St Bedes/Mentone Tigers overran Old Melburnians on Saturday to win by 39 points and confirmed their season’s unbeaten status at Fortress Brindisi and in so doing finished the home-and-away season on top of the VAFA Premier Division ladder for the first time in club history. Both teams were hard at it early and went goal for goal throughout the quarter as relegation candidate Old Melburnians looked anything but that to eventually be in front of the ladder leaders by a solitary point at the first change and send the message that they were up for the challenge. In the second, OMs again took it up to the Tigers but this time with hard tackling and quality ball use, managed to kick out to a well deserved 23 point lead late in the quarter only for the home team to steal two back deep into time on to fortuitously trail by 11 points at the major break. In the second half, with Hiwad Shakaib continuing his season’s brilliant form in defence and Pat Liston rebounding off half back, the Tigers took the initiative to bang on 6 unanswered goals and send the message that their unbeaten status at the Fortress wasn’t going to be given up lightly. The Tiges looked to be also affirming their position atop the table with Jack Hellier, Ben Phibbs and Luke Terrell providing the grunt around the packs, and with a 16 point lead at the last break, and their now famed last quarter finish to come, appeared to be well in-charge. The Mentone team continued their fierce attack into the last and broke it open as they stretched the lead to 44 points at the 15 minute mark and continued on to a meritorious victory against a very capable opponent to make club history in finishing on top of the VAFA Premier Division ladder for the first time ever and again going undefeated for the season at the Fortress – indeed, for the third year in the last six. • The Reserves, finishing the season in stellar form, won by 29 points but unfortunately missed the finals by half a game after only losing to top-of-the-table Uni Blues in the last 7 rounds. • Next Saturday, St Bedes/Mentone Tigers take on premiership favourites Collegians at VAFA Headquarters, Elsternwick Park, on Saturday to determine who earns the right to progress straight through to the Grand Final whilst the loser will front the winner of Sunday’s semi final between Old Xaverians and Uni Blues.