Match Report
Round 18
27 August 2022
AJAX v St Bedes/Mentone Tigers
Our season sat at 6-9 and we headed in to our final game for the 2022 season. It had been a unique season for many reasons and we looked forward to finishing off on a positive note with a victory against St Bedes. Perfect conditions greeted us at Albert Park and the excitement and celebrations of the 2011 Premiership Reunion gave us even more incentive to perform well.
Brandon Joel got us off to the perfect start with an accurate set shot early in the quarter. After that though there wasn’t much to like as St Bedes attacked for most of the quarter. Our pressure was really good which meant many of their shots on goal were rushed. This contributed to their inaccuracy on the scoreboard. Hutch Davis and Benji Krongold looked to run the ball out of defence. Nick Pike was looking lively across the half forward line. Sam Hendler, in his second game, kicked truly from 40 metres to register his first goal at senior level. It was wonderful to see the whole team celebrate the moment with him. St Bedes held a handy 21 point lead at the first break.
For the second week in a row our second quarter was the highlight of the game. We scored five goals in the first 20 minutes to turn a deficit in to a lead by half time. Two long goals to Adam Caplan, one a perfectly connected torpedo bomb, gave the side great confidence. Elliot Debinski kicked straight from a set shot after gaining the advantage of a 50 metre penalty. Jarryd Ludski scored a goal on the run and Sam Hendler kicked a clever snap on his left foot. The backline played the quarter beautifully and only allowed St Bedes to score two behinds for the quarter. We took an eight point advantage in to the half time break.
St Bedes came out of the blocks hard and fast in the third quarter registering the first goal in very quick time. We were able to settle and avoid an avalanche of goals. Kane Nissenbaum kicked a wonderful goal on the run after taking a courageous mark. Brad Caplan kicked accurately on the siren and we were able to go in to the ¾ break with a two point lead. Elliot Debinski was providing plenty of drive in the middle and was working well with Jake Wrobel. Jordan Cohen was gaining plenty of the ball. Jarryd Ludski continued his excellent midfield lockdown role.
The last quarter promised excitement and it didn’t disappoint. Both sides threw everything at the contest with the knowledge that there was no next week. Both sides had opportunities to win the game and both sides made errors that may have been costly. Kane Nissenbaum’s goal with two minutes remaining gave us the lead but the celebrations were soured by an amazing centre clearance and goal from the opposition to return them to the lead. Nick Pike showed some excellent composure with 60 seconds remaining which gave us one last scoring opportunity. A Brandon Joel snap fell agonisingly short and was rushed through for a behind. With seconds remaining St Bedes tried to maintain possession but couldn’t. Nick Lewis drove the ball forward one final time however a St Bedes mark held up our surge. A draw to end it all.
Our season finished 6-1-9.
Goals: A Caplan 2, Nissenbaum 2, Hendler 2, B Caplan 2, Joel, Ludski, Debinski
Bests: Ludski, Pike, Chrapot, Cohen, B Caplan, Nissenbaum
Teams |
Q1 |
Q2 |
Q3 |
Q4 |
AJAX |
2.0.12 |
7.1.43 |
9.4.58 |
11.9.75 |
St Bedes Mentone |
4.9.33 |
4.11.35 |
7.14.56 |
10.15.75 |