The large luncheon crowd spilt out onto the terraces to find St Bedes/Mentone Tigers kicking to the Brindisi St end and hence working into the steady breeze. The Tigers got on the scoreboard first but De La Salle were quick to reply. Michael Curcio and Peter McGettigan kicked solid long goals and the teams went to the first break separated by only a few points.
They say good kicking is good football and so it was in the second term and the home side kicked 5 goals straight to the visitor’s solitary behind. The quarter opened with an arm wrestle, De La Salle scored a behind and from then on it was all Tigers. Steve Doherty started it with a great mark and goal at the 11 minute mark, then followed up with an accurate pass to Peter McGettigan who made no mistake. Hayden Jeans roved and goal from a long bomb forward. Paul Wintle was marking strongly in defence and creating run out of the back half. Shaun Glennen opened his account just before half time and the Tigers took a 4 goal advantage to the sheds.
But it was De La Salle who returned after half time with the better application, kicking 5 goals to 1 in the first 15 minutes to bring the scores level. With the De La Salle mosquito fleet finding too much space in their forward line, it was time to start cutting off supply. Through the agency of Luke Wintle, Simon Richards, Pat Kean and Cameron Hansen, the Tigers started winning the ball out the middle again. Luke Terrell kicked a skillful running goal to arrest the lead back. First gamer Brayden O’Toole was starting to have an impact and his delightful pass enabled Hayden Jeans to goal. De La hit back with their sixth of the quarter and it was still “game on”. Our backs were now finding more of the footy, with Damien Waters showing his usual Tiger tenacity and Hiwad Shaikaib taking telling marks. Michael Curcio again marked strongly to goal then followed with a pinpoint pass to Brayden O’Toole. When the lanky debutant kicked long and accurately from the pocket, the Tigers fans roared their approval. Michael Barnes goaled on the run and Shaun Glennen threaded the needle to put the locals 5 goals up at ¾ time. After a slow start, the Tigers had kicked 7 into the breeze in the “Premiership” quarter.
De La Salle kicked the opening goal of the final term but from then on it was all Tigers. Another 4 goals to the Tigers and the final siren sounded with a 50 point win, coincidentally the exact same margin as the Tigers won by at Malvern earlier in the year. The Lasallian Challenge Trophy stays at Mentone!
The undermanned Reserves battled hard all day but couldn’t find a way to kick a big enough score.
The U19 Red (Premier) boys were too strong for De La Salle in the early match and currently sit in second place. The U19 Blue (South) team also had a good win over Peninsula and is looking good in third spot on the ladder.