In front of the biggest crowd of the season at their Fortress Brindisi Street, St Bedes/Mentone Tigers overwhelmed flag favourite Collegians in their top-of-the-table clash to take top spot on the VAFA Premier Division ladder on Saturday. Collegians got off to a flier, kicking the first two goals of the game into a slight breeze to put the Seniors on the back foot but as ever the Tigers responded with their renowned version of attack on the footy to wrest the initiative away from the visitors but with most of Collegians players in the Mentone forward half the Tigers struggled to convert and with 2 goals 7 for the quarter left the door ajar for the Lions. In the second, Collegians style of rebound football proved effective as the Tigers, although continuing to dominate the play with Luke Wintle in great touch in the ruck, again struggled to convert only to see the Purple men race the ball forward against the run of play to register 3 quick majors and surprisingly turn 5 points in front. In the second half, both teams wrestled to take the initiative and with Hiwad Shakaib immoveable in defence and Dan Garside and Darcy Holden rebounding with characteristic toughness at the ball, pace and long kicking the Mentone team threatened to take control but as you would expect from the top team Collegians resisted stoutly to eventually took a 1 point lead into the deciding quarter. In the three quarter time huddle the Seniors had that steely look that suggested they weren’t going to be moved and so it turned out, from the start they ran and tackled like men possessed and with Jack Hellier in outstanding form and Sam Anstey everywhere, the Tigers refused to give the Trotters any room to move the ball while revelling in the close, tight contest themselves and proceeded to kick 3 goals 8 before they allowed Collegians to score and ran out convincing winners by 18 points. •The Reserves lost a close one by 4 points from a goal in the last minute while the U19s thumped Old Brighton by 159 points to be knocking on the door of the four. •There are no VAFA games over the long weekend, however, St Bedes/Mentone Tigers have 3 players (Hiwad Shakaib, Simon Richards and Jack Hellier) selected in the VAFA Under 23 representative side to play in the U23 carnival in Adelaide over the weekend. •The following week Seniors and Reserves play Old Scotch at Elsternwick Park on Sunday (19th June). The Ressies commence at 11.00am with the Seniors commencing at 1.20pm.