Live stream: Leaders Old Brighton take on University Blacks in crucial VAFA Premier Men’s showdown

A six-goal opening term set the scene for Premier Men’s leaders Old Brighton to produce their highest score of an increasingly impressive season. Watch the Reserves/Premier REPLAYS.

A stunning six-goal opening term has paved the way for VAFA Premier Men’s leaders Old Brighton to post their biggest score of the season in recording a 69-point win over University Blacks.

The Tonners showed their intent from the outset, racing out to a 40-3 advantage after the first 30 minutes.

They kicked three more goals to lead 59-3 before Uni Blacks got on the board 10 minutes into the second quarter through Ben Oliver. Nicholas Carris added a second a little over a minute later, but they didn’t add another until the advantage got out to 98 points.

Uni Blacks made the score respectable with a six-goal final quarter, but the game was long decided by then.

PREMIER RESERVES

Cam Hathway kicked a season-high five goals as Old Brighton heaped more misery on struggling University Blacks with a 129-point victory in their VAFA Premier Men’s Reserves clash on Saurday.

Hathway had kicked four twice previously this season, but particularly enjoyed the freedom given to him by the Uni Blacks defence.

The Tonners kicked a season-high 20 majors - and with the defence in a particularly miserly mood, Uni Blacks didn’t kick a goal.

Uni Blacks are now winless in 10 games this season and while they have struggled to contain the top teams in the past, this was the first time they have failed to kick a goal.

University Blacks vs Old Brighton (Reserves) - VAFA Round 10

PREVIEW

Old Brighton might sit a game clear of top of the ladder, but coach Marcel Bruin believes the opportunity to hit the reset button on his side’s VAFA Premier Division season was critical.

The Tonners suffered their first loss against St Kevin’s before the long weekend bye, but bounced back to their best by beating reigning premier Collegians last weekend.

On Saturday, they face mid-table University Blacks who gave them a good run for their money earlier in the season, only losing by nine points after the scores were locked at 45-45 at three-quarter time.

Catch the Reserves/Premier double header LIVE and EXCLUSIVE on KommunityTV from 11.40am on Saturday.

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Old Brighton are in the middle of a three-game block which Bruin describes as “critical”.

After the next two weeks, the VAFA will head on a two-week break before returning in late-July for crunch fixtures ahead of the finals series.

“If we drop all three of these games prior to that break then it really brings you back to the the rest of the competition,” he said.

“We’d like to separate ourselves and give ourselves that the opportunity to finish in the top-two and win the double chance.

“The break came at the perfect time for us to be honest, we had played eight games on top of three practice matches. We had some sore bodies and our depth was starting to be tested.

Harry Hynes of Old Brighton is tackled during the round nine 2023 Victorian Amateur Football Association William Buck Premier MenÕs match between Old Brighton and Old Xaverians at Brighton Beach Oval in Brighton, Victoria on June 17, 2023. (Photo by Josh Chadwick)

“It helped to freshen us up.”

Bruin is expecting a different type of game from when the two sides met at Brighton Beach earlier in April.

“Our ground is a lot smaller, which is probably better suited to the contested game they like to play,” he said.

“We’re looking forward to getting out to Melbourne Uni, which is which is a bigger oval, to try and generate some offence.

“They often have excess numbers at the contest and a massive work rate, so you’ve got to match their intensity, particularly around the contest.

“I think if you can get the ball to the outside, we can really challenge them in terms of speed to get the ball inside for 50.”

Originally published as Live stream: Leaders Old Brighton take on University Blacks in crucial VAFA Premier Men’s showdown