” he said. “They don’t give up. They just fight until the end.”

Old Paradians should have been closer at three-quarter-time after dominating territory but booting 2.7 in the third term.

“We always thought once we started kicking straight we were a chance,” Fazekas said.

“As soon as the game opened up we were on top of them.”

The result relegated Whitefriars to third on the ladder and allowed the Raiders to retain their one-game buffer ahead of UHS-VU.

With winless Eltham Collegians to come before the Queen’s Birthday bye, Fazekas flagged changes were likely for the battle-weary ladder leader.

“We have got a few players with a few niggling injuries and we can give them a rest now we have got the two-game break (on Whitefriars),” he said.