2016 BAS 1st XVIII Grand Final

St Patrick’s College 8.13 (61) d Ballarat Clarendon College 4.7 (31)

Goal Kickers: Izaac Johnson 4, Max Scales 1, Jordan Cotter 1, Nick Stuhldreier 1, Jake McQueen

Best Players: Izaac Johnson, Nick Stuhldreier, Jake McQueen, Will Garner, Jordan Cotter, Aiden Domic

St Patrick’s College defeated Ballarat Clarendon College by 30 points on Wednesday, June 15 to claim the BAS title for the 10th consecutive year.-

Played on the Main Oval in almost perfect conditions, St Patrick’s College controlled the game from the opening bounce and were never really threatened.

The game, which once again was played in great sportsmanship underlined the strength of BAS schoolboy football, and was a credit to both programs, showing a very fast and high standard of football.-

The opening term was a typical of an SPC vs Ballarat College contest.-

Physical and congested, with Ballarat Clarendon College pushing numbers behind the ball negating a free flowing game.-

SPC had a game high 23 one per cent acts for the term (five effective spoils) highlighting the players’ commitment pre game to support their team mate.

St Patrick’s College controlled the term, having 12 inside 50s to Ballarat Clarendon’s four, with SPC having seven scoring shots to zero.-

Unfortunately, poor kicking at goal (1.6) was the only thing which prevented SPC holding a five goal advantage at the first break.-

Nick Stuhldreier continued his outstanding form as an inside midfield, while alongside him Jake McQueen proved instrumental in SPC holding a 12-point lead at quarter time.

Kicking with the aid of a small breeze in the second quarter, SPC dropped their intensity (10 one % acts for the quarter) allowing Ballarat Clarendon College to get back into the contest.

As soon as we drop below 18 one percent acts for the quarter, we become vulnerable and this was clearly reflected with the change in momentum within the game.

Ballarat Clarendon College outscored SPC, kicking two goals to our one, and at the main break we held a slender 8-point lead.

An area that continues to be a strength of the side is our defensive set-ups, especially when the opposition are kicking in.

Of the 13 occasions that College kicked in after conceding a point, we were able to either neutralise that ball by creating a secondary ball up or by gaining possession on 12 of these occasions.

This is a telling statistic and is something that we need to be really disciplined with.

It is extremely important that any member on the third line of our defensive zone punch the ball (unless completely unopposed) back into the corridor, creating a 50/50 ball.

It is often said that the third quarter is the premiership quarter and this was never as evident as in this game.

SPC kicked four goals to Ballarat Clarendon’s one and it was during this phase of the game that Izaac Johnson kicked three of these and was the difference between both sides.

Izaac is extremely clever, has very good hands for his size and he uses his body to out-position his opponent in both general play and in the air.

Izaac continues to play well against better opposition which is a real credit to him.

At three quarter time, SPC held a 28-point advantage and this was based on the defensive pressure applied by the playing group, our ability to switch when the opportunity presented itself and our capacity to win the greater proportion of the stoppage situations (7 -“ 4).

Although Ballarat Clarendon College kicked the first goal of the final quarter, we responded by kicking the final two goals of the game, running out convincing winners by 30 points.

On each of our key indicators we controlled the game; having 17 more inside 50s, having twice as many scoring shots, winning the stoppages, both around the ground (21 -“ 13) and at the centre bounce (7 -“ 3), and winning possession on their kick ins on either their first or second possession on 12 out of the 13 occasions.

Although both sides had key personnel out due to either sickness (Sam White), injury (Joe Dodd) or Nationals (Jarrod Korewah and Tom Williamson), BCC (Hugh McCluggage and Jarrod Berry who were both injured) the game was played to a very high standard and both squads should be congratulated on the level that they played.

Our attention now turns to our Herald Sun Shield campaign where we are aiming to win our seventh consecutive grand final.

We are scheduled to play the Herald Sun Shield Semi Final against MacKillop College, Werribee (SACCSS) on Wednesday July 20 at the Trevor Barker Oval, Sandringham which hopefully will be followed by the Grand Final on Saturday July 30 at the MCG.-

Howard Clark

1st XVIII Coach