Two Blues continue to struggle in Premier C Grade

PRAHRAN is fast discovering the gulf in class from VAFA Division 1 to Premier C Grade.

Last Saturday week it was a 85 point defeat to Ajax, a C Grade finalist from last year.

On Saturday at Toorak Park it was a 9-8 (62) to 16-18 (114) loss to St Bede’s Mentone, demoted from Premier B Grade.

Which leaves last year’s Division 1 premier winless and ninth in the ladder.

When the inside 50 count stats read Prahran 32 to St Bede’s 61 there can only be one outcome.

St Bede’s was so much cleaner with ball handling skills while the Two Blues fumbled under pressure, real and imagined. Time and again handballs when astray let alone turnovers by foot.

Even so the Two Blues had their moments.

The first 10 minutes was a hard to watch with the visitors scoring 2-4 while the Two Blues barely entered inside 50.

Finally Jon Simonetta crumbed a goal to put the Two Blues on the scoreboard at the 14 minute mark.

A Jayden Williams intercept mark led to a long kick from Matthew Clifford to find Simonetta for a second goal 25 minutes into the first term was promising.

The Two Blues pressure ramped up and they went into the first break trailing by just two points providing a glimpse of the form they showed in their sequence of 14 wins last year.

St Bede’s reply was five successive goals, an emphatic statement of their superiority.

The last quarter provided a positive with four goals to St Bede’s five.

The Two Blues effort could not be faulted but somehow they need to regain their confidence, composure and reduce the number of turnovers.

Again Clifford was the Two Blues best, a beacon whether on the ball, in defence or kicking two goals.

The Two Blues stay at home next Saturday v Beaumaris.

(Note the Trevor Evans photo shows our players wore pink socks as part of the club's BCNA Day promotion for the awareness of breast cancer).

PRAHRAN 2-3 3-4 5-7 9-8 (62)

ST BEDES MENTONE 2-5 8-5 11-14 16-18 (114) Goals. Clifford, Simonetta, Hura 2, Plaza, Smyth, Brousse de Laborde.

Best. Matt Clifford, Patrick Ribbands, Mackenzie Mayne, Riley Hogan, Ryan Smyth, Diezel Brousse de Laborde

RESERVES

AFTER wins in the first two rounds the Reserves have found life much harder.

The opposition has been much stronger and coupled with absence of several players and the Two Blues have come back to the field now sitting fifth on the ladder.

PRAHRAN 2-2 3-3 4-4 5-8 (38)

ST BEDE'S MENTONE 3-2 9-7 13-9 17-10 (112)

Goals. Bach 2, Woods, Amalfi, Chapman,.

Best. Michael Woods, Tully Loomes, Thomas Crepin, George Torney, Peter Ahern, Jackson Partridge.

WOMENS

The last of our four grading games had us playing at home against North Brunswick, who similar to us, had not yet won a game.

Prahran will remain in Division 3 when the season for premiership points starts next Saturday.

Another beautiful day at Toorak Park and a full list of 22 players again thanks to Caulfield Grammarians loaning us three players.

The game until half time was an entertaining and even struggle, however this was not reflected on the scoreboard with our opposition a little more mature and experienced in their forward line and ability to score from turnovers.

The second half produced a different story as we stopped their free scoring and started to attack with lots of entries into our forward line. 

It was another great team effort with many players producing "Stand Out” efforts.

Hard to believe that 17 players out of our squad have never played AFLW until this year! Their commitment, dedication and development is inspirational!

BEST PLAYERS: Katy Perree, Marielle Caponas, Emily Van De Wiel, Anna Be.

PRAHRAN 0-2 

NORTH BRUNWICK 12-12 (84)