Day of Drama at Toorak Park
Seniors:
Prahran Assumption Reserves lost second place on the ladder after a day of drama at Toorak Park on Saturday.
Visiting St Leo’s refused to play the Reserves game citing the hardness and unevenness of the centre square area meaning the game was declared a forfeit by Prahran Assumption resulting in St Leo's being awarded the four points.
Prahran Assumption needed four points to keep second position but despite a submission from the club the VAFA Board ruled the status quo apply.
As a result the Reserves now finish third and meet Therry Penola on Sunday in a sudden-death first semi-final.
The senior game was also in jeopardy but St Leo’s relented and agreed to play, with the game starting five minutes late after remedial work was done on the centre square.
The mud from the cricket pitch area following Old Xavierians home game the previous Saturday dried so quickly the centre square became rock hard, but it was rolled and watered to alleviate concerns on player safety.
While the senior game was merely a tune-up for next weekend’s first semi-final for the Two Blues and St Leo’s was certain to be relegated to Division 3 , much more was at stake with the Reserves.
The senior match went ahead without incident with Prahran Assumption cruising to a 12-12 (84) to 4-6 (30) win.
But the Two Blues will need to raise their intensity and improve their kicking skills to overcome Old Paradians in Sunday’s knock-out first semi-final.
Captain Adam Sleight kicked four goals to finish the home and away season in second place on the goal kicking for Division 2 with 68 goals, one behind Eltham’s Seb Ciavola.
Best afield was Dale Barrett who was all but impassable at full-back.
PRAHRAN ASSUMPTION 2-3 6-6 8-9 12-12 (84)
ST LEOS 0-3 0-3 2-4 4-6 (30)
Goals: Sleight 4, Simpson 3, Parsons, Ancrum, Robbins, J Matherson, Pascoe.
Best: Barrett, Anglin, Dempsey, MacDonald, Simpson, Sleight.